We Are Live! Helping Our First Person and Partner

There is only one time in the history of a company that you get to serve your first partner. At Carium, we just hit that milestone, almost exactly seven months after our launch in April this year. Our first partner represents both the first patient or person to use our service, and the first organization we are working with. It is a momentous milestone, and many companies never make it to this landmark. We feel very fortunate that it came so quickly for us, and with a partner we have thoroughly enjoyed working alongside, a highly respected healthcare provider and neighbor in our region.

Looking back to April 9, 2018, our first day in the office, a group of us stacked hands and set out on our endeavor. Helping people better navigate their healthcare and wellness journeys was our mission, and our North Star was making a positive impact in the life of one person at a time.

On day one, we started with nothing but a few months of prior research up our sleeves and belief and determination to make a difference. While we intended to execute a well-planned and thorough strategy, one never really knows how the path will unfold, especially with a startup.

As I reflect on our journey until now, there are a few factors which, threaded together, have allowed us to reach this important milestone:

• Cultivating a best-in-class team that has executed in a rapid, agile fashion
• Kind and willing partners who believe in us and our mission, and are leaning-in and co-developing with us
• Healthcare industry thought-leaders and innovators that are doing amazing work to move mountains and drive change

Along the way, we have grown as a team, both in size (we are now over 30 people!) and skill sets. In April, I could not have fathomed that we would have attracted the outstanding talent we have on the team today. Each one of the team members has faith in our mission, believe in each other, and choose to be at Carium. That is an incredibly humbling thought, and an affirmation that there are many like-minded individuals who strive to make healthcare and wellness simpler and more empathetic.

You cannot go live without a partner who believes in you. Most health centers are extremely busy with their day-to-day operations and patient care. Our partner is no different. Carving out time from their physician-leaders, nurses, and broader care-team can be very disruptive, and adds yet another “to do” to their already overflowing calendars.

When we met our first partner (whom we are not yet at liberty to name), it was clear that they had a patient-first approach, and this orientation meant our visions were closely aligned. Finding common ground with them allowed us to engage very quickly. We did some joint discovery sessions on specific operational challenges for both patients and the care-team, and explored how we could use Carium’s digital solution to help alleviate friction points, enhance their ability to provide care, and drive better outcomes.

While it’s important to take a moment to celebrate how far we have come and how proud we are of what we have accomplished, we look forward with even more excitement at the opportunity ahead of us.

Seven months ago, we had a philosophy and a general direction. Today, we also have a product, an individual, and a partner. We are actually helping people better their health. Though the future is uncertain, knowing we are making a difference drives us forward with unabated passion, intent, and determination.