Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in health and wellness but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Dr. Steve Schutzer, Co-Founder of Upswing Health, located in Stamford, CT, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
Our company, Upswing Health, was custom-built for the rapid assessment, triage, and management of low and medium acuity musculoskeletal (MSK) problems and, as such, can create immediate value for our customers. Our customers are self-funded employers (on the commercial and occupational health side), State Health Plan, advanced primary care practices, large orthopedic practices, and some direct-to-consumer customers as well.
Tell us about yourself
My Co-Founder and I are both practicing Orthopedic Surgeons who know there's a better way to deliver musculoskeletal (MSK) care to our patients. So first, we created disruptive sub-specialty brick-and-mortar Centers of Excellence to fix the surgical side of MSK care. But this represents only 10% of orthopedics. The other 90% of MSK problems can be managed without surgical intervention but traditionally have been laden with costly waste, inefficiency, and poor quality outcomes. We founded Upswing based on the principles of value-based healthcare and the way MSK should be delivered, not the way it is practiced now.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
For several years, when we met with potential investors, we were told we were "two docs with a good idea" but were not taken very seriously. But then, we successfully closed our seed round in January 2022.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
For an early-stage pre-revenue start-up such as Upswing, managing our time and our burn rate while building the necessary tech stack and platform updates is something that keeps us up at night!
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Start with the "why" of your business (people buy the why, not the what nor how) and embed this into your vision.
- Bring on smart advisors that share your vision.
- Never assume you understand your potential customers' wants and needs.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://upswinghealth.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/upswinghealth/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/upswinghealth/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/upswinghealth
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/upswinghealth/
If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.
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