Last Updated | October 6, 2022
Introduction
Ryan Schwartz is the CEO of a free and confidential service, Mental Health Match, a US-based startup that matches people to the therapists and counselors who best meet their needs. He has 24+ years of experience in media relation management, development and implementation of strategies to help clients reach their goals, and press releases.
As a founder of a start-up, Ryan faced hurdles in managing data; including patients’ records, payments, sending emails, and analyzing growth performance. But soon he coped with all these problems and streamlined his business and now Mental Health Match is at his fingertips, even if he’s away.
Let’s see how, as Ryan Schwartz talks to us!
Question/Answers
1. What is the inspiration behind Mental Health Match?
After suddenly losing my mom a few years ago, I went to therapy for the first time. I had never been before and grew up in a culture that did not value emotional awareness and communication. When looking for a therapist, I talked to numerous people who said they had once tried to start therapy but found the search for a therapist too overwhelming. Now that I know the power of therapy, I – and the entire Mental Health Match team – are on a mission to make it easier to find a therapist who meets your needs.
2. From working as an employee to owning a startup, how was your journey?
Being a startup founder is at the same time liberating and challenging. You create your own journey, but it can be isolating and lonely. Thankfully, I’ve found a community. Nothing feels as meaningful as building something from scratch.
3. What challenges have you faced in your startup?
There are personal challenges – such as isolation and loneliness.
There are also work challenges. We started as a groundbreaking product, but have had to build our digital marketing game from scratch competing against companies with marketing budgets 1,000X ours.
4. What are some of the tools and software that you think are essential for a digital healthcare startup?
I believe a CRM is one of the most important. People are at different stages of their own journey, and you’ve got to reach them with relevant, helpful, inspiring, and timely communications as they work with you.
5. How do you think the new technology in the healthcare industry has made it more efficient over time?
A lot of automation has simplified operations. But the technology has also made it more complicated for a lot of individual practitioners – such as mental health therapists – who are on their own. Technology has also helped people with low-acuity mental health needs find help.
6. Do you think incorporating Electronic Health Records (EHR) and other tools for digitizing operations is an essential investment?
Of course. Notetaking and patient records are a part of any healthcare operation, and it’s important to have a reliable, user-friendly, and secure EHR.
7. Which technologies and tools do you use in your company essentially?
We use a lot. A CRM, payment platform, email systems, reporting, and analytics.
8. What other digital features do you aspire to add to your company?
We would like to make it simpler for therapists to manage their practice and understand a client’s entire journey with them – from the first moment of contact all the way through treatment.
9. Working as a strategist and media relations manager, what are some tips that you would give in order to grow and reach a better audience?
This was a former job – over 5 years ago. However, the number one thing you can do to grow is to listen. Listen to your customers, your non-customers, your churned customers, your competitors, and your partners. Listen to what they struggle with, listen to what they want, and listen to what words they use. Listen deep – not just for empathy, but to also understand how they think of the world, you, and the problems you try to solve.
10. For healthcare professionals who are planning to start their own venture, what would you advise them?
Do it! It’s hard and it will be a roller-coaster, but there is nothing more fulfilling than building something you care about from scratch.
Take Away
From this talk by Ryan Schwartz, it’s eminent that every business needs a software system to scale and grow. Start-ups that utilize well-thought-out software to enhance business processes and create streamlined solutions can achieve higher productivity, grow rapidly, and attain peace of mind.
As soon as a company/business is launched, it needs some software systems such as CRM, Accounting software, Time-tracking software, PR software, website building software, and Payment Transaction software—to streamline its processes.
To attain success, a business should get in touch with top-notch software experts and express their needs to get tailored solutions. This way, you can evade long processes of looking for solutions on your own and making mistakes, and automate your business.
Folio3 offers tailored software solutions, primarily mental health, so you can handle customer relationships in real-time, automate routine tasks, and communicate and collaborate effortlessly. We listen to your hurdles and provide soft solutions accordingly to reach your goals faster.
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