Latest news with #medicalalert
Entrepreneur
23-07-2025
- Business
- Entrepreneur
How I Turned a 'Boring' Company Bleeding $500K a Month into a $45 Million Machine
"Boring" businesses often deliver better returns than VC-funded disruption plays, with less competition and clearer paths to profitability. Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own. I'm on my knees in a Niles, Illinois, apartment, installing a medical alert system for an elderly client. I had just bought into the company, and we were losing $500K a month. I needed to go and see why. She served me tea and cookies while I worked. Then she said something that changed everything: "You're the most respectful and courteous person from any company who's been inside my home." That's when I realized we weren't in the technology business. We were in the trust building business. For us, trust meant three things: consistency, responsiveness and showing up when it mattered most. Related: Apple's Next Big Launch Is Reportedly Foldable iPhones. Here's When It Will Be Revealed. The $500K monthly bleed In 2013, I bought into a medical alert company that smart money had abandoned. A classmate from Stanford GSB, now at a major PE firm, raised an eyebrow: "That industry? The smart money has left the building." He wasn't wrong. We were hemorrhaging half a million monthly. Competitors were folding or desperately merging. Everyone knew the Apple Watch would be the final nail in our coffin. I don't mean to romanticize it. Our financials were a mess. But the deeper I looked, the more it seemed like the real deficit wasn't capital. It was care. Sitting in that apartment in Niles, installing a system for someone who survived the Holocaust, I saw something different. These weren't "users" waiting for the next innovation. They were people who'd learned that survival often depends on reliability, not novelty. They valued humanity and decency above all else. The service revolution nobody wanted While VCs poured millions into smart pendants and AI-powered monitoring, I made a different bet: What if we just answered the phone better? We did three things: Trimmed the fat: Cut three failing channels to focus on two that worked Invested in humans: 10% more training than any competitor Raised prices: Better service costs more. Turns out, people happily pay for better. The VC-funded competitors promised to revolutionize the form factor. We promised to pick up the phone in three rings. Turns out, that mattered more than anyone expected. Why boring beats brilliant Here's what Silicon Valley doesn't understand: In service businesses, it's all distribution and trust. Not technology. Not features. Trust. Our customers stay with us for years. When they leave, it's not because they found a better product (or that they passed). It's because life changed; 48% move to assisted living, 42% move in with family. They don't quit us. Some even call to thank us when they cancel. The pattern that pays I see the same pattern everywhere: Overfunded in digital ads? Someone's making money in direct mail. Overfunded in AI? Someone's cleaning up with better human service. Overfunded in automation? Someone's winning by adding humans back. None of this is easy. Service businesses scale differently. Culture cracks faster than code. But when it works, it lasts. Maybe you're the one raising millions to disrupt something. That's fine. But if not, fret not. Related: 'Boring' Businesses Are Making Millionaires — and You Can Borrow Their Strategies For Success The unglamorous path to $45 million Over the years, that "dying" medical alert business generated $45M in cash. We built 28% EBITDA margins in a "commodity" industry. We grew 12% annually while everyone said we were obsolete. No pivots. No rebrandings. No articles in the tech press. It wasn't a straight line. But we stayed close to the customer, close to the team and close to what worked. That was enough. Just consistent service. The kind that earns its keep quietly. We turned profitable in 90 days by doing what MBAs say you can't: compete on service in a price-sensitive market. Turns out grandma knows quality when she experiences it. And she tells her friends. Your boring goldmine awaits Every industry has its version of this opportunity: Home services : Where trust beats price : Where trust beats price B2B logistics : Where reliability beats speed : Where reliability beats speed Healthcare adjacent : Where empathy beats efficiency : Where empathy beats efficiency Education : Where relationships beat algorithms : Where relationships beat algorithms Local services: Where showing up beats scaling up Every industry has noise. Sometimes, trust and steady execution cut through louder than innovation. The ultimate service metric That elderly client in Niles was our customer for eight years. When she finally moved in with her daughter in Phoenix, she called to thank us. Her daughter said we were the only company her mother insisted on calling personally to cancel. We answered in three rings. We didn't innovate the medical alert. We didn't invest in tech. We didn't revolutionize the form factor. We didn't leverage AI or blockchain. We just cared. Consistently. While Silicon Valley preaches "scale through software," I've built something heretical: a business that scales through service. It's not sexy. But it will get you customers who thank you after eight years. Our frontline staff made it work. Training helped. But care is what kept people. As an entrepreneur through acquisition, be willing to buy boring. Invest in training. Operate for the long term. Build great firms, not great exits. There's nothing boring about being needed, and trusted, for a decade. Run your own race. The view's better, and surprisingly, so are the returns.
