Bootstrapping Using Services: Robin Wiener, CEO of Get Real Health (Part 7)

Sramana Mitra: What about the team? Tell me a bit about the three best at the Maryland Incubator. How did that all play out?

Robin Wiener: We started out with three people. One of the guys we worked with early on was Raj. He is kind of our fourth partner and a phenomenal one. He moved back to Bangalore where he started our Indian office, which is not the typical Indian office. They’re part of our company. He has built a phenomenal team. We have two offices. We’ve 34 people in India. Here in Maryland, we’ve 33. Then we’ve three people in Texas.

My Vice President came out of our first client, American Heart Association. She really wanted to try something different. She lives in Dallas and wanted to stay in Dallas. If you’re talented, I want you to work on my team, but you don’t have to sit next to me. You can work wherever you want. Then, we also have two people in England. We’re about 71 right now. We went from four or five of us to this. I have the most phenomenal team. They’re just really fantastic.

Sramana Mitra: You’re doing about $5 million in revenue now?

Robin Wiener: We’re going to be between $6 million and $7 million this year. There are some really interesting things I’m hoping to close at the end of the quarter. We haven’t had anybody leave us in four years.

Sramana Mitra: I’m going to ask you a question with what you started—with your kid running into the office. Tell me about your life, if you wish.

Robin Wiener: I’m a mom of two boys—12 and 7 years old, who are a lot of fun and crazy. The one thing I’ve done to keep my life somewhat sane is to have my office overlook our house and their school. I want to be a mom that is involved. I’ve been able to do that.

Sramana Mitra: You’re close by, so if something comes up, you can go in.

Robin Wiener: My kids go to a small private Catholic school. I have a phenomenal community there. I travel a lot. My husband is supportive. I do have a group of friends that help me out all the time. It takes a community and a team to raise children nowadays.

Sramana Mitra: What happens when you travel a lot for business? How do the kids get taken care of? Does your husband take the lead at that point?

Robin Wiener: Yes, my husband takes the lead. I get him set up as fast as I can before I leave. My staff is fantastic. My girlfriends also help. In the morning, my husband gets them out the door. They go to school and after care. He picks them up and gets them to basketball practice. I’m just coming off three weeks of travel. I’m going to let him do whatever he wants to do this weekend. We balance it. My husband is also in IT. He understands the world and he believes in what I do. I’m blessed with that because a lot of women entrepreneurs run up against that. He believes that I can do it.

Sramana Mitra: Great! I’m so happy to hear your story and to tell your story. I thoroughly enjoyed listening to you.

This segment is part 7 in the series : Bootstrapping Using Services: Robin Wiener, CEO of Get Real Health
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