What happens when you've bet everything on your company — and it breaks?

In Part 2, Nichole Lowe picks up where we left off: she's spotted a massive problem in the coaching industry, she has zero technical background, and she's decided to build a tech company anyway. What follows is one of the most honest founder stories you'll hear — no highlight reel, just the real climb.

Nichole walks us through building Zoee from scratch — networking her way into the startup world through a Raleigh-Durham MIT mentorship program, launching a beta that 75 coaches signed up for in seven days, and then watching it all break right before a $500K–$1M investment was about to close. On New Year's Day, at their lowest point, her husband Michael pulled her off the couch, got her on a bike, and rode with her for hours until she had a different answer.

Then, just as Zoee hit its stride — a preferred partnership with the International Coaching Federation, 50,000 coaches reached in a single email campaign — a sophisticated cyber attack hit. A money laundering scheme tied to a large-scale Wells Fargo identity theft. Hundreds of thousands of dollars. Stripe shut them down. Nichole and Michael personally covered their coaches' lost income out of pocket, not knowing if they'd ever get it back.

This episode covers:

• What it actually takes to build a tech company with no technical background
• The fundraising gauntlet — and what Nichole said to get a "no" flipped to a "yes"
• The bike ride that saved Zoee — and what it taught her about resilience
• Why she ignored the "$20K paid ads" playbook and built community first
• The cyber attack that forced a full platform rebuild — and how her team stayed through all of it
• Her advice for coaches on the fence about starting their own business
• Where Zoee is going next

"It's not over until it's over. Just because someone says it's over doesn't make it so."

🔗 Find Nichole at Zoee.com | @zoeeapp on social

What does it take to walk away from a safe, successful career — not once, but twice?

Nichole Lowe, founder of Zoee.com, has one of the most unexpected founder origin stories you'll hear. She spent 12 years in the film industry — producing for Prince at Paisley Park, working on Hollywood sets, and narrowly avoiding being on the first Twin Tower on 9/11. Then she pivoted into corporate sales, built a successful career covering the Western US for a major company, and walked away from that too.

The catalyst? Her husband's undiagnosed coronary artery disease nearly killed him — 99% blocked in three main arteries, one week before a trip to Italy the doctors say he wouldn't have survived.

In Part 1, we dig into the personal transformation behind the founder story:

• How a near-fatal health scare sent Nichole to health coaching school overnight
• What it felt like to leave two successful careers — and why she says she was more afraid of staying
• The 9/11 near-miss that changed the entire trajectory of her life
• Her first client session — and the vulnerable, unplanned thing she said that made the client say "you're the person I want to hire"
• How coaching 500+ coaches at IIN revealed the exact problem Zoee was built to solve

This episode is for anyone who's ever been too comfortable to make the leap they know they need to make.

🔗 Find Nichole at Zoee.com | @zoeeapp on social

r. Emily Roedersheimer of Balanced Living Functional Medicine shares how embedding health coaches into her practice — not as an optional add-on, but as the foundational first step — produces a 65% average symptom reduction in just three months. She and Scott cover how she found and hired her coaches (including a smart audition technique), how she structured her Health Begins Here program, the contractor vs. employee question, how to price coaching so you're not losing money, and what's kept her team together for six years.

Just like Vanilla Ice: We are back (with a brand new invention). The Junto is now The Rattigan Roundtable. In this short kickoff episode, Scott Rattigan — founder of Functional Lawyer and co-founder of Origins Incubator — explains why the show is getting a new name, a new format, and a real commitment to consistency. He gets honest about where he dropped the ball, what the original vision was, and what listeners can expect going forward: weekly episodes featuring conversations with physicians, founders, and operators building real practices, plus solo deep dives into law, business, and the mindset challenges that hold entrepreneurs back. If you're building a professional practice and want something grounded, cross-disciplinary, and hype-free, pull up a chair.

In this conversation, healthcare consultant Sonda Kunzi shares her extensive experience in medical coding, compliance, and reimbursement, particularly in the context of functional and integrative medicine. She discusses the complexities of navigating Medicare, common pitfalls in insurance billing, and the importance of patient education. Sonda emphasizes the need for practices to understand the regulations surrounding billing and the potential consequences of errors. She also addresses the differences between national and local coverage determinations and the role of Medicare Administrative Contractors. The conversation concludes with insights on integrating functional medicine into insurance practices and the significance of understanding patient demographics. In this conversation, Sonda Kunzi discusses the complexities of healthcare billing, particularly in relation to insurance, opting out of Medicare, and the differences between preventive and wellness care. She emphasizes the importance of understanding client pain points and navigating the regulatory landscape while considering cash practices and membership models. The discussion also touches on the challenges providers face when transitioning between traditional and functional medicine practices.Bonus: Sonda discusses the future of Medicare telehealth coverage, particularly in light of the upcoming expiration of COVID-era waivers on April 1, 2025. They explore the requirements for telehealth coverage prior to the pandemic, the changes brought about by the public health emergency, and the potential reversion to previous regulations if Congress does not act. The discussion emphasizes the importance of understanding geographic restrictions and preparing for potential changes in telehealth policy.Chapters00:00 Introduction to Sondra Kunze and Her Expertise03:42 Navigating the Complexities of Medicare06:12 Common Mistakes in Insurance Billing09:11 Understanding the Consequences of Billing Errors12:04 The Role of Medicare Administrative Contractors14:37 National vs. Local Coverage Determinations16:54 Consulting for Functional Medicine Practices19:40 Debunking Myths About Medicare and Functional Medicine22:26 Integrating Functional Medicine into Insurance Practices25:01 Understanding Patient Demographics and Market Strategies27:23 Understanding Client Pain Points29:06 Navigating Insurance Regulations32:26 The Opt-Out Dilemma34:30 Preventive vs. Wellness Care38:07 Billing Challenges and Cash Practices42:37 Opting Out of Medicare: A Two-Year Commitment44:41 Membership Models in Healthcare48:18 Consultation and Next Steps49:09 The Evolution of Telehealth Coverage52:01 Current Medicare Telehealth Regulations and Future Expectations54:21 Navigating Geographic Restrictions and Provider Requirements57:06 Preparing for Changes in Telehealth Policy58:12 Expert Insights on CodingConnect with her:Website: https://www.codingadvantage.com/Instagram: @codingadvantagellcFacebook: Coding Advantage, LLCLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sonda-kunzi/Connect with Scott:Website: scottrattigan.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scott-rattigan