After working for over 15 years in the travel industry in both the transportation and hospitality sectors, there came a “lightbulb moment” in Johnette van Eeden’s life. Johnette realized that, ‘We could buy supplements everywhere, however, no one was doing any testing to validate that they actually WORKED!’ This led to the inception of Star Wellness®.
Star Wellness® offers onsite corporate wellness screenings, which provides accessible, affordable, safe, comprehensive and proactive health assessments and screenings to the employees of its clients to help control healthcare costs. They also make their affordable rates available to individuals and work with physicians to provide discounted laboratory testing to their cash pay patients.
Recognized in 2012 by The Dallas Business Journal for Who’s Who in Health Care, Johnette has been profiled in several magazines, including Chief Executive, Octane, and D CEO. Star Wellness was also recognized as one of the Top 15 Fastest Growing Woman Owned businesses in Texas for 2008, Top 100 Fastest Growing Woman Owned businesses in the US for 2008, and Top 500 Woman Owned Emerging Businesses in the US for 2013 and 2014.
About Star Wellness®
Founded in 2003, Star Wellness® has grown to become a leading national provider of on-site medical screening and laboratory services to major corporations, municipalities and school districts. Star Wellness® holds certifications for being a Women’s Business Enterprise (WBE), Small Business Enterprise (SBE), and Historically Underutilized Business (HUB).
The business model is built around a firm commitment to reasonable profit objectives, low overhead, and strict operating cost controls. This allows the company to offer state-of-the-art screenings for a fraction of the providers’ costs. Its consistently high volume earns preferential supplier pricing, which is then passed-on to clients in the form of significant savings.
Innovator in Delivering Advanced Health Solutions
Star Wellness® is a recognized innovator in delivering advanced health solutions. The company works with clients to implement a straightforward, highly effective cost avoidance strategy. By focusing on early detection through affordable diagnostic testing, its clients can reduce claim costs, improve employee participation in personal health management programs, and help protect corporate health benefits.
Star Wellness has introduced leading edge process improvements designed to increase critical employee participation. These include:
- STAR Scheduling® – Convenient online registration, which allows employees to select screening times that are most convenient for them.
- STAR Access® – A revolutionary program that offers affordable laboratory testing to individuals and employees at dispersed locations throughout the U.S., employees who work from home, or those who miss on-site company sponsored events due to vacation or travel. This program also offers affordable, direct to consumer laboratory testing at any LabCorp patient service center nationwide. This is a smart choice for cash pay, high deductible and under insured patients or individuals.
Furthermore, the company provides on-going marketing assistance to help its clients publicize screening events and improve participation rates.
Johnette’s Journey towards Pinnacle
Johnette has completed Executive Education Programs from Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University, UT Austin’s McCombs School of Business, and Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College. She has also earned an Ultrasound Technologist certification in 2006, and has procured post graduate studies in Entrepreneurship with Biz Owners Ed in 2014.
Johnette always desired to be an entrepreneur. It is her zeal to be an entrepreneur, which drew her towards working hard for it. After working as a software developer for several years, Johnette volunteered for a layoff during the downsizing at her company.
Johnette says, “At the time, I had small children at home and I wanted to be home with them. I homeschooled for a couple years, but quickly felt the urge to do something of my own. We were looking into starting our own health food store, but the idea didn’t resonate correctly with me. They seemed to be everywhere so there was a lot of competition.”
When Johnette first started the business, it was just her, doing the testing on people at health clubs and health food stores. However, she experienced a surge in demand and had to expand her offerings and began marketing to the business community for employee wellness testing. And now they have over 200 business clients and have held screening events is 23 states!
Determination and Hardwork that Paved the Way Towards Success
Johnette was always determined to stay debt-free, especially in the initial phase of the business. So, she purchased her equipment on 0% credit card offerings and made monthly payments to pay it off.
Johnette adds, “I didn’t pay one cent in interest. The first challenge was growing too fast. Within just a few months I needed to hire and train someone else and buy a second set of equipment so we could offer services at two locations at the same time. Determination to succeed is my biggest motivator.”
Facing challenges on a regular basis never made Johnette take back her decisions. She is spontaneously handling all the juggling of professional and personal life. Johnette adds, “My husband retired last year and thinks I work too much. I don’t really see it as work though… I enjoy what I do and thrive on being busy. I plan my vacations at least a year in advance and pay for them so that I won’t be tempted to cancel them. We take at least 3 large vacations a year and I count myself fortunate to have traveled so extensively.”
Johnette’s Advice to Young Entrepreneurs
Johnette started alone and conquered numerous hurdles. She has wisely managed her finances and transformed herself and her business with the blooming market demands. She shares some of her learnings with aspiring entrepreneurs. She says that it requires a lot of time, energy, and sacrifice. The main reason more people don’t succeed is because it is so much work. “I also advise to expand on the backside of the business. I don’t like the “If we build it, they will come” mindset. I prefer the “I’ll first get the business, then expand to fulfill the job” approach! It’s better on the stress level and your finances!” Johnette asserts.
Johnette can be reached at 800-685-5572 or www.StarWellnessUSA.com
