Stepping back from Ro

While this is one of the most difficult decisions I’ve ever had to make, I’m going to be stepping back from my role as Chief Growth Officer at Ro .?

This was not a decision I made lightly. I’ve discussed it with Zachariah Reitano and Saman Rahmanian over the last few months as I’ve been thinking through how my areas of expertise can best help the company moving forward. It was the result of many conversations, a great deal of soul searching and more tears than I anticipated.

I’ll never forget the first set of patients that came to the newly launched GetRoman.com in October 2017. There was a collective “wait, is this real?” reaction as we watched people start to visit the website. We were one of the first direct-to-patient telehealth companies to launch and the team (Z, Saman, Michelle Suconick , Collin Lafayette and me, with Dr. Reitano napping on a couch somewhere nearby) was thrilled to see that our hunch was right -- there was a better way to give people access to healthcare.?

We hit the ground running and found ways to change the way healthcare was marketed with transparent and honest conversations in TV ads, subway takeovers and social platforms -- all aimed at helping patients with their goals and the things they cared about most. I even got to play voiceover artist for our first set of TV spots (although to be fair, I was available and also free).

In the weeks and months after, we heard directly from patients on the impact our service was having on their lives -- how it changed their relationships with their partners, changed their perspective on healthcare, changed their relationship with their health overall -- that’s when we knew we were doing something that was important.?

Five years later, Ro has treated millions of patients across the country, built a passionate and dedicated team and is set up for incredible long term success with ambitions to radically improve life for every one of us. I’ve never been more bullish on Ro.?

But the needs from my role as Chief Growth Officer have changed over time -- from the early days of running our growth engine, to hiring incredible people who could take on those initiatives, to building out the Marketing and Communications functions to developing functional and company strategy alongside Z and Saman.?

What I’ve realized upon reflection is that the areas where I can flex my superpowers are most helpful to companies at a smaller stage. Ro has gotten to a scale where I can now confidently pass the baton to the teams in place to continue to grow, innovate and build the company from here.?

While I am stepping back from the day-to-day after Labor Day, I will continue to stay involved with Ro in an advisory role and continue to serve on the Board. I want to be as helpful as possible when and where I’m needed. After all, 80% of my wardrobe is Ro-themed and that’s not going to change anytime soon (apologies to my wife).?

What’s next for me? The honest answer is I’m not completely sure. In the short term I’ll be taking some time to breathe after sprinting for the past ~11 years across BarkBox and Ro. I may partner with some of our investors to advise some of their earlier stage portfolio companies - but I won’t be rushing into anything new and want to allow space for serendipity. I’m also hoping to pick up a few shifts as Lunch Monitor at the kids’ school this fall and be a bit more available for pick-up and drop off from hip-hop class, fencing lessons and soccer practice.

Starting Ro has been one of the greatest thrills and challenges of my life. And partnering with Z and Saman on an idea that has helped millions of people gives me an enormous sense of pride. I’ve never been more confident in the future that they are building toward. They’re two of the smartest, most strategic and most passionate leaders I’ve ever gotten to work with -- not to mention, two of my best friends.?

To all my fellow Ro'ers - thank you for the opportunity to work alongside all of you these last few years. More than anything, I’ll miss spending my day-to-day with you all.?

Building this company and this team has been my proudest professional achievement and something I’ll cherish forever.?

- Rob