Workplace burnout has become increasingly common, but Georgia Homsany turned her personal experience into a powerful mission to help others. As founder and CEO of Daily Dose Wellness, she’s revolutionizing how companies approach employee well-being, proving that career pivots can lead to meaningful impact.
Finding Purpose Through Personal Experience
Georgia’s journey to founding Daily Dose Wellness began with her own corporate burnout experience. “I had personally reached a point of burnout at the company I was at, and I didn’t want to just get another job in marketing,” she shares.
This pivotal moment led to a career shift at age 38 – a decision that, while daunting, aligned with her passion for wellness and desire to create positive change in the corporate world.
“I had this idea that there are so many people that are probably feeling the way I had felt,” Georgia explains. “My thought was: why not take something that I’m passionate about and apply it in the business setting? I had felt like there were a lot of resources for individuals to do on their own, but not as much support available in the workplace, where we spend most of our day.”
Building a Business During Unprecedented Times
Starting a business at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic presented unique challenges, but Georgia’s perseverance proved stronger. As a “one-woman show,” she handles everything from sales outreach and marketing to moderating webinars and working directly with clients.
Daily Dose Wellness provides organizations with wellness breaks through 30-minute webinars, 30-day challenges, and virtual health fairs – all designed to help employees stay productive and prevent burnout.
“I started a business at the start of the pandemic so I was already going up against a lot,” Georgia reflects. Her strategy for overcoming obstacles? “You have to think about whether this is something you genuinely want to do and then make sure you are celebrating the wins, no matter how small they feel in those moments.”
The Power of Positive Feedback and Personal Growth
Georgia’s commitment to making a difference is reinforced by the impact she sees in people’s lives. “Whenever I receive feedback, I tell myself, if I help one person in each program or interaction I have, then my job is done,” she says. She keeps a “power jar” – a practice learned from her business coach – where she collects positive feedback about her work.
“When you’re in those moments feeling challenged or thinking maybe you did the wrong thing or want to give up on the business… that power jar comes in handy because you can read all those positive statements of who you inspired or helped and it reminds you why you’re doing the work you’re doing.”
Finding Balance and Setting Boundaries
As someone who helps others achieve work-life balance, Georgia practices what she preaches. She advocates for thoughtful choices about commitments: “Do what you want to do. Which sounds obvious, but you’d be surprised how many people are just filling their calendar with things they feel like they have to do or they should do.”
She emphasizes the importance of making gradual changes rather than dramatic ones, suggesting that people “start making micro changes” when establishing new boundaries or habits.
Embracing Change and Following Intuition
For women considering career changes, Georgia emphasizes the importance of trusting one’s intuition. “I think women especially, we’re very good at having that intuition. And, when something doesn’t feel right in our gut, it’s usually spot-on,” she advises. This wisdom led to her publishing a book earlier this year titled “You’re Not Lazy: Change Your Words to Change Your Worth,” focusing on transforming negative self-talk into confidence-building dialogue.
She finds inspiration in successful women who found their path later in life, particularly author Jen Sincero. “One thing I was inspired about personally with Jen is that she says in her book how she didn’t really ‘make it’ until her 40s… that gave me hope because as someone who switched career paths at 38 years old, you wonder, can I actually make a living now starting something new?”
Looking to the Future
Georgia’s vision extends beyond individual success. “My overall goal is to get wellness into as many companies as possible,” she states. Her approach focuses on proactive wellness rather than reactive solutions: “What are little changes that you can start to incorporate in your day that you feel are feasible that will put those healthy habits in place that you can stick with in the long run?”
Through her work at Daily Dose Wellness, speaking engagements, and her book, Georgia continues to champion workplace wellness while inspiring others to pursue their passions, regardless of age or career stage.
Her journey serves as a testament to the power of perseverance and the impact one person can have when they choose to follow their intuition and pursue meaningful change.
In healthcare technology, leaders who can adapt and grow while staying true to their values are rare gems. Irene Froehlich, Chief Brand Officer at DrFirst, embodies this ideal balance through her remarkable 25-year journey from graphic designer to executive leadership. Her story is one of continuous growth, adaptation, and the courage to embrace vulnerability in leadership.
