Blog

Sept 16, 2018/by Matt Wanderer

Living in the Miami tropics sometimes feels like it may as well be another planet. A number of my old friends in CA with whom I have kept in touch over the years, online and some who have recently told me they have had enough with their boring (stable and good) jobs and are going rogue as entrepreneurs to follow business dreams that have been thus far Garageband ambition.

The tricky part about this for me is being the “Debbie Downer” who in good conscience has to revisit the vast delta between my actual life experience as an entrepreneur and the sunny public perception that my friends back home have seen over the years. You know what I’m talking about, while a company will usually post a big win, an award, a contest, an innovation, it almost never publicizes the pain, struggle and constant little fails that in reality make up most days for every entrepreneur I know. With this in mind, I wanted to write something up, not to talk anyone out of quitting their job, but just maybe a little cautionary piece to note how you might avoid or at least minimize some of the significant risk’s that await your life without a boss.

We all know the tendency to post the high points online, from birthdays to weddings and vacations, when’s the last time you saw a press release about someone losing a contract/bid/contest? Never going to happen. That said, most of those who have been close to me over the years and through some fantastic wins have also watched me suffer through some crushing fails. Generally speaking, it seems like people’s memories naturally gravitate to the wins, probably a good thing all around, we humans seem to prefer to talk about and think about the wins. But before you quit your job and leave your safe place to swing for the fence, I want to note at least a way we can minimize risk along the way.

I always try to remind my friends that the vast majority of what I have done in life has not worked out. Truth be told I’m probably 5 for 40 in business success v. failure, nothing to brag about, the losses are awful, they cost real people jobs, sometimes your best friends, they can cost you both your credit and your credibility. I’ve watched people lose their houses, their spouses; you name it… if you really love your idea enough, you can blow through your kid’s college fund in a couple of quarters no problem. A real fail will make you cry.

Once you have earned your first failure, to stand up and try again, even to get out of bed, can feel utterly impossible for some period. For those who manage to rally that second wind, they will from that morning forward, wake up each morning knowing damn well that whatever professional privilege and self-dignity they have managed to earn or regain can disappear again with a few bad decisions, any given Wednesday. I don’t know anyone serious in business who when being honest doesn’t describe a sense of profound vulnerability.

The purpose of this letter is to note that if you are at some level an entrepreneur who IS going into business for yourself, you must be intentional about what LEVEL of risk/reward you need. Struggles and challenges are a part of life like books often note, the bigger the ambition, the bigger the exposure. If you’re committed to starting a business you have the opportunity to put your plan into one of maybe three generic “risk buckets”, you can:

1)    Bet it all on the next Billion-dollar disruption (my unfortunate disposition)

2)    Find an existing business or system, think franchise or business opportunity that takes most of the innovation/systems/planning and infrastructure risk off your shoulders, or

3)    Move into a strong sales job where you can make a fortune, have flexibility in work scheduling and literally not risk a dime. (great salespeople really do have their cake and eat it too)

At the end of the day, we are all salespeople. Some of us sell our ideas to our teams, some of us sell our artwork to the local connoisseur, and some of us carry the actual title of “Sales” and if at the top of our game make more than our bosses.

If you fall into bucket 2 or 3, congrats, you’re going to be just fine!

If you are like me and were born into the high-risk / rebel-change bucket, you’ve got a really tough choice in front of you. You can suck it up and find a way to survive a day job; that will never fully satisfy you (but will keep you safe and dry). Or you get ready for the fight of your life and prepare to go “all-in” for a long period of time, a couple years of which usually can’t afford to pay you a dime.

When a friend tells me they are good with bucket 1 and can’t live without chasing down that monster vision, the next set of questions come into focus easily.  The statistics for new business success speak for themselves, a vast majority of ventures will fail in the first year, even more in the second year, and only about 1% will make it to month 36 where you start to appreciate the business you are now actually in.

At age 33, when I went back to business school, in large part to lick my wounds (after losing 140 Million Dollars in the 2008 financial crisis) I was forced to digest a mountain of biographies and business data that generally suggest that the success of a committed and serious entrepreneur how well they get back on their feet following inevitable failures. Before you go all-in, really ask yourself, as deeply and seriously as you are able… Can you survive a loss or two to get to the glory??

