Healthcare MVP Web App – Rapid Launch for Sleep Wellness Startup

Outcome Snapshot
Developed a full-stack, cash-pay web app MVP from scratch—handling everything from business modeling and brand strategy to UX design and MVP build. Delivered a responsive, HIPAA-compliant PWA that automates sleep assessments and report delivery across 39 states in under 6 months.

The Strategic Challenge
The client, a direct-to-consumer sleep wellness startup, needed to validate a new cash-pay model for home sleep testing. Their vision: a fully digital, self-service experience that removed insurance friction and enabled personalized sleep diagnostics and treatment recommendations, all from home.

Key business constraints:

  • Urgent need to launch ahead of emerging competitors
  • Limited budget for custom dev
  • Requirement to process complex clinical data securely
  • A seamless UX that could earn trust and drive conversion with skeptical midlife consumers

My Role
As the strategic lead, I:

  • Translated the business concept into a viable product strategy and tech architecture
  • Gathered requirements across all stakeholders and built the GTM framework
  • Personally developed the MVP launch platform in WordPress using advanced customizations
  • Led UX/UI design for dashboards, workflows, and key engagement moments
  • Integrated e-commerce, payment gateways, and automation logic
  • Delivered internal training and documentation for handoff

Strategy + Solution
We rejected traditional custom development in favor of a WordPress-powered PWA architecture to fast-track delivery and cut costs without sacrificing quality or scalability. I architected and built the system using:

  • WordPress core + Gravity Forms + WooCommerce + custom code
  • Fully secure, role-based account structure with medical-grade data privacy
  • A 356-question adaptive sleep intake form with logic branching
  • A 65-question optional sleep partner intake
  • Personalized visual dashboards displaying assessment scores, action plans, downloadable HST reports, and follow-up scheduling
  • Dynamic forms with e-signatures, secure file delivery, and integrated consultation scheduling
  • Custom cart workflows with deposit handling, order routing, and post-purchase personalization
  • Custom SEO framework and education-based content strategy for organic reach

Technical considerations included:

  • Cloud VPS hosting with SSL and hardened security
  • Automated workflows with minor manual touchpoints for final data scoring and dashboard updates
  • Integration with chat, email automation, and future telehealth scheduling platforms

Business Impact

  • MVP delivered in under 6 months with a lean team of three
  • Entire digital experience delivered mobile-first, with zero reliance on third-party marketplaces
  • Achieved HIPAA-aligned workflows without custom dev overhead
  • Provided startup with a scalable platform to validate product-market fit and begin revenue generation immediately
  • Customer experience rated 4.9+ stars for usability and trust
  • Enabled sales, service, and fulfillment teams to operate independently from day one

Karie took full ownership of the Restafy MVP and delivered beyond expectations.
Her leadership, speed, and quality of execution were a huge win for the company.

We were proud to award her a spot bonus in recognition of her massive contribution.
— Rollie Stephens, Co-Founder, QAT Global

This project became the launchpad for future GTM iterations and telehealth integrations—and a proof point of how clarity-led product strategy and lean tech stacks can outperform traditional builds in speed, usability, and ROI.