0820_AUG Comstock's Magazine 0820 August | Page 86

FOUNDER OF THE MONTH KWAMANE LIDDELL DISPATCHCARE BY Russell Nichols In the wake of COVID-19, public health orders to shelter in place took over the second quarter of 2020. Kwamane Liddell, an emergency nurse, wants to help seniors and other vulnerable populations have the option to stay home while getting the support they need. DispatchCare (formerly Mlezi Health), founded in 2019 and based in Sacramento, is a home health app that offers 24/7 virtual care assistance. For a subscription fee starting at $19.99 per month, users have access to various options, including food and medication delivery, rides for errands and other services. “We make it easier for our most vulnerable community members to get the care they need to stay independent and stay home,” says Liddell, DispatchCare’s founder and CEO. For Liddell, this business was personal. In 2018, his grandmother, at 75 years old, suffered from a degenerative nerve disease. She went from jumping rope and doing aerobics to using a wheelchair. The family came together to help, but it was clear to Liddell that reinforcements were necessary. With his experience in health care, he partnered with his friend, Byron Madison Jr., to create the app. The app, a finalist in the UC Davis 2020 Big Bang Business Competition, aims to raise $95,000 for its first phase to partner with medical and geriatric groups in the Capital Region and Bay Area. PHOTO BY TERENCE DUFFY If I could have any other job, I’d be an...................................................... astronaut. A startup can’t be successful without.................................................... a team that is flexible and reliable; startups must always be prepared to pivot. .................................................................................................... The book that best represents my approach to business would be............................................... “How to Win Friends & Influence People,” by Dale Carnegie. ........................................................................... .................................................................................... ed with infinite colors and brushes. No matter how it looks in the beginning, we can ......................................................................................... always change it. .............................................................................................. a canvas that can be paint- I believe life is......................................................... everyone If I could give my younger self advice, it would be......................... has a creative genius within them, and curiosity ...................................................................................................... will help you find yours. .......................................................................................................... DID YOUR EXPERIENCE IN HEALTH CARE HELP SHAPE THE APP? “I always want to explore new ways to solve problems. One of the reasons that we created (DispatchCare) is because we want to solve a problem that 12 million families (in the United States) struggle with every day.” WHAT MAKES THIS STARTUP GROUNDBREAKING? “We are disrupting the ($103 billion) home health industry by providing services that are traditionally only available to wealthy families. We’re making those services available to all families.” For more on DispatchCare, read Russell Nichols’ Startup of the Month column at comstocksmag.com. 86 comstocksmag.com | August 2020