Episode #44: Evan Golub
Evan Golub spent 13 years working in the hedge fund industry until departing to launch Wana (We Are Not Alone), a digital platform to connect people with chronic and invisible conditions. His decision to pivot careers stemmed from his own six-year battle with chronic illness, which made him realize that he found satisfaction and purpose in helping others through their own health challenges. His story of leaving Wall Street behind was recently featured on Forbes.com. Originally from Westchester, NY, Evan currently resides in Greenwich Village. When he's not exploring the wellness world, he can be found enjoying live music or on his yoga mat.
“What is helpful, when it comes to chronic illness, is actually talking to someone who’s been through the battle.”
Evan Golub was bitten by a tick as a child, but it wasn’t until 2013 when his life was turned upside down by Lyme disease. At the time, he had no idea that Lyme was behind his symptoms, and neither did the many, many specialists he saw. Finally, in 2017, after a seemingly endless string of misdiagnoses, he learned that he had been dealing with Lyme all along. Since then, he’s dedicated his life to educating himself on Lyme while supporting others who are also managing the condition, and the many complications it can bring. On today’s episode, Evan and I discuss why he gravitates towards functional medicine and is always up for exploring the latest in natural treatments. (You have to hear about his experience with kambo therapy, which he tried just a few weeks ago.) We also chat about why he founded Wana, and how he hopes Wana will impact the lives of people who are living with invisible and chronic illnesses.
“It’s been beautiful creating this little community of people who understand each other and what we’re going through.”
Here are some of the things Evan and I chatted about:
The Sunday morning in January of 2013 when he woke up with a horrible case of vertigo
His experience being misdiagnosed by thirty practitioners over the course of four years
Being prescribed an SSRI, and the acupuncturist who told him to throw them away (and why)
The integrative medicine doctor who questioned why he had not been tested for Lyme disease
Why his Lyme diagnosis, after so many instances of being misdiagnosed, felt different
The symptoms he deals with, and how he manages them (in part) through diet and exercise
His sense of openness when it comes to exploring all-natural treatments and product
His realization that he was more symptomatic after spending time in office environments
How a Hinge date turned into an opportunity to support someone on a similar health journey
Building a community of Lyme buddies, and the impact that community can have
How Wana reaches out to people who don’t feel heard when it comes to their health
Why he wishes practitioners were more proactive about Lyme testing and diagnostics
How an awareness of chronic health challenges filters into Wana’s workplace ethos
“I want to be the platform and brand that stands for being proud of your illness and your disease or your imperfection.”
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