{"id":92105,"date":"2025-02-14T13:00:20","date_gmt":"2025-02-14T18:00:20","guid":{"rendered":""},"modified":"2025-02-25T17:24:10","modified_gmt":"2025-02-25T22:24:10","slug":"dr-shari-van-de-pol","status":"publish","type":"rbc_my_money_matter","link":"https:\/\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\/en-ca\/my-money-matters\/business\/get-inspired\/business-success-stories\/dr-shari-van-de-pol\/","title":{"rendered":"How CATTLEytics Founder Dr. Shari van de Pol is Helping Dairy Farmers Farm Smarter"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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RBC has a long history of celebrating leaders who drive change. This International Women\u2019s Day, we\u2019re spotlighting leaders like Dr. Shari van de Pol, a computer engineer and large-animal veterinarian whose innovative company, CATTLEytics<\/a>, helps dairy farmers improve efficiency, enhance animal health, and ensure food quality\u2014all while advancing a more sustainable future for agriculture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bridging passion and expertise<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Dr. Shari van de Pol began her career in computer engineering and data analytics at large multinational companies. However, she always felt drawn to animal agriculture, having grown up in a rural community. This inspired her to return to school and become a large-animal veterinarian.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 2014, Dr. van de Pol combined her two distinct areas of expertise\u2014technology and veterinary medicine\u2014to found CATTLEytics, a company on a mission to help dairy farmers solve complex challenges with innovative, data-driven solutions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Innovation to help dairy farmers work smarter<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Dr. van de Pol\u2019s work at CATTLEytics empowers dairy farmers with the tools to make informed decisions across all aspects of their operations, from staff scheduling and task management to breeding decisions, optimal management decisions and implementing targeted animal health protocols.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDairy farmers face decisions that might not show results for several years,\u201d explains Dr. van de Pol. \u201cThis long feedback loop makes it challenging to know if you\u2019re making the right choices. At CATTLEytics, we develop software that integrates multiple data sources and data analytics, including custom data modeling and machine learning, while being grounded in a deep understanding of cattle and dairy farming. Our solutions are built to solve problems in a holistic, practical way. Most dairy farmers want to focus on farming and not becoming the data scientists they would need to be in order to make the best decisions for their dairy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What started as a one-person consultancy has grown into a robust operation. Today, CATTLEytics has proprietary dairy software that integrates data from multiple sources to deliver actionable insights. The company now employs a team of 12 to 14 people, depending on the season, with most team members specializing in software development. And those without agricultural experience spend time on dairy farms to gain firsthand knowledge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSpending time on a farm gives our team a unique perspective,\u201d says Dr. van de Pol. \u201cIt helps them truly understand the environment they\u2019re building solutions for.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Success lies in providing quantifiable benefits to clients<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

For Dr. van de Pol and her team, success isn\u2019t about achieving a single end goal.  It\u2019s about delivering ongoing value.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSuccess is about making a meaningful impact every day<\/strong>,\u201d she says. \u201cIf I\u2019m saving someone an hour of work, I\u2019ve made a difference in their world.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She emphasizes resilience and intentionality as keys to success. \u201cBeing a founder is tough. It\u2019s important to surround yourself with supportive people, avoid environments that hold you back, and stay focused on what will help you succeed.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Advice for aspiring entrepreneurs<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Dr. van de Pol shares her insights for those looking to start their own businesses:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Create Something Unique<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFocus on something that\u2019s difficult to replicate. If you have a niche skill set, leverage it to create a business that stands apart.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Be Self-Sufficient<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFind ways to self-fund your business if possible. By building up the services side of CATTLEytics first, I didn\u2019t need to rely on outside investors who might not share my vision.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Take Calculated Risks<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

\u201cEntrepreneurship involves risk, but those risks should be measured and you should create your own safety net. Test ideas, learn from failures, and pivot until you find what works. Remember that standing still may be ultimately riskier for you than taking a leap.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Inspiring women in innovation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As an RBC Canadian Women Entrepreneur Awards Innovation Winner, Dr. van de Pol hopes her journey inspires other women to pursue entrepreneurship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t always see people doing what I wanted to do,\u201d she reflects. \u201cAwards like this provide visibility and show others that it\u2019s possible to forge your own path. Seeing someone like you succeed can make a big difference.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She encourages budding entrepreneurs to embrace their creativity and take charge of their futures. \u201cSmall businesses are where innovation thrives. By stepping off the beaten path, you can create solutions that truly make an impact.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A commitment to the future<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Looking ahead, Dr. van de Pol plans to expand CATTLEytics\u2019 impact within the agriculture sector. She aims to further aggregate data across the industry to build a centralized data warehouse and leverage AI to drive even greater efficiencies for farmers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the meantime, she encourages Canadians to visit dairy farms and see the care and dedication that goes into their operations. \u201cMany people have preconceived notions about dairy farms, but the reality is that most Canadian farms are family-run, with cows that are well cared for. Our farmers are among the best in the world, and I\u2019m proud to support them through the work we do at CATTLEytics.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Photo Credit: Tamsen Lee Photography<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A computer engineer turned large-animal veterinarian, Dr. Shari van de Pol combines her unique expertise to make animal agriculture more sustainable, efficient and profitable.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":80,"featured_media":92367,"parent":57335,"menu_order":0,"template":"wp-custom-template-optimizely-mmm","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"advgb_blocks_editor_width":"","advgb_blocks_columns_visual_guide":"","footnotes":""},"tags":[574,157],"rbc_content_type":[31],"rbc_audience":[110],"rbc_lob_group":[35],"rbc_difficulty_level":[33],"rbc_mmm_category":[305,323,388,391,325,382,326],"class_list":["post-92105","rbc_my_money_matter","type-rbc_my_money_matter","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-commercial-insights","tag-entrepreneur","rbc_content_type-article","rbc_audience-business-owners","rbc_lob_group-business","rbc_difficulty_level-beginner","rbc_mmm_category-business","rbc_mmm_category-business-stages","rbc_mmm_category-business-success-stories","rbc_mmm_category-commercial","rbc_mmm_category-get-inspired","rbc_mmm_category-grow-your-business","rbc_mmm_category-right-sized-business-advice"],"acf":{"contently_publication_id":"","custom_author":"Diane Amato","rbc_video_header":"","rbc_media_duration":"","rbc_toc_for_mmm_tag":"h2","rbc_toc_for_mmm_limit":6,"rbc_toc_for_mmm":null,"rbc_toc_for_mmm_action":""},"yoast_head":"\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\t\n