In this episode, Gavin chats with Ali Stokes, a former nurse and Johnson & Johnson exec who left behind the safety of corporate life to build Beyond the Clinic β a virtual care platform reshaping how patients manage joint and muscle pain.
Ali shares her raw, honest journey of going from a well-paid healthcare role to bootstrapping a startup with zero income for two years. From burnout, imposter syndrome, and relationship strain to building a team of 12 and finding product-market fit, this episode pulls back the curtain on the real cost (and joy) of taking the leap into startup life.
Expect a candid, behind-the-scenes look at what it really takes to launch a B2B SaaS company from scratch - completely bootstrapped.
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In this episode, we cover:
- Why Ali left corporate life at Johnson & Johnson
- The early struggles of bootstrapping a SaaS in health tech
- Building Beyond the Clinic with no external capital
- Navigating burnout, imposter syndrome and relationship strain
- Finding purpose and building something with real impact
- Why self-belief is more important than external validation
- The slow, iterative approach to product and business development
- What it really takes to build a startup while raising a family
- The power of mentorship and finding your founder tribe
- How to survive when your business tests you every week
Chapters:
00:00 Welcome to The Leap
01:09 Meet Ali Stokes
03:42 Growing up in a small business family
06:18 Building Beyond the Clinic
07:20 Vision vs market direction
10:23 Disrupting healthcare without burning out
11:41 Life before becoming a founder
13:22 Making the leap and setting boundaries
16:10 Bootstrapping and early traction
19:08 The moment Ali knew she had to start
21:45 Navigating fear and self-doubt
25:40 Learning quickly and building capability
28:03 Facing the unknowns and pushing through
30:22 How Ali has changed through the journey
33:06 Endurance and motivation through hard times
36:25 Weekly habits to avoid burnout
39:08 What Ali wishes she knew earlier
42:52 The capital question and bootstrapping mindset
44:00 Where to find Ali
π Links
About Founders Collective
Founders Collective is a community built to connect like-minded founders, creators, and builders who believe in sharing the real stories behind the journey β not just the highlight reel. Our mission is to spark honest conversations, build meaningful connections, and help founders grow through collaboration, courage, and shared experience.
What is The Leap by Founders Collective?
The Leap is a podcast for founders, creatives, and career-shifters who are bold enough to start something of their own. Hosted by Gavin Tye, each episode dives into the real stories behind people whoβve taken the leap...from launching startups and scaling side hustles to pivoting careers with purpose.
Through candid conversations with early-stage founders, innovators, and changemakers, we explore the messy middle of entrepreneurship: the fears, breakthroughs, lessons, and mindset shifts that come with building something meaningful from the ground up.
Whether youβre thinking about starting a business or already deep in the trenches, The Leap will leave you feeling inspired, informed, and ready to take your next big step.