It was an inauspicious May morning and I was in my office—ok ok, it was a coffee shop, the “entrepreneur’s office”—when I got the call. It was my longtime friend and startup compatriot, Clark Lagemann. Perhaps due to my excitement at the time I don’t remember the exact conversation, but I’m pretty sure it went something like this:
Clark: “Yo dude! It’s time.”
Me: “Time? Time for what?”
Clark: “We’re adding to the team, baby! You ready to do this or what?”
Me: “What took you so long? Of course I’m in!”
Clark: “Awesome! I’ll send the paperwork. So glad to have your amazing talent, incredibly brilliant mind, and all-around dashing good looks on the MedPro team…finally, the missing piece we’ve been searching for!”
Me: “Oh stop…I’m just happy to be aboard!”
As I said, the details are a bit fuzzy, but that seems about right. Kidding aside, it was almost that immediate. Clark, his partner, Tim Aumueller, and I had already collaborated for years. Beyond some consulting projects I completed for them, MedPro Wellness was among the first participants in the Health IT Connections program at the New Jersey Innovation Institute, a program I helmed for the past 4 years. There, as with previous roles, I had a unique opportunity to work alongside hundreds of great entrepreneurs developing groundbreaking health IT solutions of all kinds. My hope had always been to eventually join one of them on their meteoric rise to the top, but the right opportunity had been elusive…well, until that May morning.
Since starting in June I have been humbled by the many messages wishing me well as I begin an exciting new chapter of my career. But the most common question I’m asked is “why MedPro? Why now?” It is true that I’ve had chances to join great startups in the past, but there was always something that gave me pause. I’m a single father of two, after all, not some kid willing to work for little more than free lunches and a couch to sleep on. But I began to worry that I was being too particular, too risk-averse, too “spoiled” as a friend had told me. We call it Goldilocks Syndrome in the startup world, and I had it bad. Perhaps this is why I see Clark’s phone call as nothing short of a miracle.
When we spoke something clicked—it just felt…right. Clark and Tim were already on my very short list of founders for whom I wanted to work, and their team was expanding. They just celebrated their 5-year anniversary in an industry that typically chews up and spits out equally capable companies in less than 2. Beyond being profitable, the growth curve is starting to slant even more radically upward as a result of recent successes, several of which we’ll be announcing in the coming months.
The core MedPro business has finally hit it’s stride. After proving the efficacy of the coaching solution—what one client described as “the perfect blend of technology and a human touch”—major NJ health systems are ready to expand. Without ruining the surprise, RWJ Barnabas Health, a longtime client and supporter, will be launching a very exciting initiative with our team in the coming months. We’ve also proven that our coaching model drives customer retention and increased revenue for one of the fastest growing nutraceutical companies in the country. In short, MedPro has quickly become a go-to resource for both large and emerging health care companies to drive better (and more meaningful) outcomes.
The leadership team has just the right proportions of everything you want: drive, passion, ethics, intelligence, humor…they are data-driven, supportive of personal growth, and have maintained the big vision while diligently executing on every individual detail to get us there. I truly cannot say enough about this group, and that’s coming from someone who has seen a LOT of startup teams over the years.
And perhaps the best part is that our company is helping people get and stay healthy. As the cliché goes, “we’re not exactly saving lives”…but then again, we ARE saving lives in the long run when you get down to it. That’s important to me when I wake up in the morning.
When that call finally came I didn’t hesitate. I didn’t just want to join MedPro Wellness. I had to. And if you’re ready for an amazing journey you should too. First up, we are looking to fill inside sales and marketing coordinator positions, but we are also looking for a broad range of highly motivated and entrepreneurial-minded professionals to come join our Cranford, NJ-based startup.
Your recruitment story can start with an email to careers@medprowellness.com.
Travis Kahn
Director of Business Development