Daily Mail
19-07-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Doctors issue urgent warning over popular Botox treatment as they say women are taking 'ridiculous risks' and face paralysis, blindness and even death
Doctors have issued an urgent warning over a growing trend – driven by social media – for self-injecting the anti-wrinkle treatment Botox. Sounding the alarm, experts say that the practice risks serious allergic reactions, paralysis, long-lasting swelling and could even prove fatal.
The Independent
27-06-2025
- Health
- The Independent
Stay connected with half price Jitterbug phones and medical alerts
Health and safety for the older generation can be enhanced by new technologies, something Lively and Best Buy Health have utilized in their products since launching in 2018. The pair came together to support older adults in taking advantage of a range of different services and solutions to live their lives to the fullest. These products are designed for the older generation and their caregivers and include mobile phones and medical alert devices. Anyone looking to enjoy peace of mind and has purchased a product can enjoy 50% off Lively and Best Buy Health's Jitterbug devices and alerts for a limited time. Why choose Lively and Best Buy Health With device plans starting from as low as $14.99/month, these easy-to-use phones and medical alert devices can help users feel connected, safe and more secure whether in their own homes or on the move. If you already have a phone or mobile device you like and feel comfortable with, the Lively SIM Card lets you enjoy Lively services - including 24/7 emergency help - on your own compatible smartphone. Jitterbug Smartphone The Jitterbug Smartphone deal includes Unlimited Talk & Text plus 1GB data from $19.99/mo. The device's features include easy access to voice typing, video chat, internet, maps and directions. Jitterbug Flip2 Cell Phone The Flip2 is the range's easiest cell phone to help users stay connected. Plans start from $14.99/mo with the phone featuring big, backlit buttons and one-touch speed dial. Both phones have specific features designed to be invaluable for users including simple navigation, powerful speakers and long-lasting batteries. They also include: Urgent Response With the touch of the dedicated button, Urgent Response connects users to support agents who can offer round-the-clock support for any emergency. Lively Link app The app enables friends and family to receive alerts on their smartphone whenever Urgent Response is contacted. Nurse On-Call Nurses or doctors can provide medical advice anytime, even on nights or at weekends. These medical professionals can be asked questions or contacted for prescriptions or updates for common medications. Care Advocate Care Advocates can develop personalized health and well-being plans for users. They can also connect you to community programs, financial resources and more. Ask Lively Ask Lively is the support service where you can submit questions at any time, whether you want to learn more about your device, need help with directions or sourcing contact details. Lively Mobile2 The Lively Mobile2 gives you one-button access to Lively services and the Lively caring team which can be invaluable in case of a fall or accident. The enhanced GPS technology tracks user location while the optional Fall Detection can keep you safe by automatically calling Lively's Urgent Response team. This 24/7 emergency support service starts at $24.99/mo. If you have a phone you are familiar with and like, you can get Lively's exclusive services, including Urgent Response for help 24/7. Every Lively plan comes with Unlimited Talk, Text and 1GB of data, with the option to add more data, as well as our kind and knowledgeable caring team who are here for you day or night. This includes no long-term contracts and US-based call agents with fast, reliable nationwide mobile coverage. You can enjoy 50% off this and other Lively and Best Buy Health's Jitterbug devices and alerts for a limited time.
