Join us as we welcome Laurence Girard, CEO and founder of First Street Health, a leader in diabetes prevention. In this episode, Lawrence shares his journey from aspiring medical student to entrepreneur, inspired by his experiences in an ER and a nutrition course. His company, a CDC-recognized program, has served over 45,000 prediabetic patients through telehealth. Laurence discusses his ventures like Healthcare Ceres and Hippocrates Venture, supporting healthcare startups, and highlights First Street Health’s milestone as a Medicare provider for its virtual diabetes prevention program. He also shares insights on marketing strategies, cultural relevance in nutrition, and the concept of a "portfolio life." Listen to Laurence's inspiring story, including patient success stories, entrepreneurial insights, and his thoughts on opportunities for immigrants in America. Key Highlights: Preventing Chronic Diseases through Telehealth: Laurence explains how Fruit Street Health, a CDC-recognized diabetes prevention program, uses telehealth to impact public health. The program has served 45,000 patients and raised $35 million in financing. Entrepreneurial Journey: Laurence shares his path from pre-med to becoming a public health entrepreneur, aiming to shift healthcare from treating conditions to preventing chronic diseases through lifestyle changes. Resilience in Business: Laurence talks about overcoming challenges, including pivoting the business model and suing a competitor that stole their intellectual property, emphasizing the importance of resilience. Impactful Mission: The goal of Fruit Street Health is to make diabetes prevention accessible to millions, now expanding to Medicare patients with free programs for those with prediabetes. Future Vision for Healthcare Ventures Laurence discusses his venture capital fund, Healthcare Shares, focusing on investing in early-stage healthcare startups to bring meaningful social impact. Key Takeaways: "Prevention is the future of healthcare. We need to stop treating diseases and start preventing them." – Laurence Girard “The best entrepreneurs aren't just driven by profit. They're driven by passion and the desire to make the world a better place." – Laurence Girard "Resilience is one of the most important traits for an entrepreneur. You have to keep going, even when things don’t go as planned." – Laurence Girard "If you shoot for the moon and miss, you’ll still land among the stars." – Laurence Gerard Conclusion In conclusion, Laurence’s work with Fruit Street Health and his venture capital fund, Healthcare Shares, highlights his commitment to using innovation and telehealth to prevent chronic diseases and improve healthcare access, proving that business and social impact can go hand in hand. Where to reach Laurence Girard https://www.linkedin.com/in/girardlaurence/ Website: https://www.fruitstreet.com/ Disclaimer NO INVESTMENT, FINANCIAL, LEGAL OR TAX ADVICE The contents of this video are for informational and educational purposes only. They should not be considered investment, financial, legal or tax advice. Dream Big and Think Different podcast or sachinmaskeymd.com is not licensed in the insurance or securities industries and is not in the business of selling, soliciting or negotiating the sale of any insurance contract, security or other investment vehicle. Dream Big and Think Different podcast or sachinmaskeymd.com does not recommend the purchase of any particular security, insurance contract, alternative investment, real estate or other investment vehicle, and nothing in this video, podcast, publication or any other product or service provided by Dream Big and Think Different podcast or sachinmaskeymd.com shall be deemed to constitute the solicitation, recommendation, endorsement or offer of any such item in this or in in any other jurisdiction in which such recommendation, solicitation or offer would be