281. Ariana Thacker, Founder & CEO of MoldCo

Today, I'm joined by Ariana Thacker, founder and CEO of MoldCo. Born from personal experience, the company is revolutionizing treatment for mold-related illness by combining specialized testing, personalized protocols, and ongoing R&D. In this episode, we discuss building a healthcare platform for mold toxicity. We also cover: • Mold exposure's impact on 30–40M Americans  • Making the "Shoemaker Protocol" treatment more accessible • Building a company that bridges care delivery with cutting-edge research Subscribe to the podcast → insider.fitt.co/podcast Subscribe to our newsletter → insider.fitt.co/subscribe Follow us on LinkedIn → linkedin.com/company/fittinsider   Website: https://www.moldco.com/ IG: https://www.instagram.com/themoldcompany/ - The Fitt Insider Podcast is brought to you by EGYM. Visit EGYM.com to learn more about its smart workout solutions for fitness and health facilities. Fitt Talent: https://talent.fitt.co/ Consulting: https://consulting.fitt.co/ Investments: https://capital.fitt.co/ Chapters:  (00:00) Introduction (01:40) Ariana's journey to MoldCo (03:20) Identifying mold exposure (04:40) The prevalence of mold issues in homes and buildings (06:00) Understanding mold toxicity symptoms and biomarkers (07:40) The broken healthcare journey for mold patients (10:20) Finding evidence-based solutions with the Shoemaker protocol (12:40) Market size and impact (14:40) From VC to founder (18:20) Raising capital for an unconventional healthcare startup (21:20) Growing mainstream awareness of environmental toxins (23:20) Pioneering the standard of care for mold toxicity (25:40) Using existing medications versus developing new treatments (29:40) Expanding beyond mold (32:00) Current operations and patient experience (35:00) Nationwide expansion plans (36:00) Making lab testing affordable and accessible (37:40) Conclusion