BBC News
21-06-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Cat from Staines among contenders for National Cat of the Year
A cat from Surrey who has saved her owner's life on multiple occasions is a finalist in this year's National Cat event, organised by charity Cats Protection, highlights the impact cats have on people's Void is one of three contenders in the Incredible Cats category which recognises those who have raised the alarm in an emergency or prevented a is able to alert owner Laura Welch when she is about to have a medical episode linked to her heart condition, Inappropriate Sinus Tachycardia. Ms Welch, from Staines, said: "The cardiac episodes can flare up multiple times a week – I get a lot of pain, a really high heart rate and get dizzy like I'm going to pass out. "I don't know where he learnt it but Void knows to alert me before it happens. He sprints over at full speed and gently taps me over and over again until he sees that I'm listening."She recalls one occasion when she was in bed and Void "sprinted up the stairs at full speed" to alert her to an episode. "I woke up 10 minutes later and he was sat right by my head and I realised I'd had a seizure. I trust him, I really do," Ms Welch for the National Cat Awards is open and will run until 31 July. Category winners and the overall National Cat of the Year will be announced during a ceremony in London on 24 September.
Daily Mail
15-06-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
You're showering wrong! Doctor reveals common washing error that could be life-threatening
Take note of the temperature of your shower, as a few degrees too hot could result in a potentially life-threatening injury, a doctor has warned. According to German-based vascular health expert Dr Max Maddahali, 'excessively hot' showers can trigger a dangerous drop in blood pressure that could cause you to faint, risking serious injury and even death. The hot environment causes blood vessels to expand in the skin, an instinctive biological reaction to try and cool the body down. This process can—in some circumstances—trigger feelings of dizziness and even cause you to fall unconscious. Fainting can be dangerous at any time but doing in the bathroom could be extremely serious given the number of hard surfaces to hit your head on. As such, experts advise turning the shower down a few degrees if you find yourself feeling dizzy or installing a temperature lock to avoid the temptation entirely. Those particularly prone to feelings of dizziness in the shower—such as patients with an existing health condition—may want to have a grab bar, anti-slip or even a stool installed to provide quick support. Patients can also be recommended to get a wearable medical alert device, which can come as a bracelet, and can raise the alarm if a person falls or finds themselves injured. But Dr Maddahali said fainting wasn't the only health hazard you risked by having a hot shower. In a TikTok clip which has been viewed over 14million times, he also said it could also pose a risk to your skin, hair and even your immune system. Dr Maddahali said: 'There's some natural on your skin that are keeping your skin moist.' 'Hot water can wash them off completely so dryness can happen. 'Also, too hot water can cause hair damage.' Scalding water damages hair much in the same way it damages skin, by stripping it of natural oils that protect making it more vulnerable to damage. While Dr Maddahali didn't explain how hot showers weaken the immune system—our body's natural defence against dangerous virus and bacteria—some research suggests this is true. Hot water is more effective at removing a natural layer of 'good' bacteria that live naturally on the skin. Some experts suggest removing this layer leads to a less active immune system, which could reduce its ability to respond to actual threats. Social media users reacting to the clip said they would keep their steaming hot showers, despite the medic's advice. 'I respectfully will not take your advice,' one wrote. Another added: 'It is therapeutic, hot showers keep me sane.' Medics have provided a range of advice about showers over the years, from when to take them to what to never do in them. While the nation may be divided about if morning or evening showers reign supreme, experts have ruled a shower before bed to be superior. Dr Jason Singh, a primary care physician in Virginia, previously highlighted how an evening showers improved sleep quality, washing away pollutants, and hydrating dry skin. But experts have said you should 'never' urinate in the shower as it could train your brain into associating the act with the sound of running water and leading to incontinence.
