Today we’d like to introduce you to Patti Peeples, PhD.
Patti, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
My career has had several chapters, but the common thread has been curiosity, problem-solving, and building communities that help people learn from one another.
I started my professional life as a clinical hospital pharmacist and later earned my PhD in Health Economics, eventually leading Health Economics and Outcomes Research (HEOR) and evidence-generation teams within biotech and pharmaceutical companies. Over time, I noticed that professionals in this field—across industry, academia, and consulting—often worked in silos. There wasn’t an easy way for them to connect, collaborate, and share knowledge globally.
That insight led me to create HealthEconomics.Com, which began as a simple digital platform but grew into the largest global ecosystem serving the HEOR community. With support from business mentors through organizations like the Chamber of Commerce and CEO Nexus, along with strong peer mentoring relationships, the company grew into a seven-figure international business serving professionals around the world. HealthEconomics.com was eventually acquired by Scientist.com, the #1 health-technology marketplace, where I also helped support additional company integrations before stepping away from full-time industry work and “retiring” at 59.
Along the way, I also became involved in an unexpected issue close to home. After experiencing a squatter situation in Jacksonville, I worked with Florida state legislators to help pass legislation addressing property rights fairness and giving property owners clearer legal pathways to resolve these situations. The effort resulted in a new law signed by the Governor’s office, and the issue drew national attention. I appeared on programs including Nightline, Inside Edition, ABC News and NBC Nightly News, and the legislation has since been referenced nationally and internationally as a template for balancing property rights and due process. A Hulu documentary about the story is scheduled for release in May.
These days my focus is more local and collaborative. Through The Peeples Collaborative, I work on advising, peer mentoring, and community initiatives. I also spent 2025 through early 2026 helping relaunch SAMBA (Springfield Area Merchants & Business Association) as a volunteer, focusing on peer mentoring, practical education, and building a strong network of small business owners in Jacksonville. SAMBA has grown into a highly active and effective neighborhood business association, gaining accolades from the Mayor’s Office and city economic development divisions.
Looking back, the thread connecting all of it—from science to entrepreneurship to community work—has been helping people connect, share knowledge, and build things that are stronger together than they would be alone.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road. Entrepreneurship is incredibly rewarding, but it is also all-encompassing. When you start a business, you quickly realize that you are responsible for everything—from strategy and innovation to contracts, finance, marketing, and sometimes even troubleshooting technology. The number of things that suddenly become “your job” can be overwhelming.
Another reality is that the weight of those responsibilities doesn’t just affect you. When you are building a business, the risks, long hours, and uncertainty ripple outward and affect spouses, partners, and children as well. That’s something people don’t talk about enough. Entrepreneurship is rarely a solo journey—it’s something families often carry together.
One of the biggest challenges for me was recognizing that running a successful company requires a very different skill set than being an expert in your field. My background was in science and health economics, but entrepreneurship meant learning how to build teams, negotiate partnerships, manage growth, and make difficult decisions with incomplete information.
What made the biggest difference along the way was mentorship and community. Programs through the Chamber of Commerce, the Jacksonville Women’s Business Center, and CEO Nexus provided guidance, accountability, and perspective. Just as important was the benefit of peer mentoring—having honest conversations with other business owners who understood the realities of building something from the ground up.
Looking back, those challenges were some of the most important parts of the journey. They pushed me to grow not just as a business leader, but as a person.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
For about 15 months—from 2025 through early 2026—I served as a volunteer leader helping relaunch and grow SAMBA (Springfield Area Merchants & Business Association) in Jacksonville’s Historic Springfield neighborhood. The role was always intended to help stabilize and rebuild the organization so it could eventually transition back to a staffed leadership position, which we were able to accomplish in early 2026.
SAMBA exists to support the small businesses that make a neighborhood vibrant. During that time, my focus was on helping create a cohesive, collaborative community of business owners—not just a group that met occasionally, but one where people actively helped each other succeed. We emphasized peer mentoring, practical education, and strong relationships so business owners could expand their skills and navigate the real challenges of entrepreneurship.
What set SAMBA apart was the focus on substance rather than just networking. Meetings included high-quality expert speakers, practical resources owners could immediately apply, and space for honest peer-to-peer conversation. We also worked closely with local organizations to strengthen the broader neighborhood business ecosystem.
The response from the community was encouraging. Attendance grew significantly, increasing by roughly 46% year over year, and surveys showed very high satisfaction among participants. Many members reported that peer mentoring and practical business education were the most valuable parts of the experience.
What I’m most proud of is the culture that began to take shape. The goal was to help build the most supportive and effective neighborhood business association in Jacksonville—one that not only helps businesses thrive but also contributes to the long-term vitality of Springfield. It was incredibly rewarding to see business owners connect, share knowledge, and collaborate in ways that strengthened both their companies and the neighborhood we all care about.
What do you like and dislike about the city?
What I like best about Jacksonville is that it’s a city full of unexpected gems and people who care deeply about their communities. There’s a creativity and authenticity here that you discover when you get involved locally. For me, that shows up in places like Overalls Farm, which connects people to local food and the land, and communities like The Well at Springfield, where thoughtful conversations about life, meaning, and connection happen every week.
I also love the civic spirit here. Jacksonville has a strong culture of advocacy and grassroots activism, with people working through local groups to improve neighborhoods and create positive change. On the creative side, I’ve loved participating in BabsLab, where I get to explore improvisational storytelling with a group of imaginative people who simply enjoy the act of creating together.
And then there are the everyday pleasures of the city. Riding bikes on the Emerald Trail, walking through beautiful historic neighborhoods like Springfield, Riverside, and Avondale, or just discovering a new local business—those experiences remind me that Jacksonville has a unique character that grows richer the more you engage with it.
If I had one wish for Jacksonville, it would be that we fully recognize our own potential. We have incredible natural beauty, talented people, and strong community energy, but sometimes our neighborhoods and organizations operate in silos. When we connect those pieces—business, culture, advocacy, and creativity—we become a much more powerful and vibrant city.
That’s what excites me most about Jacksonville: the feeling that the best chapters are still ahead of us.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.sparcouncil.org/business
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pattipeeples/
