How a Nurse Turned Her Passion into a Cancer Coaching Business

“My mission is to help people learn to love themselves and love their lives, no matter what.”

Imagine typing a destination into a GPS, only to see a few scenic snapshots of where you want to end up with zero directions, street names, exits, or any warnings about roadblocks or construction along the way.

For many patients and families, that’s the harsh reality of navigating a cancer diagnosis. While conventional medicine has improved over time and can be more effective at treating acute illness, once active treatment ends, the map tends to disappear. The casseroles stop coming, the support dries up, and patients are left to figure out how to process the emotional, physical, and psychological toll of healing entirely on their own.

Abby Keller, an oncology nurse with over a decade of specialized experience in oncology and stem cell transplant, was all too familiar with this reality. Day after day, she saw a deep, glaring need to support patients long after their initial treatment plans concluded. 

Bridging the Gap in Healing

Like many medical professionals, Abby experienced long working hours in a high-stakes, short-staffed environment. She knew firsthand how traditional clinical settings stretch nurses too thin, leaving little to no time for the personalized support patients desperately need to process complex emotions. 

That realization pushed Abby to practice differently. She didn’t want to leave nursing behind; she wanted to bridge the gap and make an even bigger impact as a Board Certified Nurse Coach. While traditional medical care focuses on treating disease, a Nurse Coach takes a person-centered approach. As Abby explains, a coach comes alongside you to assist you in “facing the difficulties of treatment, giving you space to process your emotions, and supporting you as you look forward to the future.” 

This means meeting patients right where they are: newly diagnosed, undergoing active treatment, or post-treatment.  “I wanted to help them process the experience and let them know they’re not alone. Whether or not you have cancer, you can still live a life you love.” 

Driven by her own experience of watching “the immense challenges that come with a cancer diagnosis,” Abby decided to take her unique “blend of clinical expertise and compassionate guidance” and build something of her own.

From Clinical Chaos to Business Clarity

Abby Keller Coaching officially launched in 2023. Although Abby was an expert in the healthcare field, stepping into entrepreneurship meant facing an entirely new learning curve. “For me, the learning curve has been very steep,” Abby shares. “All my training is in nursing; I knew nothing about business. The thought of starting an LLC was overwhelming and I wasn’t sure where to start.”

Rather than letting the administrative noise overwhelm her, Abby trusted the process and brought in supportive experts along the way. That’s where ZenBusiness came into the picture. Once she found the courage to take the leap, Abby was able to set up her LLC with ease: “ZenBusiness gives me so many resources when I’m in a sticky spot with my business.” Beyond the business setup, ZenBusiness awarded Abby with a small business grant that helped her recoup some of her startup costs and invest in her own education to become a better coach. 

For Abby, building her coaching business wasn’t about following entrepreneurial “shoulds”. Instead, Abby wanted to protect and focus on her capacity to care – both for her clients and for herself. “Self-care is a big part of being a business owner. I work with some pretty heavy stuff, so I have to make sure that I take time to nourish my own spirit.”

Where Practice Meets Purpose

While the pace of business and volume of patients she sees can change, one thing remains constant: gratitude. She approaches her work from a “get-to” perspective rather than an obligation: “What do I get to do today? I get to help people. I get to share somebody’s story with them and witness their strength and the beauty of the human spirit.”

With Abby Keller Coaching fully established, Abby has found a way to honor both her clients’ needs and her own life. In the hospital, a 90-minute patient conversation was hard to come by; but in her practice, it’s the standard. “I like being able to set my own role and schedule,” Abby reflects. “I get to decide how I support people, and I build a lot of flexibility into how I work. My sessions run 90 minutes — something that rarely happened in a hospital setting. Since I set my own schedule, I can sleep in after a long week, be there for my aging parents, and even have my dog curled up next to me during calls.”

Building a Business on Your Own Terms

Whether you’re dealing with a health crisis or building a business, no one should navigate a difficult journey alone. Just as healthcare isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach, neither is entrepreneurship — and now it doesn’t have to be. ZenBusiness Velo®, is your personalized AI guide, and it redraws the map for you. Built on nearly a million businesses, it knows where people get stuck, and what matters most for your state, business type and stage. It doesn’t just point the way — it helps handle the details. Build with Velo today.

Disclaimer: The content on this page is for information purposes only and does not constitute legal, tax, or accounting advice. For specific questions about any of these topics, seek the counsel of a licensed professional.