Startup Revolution: Matthew Vuckovich of Create Amor On How Their Emerging Startup is Changing the Game

An Interview With Dina Aletras

Think outside the box: It’s important to create your own path, but it’s equally important to understand your competitors. Study your competition. Find ways to learn from them and see where you can do things better. You must be creative and innovative, as this will set you apart from the pack. Don’t be a follower. The secret sauce is your ability to innovate and change how things are currently being done. It might be scary but trust the vision.

Startups are at the forefront of innovation, driving change across various industries with fresh ideas and cutting-edge technologies. These emerging companies are not only disrupting traditional markets but also creating new opportunities and transforming the way we live and work. What makes these startups successful, and what can we learn from their journeys? As a part of this series, I had the distinct pleasure of interviewing Matthew Vuckovich, CEO and Founder of Create Amor.

A former Major League Baseball agent, Matthew Vuckovich has applied his knowledge from the field to enhance the operating room as the Founder and CEO of Create Amor, a healthcare apparel line devoted to supporting healthcare professionals through high-quality, purpose-driven scrubs. Vuckovich is a leading voice in healthcare, empowering professionals through innovative designs, mentorship, and community support. He hosts the popular podcast “Interview with The Surgeon” and the educational platform PostMed101.com. He also serves as a national speaker and co-chairs the Networking Committee for the American College of Healthcare Executives in Texas.

Thank you so much for your time! I know that you are a very busy person. Can you tell us a story about what brought you to this specific career path?

I’m not a medical professional, but I grew up with a mom that was an ER nurse. I can recall countless times when one of the kids in our neighborhood would get hurt and the first thing someone would say is, “go see nurse Katy!” I’ve personally seen my mom help strangers that were in need. One summer someone suffered from a heat stroke and my mom was right there to help them as they waited for the paramedics.

It has been a great experience working in the healthcare sector. I spent over a decade as an MLB Sports Agent guiding professional baseball players on and off the field. After that, and with the guidance of my mentor Dennis Gilbert, I went into the life insurance industry. Through Dennis’s advice, I began working with many doctors and surgeons in relation to their needs for disability and life insurance upon completion of residency and fellowship training. This led me to help young physicians and surgeons find jobs, prepare for interviews, and assist them in negotiating contracts. During the pandemic of 2020, I created “Interview with The Surgeon” podcast for healthcare professionals to gain insight into the business side of medicine, leading to the creation of PostMed101.com, the first-to-market free on-demand video platform for healthcare professionals to learn from the experts (MD/DO, NP, PA, RN, etc.) about professional advice on the hundreds of subfields within the medical field.

Through my own experiences in working with many healthcare professionals firsthand, I was able to realize that it did not matter who it was or what field of medicine they were in, but every single person was driven by a purpose to enter the healthcare profession and care for others. It’s the most amazing professional industry I’ve ever been involved with. The knowledge that the healthcare professional, in fact, has a true purpose and works toward caring for strangers, was what brought me to naming our company Create Amor — meaning create love; deeply rooted in being driven by purpose and supporting the healthcare community that cares for us.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began at your company?

This is twofold. The most interesting thing that has happened since I created the company is that I see people everywhere now wearing scrubs. I’m sure it’s always been that way but now that I’m in this industry it sticks out more to me. You can be anywhere, grocery store, gas station, airport, etc., and you will see at least one person wearing scrubs. That shows how big the healthcare industry truly is.

The second part to the answer, which is amazing, is walking around Austin, Dallas, Houston, Beverly Hills and seeing healthcare professionals wearing our scrubs. I always make it a point to say hi and extend my appreciation of their support.

Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

The funniest mistake I made was thinking I could run our photoshoot myself. I will be the first to admit that it was way over my head, as I’ve never done anything like this before. The weekend shoot was a blur, as I ran around like crazy trying to ensure all the models had the right colors, styles, and sizes while also making sure we captured all the needed images to launch our website. When it was all over and we went to edit the photos, it was at that point that I realized we missed so many necessary angles, etc., to showcase our product line. Needless to say, I decided to stay in my lane of expertise after that!

Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

Regardless of how crazy that photoshoot was, I learned very quickly that our small team worked well together. Everyone was all hands-on deck, doing whatever we needed to make the shoot the best it could be. Being in a challenging situation as a start-up that early on also allowed us to see how we worked together under pressure. That weekend really set us up for success through what we learned collectively as a team.

What are some of the most interesting or exciting projects you are working on now?

It’s extremely rewarding to be able to work with healthcare professionals across the country on a wide range of projects, from education to brand collaborations. We have a lot of exciting things in the pipeline for 2025. Creativity and interconnectedness are what drives our team. Every day, we come up with new ways to interact with healthcare professionals.

You are a successful leader. Which three-character traits do you think were most instrumental to your success? Can you please share a story or example for each?

Passion: To be the best at what you do, you must be passionate. In life, if passionate about what you do, then that will be the energy to push you through and overcome the obstacles coming from every corner. Passion breeds energy and creativity in a manner that it will give you the boost to keep going whenever the going gets tough.

Dedication: Being dedicated to your craft or business allows you to stay focused. Focus is an underrated skill set that many overlook. When you are dedicated to your mission and goals, you help align your focus to solve problems and create solutions. If you ever talk to a professional athlete, you will very quickly see how dedicated they are to their profession.

Commitment: That is the quality that distinguishes commitment from dedication. Where dedication requires doing something, commitment goes to that nth degree of doing it. Not everybody is willing to stick it out or keep pushing, but when you’re committed to accomplishing something, you will find the power within to get it done. You can have passion and dedication, but without commitment, you’re never going to reach your goals.