Sept 08, 2018 / by Matt Wanderer

In our society, it is automatically assumed that when a doctor graduates he/she is a “happy doctor”, they ’re instantly making BIG Bucks and living the life! Unfortunately, this is far from the truth. In reality, it’s a tough world out there for newly minted physicians leaving most in a complex and challenging situation, and one that for some reason doesn’t seem to be properly addressed in all that medical school. Welcome to the business world Doc, It’s almost as if the system is rigged against them.

Let me walk you through the frustrations of a doctor: At young age he/she is often one of the brightest in the classroom, the doctors I grew up around were always working twice as hard, they were playing piano or violin- they were never skipping class and many were not really enjoying a normal childhood. Then they make it! They get into that top-tier college, and now they are REALLY studying, studying, studying, skipping the college parties, missing out on all the fun. But all that hard work pays off,  they did it again, tops of their class in order to get into the best med schools. Another big battle and victory gets them into a top-notch residency.

At this point, they are working for pennies 80-100 hours a week. But wait, it isn’t over yet! These doctors are then faced with the possibility of going into practice without the prestige of specialist distinction or entering a fellowship to become a specialist. They are the best damn it, what do you think they do? And there goes another 4 years of no money, no sleep, more debt. By the time this is all done, they emerge heroically, and left with half a million in debt, and expected to live up to all the social expectations that come with being the top of our social ranking system, the pinnacle of financial success for all that hard work and delayed gratification.

At this moment, the doctor makes one of two decisions:

• They open their own practice Which sounds pretty risky and scary to me.
• Or “B” they enter the big box health system and concede to a long-term contract where they can actually keep up with those debt payments and make every pound… The only problem is, they are signing up for MORE YEARS of 80-100 hour work. They are giving up the prospect of a normal marriage, time with their kids, the ability to relax and get some satisfaction in life after 30 some years of unstoppable grind.

So how does a doctor break through and find some satisfaction? some peace of mind and a taste of independence???  What if there were a third option to private practice (alone and on your own) and the “big box health system” that is driving doctors to opt out of healthcare altogether?  Carie was created as a free care platform to empower the local, independent doctor. We won’t pretend any of this is simple or easy, but we’re paving a new path for doctors looking for a new kind of graduation, one with less stress and pressure, one where they can leverage Carie’s simple  platform, to build a deep, healthy, long-term and committed relationships with patients across the country who want a doctor they can get to know and trust over the years to come.

While traditional telehealth, other platforms focus on the cheapest possible experience & least expensive care for the insurance payer. At Carie , we are betting big on the doctor/patient relationship and our doctors are using technology to stay closer and more well connected to their patients without the cost typically associated with “concierge’ care. This focus on long-term doctor-patient relationships is one great example of what differentiates Carie doctors from other providers available “on-line” our doctors are also available LIVE IN-PERSON!, welcome to the future of health care, and to America’s first fully connected digital healthcare team.

 

Aug 31, 2018 / by Matt Wanderer

My old friends from California always tell me that they don’t understand how I went from point A to B as an entrepreneur.  I assure them that my path was anything but straight. There were plenty of challenges, roadblocks, and detours along the way.

Struggles and challenges are a part of life, especially when starting a business. What truly determines the success of an entrepreneur and sets them apart is how they plan for, react to, and ultimately overcome these roadblocks. Negative thoughts will bombard you. You will hear “NO” one million times over before you hear one “YES.” Keep in mind that success is determined by your ability to uphold a steadfast spirit and focused mind in the most trying of times. If there is one thing I have learned about human nature, it is that people want to see you fail; we are all playing the same game. In this gambling game of business, I have kept my cards close to the vest and my circle tight. You must ignore those who say it is IMPOSSIBLE.

As an entrepreneur, it is inevitable that you will face unforeseen roadblocks on your journey. You may reach a point where you want to turn the car around and head home. Therefore, with your final destination in mind, you must keep pushing forward—faster and more vehemently than before. You can be one of two people: those who weaken when confronted with opposition or those who let opposition and every challenge propel them to succeed.

Growing up I faced many difficulties. I was raised by a single mom, working three jobs. Despite my circumstances, nothing could stop me from turning my ideas into reality. Since then, I have several businesses under my belt including my newest and most innovative venture, Carie Health.