A Legacy of Innovation and Determination
Born to immigrant parents from Taiwan and Cambodia, Irene’s foundation for success was built on her father’s entrepreneurial spirit and her mother’s high expectations. “My dad is a serial entrepreneur… he always believed that I could do anything,” she reflects, “he didn’t let all those challenges or barriers prevent him from being successful.”
Her entry into healthcare technology was inspired by her mother’s experiences as a nurse, where she witnessed firsthand the inefficiencies plaguing the healthcare system. “Twenty-five years ago… they didn’t have Internet in the practices…patients didn’t have access to their records,” she recalls, highlighting the motivation behind her work to integrate and streamline healthcare technology.
A Multi-Faceted Career Journey
Irene’s path at DrFirst has been an impressive feat. She has held numerous leadership positions, including head of sales, head of account management, and oversight of talent acquisition and marketing. “I have worn almost every hat at DrFirst for a period of time,” she notes, attributing this versatility to her strength as a “crisis fixer.”
Her current role as Chief Brand Officer encompasses not just brand management but also cultural leadership, particularly crucial in today’s remote workplace environment. “I am still in charge of the company’s vision and the brand, but I also help with the culture to ensure that the entire company, especially in a remote workplace, is still connected and gelling together,” she explains.
Making an Impact in Healthcare
At DrFirst, Irene leads initiatives that address critical healthcare challenges. “We work with patients, hospitals, doctors, pharma,” she explains. Her work focuses on making specialty medications more accessible, improving patient education, and creating more affordable healthcare options.
“We look at where all the holes are in healthcare and we fill them up,” she explains. “A lot of other companies do one or two things, but we do the holistic thing because we look at the big picture and we say, ‘Okay, where are all the places not working well together? And how do we unite those things together?’”
Overcoming Challenges and Learning to Lead
Irene’s journey wasn’t without its struggles. Early in her career, she faced significant opposition as a young woman in a male-dominated industry. “I was a little bit of a bulldog,” she admits. “Here I was, 24 years old, 23 years old, basically telling everybody where they needed to go… it caused a lot of friction.”
Over time, Irene developed a more collaborative approach. “When you ask questions, you understand their perspective… assuming positive intent, people will see that you’re really trying to get on the same page with them and they become a lot more open and vulnerable,” she reflects.
Personal health challenges further aligned Irene with the mission of DrFirst: “I myself have chronic health conditions and I’ve seen how difficult it is for patients…We can be a part of helping to make that much more seamless and much more efficient.”
Redefining Success and Balance
These health challenges also prompted Irene to reevaluate her approach to work-life harmony. “When I was younger, all I cared about was getting to the next level. I was working 80-hour weeks,” she shares. Her health conditions taught her the importance of delegation and trust, leading to a more sustainable leadership style.
“I say harmony instead of balance because I think balance makes people feel guilty,” she explains. “If you’re an executive, you are typically very passionate about the work you do… it doesn’t feel like work.” This perspective has led her to embrace a more holistic approach to success, including community involvement and charitable activities.
Inspiring the Next Generation
Irene is passionate about encouraging women to pursue leadership roles in healthcare. “I really want to inspire women in healthcare to break through barriers and do it without sacrificing authenticity,” she says.
She particularly emphasizes the importance of taking risks: “Women have a tendency to not apply for those jobs unless they’ve done it and then done it exceedingly… I would encourage them to pursue leadership roles, lean into their intuition, and try things that they’ve never done before.”
Advice for Future Leaders
Her advice to aspiring leaders is deeply personal and practical:
Embrace vulnerability: “The more you say, ‘Hey, I don’t know this. Can we collaborate?’ the more that you say, ‘You have a strength in this area. Can you educate me?'”
Take care of your health: “Your health is your most valuable asset. If you don’t have that, it doesn’t matter about anything else.”
Ask for help: “Trust is actually from asking for help. When you ask people, they feel good about themselves.”
