Today we’d like to introduce you to Daniel Johnson Jr.
Daniel, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I have always had a passion for technology. I grew up in Washington D.C.’s suburbs of southern Maryland. My mother’s specialty is computer programming, so I was exposed to computers and technology at an early age. I spent a lot of time on the computer. What started as a fun way to play games turned into becoming familiar with the device in its entirety.
During high school, I had the opportunity to take an HTML web design class. This was my first experience with coding, and it fueled my passion and declaration to study Computer Science.
While attending Morehouse College, I began developing websites on the side for local organizations and businesses of friends and family. I also led a student organization that produced events designed to enhance the student life experience. These experiences allowed me to realize the creative entrepreneurial spirit that was within me.
It was my sophomore year when I built my first mobile application for The National Institutes of Health (NIH). This experience introduced me to the field of Bioinformatics. I was amazed at how I could investigate biological and medical issues using the computational skills I possessed.
I then set a goal to utilize progressive knowledge and related experiences to develop long-standing solutions for the ever-changing technology and health care industry. This led me to do more work with Harvard Medical School and attend graduate school at UCLA.
While attending UCLA, I met my business partner Ernest Gardner Jr. another graduate student in the MFA program studying Set and Production Design. With my technological background and his design expertise we came together to develop a mobile application and start a company, BuzzHealth.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Entrepreneurship is like a tunnel of darkness, I feel as though every step comes with a challenge. There is just so much beyond the product that goes into building a company that you don’t even think about until it is presented to you. We’ve battled with other developers in the App Store over the name along with being rejected from the App Store twice, just to name a few. You just have to take these lessons as opportunities to pivot, grow and understand that it’s essentially pointing you forward in the right direction.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with BuzzHealth – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of and what sets you apart from others.
BuzzHealth is a mobile application that bridges the gap between physicians, patients, and families. It’s a communication tool that enhances the physician – family relationship. We provide real-time updates to loved ones during a surgical procedure.
The inspiration behind the company came from the film Deep Water Horizon where family members were demanding information from the nurses after the oil rig explosion in one of the final scenes. We wanted to eliminate the chaos in this environment and improve the communication.
There are some functionality features that set us apart, including doctor handwritten notes to text conversion notifications. Additionally, when designing the user interface we took into consideration how they may feel in regards to the circumstance of their loved one being in the hospital. It gives them a sense of hope while navigating throughout the app.
So, what’s next? Any big plans?
Upon release, we’re looking forward to beta testing within a few surrounding hospitals in the Los Angeles area.
Pricing:
- The application will be free to download in the App Store.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.buzzhealth.co
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: @buzzhealthco
- Twitter: @buzzhealthco
Image Credit:
Rogelio Douglas III
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