Ok super. Thank you for all that. Let’s now shift to the main focus of our interview. What was the initial inspiration behind your startup, and how did you turn that idea into a reality?

It was really an idea that I had talked over with a friend at lunch. A fashion designer friend of mine had just finished up the new design line for Holland America, and she was so excited about the new uniforms. The conversation turned to what other industries use uniforms and up came healthcare. After this lunch, I reached out to my network of physicians and surgeons nationally to realize how huge the medical scrub market was and how much opportunity was out there. That was when I started to conceptualize the creation of Create Amor. I remember feeling gripped by it a day or two after that lunch. When I finally came up with the name, I felt my passion for this idea really starting to ignite inside me.

Can you describe a significant challenge your startup faced and how your team overcame it?

Early on we started to see that customers really loved our scrubs and word was getting out. I don’t think we were as prepared as we would have liked to be to handle the rapid growth. We were selling inventory quickly and trying to place another purchase order to get new inventory into our warehouse. The fact is, it doesn’t happen overnight; usually, two-to-three months after a production turnaround, so we’ve had to juggle certain SKUs selling out quickly and finding ways of replenishing those units. We haven’t figured it out just yet but we’re getting closer to knowing the formula.

What strategies have you found most effective in scaling your startup and reaching a wider audience?

Word of mouth. Healthcare is a wide industry but, compared to others, more tied together. We have been working with some of the largest medical device companies for the moment — this experience helps us grow our brand awareness even more. Medical device representatives are in offices and clinics every day, so organic brand growth is truly possible. Then, we work with some of the most significant health systems across the country, which has really buoyed our sales growth.

How do you foster innovation within your company to stay ahead of the competition?

Thinking outside the box and encouraging our team to do the same is essential. Creation starts in the mind with a vision of how something can be accomplished. We’re taking our path and paving our own way to reach our goals. It’s not always easy but being able to create something you stand for helps you push your own limits. It’s all about finding a problem and creating a solution. If you can make someone’s life easier, they will help you spread the word.

Ok super. Here is the main question of our interview. Based on your opinion and experience, what are your “5 Things You Need To Create A Highly Successful And Innovative Startup” and why.

1. Focus on the product: Take your time to develop the right product for the market you’re going into. Product is everything. You can have the best marketing plan in place but if your product doesn’t perform well your brand will fail. For us, we spent 18 months sourcing fabric from all over the world. I refused to move forward until we were confident, we had a fabric that not only was going to be competition, but that we truly felt was better than what the market offered.
2. Slow and Steady Wins the Race: Nothing happens overnight. Set goals, take your time, and build a firm foundation for your house with an infrastructure that can endure the storms, because they will come, and likely come often. Set realistic goals that you and your team can reach in a reasonable amount of time. Our team sets quarterly goals, each quarter. It’s amazing how fast you grow when you break it down into smaller phases that are accomplishable.
3. Your Team Matters Just as Much: Aside from the product, the most important thing is your team. Hire smartly. Find individuals who are passionate about your brand, mission, and market. A personal connection to your industry or clientele also helps. Your team determines the culture you build early on. Having a team with individuals who are passionate and excited to keep pushing the limits motivates everyone.
4. Think outside the box: It’s important to create your own path, but it’s equally important to understand your competitors. Study your competition. Find ways to learn from them and see where you can do things better. You must be creative and innovative, as this will set you apart from the pack. Don’t be a follower. The secret sauce is your ability to innovate and change how things are currently being done. It might be scary but trust the vision.
5. Problem Solving Breeds Innovation: There are a thousand ways to solve one problem. Embrace the mindset of options and explore the many ways to solve problems. Get into your business, conduct market research, and identify what your customers want that the market isn’t offering. R&D doesn’t just happen inside, it involves talking to potential customers to gather real-life feedback. Get in the mindset of becoming a problem solver. That means you must really understand what you’re doing, what your customers are wanting, and what your market is lacking. There’s always something to improve, you just need to find it and create.

More than four out of five startups fail. What have you done to break out from that pattern, and be successful when so many others have not?

Success is something we never stop chasing. It’s something we work on every day, and that’s creating a brand our community believes in. Providing high-quality products with a purposeful mission creates brand alignment. We have a long way to go, but I’m happy with what we’ve accomplished in just our first year of business. I truly believe we are going to have a breakout year in 2025 that will see strong national expansion.

Because of the role you play, you are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. :-)

Spreading kindness and love. One thing you learn from working with healthcare professionals is that they literally put their lives on the line to save strangers. They care for these individuals and strive to restore them to good health. I have deep respect and admiration for healthcare professionals, and I believe we can all learn something from them about how we treat each other.

This was really meaningful! Thank you so much for your time.

About the Interviewer: Dina Aletras boasts over 20 years of expertise in the corporate media industry. She possesses an in-depth understanding of growth, strategy, and leadership, having held significant roles at some of the UK’s largest media organizations. At Reach PLC, the UK’s largest tabloid publisher, she served in various director capacities. Additionally, she held leadership roles at The Independent Magazine Group and DMGT. Her extensive knowledge spans editorial, digital, revenue, sales, and advertising. Upon relocating to Switzerland, Dina took on the responsibility of managing and promoting the international section of Corriere del Ticino — CdT.ch pioneering the English page “onthespot.” She also was the Co-Editor of Southern Switzerland’s first official Italian and English bilingual magazine.