Episode Details

What happens when a breast cancer surgeon decides that the most powerful thing she can do for young patients isn't in the operating room, it's on the page? This episode is for anyone who's been carrying a creative idea for years and keeps finding reasons not to start.

Dr. Rachel Wellner, board-certified surgeon and creator of the Doctoroo children's book series, shares what it truly looks like to build something meaningful from scratch while navigating self-doubt, a crowded market, and the very real bumps of entrepreneurship. You'll walk away with a clearer sense of how to move from idea to action, and why building a brand from the heart matters more than chasing a number.

About the Guest:

Dr. Rachel Wellner is a board-certified general surgeon and breast oncology surgeon with over two decades of experience. She is the creator of the Doctoroo children's book series, designed to help young children understand health through adventure and mystery. She is also the founder of a diagnostic biotech company working on cancer detection technology.

Key Takeaways:

• Follow passion first, profit second. Dr. Wellner's advice to aspiring entrepreneurs is direct: don't build something because you think it will make money. Build it because it matters to you. That's what makes the hard days survivable.
• Children are more capable of understanding health than we give them credit for. When health education is framed as adventure and mystery, kids engage, retain, and stop being afraid.
• A children's book can be more than a book. From series, to TV, to games, to merchandise, a strong creative idea has the potential to become an entire brand ecosystem, but only if you protect your rights early.
• The first version doesn't have to be perfect. Dr. Wellner revised her very first book years later. Starting imperfectly is still starting.
• Practice is the actual secret. Whether it's surgery, music, or writing, the only way to get good is to keep showing up. Mastery is earned, not arrived at.
• Fear of a medical setting is real, and it starts young. Stories that normalize health experiences help children face doctor visits, vaccinations, and procedures with curiosity rather than dread.

Connect With the Guest:

Website: www.doctoroo.health

Wellness site: www.drwellnerwellness.com

Amazon: Search  "Doctoroo books"

Instagram: @doctoroobooks

Email: rachel@drwellnerwellness.com

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