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