Mary Gorder is the Founder and President of Drs. On Calls, a virtual telehealth company that provides quality, affordable and compassionate healthcare through the use of virtual appointments, services, and medical devices.
Mary is a passionate businesswoman whose personal mission is to transform people’s lives by making healthcare accessible to all. Her own past struggles with poverty have shaped her business to become an invaluable and compassionate resource for countless families around the world.
What motivated and inspired you to start your own business?
My inspiration and desire to help underprivileged families comes from my own childhood experiences with poverty. Growing up, I watched my parents struggle to provide the basic necessities and I suffered the loss of my father and two sisters because of my family’s inability to pay for medical expenses.
Those personal tragedies are what prompted the creation of Drs. On Calls. Through my passion, experience, and God-given talents, I devoted myself to making a difference in the world by providing healthcare to all.
My childhood wasn’t an easy one, but without it, I wouldn’t be the person that I am today. The compassion, resilience, and determination that flow through my veins have made me a better healthcare provider and have allowed me to reach more people than I ever thought possible.
Tell us about your business.
Drs. On Calls, is a telemedicine platform that uses modern technology to connect patients with a global network of physicians. Through this platform, patients with distance, mobility or financial constraints can receive timely, first-class care in a caring and user-friendly manner.
Drs. On Calls develops, markets and operates the House Medical Calls Virtual Telemedicine Service and Concierge Medical platform, which offers medical consultations to patients in the comfort of their own homes by connecting them with licensed and board-certified healthcare professionals through web and mobile apps.
Drs. On Calls offers a high level of professionalism and dedication through top-quality services that enable physicians to share expertise, ideas and varied perspectives in the hopes of bringing solutions to some of the problems that plague today’s healthcare system.
The platform guarantees swift responses and uses highly encrypted data records to protect privacy. Patients whose medical conditions cannot be settled through a video call will be provided a local list of specialized physicians, covered by their insurance plans, who will offer in-person visits.
Are you currently running any promos/contests/giveaways that you would like our readers to know about?
My current “Give $10, Get $10” promo offers a rebate to both first-time users and the people who referred them to the service.
List awards/certifications/accomplishments.
Believing that all children deserve the opportunity to lead fulfilling lives, I founded United4Music, a nonprofit organization that provides free music lessons to underprivileged children, help improve their well-being through social, musical and cultural programs while emphasizing community involvement and become productive members of society. I see this as one of my greatest accomplishments.
As for awards, I participated in multiple talent and beauty pageants and won awards in different categories.
Where is your business based?
After facing some notable financial struggles, I decided to move to Florida to give my children a fresh start. My goal was to start an Assisted Living Facility for the elderly but lacked the funding, so when an opportunity in Sales and Marketing opened up at a local company, I took it.
As it turns out, that job was a blessing because it enabled me to fund my new telemedicine venture. My business is now thriving, so I’m happy to stay in the place that gave me my second chance.
What were the first few steps you took to get your business up and running?
In order to acquire the capital needed to get my business off the ground, I worked as a Sales and Marketing Director for a technology company.
What has been the most effective way of raising awareness for your business and getting new customers?
Social media has been a very effective tool for creating engagement and awareness for Drs. On Calls. Through it, more people are learning about telehealth and grasping its many advantages.
The use of GoogleAds has also been valuable, especially when reaching out to physicians who want to work with telehealth platforms.
What have been your biggest challenges so far?
People often think that having an idea is enough to run a business, but operating a successful venture comes with many challenges. In the beginning, one of the biggest challenges is finding customers, so it takes a great amount of determination to press on despite the obstacles.
In the end, it takes perseverance and careful planning to execute the kind of strategies that will generate success.
How did you overcome these challenges?
I believe that every challenge is an important lesson, so I learned to use my struggles as a motivator instead of allowing them to defeat me. Through my faith, work ethic and determination, I was able to develop the internal strength needed to reach my entrepreneurial and life goals.
How do you keep motivated through difficult times?
When moments get tough, I look back at my life and remind myself of how far I’ve come. Knowing that I was able to rise above the hardships renews my motivation. That, combined with my desire to provide for my children and my promise to God that I would give back to society, helps relights the fire in my soul.
How do you distinguish yourself from your competitors?
Not only does Drs. On Calls provide a better-quality service, but it is also much more affordable. At the core of my business is the need to help others, which is why I offer a $1 service to providers as an encouragement to work together to achieve lower healthcare costs. DrsOnCall’s approach also stands out from the rest because it is a conscientious one; one that stems from the desire to ease suffering.
What is the best advice you have received recently?
My partner has been a great source of inspiration, giving me both valuable support and constructive criticism. He believes in my work and in the platform that I have created, and often reminds me that my efforts are helping millions of people. It is this reminder that encourages me to keep fighting for what I believe in.
What advice would you give to other entrepreneurs?
Life is a journey filled with ups and downs, so it’s important to love what we do. Our innate passion is what will give us strength and energy when the going gets tough. When starting a new venture, having an idea is good, but it takes hard work and perseverance to make a dream come true. In the end, what count is what’s in our hearts. If we love our work, then we will find self-worth and happiness.
What are your favorite business tools/resources and why?
I enjoy reading entrepreneurial books and online resources. I find these to be very educational and extremely motivating.
What is a good article or book you have read recently?
The book “Good to Great” discusses the ways in which a company can turn from good to great. I thought it was a fantastic and inspirational read.
What are you currently learning about for your business or looking for help with?
Running a business requires money, so I wouldn’t mind a little more! But kidding aside, I think word of mouth is an important tool to help increase awareness and gain momentum. Drs. On Calls has so much to offer, and I long for the entire world to know about it!
What are your goals for the next few months and how are you striving to achieve them?
My list of goals is never-ending, but at the very top is the aspiration to provide top-quality, affordable healthcare to patients worldwide. Many physicians from around the world are inquiring about my services, so it brings me joy to know that my business is expanding on a global scale.
What social media outlets do you use? List them below.
Twitter @MaryGorder
Instagram @AsianBugatti