Stay authentic: “Don’t allow success to rob you of your peace of your joy.”
Looking Forward
Irene Froehlich’s approach to leadership, combining technical expertise with emotional intelligence and authenticity, represents the future of healthcare technology leadership – one that values both progress and human connection.
“Think about success from the standpoint of what is the ripple effect that you are doing to create a way or pave the way for compassionate leadership for inclusivity,” she concludes, embodying the kind of leadership that will continue to shape and improve healthcare technology for years to come.
From the age of five, Dr. Jessica Mendelsohn knew her calling was medicine. Her childhood declaration to her parents wasn’t just a passing fancy, but a profound insight into her future path. “I always knew it’s what I wanted to do,” she reflects. “I think it’s in my blood.”
An Unexpected Pathway to Medicine
No one in her immediate family worked in traditional medical roles. With only a younger cousin who is a nurse, her inspiration came from a less conventional exposure to healthcare. This unconventional background didn’t deter her; instead, it fueled her determination to carve her own path in the medical field.
The Heart of Healthcare: Human Connection
At the core of Dr. Mendelsohn’s practice is a profound belief in human connection. “The people,” she emphasizes, are the most rewarding aspect of her work. Her approach goes beyond traditional medical care, focusing on partnership rather than simply “fixing” health issues. “We’re able to talk to the public, learn their stories, understand what’s going on with their health, and be able to work with them as partners towards better health,” she explains.
Reimagining Primary Care
Dr. Mendelsohn’s direct primary care practice, New South Family Medicine and MedSpa, represents a radical departure from traditional healthcare models. By eliminating insurance companies from the equation, she’s created a patient-centered approach that prioritizes individual care over bureaucratic constraints. “Patients pay us directly, and we are not involved with an insurance company or third-party paying us,” she explains.
This model allows for deeper patient relationships, longer visits, and a more personalized approach to healthcare. Her ultimate goal is ambitious: to demonstrate a better way of practicing medicine and receiving healthcare in the primary care space.
Navigating Professional Challenges
Dr. Mendelsohn is candid about the additional challenges women face in the medical profession. “As a woman in healthcare, as a woman physician, our thought process is different,” she observes. “We have to perhaps work a little bit harder than our male colleagues to get to the same place.”
Her strategy for overcoming these challenges is rooted in a growth mindset. She views obstacles not as insurmountable barriers, but as opportunities for learning and growth. “Either you succeed, or you learn,” she says.
Blending Personal and Professional Life
Contrary to traditional notions of work-life balance, Dr. Mendelsohn sees her professional and personal lives as deeply interconnected. “There is no balance,” she candidly shares. Instead, she focuses on being present in the most important moment at hand, whether that’s responding to her children’s needs or addressing a patient’s health concerns.
She even involves her family in her professional journey, making her practice “part of our family” and using it as an opportunity to teach her children about community impact and professional dedication.
A Lifelong Learning Journey
Dr. Mendelsohn credits her current success to the cumulative experiences throughout her career. Opening her practice without prior business experience was daunting, but her previous work in large healthcare systems provided crucial insights. “I don’t know that I would have had the understanding on a more global aspect of what influence I can have in healthcare if I hadn’t gone through all of that prior,” she reflects.
Message to the Next Generation
Her advice to young professionals, especially women in healthcare, is profound: “Don’t lose sight of all the incredible things that you are.” She encourages embracing multiple facets of identity, recognizing that a career in healthcare is important, but not the sole definition of one’s self.
Wisdom for Her Younger Self
If she could send a message to her younger self, it would be: “Don’t change a thing, and don’t think so far into the future that you miss the present.” She emphasizes the importance of pausing, breathing, and acknowledging one’s accomplishments along the way.
The Power of Perseverance
Dr. Jessica Mendelsohn’s journey is a testament to the power of perseverance, passion, and purpose. Her story demonstrates that success is not about avoiding challenges, but about learning, adapting, and remaining committed to your passion.
“In the words of Robyn Arzon, ‘You’ve made it through 100% of your bad days.’” To Jessica, this resonates as a powerful reminder of human resilience and the potential for growth, even in the face of significant obstacles.
