episode 0036- the accidental venture capitalist for autism centers with ben wessels

Ben Wessels had no intention of becoming a businessman. With plans of committing himself to helping people through social work, he did not anticipate having a lot of money. But when insurance mandates changed while Ben happened to be working with a clinician specializing in autism care, and autism was no longer considered a pre-existing condition, suddenly the door burst wide open.

Ben has since been able to help thousands of families get the care they need, spearheading the explosion of growth in autism clinics worldwide, and creating Bloom International Ventures to expand his reach as an investor and consultant. Tune in to hear the journey of an accidental entrepreneur, including the grind of the early days, the persistent motivation to help families in need, and the times everything nearly fell apart.

Show Highlights:
1- What do you do for a living, ad how did you end up there? (7:10)
2- Ben discusses how the change in the definition of “pre-existing condition” opened the door for thousands of families, and for the growth of autism care as a business. (13:05)
3- What steps did you take to get some momentum as a businessman once the door of opportunity opened? (15:25)
4- What was the vision initially, and was there any doubt that this wouldn’t work out? (20:25)
5- We discuss the motivating stress of not wanting to let families down, and the turning point that led to global expansion. (23:05)
6- Ben tells the story of expanding globally and how it was different than expanding domestically. (27:45)
7- How difficult was this business financially to get off the ground? (34:30)
8- What are you supplementing the providers with when you partner with them? (37:50)
9- We discuss the phrase: “You have to spend money to make money.” (40:00)
10- What does an “exit” look like in this industry? (42:50)
11- We discuss a deal that almost fell through that could have cost Ben everything, including his house. (45:10)
12- Listener question: Advice for entrepreneurs entering a space that has to deal with insurance companies. (54:00)
13- Where to find Ben and everything he’s doing today. (55:45)

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