Starting businesses has been an exciting journey, to say the least. However, I have endured both personal and professional struggles to cross the finish line, I risked it all to get here. Making bets and taking gambles goes against our nature. Denying yourself the security of an average, comfortable life is anything but easy, but it’s what every success story begins with. I went through 2+ years with little money and facing poor odds with three kids and my wife depending
on me. I said to myself, “the only way this won’t work is if I stop. As long as I keep driving forward, I’m going to make it.”

I want to share with you the key points that helped me overcome the challenges I’ve faced:

• Have a purpose you’re passionate about
• Take bold risks
  • Business is like a giant game of chess- you must make strategic moves and learn quickly from your mistakes
• Embrace your ideas put them into action and even better ones will follow.
• DON’T doubt your vision; enlarge your vision and take every limit off yourself.
• DON’T focus on your weaknesses. If you do, you’re in trouble. DO focus on your
  strengths—you’ll go really far.

Read the full article on The Silicon Review here: http://thesiliconreview.com/magazines/with-a-free-next-generation-provider-solution-carie-health-is-reinventing-the-concierge-care-experience-for-all-patients-across-the-country/

With A Free Next-Generation Provider Solution, Carie Health Is Reinventing The
Concierge Care Experience For All Patients, Across The Country.

“Carie was built to fit into the lives of everyone, physicians and patients alike, by prioritizing health and

wellness through a simple and easy to use platform.”

The evolution of mobile technologies are finally playing a significant role in the U.S. healthcare system.
As the system continues to undergo rapid transformation, federal deregulations are opening the doors for
true innovation and challenging physicians with a whole new set of increasing patient expectations.
The U.S. healthcare industry is ripe for disruption: Physicians are increasingly pressed for time, patients
have an average 29 day wait to see their physicians and healthcare expenditure is skyrocketing to 20% of
America’s GDP, the highest in the world, while many indicators show worse outcomes than those in the
U.K., Australia, Switzerland, Sweden, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Germany, Canada, and
France.
“On a per capita basis, Americans spend 77% more on healthcare than other high-income countries. As
a percentage of GDP, healthcare constitutes 1/6 of the U.S. economy, but it constitutes less than 1/8 of
the economies of similar nations,” says American Council on Science; Health.
The simplest solution to a majority of health system the pain-points is telemedicine, or as it more
accurately described today, virtual care. The global telemedicine market is expected to double from $25
billion in 2015 to nearly $58 billion in 2020, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 17.85%. In
the U.S., adoption of telemedicine technology has grown from 54.5% in 2014 to 61.3% in 2016, and
nearly 80% of patients are now willing to try telehealth and telemedicine solutions. To describe the
magnitude of the transition, by 2024, virtual physician visits will surpass in-office visits, and by 2025, there
will be an estimated 1.15 billion virtual physicians’ visits each year.
Today, the vast bulk of this growth has been as a direct result of the major payers, insurance carriers and
third-party administrators (TPA’s) disintermediating the physician’s and specialist’s income streams
through the provision of telehealth services through massive call-center style physician panels. In this
article we are pleased to celebrate one organization that is bravely taking an opposite approach, bringing
patients and their own exsisting providers closer together with the use of simple clean technologies.
Founded in 2016 by California native Matt Wanderer, Carie Health, or “Carie” as she is affectionately
known in healthcare circles, is a revolutionary virtual care company addressing the nation’s unmet
demand for high quality, affordable healthcare. Pioneering the personalized mobile healthcare model,
Carie provides excellent healthcare,, accessible to all Americans with affordable transparent pricing, while
making it free and easy for physicians to get on-board and make the successful transition join in the
growth of the telehealth industry and the wave of revenue associated with it.
Based on the company’s four core values – Transparency, Honesty, Directness, and Simplicity, Carie
makes doctor visits easier and more convenient through its groundbreaking technologies that provide
physicians with residual income. More than just a simple HIPAA compliant “Facetime”, the company
delivers a total telehealth solution that extends the physician’s reach, reduces after-hours support, and
improves patient retention. With the company’s patient onboarding tools, a personalized patient site, and
optional digital marketing support, patients can consult with their primary care physician, specialist or any
healthcare provider anytime, anywhere.
“People always want to compare us with other telehealth providers, who, while well intentioned, offer
limited actual utility to the doctor or patient. To be more accurate I encourage my friends and family to

