Guerrilla Grit Got Him Noticed. Tech Took Him Nationwide.
What do you get when you mix street-smart marketing, DNA tests, and an RV rolling through New York City? You get Jared Rosenthal, an entrepreneur who turned a wild idea into a tech-driven empire serving over 50,000 companies nationwide.
In this episode of From Start-Up to Wunderbrand, host Nicholas Kuhne sits down with Jared to talk about the early days of Health Street, guerrilla marketing that actually works, tech tools that scale with you, and how AI is shaking up the game.
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Table of Contents
From Healthcare Executive to DNA Truck Driver
Before launching Health Street, Jared Rosenthal led major operations in non-profit healthcare and served as a CEO of Amerigroup Illinois. But in 2007, he left it all behind to launch something totally different: a mobile DNA testing truck.
What seemed like a novelty at the time was actually a genius move. Jared rebranded his truck, ditching the clinical feel of drug testing for the curiosity-grabbing power of paternity tests. The impact was immediate and explosive.
Going Viral Before Going Digital
Guerrilla marketing made Jared's brand unforgettable. Once that RV hit the streets of NYC, the media followed, including New York Post, Daily News, even VH1. The true power of that marketing went beyond the press coverage into digital trust-building.
Google's algorithm connected the dots. Suddenly, someone in LA looking for a DNA test was finding Jared's business, even if they had never seen the van or the show.
Innovation Doesn't Have to Be Instant
Jared didn't launch with a perfect tech stack or national reach. But by staying in the game and listening to what the market needed, he gradually transformed Health Street into a scalable digital platform.
Scaling Smart: From One RV to 50,000 Clients
As Jared's brand awareness grew, so did the opportunity. A client in Boston reached out, and Jared came up with new ideas for the evolving business model to serve people who weren't local to him. Instead of sending an RV, he called a clinic, paid a small fee, and still turned a profit. That lightbulb moment led to the creation of a national call center and a web app that now drives 80% of Health Street's business.
He chose Apple's lesser-known FileMaker platform to build it, gradually adding features and eventually linking it to a modern web frontend using Next.js, hosted on AWS.
This single-source-of-truth system now powers everything from test setup to client access, and it's built to last.
AI: The Next Frontier (and Challenge)
Jared is focused on the future. AI is transforming how people find, interact with, and even buy services online. For a transactional site like Health Street, AI in marketing is both exciting and a little scary. SEO is no longer a long-term guarantee, and businesses simply can't rely exclusively on search engine optimized content.
To stay ahead, Jared is investing in AI-readiness for marketing efforts. This means making sure the site is accessible, building APIs for headless integrations, and integrating AI tools internally to boost productivity.
The Value of Staying Lean and Learning Tech
One of Jared's smartest moves? Learning enough tech to manage it himself. By using FileMaker, avoiding overhyped platforms, and relying on consultants rather than full-time hires, he's been able to scale without depending on fragile teams or chasing shiny objects.
He's also avoided taking on partners, choosing instead to offer employee stock options so his team can share in the success without complicating the decision-making process.
What's Next: AI, Accessibility, and... Maybe Another RV?
Jared admits he misses the early days, when he met people face to face, had regular customer interaction, and ran the business from the street. But for now, the focus is on using AI to improve internal operations and customer experience and on staying ready for a world where transactions may no longer happen on websites at all.
Listen to the Full Podcast Episode
Want more behind-the-scenes insights from Jared? Catch the full episode of From Start-Up to Wunderbrand below to learn more about guerrilla marketing, AI in digital marketing, and Health Street's digital marketing strategy.
