Julia Cheek Built $2.9B Everlywell Despite Repeated Rejections

For a few days, I had been feeling like we were stuck. Things weren't moving as fast as we had planned. Our femina web app launch got postponed. I found myself scrutinizing every decision, questioning our pace, and wondering whether we were doing enough. This morning I had a call with one of my former clients, a founder who has successfully run and grown a mid-sized business for more than a decade. Her words were like honey on a sore wound. "Maria, this is incredible. What you have achieved so far is truly remarkable, especially considering everything your team went through in March and April. The fact that you've continued building through it all is extraordinary. What you're creating is unique. It's a completely different layer of the healthcare stack. You don't treat pathology; you build immunity against isolation. Many people won't immediately see it, but what you're building addresses one of the most fundamental challenges of our time: human connection. While traditional healthcare often intervenes when something is already wrong, you're helping create the conditions that keep people connected, supported, and resilient in the first place. Progress isn't always visible. Sometimes what feels like a delay is actually preparation. Sometimes the foundations are strengthening beneath the surface. Keep going." That conversation reminded me of something we often forget as founders: when you're deep inside the journey, it's easy to focus on what's not happening fast enough and lose sight of how far you've already come. Sometimes, all it takes is a conversation with someone who has weathered many business cycles to remind you that growth is rarely linear. If you're building something meaningful and it sometimes feels like it's moving too slowly, pause and zoom out. Connect with others — this is often the most grounding support you can give yourself.

This week, we crossed 1,500 patient bookings at EndoMD Health 😀 When we started EndoMD, the goal was simple: build something meaningful that could help families at moments when they needed access, guidance, and support. Two years later, we have had the privilege of helping hundreds of families — children, teens, and young adults — navigate chronic and often complex conditions like obesity, diabetes, thyroid disease, growth concerns, and other endocrine challenges. Entrepreneurship is one of the hardest journeys I have ever been on. People will doubt you. Some will discourage you. Some will make promises they do not keep. Some will find every reason why what you are building will not work. And there will be moments where you ask yourself whether it is worth it. Have we become rich from this? No. In many ways, we have done the opposite — we have invested deeply, financially and personally, into building something we believe should exist. Do we want financial freedom? Of course. But entrepreneurship teaches you that money cannot be the only reason you keep going. There are easier ways to pursue money. But if you are looking for meaning, impact, resilience, and the chance to solve problems that genuinely matter to people, building something from scratch can be one of the most rewarding paths there is. My philosophy has stayed the same: Do right by families, and the rest will work itself out. We still have a lot ahead of us and much more challenges to conquer. Today, I’m grateful for every family, clinician, partner, and team member who believed in us and has been part of our journey. 🤛

I talk to healthcare founders every day. Most of them built something remarkable, often out of personal calling, decades of sacrifice, and a genuine belief that they could serve people better than anyone else. And most of them have never once stopped to ask: what is this actually worth? Not because they don't care. Because they're too busy doing the work. 125+ transactions closed since 2020 $850M+ in total transaction value 1,000+ healthcare-specific investors Every single one of those transactions started the same way. A founder who just wanted to understand their options. No pressure. No obligation. Just an honest conversation about what they built and what the market would pay to carry it forward. If that's you, I'd love 20 minutes. A complimentary Business Health Check, completely confidential, no obligation. The best time to have this conversation is always before you need to. #HealthcareMA #FounderLed #AgendaHealth #HealthcareAdvisory #HealthcareMergers

From Business Performance to Human Performance: Why I’m Involved in The Renewal Method As an entrepreneur, I’ve always been drawn to building ventures grounded in discipline, sustainability, and measurable impact. Over time, I’ve come to realize those same principles apply just as much to individual health as they do to business organizations. That conviction is what led me to take on the role of President of The Renewal Method. Our mission is built around a simple but powerful shift: healthcare should provide meaningful, root-cause solutions for those struggling today, while proactively optimizing long-term health for the future. It’s about personalized care that not only addresses current challenges, but potentially helps prevent what comes next. A major reason for my conviction in this work is the clinical leadership behind it. Srilakshmi Rebala, MD, FACP brings over two decades of experience as a Nephrologist, with an approach grounded in rigorous, evidence-based care and a deep commitment to treating root causes—not just symptoms. On a personal note, she is also my wife. That perspective gives me a front-row seat to the level of discipline, thoughtfulness, and integrity she brings to her patients every single day. I’ve also seen firsthand her ability to navigate complex cases where diagnoses aren’t immediately clear, bringing a level of insight that can make a meaningful difference for patients. My support for this work is deeply personal, but as a business leader, it is equally grounded in a strong belief in this model of care and its potential. At The Renewal Method, we are working to shift the conversation from lifespan to healthspan—helping people live not just longer, but meaningfully better. I’m proud to be building something that sits at the intersection of my entrepreneurial mindset and my belief in the future of healthcare. I’d be genuinely interested in how others are thinking about this shift—what does “better health” look like to you over the long term?

