Meet Tara Shah

We recently connected with Tara Shah and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Tara, thanks for sharing your insights with our community today. Part of your success, no doubt, is due to your work ethic and so we’d love if you could open up about where you got your work ethic from?

I definitely get my work ethic from my parents. I’m a first-generation college student, and my parents never had the opportunity to pursue higher education. They worked incredibly hard for everything they have, and growing up, I saw that effort every single day. They taught me that anything is possible if you’re willing to put in the work, and that it’s okay to fail along the way, as long as you keep going. That lesson has stuck with me through every challenge and milestone in my life, academically, professionally and personally.

Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?

I’m the owner of Tara Acupuncture & Wellness in San Diego, where I blend traditional Chinese medicine, classical Japanese meridian therapy and orthopedic acupuncture to help people heal from the root. My treatments are highly personalized, and no two sessions are ever the same. I use a variety of techniques, including acupuncture, cupping, gua sha and e-stim, to create customized experiences that address each person’s unique needs.

What I love most about my work is the connection I build with my patients. I take time to truly get to know them, not just their symptoms but their stories, so I can support them on every level: mind, body and spirit. I intentionally limit the number of patients I see each day so that everyone feels seen, heard and cared for.

I also offer microneedling and nanoneedling for those seeking natural, holistic approaches to skin health. For me, acupuncture is both a science and an art. It’s creative, deeply human and endlessly rewarding to watch people heal and rediscover balance when nothing else has worked. My mission is to help people feel at home in their bodies again.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

Looking back, the three qualities that have been most impactful in my journey are resilience, patience and adaptability, all built on a foundation of strong work ethic. I left a stable career to go back to school and pursue acupuncture, knowing it would be a complete reset for my life. Starting over and eventually building my own practice wasn’t easy. There were moments of doubt, long hours and a lot of trial and error. But every challenge became an opportunity to learn, grow and trust the process.

Building a business is not for the faint of heart, especially when you’re figuring everything out from scratch. Resilience helped me stay grounded through uncertainty. Patience reminded me that real growth takes time. And adaptability allowed me to keep evolving, whether that meant learning marketing, refining my clinical skills or adjusting how I connect with patients.

For anyone just starting out, my advice is to embrace the journey rather than rush it. Stay curious, keep showing up and remember that consistency matters more than perfection. The combination of hard work and heart will take you exactly where you’re meant to be.

Who has been most helpful in helping you overcome challenges or build and develop the essential skills, qualities or knowledge you needed to be successful?

My husband has been the most influential person in helping me overcome challenges and grow into who I am today. He was the one who encouraged me to take the leap, change careers and start my own practice instead of working for someone else, because he knew that was what I truly wanted. From the very beginning, he believed in me, even when I doubted myself.

He’s supported me through every high and low of this journey, reminding me to keep going when things got tough and celebrating every milestone along the way. Building a business and a new career path isn’t easy, but having someone who believes in your vision and won’t let you give up makes all the difference. I truly wouldn’t be where I am today without his unwavering support and encouragement.

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