When Amanda Lannert had to write her own severance letter and lay off 90% of her company during the dot-com crash, she never imagined it would lead to building one of the most trusted names in healthcare decision support. Today, as CEO of Jellyvision, she's transformed that early failure into wisdom that helps millions navigate healthcare choices with confidence.
Trust lies at the heart of Jellyvision's approach. While healthcare giants possess mountains of data, consumers hesitate to call them for guidance. Amanda recognized this fundamental disconnect and built Alex, a platform that doesn't try to be the smartest entity in the room but instead empowers users to become the experts in their own healthcare decisions. "No one should need a PhD in insurance to see a doctor or afford their meds," she explains with characteristic clarity.
The journey wasn't straightforward. After years of pivoting and repositioning, Jellyvision discovered the power of "vested customers" – organizations willing to invest significantly in being first to solve pressing problems. This approach proved more valuable than traditional venture capital, allowing the company to build sustainable growth while maintaining its human-centered values. As Amanda puts it, "Companies don't innovate. People innovate."
As Jellyvision scaled beyond the point where leaders could maintain direct connections with everyone, Amanda discovered the transformative power of storytelling to maintain cultural alignment. Rather than imposing rigid rules, she continuously reinforces the "why" behind company practices through meaningful narratives. This approach enables Jellyvision to hire talented people with good judgment, inform them about underlying principles, and then trust them to make appropriate decisions as circumstances evolve.
The company's core mission – "be helpful" – might sound simple, but Amanda reveals its profound implications: "To be truly helpful, you have to care about someone besides yourself, you need wisdom to solve problems, and you must have a bias toward action." This philosophy drives everything from product development to customer interactions to internal collaboration.
Looking toward the future, Jellyvision is expanding its impact through AI-powered benefits administration and Medicare decision support – continuing its mission of bringing clarity to complex, consequential choices. For anyone navigating their own business challenges or healthcare decisions, Amanda's story offers a powerful reminder that technology works best when it amplifies our humanity rather than replacing it.