For founders: Everyone talks about you being the 1% relentless and ready to face all hardships. But there is one hardship that is not worth it: Risking everything you have, likely loosing it all and live like a hobo while pretending not to be. How many “successful” people sacrificed all the had just die sick and lonely while being the idol of thousands of unknown people. Money doesn’t buy health, that’s why everyone wants to invest in healthcare and longevity. When you know the smell of death you know one it will be your turn, and when this day comes, you want to be happy, fulfilled and surrounded by your loved ones.

One employee's diagnosis shouldn't force you to choose between their life and your company. Most business owners feel trapped in an impossible "lose-lose" scenario. Imagine you run a 50-employee company. One of your team members has a family member who receives a catastrophic medical diagnosis, requiring millions of dollars in care each year. If you leave them on the company health plan, the massive claims will inflate premiums and will financially impact every employee. But if you remove them from the plan, they lose access to life-saving care. But there's a third option. Through strategic health plan design, it is entirely possible to get the exact medical care they need without bankrupting the company. You don't have to choose between your bottom line and your humanity.

Christi Turner asked me recently what I thought was driving the reduced margin for error in healthcare today. Was it competition? Access to capital? Or maybe the speed of the market? My honest answer: all of it, and none of it individually. The whole spectrum of healthcare delivery has changed. When we were building CTCA in the early 90s, you could move fast, make mistakes, and recover. The environment gave you room. Not unlimited room, but room. That's gone. The mistakes you make today aren't just expensive, they're often permanent. Your banker, your investor, your creditor, they don't give you a second chance to correct something that's deeply embedded in how you operate. And in healthcare especially, those mistakes can affect patients. That's not something you fix in the next quarter. What this means practically: the thinking has to happen earlier. The sequencing has to be right before you scale. The conditions have to be real, not assumed. That's a harder discipline than most founders expect. But it's the one that matters most now. #HealthcareLeadership #HealthcareStrategy #Founders #HealthcareInvesting

What if true recalibration means daring to say, “Non-negotiable. I’m out.” and embracing all the facets of your life? In this episode I’m joined by Dr. Sabine Fonderson—GP, healthcare entrepreneur, global citizen, and innovator—for a candid conversation about navigating burnout, building boundaries, creative entrepreneurship, raising a daughter, and bridging healthcare systems across continents. Discover insights on honouring your energy and desires, experimenting with AI and technology in general practice, and finding leadership not just in systems—but within yourself. A powerful exploration of what it takes to sustain, adapt, and bring your whole self to medicine and life. https://lnkd.in/gBCXiMsU #generalpractice #medicine #doctors #healthcareleadership #agency #coachingfordoctors

Is your business currently in the Emergency Room? Most founders I talk to wait until the "patient" is flatlining: cash flow is a heart attack, the team is burned out, and they’re one bad email away from a total collapse: before they finally look at the numbers. In the ER, you're just trying to survive. You’re making decisions based on adrenaline and panic. But here’s the thing: you can't build a legacy from a gurney. Real growth happens in the "preventative care" phase. It’s the boring, daily habits that keep the vitals strong: - Checking your P&L when things are actually okay. - Building mindset resilience before the crisis hits. - Creating systems that don’t rely on your 2 a.m. heroics. Reactive entrepreneurship is exhausting. It’s also expensive. Why wait for a crisis to start caring for your business's health? Building preventative structures today is how you navigate the noise tomorrow. Stop treating your vision like a medical emergency. Start treating it like a masterpiece that deserves a healthy foundation. Let’s get those vitals back to green. #AnotherAngleCoaching #MindsetMatters #BusinessGrowth #FounderStress #NavigateTheNoise #NeuroscienceOfBusiness

Financial wellbeing is essential to overall wellbeing, but it’s one of the most overlooked parts of a healthcare professional’s journey. That’s why we’re introducing The Stethoscope’s Purse, a first of its kind financial literacy series within the Women in Medicine Wellbeing Forum (WiMWF), created exclusively for women in healthcare. This isn’t another personal finance talk. It’s a six-part journey that begins with understanding your payslip and spending habits, then builds—step by step—towards smarter saving, financial security, and confident investing. Every session is practical, judgement-free, and designed to leave you with knowledge you can apply immediately. We’re delighted to have Mr. Muhammad Nasir Khan and Ms. Ayman Tauqir from Meezan Bank leading this series, bringing decades of combined expertise in investment management, wealth planning, and financial strategy. 📅 Saturday, 4th July 2026 ⏰ 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM 📍 Nani Ghar, CFAW 🔗 Register here: https://lnkd.in/dSsNwHmD Better decisions. Greater confidence. Stronger financial futures. That’s the future we’re building. Strategic & Venue Partner: Center for Arts-based Methodologies & Wellbeing (CFAW) Strategic Partner: Dr. Essa Laboratory & Diagnostic Centre Official Financial Litera Series Partner: Al Meezan Investment Management Limited Food Partner: Latté