From Wall Street to Wellness: Jim Donovan on Scaling Culina Health

What if the turning point in your career and your life came from surviving one of the most tragic days in U.S. history?

In this episode of Lightning RX, host Colette Nataf sits down with Jim Donovan, growth consultant at Culina Health, to discuss his journey from Wall Street investment banker and 9/11 survivor to helping scale one of today’s fastest-growing virtual nutrition platforms.

Jim opens up about how the events of 9/11 changed his outlook on life, career, and identity, and how those lessons now shape his work in healthcare innovation. Together, they explore how Culina Health is redefining personalized nutrition, from culturally affirming care to employer wellness programs that offer sustainable alternatives to expensive GLP-1 medications.

What You’ll Learn:

• How a 9/11 survivor transformed tragedy into a new life mission
• Why Culina Health is pioneering culturally affirming, virtual nutrition care
• How employers can provide affordable wellness solutions beyond GLP-1 subsidies
• The role of field sales and founder-led growth in scaling health startups
• Why small details like QR codes on sales collateral make or break provider engagement
• Hard truths about product-market fit and why it’s a marathon, not a sprint

💡 Golden Nugget:

“Product-market fit is a slog—it won’t happen overnight. Stay open to the journey, because it might take you somewhere better than you ever imagined.”

Connect with Jim Donovan:

• LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jidonovan
• Website: https://donovankidd.com/ , https://culinahealth.com/

Connect with the Show:

• LinkedIn
• Website
• Spotify
• Amazon Music
• iHeart

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