Missed Dr. Joseph Mosquera’s Twitter chat with PRNewswire about saludmóvil® earlier this week? No worries! You can read all of the questions and answers on creating a startup from inception to launch here and learn more about what this #Connectchat was about.
In sum, Latinos in the U.S. are more likely than any cultural counterparts to delay access to health care for an illness or to stop a given treatment when symptoms disappear, but Dr. Mosquera believes his startup saludmóvil® will provide them with the needed health care information.
Learn more about the need to reduce the health care gap for Hispanics, Dr. Mosquera’s online publication saludmóvil® and how he went from conceiving the idea of this unique startup to being a step away from launching it this spring.
#ConnectChat Q&A on saludmóvil® and how to create a startup
Can you please tell us a little about yourself?
I have over 30 years of experience caring for the Latino community in the US. I strongly believe that every individual has within them their own innate abilities to heal. And I am dedicated to helping and empowering every individual to tap into those abilities.
How did you come up with the concept for saludmóvil and what is it about?
I came up with saludmóvil during my 30 years treating patients in my practice. They lack good and affordable medical care and the information needed to make the right choices concerning their health. Hispanics have to face a language barrier and many don’t trust the medical system.
I took all these into account when coming up with saludmóvil. I want to make sure that our model is very easy navigate.
What was the first step in making saludmóvil a real company?
We needed to come up with a business model that fit the vision I had in mind and make sure that legally we were cleared. There is a lot of research in the process – you need to make sure that you are on the right track. That you are trademarked.
What other steps did you take to make it a reality?
From the very beginning I started searching for the right staff with experience in traditional and digital media. I also needed a great technology officer to lead the way!
Were you dedicated 100% of the time to your project or you were still working at the beginning?
Yes, I still see my patients, and fortunately, I am also able to stay very much involved with saludmóvil.
Do you have a group of investors and how did you persuade them to help?
I was fortunate that a single investor saw the potential in saludmóvil, understood my vision and let me to run with it.
Do they also make decisions regarding saludmóvil or is it strictly for capital?
Our investor is involved in capital but not in content. We keep him updated in all of our progress. I have his full cooperation on where we are headed.
In your experience, what do you need to create a successful startup?
You need a vision for a product or service that meets the needs in an underserved group. Hispanics need reliable health and wellness information. You need a plan to fill that void and most importantly you need the right team to take on the project – a team that can wear multiple hats.
What has been the most difficult aspect of creating saludmóvil?
Identifying a staff that understands the market, that is bilingual and that will take on a project of this magnitude. A staff that is sensitive to the needs of bilingual consumer. I stress bilingual since all the work is done in two languages.
How did you do the research regarding competitors, potential customers and finding a place for saludmóvil in the marketplace?
It started with key staff members. We researched apps, web, traditional media, and found that there was a void that needed to be filled. During our discovery process we found that there are great opportunities out there for health, lifestyle and wellness information targeting the U.S. Hispanic. We have now brought on board a marketing company that is multicultural to guide us in our efforts going forward.
How many people are on the staff?
We have 10 on the staff and outside contributors. This includes writers, reporters, tech, editors and even a translator. We also have outside marketing, development, designers, photographers and content creators. A company that has the experience to help us create our multiple platforms. Mobile, desktop etc.
How did you assemble your team?
I first brought on an individual that ran one of the most successful newsrooms in Spanish language TV. I had worked with her and knew that her experience would be crucial in this. She has the knowledge and the connections to make a project like this successful. She then started to assemble the team knowing exactly what we needed taking into account what our competition looked like as well as their strengths and weaknesses.
When does saludmóvil go live?
We expect to go live second quarter of this year! We are very excited! This is a moving target so I am sure that we will have to adjust along the way. We also have a plan for future offerings.
How are you currently promoting saludmóvil ?
One of the things we have done is hire a great marketing team. I think it is important to know where to promote. We are gathering data from focus groups so that we can pinpoint where our ad dollars should go. Social media will play an important factor but traditional media is also a possibility. A startup needs to know exactly where their customer base is.
What is the URL for saludmóvil?
Check it out!
Are you on social media?
Of course we are! Twitter, Facebook, Instagram. We plan on being everywhere our audience is. @misaludmovil, Facebook.