CARLSBAD – Communication and networking are sure keys to running a successful business, and local tech founder Jeff Gottschalk is paving a clear path to those keys for health professionals through his startup, Cleeri.
Likening his company to a matchmaker “like Tinder for holistic health meets OfferUp for holistic health,” Gottschalk said Cleeri is a business networking platform that connects holistic health professionals with each other and helps them grow their businesses through community, connection and education.
Founder
Clery
Joining Cleeri is free, but the plan is for it to become an expanding marketplace that will increase advertising on the site, boost sales and attract more and more clients.
The company, which was founded in 2022, has more than 250 wellness companies on its roster, including Orange Theory Carlsbad, True Wild, Wisdom and I Eat My Greens, Gottschalk said.
He said he is in the process of finalizing a co-founder and will work with him to develop “a game-changing tool that will make the lives of small business owners and professionals significantly easier,” with the goal of reaching 1,000 people/businesses by the end of the fourth quarter of this year.
Wellness is about making healthy lifestyle choices and maintaining physical and mental health.
The global wellness market is estimated to be worth $6.6 trillion this year, according to the Global Wellness Institute. The institute and Wellness Creative report that the wellness industry is growing 8.5% annually and is projected to reach $7.2 trillion by 2025.
“More and more people are waking up and taking a lot more of an interest in health and wellness,” Gottschalk said. “Especially with what’s happened with COVID, it’s made us realize how important that is and it’s made us ask ourselves, ‘Who am I? What am I doing? Who is important in my life? Who am I connected to?'”
Cleary on Clery Chamber of Commerce
The company recently received recognition for its efforts from the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce, paving the way for Gottschalk to receive a $1,000 grant as part of the SD Chamber’s initiative to help improve San Diego’s health and wellness ecosystem.
In this effort, the San Diego Chamber of Commerce will partner with the San Diego County Health and Human Services Department to host a Business Leadership Academy to promote workplace wellness throughout the region.
Kathleen McNally, vice president of member services for the Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce, said the Carlsbad Chamber recommended Curieri for its workplace wellness initiatives to the San Diego Chamber of Commerce, which later awarded the grant.
Vice President of Member Services
Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce
McNally said Cleri was the obvious choice because he knows Gottschalk’s dedication to health and the chamber’s desire to help “honor those who care about our community and its future.”
“Jeff’s goal is to help others in the community achieve their best,” McNally said.
Gottschalk said Cleri has been able to grow so far “through trust and goodwill.”
The company hosts monthly educational workshops and networking events within the community, and also promotes health and wellness professionals through email newsletters and social media posts.
Passion for technology and health
A successful real estate businessman in his native Arizona, Gottschalk moved to San Diego County four years ago to start a company that would allow him to become what he calls an engineer.
“One of my dreams is to build a technology company that scales and goes viral,” he says. “So I combined that dream with my passion for health and wellness and personal and professional development. We have a lot of life coaches, business coaches and health coaches who are connected to this holistic health space. So now my mission is to help holistic health professionals and help them grow their businesses.”
Prior to his real estate career, Gottschalk ran a company called GottyCode, an automated marketing software that helped businesses generate leads online, and whose clients included Popchips, Office Depot, Cirque du Soleil and the Phoenix Mercury WNBA team.
Gottschalk is a self-taught coder who taught himself how to build the app within two years and founded Cleeri, which he started with $80,000 in backing from family and friends.
Gottschalk said Cleeri was born out of “defining what you’re looking for, creating transparency and making it clear what a company has to offer, what they need to know about their product or service package, and doing it in a way that people can easily understand.”
He said some health and wellness experts and practitioners struggle because they don’t have a strong business side, and Cleeri is there to provide business resources, connections, education and tools “so they can combine their passions and talents and turn them into a successful business.”
Clery
Established: 2022
Founder and CEO: Jeff Gottschalk
Headquarters: Carlsbad
Business: Networking Platforms
Website: cleeri.com
contact: inquiry
Social Impact: We aim to improve access to and quality of health-oriented resources.
What’s noteworthy: The business currently has more than 250 clients, including local brands such as OrangeTheory Carlsbad, Tru Wild, Wisdom, and I Eat My Greens.
