Scaling a Healthtech Startup While Living with Multiple Sclerosis

Alex Oosterveen was in the middle of building a company when his life changed overnight. A former investment banker turned founder, Alex was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis at the very start of building Caribou - a moment that forced him to confront his health and the choices that led to this moment. In this conversation, we unpack what it really takes to scale a company while navigating uncertainty, chronic illness, and building a family. Alex is the Co-Founder and CEO of Caribou, a Canadian healthtech startup tackling one of the most overlooked challenges in healthcare: the caregiver shortage. Caribou is a caregiver engagement platform that helps home care companies better support and retain caregivers. He discusses: Being diagnosed with MS while building his company and how it reshaped his relationship with work, health, and ambition The lifestyle and environmental changes that transformed his health (spoiler alert: it wasn’t a drug) The deliberate path he took to gain the insight, experience, and credibility needed before entering the caregiver industry The pivotal decisions that accelerated Caribou’s growth Building a company with his wife, and how that choice strengthened both their partnership and the business How he thinks about work-life integration while raising their young boy ___ Chapters 00:00:51 The MS Diagnosis: A Life-Changing Moment 00:03:27 Taking Control: Treatment and Lifestyle Changes 00:11:15 The Origin Story: From Investment Banking to Caregiving 00:19:22 The Labor Shortage Crisis in Home Care 00:22:58 Building Caribou 00:55:07 The COVID Pivot: Adapting to Survive 00:31:42 Bringing on a Co-Founder 00:38:10 Working with Your Spouse 00:44:19 Becoming a Father 00:45:56 Defining Success and Future Vision 01:00:22 Closing Wisdom: Advice for Parents and Founders ___ Between Two Brunettes Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@betweentwobrunettes Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/betweentwobrunettes Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@betweentwobrunettes LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/betweentwobrunettes X: https://x.com/twobrunettespod Samantha Miller Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/samanthaj_miller Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@samanthaj_miller LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samanthamiller111 X: https://x.com/samantha_btbpod Germana Kazazi Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/germanakazazi Tiktok:https://www.tiktok.com/@germanakazazi LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/germana-kazazi X: https://x.com/GermanaKazazi Alex Oosterveen LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alex-oosterveen/ ___ Produced by Thirty Two Media Inc.