By sharing her story, Dr. Mendelsohn isn’t just inspiring the next generation of healthcare professionals – she’s actively reshaping the landscape of patient care, one patient and one practice at a time.
In the intricate and demanding world of healthcare, true leadership is forged through resilience, compassion, and an unwavering commitment to making a difference. Spring Moore’s remarkable journey provides a profound testament to the power of perseverance, illustrating how personal challenges can transform into professional strengths.
A Childhood That Shaped a Career
Spring’s path to healthcare was not a random choice, but a deeply personal calling rooted in her early life experiences. Growing up on a farm, she developed a unique perspective on care and healing. “I had a deep sense of compassion and wish to help anything that was hurting,” she reflects. Her childhood, which she describes as colorful and challenging, became the fertile ground from which her compassionate nature grew.
Working with animals on the farm taught her an invaluable lesson: “You can do small things to help an animal recover faster or keep them safer.” This early understanding of nurturing and support would later translate seamlessly into her nursing career.
Building Foundational Skills
Before becoming a nurse, Spring worked in customer service, an experience that further refined her interpersonal skills. “I got to see some of the traits that fit well with wishing to bring joy, positivity, and help,” she explains.
Finding Her Professional Niche
When Spring began her nursing career in 2010, she discovered a perfect match for her personality in the Neurotrama Intensive Care Unit. Her detailed nature and ability to remain calm under pressure made her an exceptional critical care nurse. “I realized that my ability to remain calm and perform well in stressful situations was actually a perfect fit for the Neurotrauma ICU,” she shares.
Embracing Professional Uncertainty
One of the most pivotal moments in Spring’s career came when she transitioned from bedside nursing to a role supporting hospital organizations in glycemic management software. This shift was not without its challenges. “I went overnight from expert to novice,” she candidly admits, describing a period of professional transition.
Confronting Imposter Syndrome with Strategic Resilience
Instead of allowing self-doubt to derail her, Spring developed a strategic approach to personal and professional growth. Her methods for navigating uncertainty included:
Intentionally seeking wise counsel
Watching expert recordings
Consulting mentors
Leaning into uncomfortable learning experiences
Pursuing recommended skills
Her guiding principle became “just do the next right step” – a philosophy that helped her navigate complex transitions with grace and intentionality.
A Family Legacy of Determination
Spring draws profound inspiration from her aunt, who immigrated to the US and rose from an administrative assistant to a vice president of an international company. Her aunt’s life philosophy of embracing unexpected changes and encouraging others to pursue their full potential deeply influenced Spring’s approach to both personal and professional challenges.
Balancing Professional Demands with Personal Well-being
Recognizing the potential for burnout in healthcare, Spring has become intentional about work-life balance. “Start early and make balancing the two a habit,” she advises, reflecting on her own journey of learning to prioritize self-care. She schedules time for family, friends, and personal activities, understanding that personal resilience is crucial for professional effectiveness.
A Patient-Centered Approach to Healthcare Innovation
In her current role at Monarch Medical supporting hospital organizations with glycemic management software, Spring remains committed to a holistic, patient-centered approach. “Even though we’re dealing with software, it’s crucial to keep the focus on improving patient outcomes and promoting wellness,” she emphasizes.
Contributions to Positive Change
Spring sees her contribution to healthcare not through grand gestures, but through authentic, compassionate interactions. “I want to embody the values I wish to see and encourage those around me,” she explains. Her approach focuses on collaboration, trust, and maintaining a positive culture that supports healthcare professionals and, ultimately, patient care.
Wisdom for Future Healthcare Professionals
If Spring could send a message to her younger self and aspiring healthcare professionals, it would be a powerful reminder of resilience: “Failure is an opportunity. It’s not a bad thing to experience a no or a closed door. Keep your eyes on the goal, but remain open and receptive to what life will bring.”
