After his clinical program had to shut down in the height of Covid, Ben Israel, a psychiatrist specializing in trauma, pivoted to create an AI platform to support mental health professionals and patients simultaneously. Lacking technical experience and startup guidance, Ben faced major challenges in building a scalable product, raising capital, and refining his business vision.
Solution
Ben connected with Kevin Lancaster, who immediately recognized both the market potential and social impact of Ben’s idea. Kevin became one of the first angel investors and stepped into an advisory and coaching role, helping Ben accelerate from concept to execution.
Key Contributions
Pitch Deck Overhaul: Over a span of eight months, Kevin helped Ben revamp his presentation materials as the product and scope evolved. Kevin also assisted Ben in migrating from PowerPoint to Canva and improving messaging to better resonate with investors.
Technical Support: Kevin arranged a session between Ben and his own Chief Technical Officer, helping validate the technical roadmap and increase Ben’s confidence in development decisions.
Mentorship & Focus: Kevin offered consistent guidance on what mattered most: helping Ben focus on go-to-market strategy, investor priorities, and long-term vision.
Strategic Investment & Fundraising Support: Kevin not only led the initial funding round and demonstrated his commitment by preparing to lead the next round with his own capital and contacts. He also mentored Ben on how to communicate with potential investors. He attended meetings with prospective investors, which directly contributed to the success of the investment round.
Perspective Building & Resilience: Kevin helped Ben think through a major repositioning, not only of the product, but of the broader scope of the company’s aims in response to changes in the market landscape. He modeled one of his strengths of “not getting too high on the highs, or too low on the lows,” an approach that grounded their conversations during critical repositioning discussions.
Personalized Coaching: Kevin was generous with his time and business savvy. He made it a point to understand Ben’s personal strengths and areas for growth, offering feedback in a way that feels supportive rather than judgmental. This has created a trusted, champion-like relationship that has been invaluable.
Team & Hiring Strategy: As the company expanded, Kevin advised on hiring strategies for both technical and marketing roles, ensuring the team was positioned to execute effectively on its growth plans.
Outcome
With Kevin’s mentorship and support, Ben’s company has evolved from a concept into a beta-tested, HIPAA-compliant AI platform. The team has made significant progress on fundraising and entered the seed stage, expanded its leadership and technical talent, and launched its minimum viable product (MVP). Kevin’s involvement has been integral at every stage. He helped secure investment, shape long-term positioning, and build a culture of resilience and trust. The business is now positioned for growth with a differentiated product, a strong team, and a strategic lead investor committed to long-term success.
