Rising ICON #50: Andrew Headrick
What name do you prefer to be called?
Andrew Headrick
What are your pronouns?
He / Him
Where did you grow up?
Wayzata, MN
What city are you currently based in?
Minneapolis, MN
How do you typically introduce yourself to new people?
Hi, I’m Andrew! Nice to meet you
What’s one thing you wish more people knew about you?
My go to fun fact – I have quadruplet younger siblings!
Who do you help?
We help employees get access to everyday healthcare in a more affordable and convenient way.
What are you building now?
Kavira Health is a subscription-based primary and urgent care clinic, that provides all care virtually, and via in-person home visits. We contract directly with employers, who pay for the service on behalf of their employees – employees and family members in turn receive unlimited, on-demand, completely free access to the service. Our goal is to provide the most convenient, and the most affordable everyday healthcare imaginable.
What were you building ten years ago today?
10 years ago I was a sophomore in college! Working on getting my degree in Economics and Chinese.
What do you predict of yourself 10 years from now?
Everything has changed so much in the last 3 years (for me personally – I left investment banking, started a company, pivoted the company, almost went bankrupt, and finally the company is growing like crazy. And for society as a whole – Covid, inflation, politics, etc), it’s impossible to predict what life will look like in 10 years. I’m hopeful, that 10 years from now I’ll still be growing Kavira, or will be working to disrupt the healthcare industry in some other way.
What’s a fact or statistic you wish everyone knew about your industry?
Almost 1/3 of Americans feel that they can’t afford their health insurance deductible, making them functionally uninsured.
Why do you believe the work you do matters?
Everyday healthcare is increasingly inaccessible. 50% of Americans struggle to access everyday care because it’s simply too inconvenient. And the average American spends over $600 per year on everyday healthcare needs. People need help getting healthcare! Our goal with Kavira is to flip the script, and provide incredibly convenient, affordable, and accessible healthcare for our members.
Who is your mentor and what is the best advice they’ve given you?
I was pretty hung up on whether or not to leave my prior job to start a company. When I asked my old boss for his thoughts, he said, “Think of your career like a cross-country road trip. It’s not about the twists and turns along the path. As long as you’re heading in the right general direction, you’ll be ok.” I think about that a lot. Each path has its own ups and downs, but as long as you keep learning, improving, making connections, generally moving forward, and of course looking up to enjoy the scenery, then you needn’t stress so much about the current decision in front of you.
What piece of content about you or your company are you most proud of?
I’m incredibly proud of my Medical Alley podcast interview from June 2022 – not because it’s my best work ever, but because it was the first published interview I did – it was scary, it took a ton of preparation, and it pushed me out of my comfort zone and forced me to grow as a person.
What publication do you hope to appear in next?
Star Tribune! The hometown paper.
Who would you love to be interviewed by?
Lex Fridman. Lex consistently has incredibly interesting and intelligent podcast guests.
If you had to give a TEDTalk tomorrow, what would the title be?
Misaligned Incentives in Healthcare
What award would mean the most to win?
I’m not particularly motivated by awards or recognition. My drive comes more from curiosity, learning, improving, and overcoming challenges.
What makes zero sense to you?
We’re on a big rock hurtling through space at thousands of miles per hour. Where did we come from? Where are we going?
What’s a word in your industry you hope gets re-evaluated?
Culture
What game are you changing?
We’re changing the healthcare game!
What’s the next thing you’re a part of that you want to invite more people to participate in?
I invite you to follow Kavira Health on LinkedIn!
Where can we follow you online?
LinkedIn!
What’s one thing that makes every leader better?
Humility. It probably sounds cliché – but no one is all-knowing; we all make mistakes. It’s important to pause, listen and learn from around you. You’ll make better decisions, and improve the culture of your team.
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We’re grateful to each Rising ICON for their transformative work. Thank you, Andrew, for sharing your story!
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“Each path has its own ups and downs, but as long as you keep learning, improving, making connections, generally moving forward, and of course looking up to enjoy the scenery, then you needn’t stress so much about the current decision in front of you.”
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