think of us as Americas first full service virtual-care health system, were not competing with Teledoc, were
preparing to compete with Keiser and UnitedHealth says Matt Wanderer, Founder & CEO of Carie Health.
The Story Behind the Picture
Back in 2010, while earning his MBA with The NYU Stern School of Business, The London School of
Economics and HEC Paris, Matt had an unforgettable opportunity to travel to India and study with the
leadership team at Apollo Hospitals. During his visit, Matt saw first-hand the power of mobile healthcare
and was introduced to a concept that would forever shape his vision for the future of healthcare delivery.
Matt witnessed that Apollo could treat patients in remote villages up to 1000 miles away by the use of
mobile care units, satellite link, and remote video technology. Remotely, a surgeon could safely perform
hundreds of minor medical procedures a day – all at a fraction of the cost of an in-person procedure. This
practice of virtual healthcare in India has opened the doors to people who would otherwise never receive
the help they needed. It was the “a-ha” moment that galvanized the idea that grew into Carie as a holistic
remedy to increasing healthcare challenges including access, cost, and convenience.
After returning from India, Matt dove straight into the world of health technology, founding the nation’s
leading personalized medicine company, Restore Health. By 2014, the company had become the 8th
fastest growing private company in America. Still, despite its success, Matt was not able to shake the
vision calling from India and still yearned for an opportunity to take on the full set of challenges that
plague the healthcare delivery systems in the US.
In 2016, after a couple of years of studying the market to validate the concept, Matt turned his dream into
reality and invested to launch his own unique vision with the founding EpicMD. Over the course of its first
two years in business, the growing team learned that the mission was much bigger, grander and much
more complicated than its orginal name supported. The company had realized that it wasn’t just the MD
who needed tools; it was the RD, the DO, the DC and the NP. So, in June 2018, the company underwent
a full brand refresh as Carie Health, to encompass its singular focus to forever change the delivery of
Care.
Since returning from India six years ago, Matt has been listed five times in the top ranks of the INC 500
for hyper-growth companies he has founded and invested in, this one looks like it may be poised to make
them look like an excellent set of high stakes warm up exercises to lead what just may be a full-out
American consumer revolution.
For a hard driving health technology company, Carie has a unique soft side, and a deep commitment to
delivering a solution that can deliver for all, even those who cant afford to pay for care. As an homage to
the origins of the company and in recognition of the seriousness of the lack of affordable care in the US
and abroad, Carie spends a big piece of its marketing efforts celebrating the company’s “Share the Care”
program as one of its central differentiators. Under the policies of Share the Care, each paid membership
automatically creates a digital token that is later gifted to those in need providing a free virtual care
consultation with a US board certified doctor. So far the program has found inpressive utility following the
2017 hurricanes in Texas, Florida and Puerto Rico.
“Low income is not poor – it’s average. Look around our country; people are poor. A lot of people need
help. Look around the world “Poor” is normal. Wealth is not. Nearly 50% of the world lives on less than
$2.50 a dollar a day. Don’t let the “Jones” define your happiness, keeping up with others is a sure-fire
recipe for disappointment,” says Matt.
A New Approach to Healthcare Delivery

Carie is an innovative platform that was built to create a new and improved healthcare experience
between a provider and their patients; one that elevates the relationship by reducing barriers of time, cost,
and inconvenience. It instantly connects patients with trusted Doctors (or with a local Doctor) who offers a
complete care solution, both in-office and virtually.
With the unique set of tools and a proprietary platform, Carie’s virtual healthcare technology has a clear
opportunity to grow and scale within the telehealth market. The company’s marketing team executes a
seamless Marketing Plan, designed to focus on three high-level audiences – Providers, Patients, and
Partners. With the automated marketing tools and conversion focused assets, the team achieves KPI’s
and targeted conversion metrics. Also, assistance from the national team of Virtual Care Partners helps
facilitate and funnel leads through the corporate marketing machine.
The Challenges in Automation Marketing
At Carie Health, the cornerstone of Provider, Patient and Partner conversion is a word of mouth growth
along with a series of Marketing Automation Campaigns that primarily runs through a set of strategic
journeys designed to guide the specific audience.
Obstacles and challenges always come as add-ons for every company, irrespective of the industry and
Carie Health is no exception. On the provider side, a major challenge for Carie Health in Automation
Marketing is persuading all providers to sign a Software License Agreement that confirms their place on
the platform and motivate them to upload their Patient Census. And on the patient side, getting potential
members to upgrade from a free account to a paid account is a challenge.
Holding Head High
What sets Carie Health Apart? Matt Wanderer gives a simple formula:
“Our recipe is simple and wildly revolutionary at the same time; at Carie Health we provide the Doctor with
a totally free solution so they can stay connected with their own patients in the modern digital world so
they can maintain and even improve the core doctor-patient relationship, which happens to be the one
indicator left where America still leads the world. That is the foundation of a great care in any setting. We
know that great service is recognized with a 5 Star review and that is why we focus intensely on our
services and doctors.
We have the greatest doctors on earth, and they are here together with a simple mission: To deliver the
world's greatest care; care that creates raving fans that tell a friend just how great your healthcare service
was and takes the time to give you (us) a 5 Star Review!!!
We enable physicians to offer more convenience and also to become part of a growing, caring, national
provider network that is totally free to try and on average pays double what the big-box telehealth guys
think is fair. With our platform, we allow physicians to deliver increbile virtual and brick and mortar
convenience many of whom go above and beyond by moving into a more concierge-style service
promise.
Testimonials: Trusted By Patients Everywhere. Loved By Doctors Alike.
“My 4 AM visit with the doctor was awesome! My 6-year-old daughter had a bad cough with fever and the
doctor called back in 20 minutes. He was very alert being that it was that time in the morning. Thank you

