Baton Rouge-based Dr. Meredith Warner is an orthopedic surgeon who specializes in foot and ankle treatments and surgery
Outside of her practice, Warner Orthopedics and Wellness, she has been working on an entrepreneurial venture called The Healing Sole, a flip flop designed to help treat plantar fasciitis and aid in recovery from heel pain.
Find out more about her and her businesses through our latest All About You installment below.
What is the most exciting thing you are working on right now?
In addition to starting and running our medical practice, Warner Orthopedics and Wellness, I and our team have been working on our idea and prototype for our product, the Healing Sole flip-flop (www.thehealingsole.com), since 2009. We launched the product a few months ago and it is now available online and through select retailers. One out of every 10 people (that’s over 33 million people in the USA) suffers from heel pain and plantar fasciitis. People with foot and ankle problems are usually advised not to wear poorly designed flip-flops. My patients love the all-weather comfort of flip-flops so I made the problem part of design and part of the solution. Our flip-flop product has 5 treatment methods in one, and our clinical trials are over producing over 80% success rates. Please invite anyone you know who suffers from this debilitating condition to check them out.
If you wrote a regular column for Silicon Bayou News what would it be about and what would you name it?
It would be about business innovations in healthcare. I would call it The Healthcare Economic Information Depot.
If you could win any award in the world, which would you be most proud to possess?
First, Mom of the Year. Second, Entrepreneur of the Year.
If you were stuck on an elevator for two hours, what one person (dead or alive) would you choose to be stuck with?
Madonna. I think she has exemplified herself as an extremely shrewd business woman and I would like to understand her pivot and growth strategies more.
IYO, which institution is most due for disruption?
Economic system.
If you had to pick a drink to describe yourself (alcoholic or non-alcoholic) what would it be?
Chardonnay from the Carneros Region of California.
Tell us about your biggest failure.
I invested in a restaurant here in New Orleans while I was in the military. I was not living here at the time which was my first mistake. Secondly, the restaurant business is tough and I relied on a partner that didn’t know it either. I lost $150,000 but I learned valuable business lessons. Stick to what you know, be active in the business and choose your partners wisely.
What’s your favorite thing to do on a Sunday afternoon?
We have a new head of the household. Her name is Everett and she is 2 yrs old. Family time with her makes everything else worth it. Staying on top of current events in the world with the New York Times helps also.
If you had to eat one thing for the rest of your life, what would it be?
My friend Manny Valencia’s Lasagna. Or popcorn 🙂
If you could live in any other time period, which would you choose?
That’s an easy one. I would live in the future. It will be way cooler than now.
What are you most excited about happening on the Silicon Bayou that you aren’t directly involved in?
I am excited to see more women entrepreneurs following their passions and starting businesses. The reality is the southeast Louisiana market is mainly male-dominated and needs more economic diversity away from oil & gas and industrial manufacturing. The Healing Sole and all the other tech, early-stage and new product companies are part of the growth we need in this region. In addition, companies that actually have a product and actually produce revenue and jobs are necessary for the region’s growth.
The standard superpower dichotomy:
Fly