The Essence of Perseverance
Spring Moore’s story is a powerful narrative of perseverance in healthcare. Her journey demonstrates that success isn’t about avoiding challenges, but about how we choose to respond to them. As she wisely notes, “Discouraging moments don’t have to define how you choose to show up.”
For aspiring healthcare professionals, Spring’s narrative offers an inspiring blueprint: embrace challenges, remain compassionate, cultivate resilience, and never stop learning.
Christine Nicodemus’s path to becoming CEO of Wayhaven is a powerful narrative of resilience and purpose. Her story begins with a profoundly personal experience that would ultimately shape her professional mission. During her college years, Christine faced significant mental health challenges.
The Seeds of Innovation
Christine transformed her struggle into a driving force for positive change. Her entrepreneurial journey began with her first company in the K-12 space, where she focused on measuring students’ social and emotional skills. Drawing from resilience theory, she understood that social and emotional skills serve as protective factors for mental health and wellness.
Wayhaven: A Mission-Driven Solution
Driven by her personal experiences, Christine founded Wayhaven – an innovative AI-powered mental wellness platform designed specifically for college students. The company takes a unique approach by collaborating closely with clinical psychologists to create a specialized AI that provides support through evidence-based tools and techniques derived from cognitive behavioral therapy, dialectical behavioral therapy, and mindfulness practices.
What sets Wayhaven apart is its hyper-localized approach. The AI is meticulously tailored to specific campuses, integrating knowledge about local resources, clubs, and events to provide truly personalized support. A student chatting with the AI on Wake Forest’s campus, for example, will receive responses contextualized to that specific campus ecosystem.
Navigating Uncertainty
Perseverance wasn’t just an abstract concept for Christine – it was a daily reality that tested her resolve. She candidly shares a critical moment in her entrepreneurial journey when her first startup was on the brink of financial collapse. With only a few months of runway remaining, she faced the daunting task of asking her team to take voluntary pay cuts.
“I had raised a couple hundred thousand dollars to hire a small team around me, and we were getting to the end of our funds…I was feeling immense doubt.”
The emotional weight was significant. Yet, in an unexpected twist of fate, the pandemic became a turning point. As students transitioned to remote learning, demand for Ascend Goals services surged, and investor interest was renewed.
Beyond Professional Success
Christine’s approach to perseverance extends far beyond professional achievements. She emphasizes the critical importance of not defining oneself exclusively through work. Her personal philosophy centers on creating a balanced life and maintaining perspective.
“I’m all about flexibility between the two domains,” she explains, discussing her approach to work-life balance. Some days might involve working late into the evening, while others include midday activities like a [CN2] run to rejuvenate herself.
Inspiration and Personal Growth
Her commitment to personal development is evident in her diverse interests. Christine is a competitive flag football quarterback with ambitious goals. She even challenged herself to perform stand-up comedy, demonstrating her willingness to step outside her comfort zone and embrace vulnerability.
When asked what she would tell her younger self, Christine’s wisdom shines through. Her message is clear: embrace humility, don’t take yourself too seriously, and recognize that success often involves a combination of hard work and occasional lucky breaks.
A Role Model’s Perspective
Christine finds inspiration in leaders like Amanda Lannert, CEO of Jellyvision, whom she admires for mentoring underrepresented founders and giving back to the entrepreneurial community. This reflects her own approach to leadership – one that values creating a supportive workplace where team members can flourish both professionally and personally.
The Most Rewarding Aspect
For Christine, the most fulfilling part of her work isn’t just the technological innovation – it’s the human impact. She finds profound motivation in student feedback, particularly stories of individuals who found crucial support during challenging times.
“I get this a lot when I get to read student reviews of our AI…reading success stories of students who mention, ‘Hey, I was really going down a spiral here, and this helped me a lot’ – that goes a long way.”
A Message of Hope and Resilience
Christine Nicodemus embodies the true spirit of perseverance – transforming personal challenges into a mission that supports and empowers others. Her work with Wayhaven is more than a business venture; it’s a testament to the power of resilience, innovation, and compassionate leadership in healthcare.
Her journey reminds us that our most significant challenges can become the catalysts for our most meaningful contributions.
