Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in business development but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Raunak Sharma, Founder and CEO of Thrizer, located in San Francisco, CA, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
Thrizer is a payment platform for therapists. Our customers are private pay therapists that don't accept insurance. Thrizer is unique in that it is integrated with health insurance - so that therapy-goers who have out-of-network benefits automatically get their session costs electronically reimbursed.
Tell us about yourself
I am a long-time therapy-goer and am super passionate about the world of mental health. Therapy completely changed my life, and it is a tool everyone should have access to. Unfortunately, most therapists do not accept health insurance due to their low rates and complexities. This can make the cost of therapy burdensome for individuals. Thrizer helps by allowing individuals to automatically receive insurance reimbursements for their therapy sessions. Our mission is to make therapy more accessible while enabling providers to earn their worth.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
Honestly, just getting started. I've done sales, product launches, fundraising - the whole circuit. All were challenging and gratifying in their own ways. But I'm always the proudest of the decision to leave my job, start Thrizer, and sacrifice a ton in the process. This life is challenging, but I've never looked back.
What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?
The "low" periods of running a startup. Periods of stagnant growth, dwindling capital, overwhelming rejections, etc. Those times you really start to doubt yourself and stay up at night thinking about how to turn things around, wondering if the naysayers were right about your vision.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Go for it. There's never really a perfect time, and always reasons why you should wait. Some of the most successful people I know are those that simply just took action instead of preparing.
- Pour your heart into it. Your chances are success are low already. If you don't leave everything on the table and go all in, the chances are probably zero.
- Never give up. I'm still early in the process, but I've committed to seeing this through until the end. Can't really lose if you don't quit, right?
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.thrizer.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thrizerapp
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thrizer.app/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/thrizer/
If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.
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