RubiconMD’s Founder Gil Addo: Why I’m Fixing A Broken Healthcare System

WHO I AM

My name is... Gil Addo.

My company is… RubiconMD, which I cofounded in 2013. I started RubiconMD following a personal experience where my grandmother, who was based in Barbados, had to travel back and forth to Boston to receive medical treatment. This ultimately took a toll on her health and that's what led me to tackle the issue of access. Unlocking that medical expertise that’s generally concentrated in those academic cities is an opportunity. To do this, RubiconMD allows primary care providers access to eConsults from top medical specialists within 24 hours.This streamlined process helps determine when specialist intervention is needed while saving both patients and doctors time and money on unnecessary referrals.

Before my current position, I was... a consultant at Putnam Associates, a pharmaceutical strategy consultancy, where I designed payer and market access strategies for Fortune 500 clients. For example, I would advise said clients on how to price the prescription drugs and on their to-market strategies.

My first career aspiration was… to be a professional soccer player. Once I hit my teens, reality sunk in and I realized I needed to find a new goal. I still have love for the sport and continue to play in intramural leagues.

I made my very first dollar… when I was a kid and my parents challenged me to read an entire book for $20. It was The Rainmaker by John Grisham.

My ideal day is spent… getting an early start, then heading to work at the RubiconMD office downtown where I close a partner we’ve been courting for a while or hire a great candidate for our team. After, I would want to go visit with my mom and brother just to catch-up. I would end the day playing soccer with friends.

My typical day includes… meeting someone for coffee or breakfast, then heading to the office to work with the team on growing RubiconMD. I like to grab lunch with someone new from the office to see how they’re doing and hear about what they’re working on. After lunch I might talk with investors or spend some time thinking about our business strategy and the things we need to look at going forward. After work, I go to the gym and catch-up with my wife. I normally end my day by unwinding with whatever show I’m binging at the time, which at the moment is Black-ish.

Right when I wake up… I check my phone. I know I shouldn’t, but I read texts, emails, Slack, social media, and news each morning.

Right before I go to bed… I call my wife if I’m traveling. If I’m at home, I try to call someone I have been meaning to catch-up with.

MY PLAYBOOK

It brings out my best… when I am surrounded by friends and family.

I’m motivated by… my parents. My mom sacrificed a lot to give me a good education and I can’t thank her enough. Her sacrifice inspired me to focus my work on launching RubiconMD to provide underserved communities with access to specialty care.

My career hero is... Jim Lesko, one of the longest serving executives at Xerox, where I once worked. Jim served as a mentor to me early in my career, which was huge for my growth. I have infused an emphasis on mentorship into the culture at RubiconMD. We have a program where any member of the team can sit down for a one-on-one meeting with me to talk through anything they choose. Jim and I still have a strong relationship, and he actually became one of the first investors in RubiconMD when we launched.

I’m worst at... planning trips. I book all my travel last minute and send everyone’s itineraries late. It’s something I’m working on!

I’m currently excited about… growing the RubiconMD team. As the company expands, we have been adding more talent across all parts of the organization. I’ve enjoyed meeting new potential hires. It’s great to hear their stories and work toward a shared goal.

MY PATH

My biggest entrepreneurial leap of faith was… leaving the security of a full-time job to start RubiconMD. I had an Excel sheet that went over how much I needed to start the company and how much I needed to afford to live for a year. Once I saved the target amount, I moved to New York. I quickly learned that New York dollars don’t go as far, so my budget was tighter than expected. I also decided to propose to my wife during that same period, so a lot was at stake to get the company off the ground. I still took the leap and was able to get fundraising and capital in our first six months. The company is now in its fifth year.

My rock-bottom moment was... the months leading up to launch. I was always confident about where the business was going, but the challenge was balancing a life outside of it. In 2013, when I founded RubiconMD, my mother was struggling financially and my brother was still in medical school. Starting a company felt like a really selfish risk to take and it was hard to push through. Everything worked out, but those moments of uncertainty were tough to navigate.

My biggest triumph was... getting RubiconMD’s first investor and first employee. It’s a great feeling when other people have confidence in what you’re doing and believe in you enough to work towards your mission. We take investors and employees trusting us with their livelihood really seriously. We work hard every day to show them how much their faith in us matters.

The biggest question I haven’t yet answered is... why there isn’t as much emphasis on building a diverse team in the tech space. It’s important that the companies working on the future are actually reflective of the world. A diverse workforce means diverse experience and opinions that leads to a better product. At RubiconMD, 65 percent of our workforce is minority or female with a near even split of men and women in all divisions of the company.

I define success as… doing what you love while solving a problem that will benefit others. We launched RubiconMD to break down barriers to specialty health care for underserved populations. That mission is something everyone on the team believes in and it drives us to find solutions that provide everyone with the health care they need.

MY WISDOM

If you’re thinking about starting your own company, I dare you to remember… you will need to be obsessed with your mission because it’s all you will talk about for years and you will need to convince others to share it as well.

I dare you to forget… the risk. There was a time when starting a company was not the most convenient option, but I have always been dedicated to the idea of expanding access to quality health care and I knew I needed to pursue that goal. If you believe in your mission, then the risk is worth the outcome.

My best advice is… do something that you find interesting. Don’t settle. Do work that excites you for companies or organizations that have big missions.

Images courtesy of RubiconMD