Having been thrown one of life’s curve balls and losing out on her dream to become a college athlete, Jordan Ray took her energy and drive and channelled it into helping others in the rare disease space. She is a shining example of determination and resolve in the face of adversity

RARE entrepreneur series: meeting the beating hearts behind the RARE brands

Limitless Medical Logs® was created for patients, by a patient. Our mission is to put every patient in the driver’s seat of their own health. We provide medical journals and a new digital app that is proven to help chronic illness patients accurately and immediately track pain, symptoms, concerns, and questions to be critically prepared for upcoming medical appointments. These tools are invaluable for patients dealing with chronic illnesses allowing the patients, families, and medical professionals to work as a team during all of the stages of the diagnosis.

1.

What was the driving force is starting your own business in the rare disease space? Was there an unmet need you were responding to? 

Ever since I was young, I knew I wanted to own a business that helps people. The crazy thing is I was able to achieve that goal by 19 years old. The driving force to starting my company was my own battle with Chiari malformation at age 17, a rare condition in which brain tissue extends into the spinal canal, present at birth. I felt overwhelmed at appointments and during treatment being constantly asked to relay detailed information on how I have been feeling the past week, month, or since the last visit. I was never able to remember and felt my appointments kept stalling. 

I first had the idea for this company at age 16 when my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer. She would come home from doctors’ appointments and I would hear “Ugh I forgot to tell the doctor about this or that”. I knew there had to be a better way to keep track of everything. But at 16, I was at the peak of my athletic career, receiving offers to play college softball and felt on top of the world. I didn’t know how to start a business, so I just kept the idea quiet until my unexpected blackout on the softball field led to a rare diagnosis and brain surgery.

2.

How does your business benefit the rare disease community? 

We provide paper medical journals which allows a patient to accurately track their pain and symptoms visually to relay detailed information on their health at their next medical visit. We also provide a digital app but that is currently in beta testing. Our products are proven to reduce stress and improve patient-doctor communication. When creating this company I wanted to give the patient a choice: do they want paper or technology? Our paper journals have been very successful because it is therapeutic to be able to visually see in your own handwriting your progress or lack there of.

3.

What advice, if any, did you get when setting up your business? Has there been anyone in particular who has been pivotal in supporting your business?

Networking is key, whilst being confident. Find people who support your mission, story, and passion and you will succeed. Many people have been vital to my business, but I always ask those successful people questions—always be a student. 

4.

How do you manage the demands of running a business with your own health needs, those of someone you care for, or those of your employees? 

Health comes first, period. If I am not healthy I cannot run the business the way it needs to be for it to be successful. But mentally this is tough because I feel if I have to take an afternoon off my competition is ahead of me but that is not true.

5.

What advice do you have for someone starting their own business?

Take it day by day and take time to celebrate every win, big or small. It is hard starting a business in general but when you add in a health issue to the mix it is another beast. Give yourself credit every single day for showing up. 

6.

What are the most rewarding aspects of establishing and running your own business?

Helping people has been the most rewarding—from our products to doing media interviews, sharing my story, and impacting lives. 

7.

What would you consider to be the greatest achievements of your business thus far? 

I am a keynote speaker. I had an idea to have a chronic illness forum that would open a conversation about supporting those in the chronic illness community. A year later we had the forum. This forum brought together over 250+ hospital and non-profit executives, politicians, and community leaders to improve support for the community.  

This is my most proud moment so far; I was the lead keynote speaker before the Florida House of Representatives and an executive panel discussing change for the community. 

8.

What advice would you give someone considering working in the rare disease space?

Take breaks.

I am hard on myself; I was a competitive athlete for 13 years. I never took breaks, I was constantly training, practicing, or in games. I am still trying to wire myself to understand that I need to take breaks, and not push myself because I think if I stop someone else is outworking me.

I blacked out on the softball field at 17 resulting in my Chiari malformation diagnosis and had life-altering brain surgery. I was seven days away from signing to a university to live out my dream of being a college athlete. I lost everything from my sport, scholarships and most importantly my health in just one afternoon. 

9.

What are your hopes for the future of your business?

My goal is to have our product in the hands of every person in the chronic illness community. Plus continuing to do keynote speaking and creating advocacy events to help and inspire others. 

10.

If you hadn’t founded Limitless Medical Logs® what was Plan B?  What did your 10-year-old self want to be?

I always wanted to be a real estate developer. I grew up around home builders, developers and architects and fell in love with seeing a piece of dirt and imagining what could be built on it. 

I am actually chasing that dream now after a cancer scare in 2021 made me realise that I should not wait to go after any dream but to seize it now. Excelling in time management as a competitive athlete has really come in handy these days in balancing my health, my tech company, college and now real estate.