Senior Living and College Football – What’s the connection?

September 13, 2016

September 13, 2016 – If you keep your eyes open, there are some cool connections that can be made. iN2L has been around for a long time (17 years and counting!) so people who are starting companies are sometimes referred to me as a source of free advice. I enjoy those conversations, and every once in a while something comes along that really ratchets up my curiosity.

We all have our quirky passions, for me one is college football – and particularly the Nebraska Cornhuskers. I got an email a few months ago from a guy named Nate Jones. He was talking about his company and wanted to chat with me. The kind of email that normally would get thrown into the “I’ll answer someday” pile. But through some inside information he knew about my connection to Nebraska he nailed my interest hook, line and sinker by referencing his connections to a great ex-Cornhusker Imani Cross. I was all in!

So we started talking and I learned that his company Ichor, cofounded with Ty Frix, was all about utilizing fitbit type of technology to improve performance of college athletes. The product has been received very well, being picked up by programs such as the University of Georgia, Duke and Tennessee.

That sounds cool but what’s the connection with senior living? It’s simple and a good lesson. Nate kept his eyes open. Through a casual encounter with a senior living director, he learned about the huge push in senior living communities to get residents more active. But it was difficult to get data to keep them motivated. So the product these guys have developed creates a connection between the caregiver, family and resident through a wellness system that keeps everyone engaged. All the resident needs to do is wear their brand new watch and everything else just happens!

I love this concept! It is all about healthy aging and having fun along the way. iN2L has no financial connection with Ichor, I just like the concept. And I like the fact that these guys are doing it for the right reason. I love the meaning of Ichor – it literally means “etherial golden fluid that runs through the veins of the Olympian Gods.” That’s my vision of a cool senior living resident!

If you want to learn more about Ichor, contact Nate at [email protected] or call 770-464-6055.

There is a great lesson in all of this – that keeping your eyes open to new markets and new ways of doing things can change the world one resident at a time. And by the way – Go Big Red!