for providing great care!”

– John Everett, Phoenix AZ
"I'm a professional singer and had to leave mid-performance because I was violently ill. I couldn't reach
my doctor on a Sunday. Thankfully, I remembered Carie. I requested a video consultation and within 20

minutes the doctor diagnosed me with acute sinusitis and bronchitis."

– Jane Roberts, Atlanta GA
"My experience with the doctor was great! He really cared about my well-being and was very helpful. He

spent more time with me than my PCP does.”

– Margot Jones, Miami FL

Greet the Chief
Matt Wanderer, Founder & CEO: Matt’s vision for Carie began in 2010 during a business school module
in India where he saw virtual healthcare helping people who would otherwise never receive the care they
needed. Prior to founding Carie, Matt was a co-founder at Alterra Capital Group and Evergift.org. He
served as Founder & CEO of RestoreHealth and serves on the Board of Directors at ServRX with both of
his health care companies earning top spots in the INC. 500 Fastest Growing Companies of 2012, 2013,
and 2014 and 2015.
Matt earned his MBA at the NYU Stern School of Business, the London School of Economics and HEC
Paris.
“In collaboration with the brightest minds, in both the healthcare and technology
industries, we came together to map how healthcare could be optimally delivered by
learning from other industries and building a new healthcare delivery model.”

Introducing Carie
Jun 4, 2018 / by Shanyn Cline

Hi everyone!

We want to take a moment to thank you for accompanying us on this journey as we take on the momentous task of revolutionizing healthcare.

2018 has been an incredible year so far, already exceeding our expectations for the calendar year, and we’re only half-way into it. As many of you know from your interactions with the company, the scope of our mission is both larger and clearer than we thought possible. To put it simply we are genuinely improving the way America receives healthcare.

The scope of delivering on that promise is massive, the bar is set high, and we are raising it at every opportunity. Our mission is bigger, our voices are louder, and we need a brand name that captures the passion that makes us a true pioneer in virtual care.

It’s time for a whole new approach to healthcare delivery and as of June 1st, we are officially leading that charge as Carie Health. The star of the show is named Carie and she is going to help us all access the convenient modern healthcare solutions we knew we deserved a long time ago.

Our new name reflects our bigger mission to deliver a wide set of innovative solutions that our doctors and medical professionals need in order to succeed in the modern digital world. The way Alexa did for home automation, or Siri did for smartphone features. Carie is your easy, friendly partner in health. Everywhere Carie goes she is elevating the Doctor-Patient relationship with a suite of simple, free installations allowing your own trusted doctor to become the virtually enabled provider of the future.

While EpicMD started off an innovative Telehealth tool, Carie encompasses what has grown into a full-blown national movement connecting patients with their own preferred doctor. If a patient doesn’t already have a doctor, Carie lets them select the right provider from a national network of providers ready to deliver convenient care either face to face in-office, or from the convenience of the palm of your hand!

Join us today to meet Carie as we begin preparations for her full formal arrival this fall in celebration of the healthcare revolution we each demand and deserve.