We recently connected with Jean Ross and have shared our conversation below.
Jean, so many exciting things to discuss, we can’t wait. Thanks for joining us and we appreciate you sharing your wisdom with our readers. So, maybe we can start by discussing optimism and where your optimism comes from?
My optimism comes from a deep belief that everyone is put on this planet for a purpose. So, for every problem I encounter, I believe there’s a group of people who can solve it. I find so much joy in helping others believe in themselves and realize they can do big and great things. Building meaningful relationships and supporting others fuels me, and my work at Primary Record gives me an outlet to do this daily. Yes, I’m a nurse and CEO of a technology company, but we’ve created technology that helps others believe in their ability to create positive change. If we can help unlock the silos of health data for nurses, patient advocates, and community businesses that support families—just imagine what better things we can do to impact the health of our communities.
People always ask me, “Where do you get your energy?” First, I tell them, “You haven’t met my mother or the bloodline of women my genetics arose from.” Second, for much of my life, as a Type A eldest daughter, I saw failure as an end. But a pivotal shift happened when I became an entrepreneur—I realized failure is just an opportunity for growth, a chance to become a better version of myself, and a way to help a team find purpose and direction. We cannot be all things to all people, which is why we must have purpose. And from purpose, I draw the optimism that a better family, community, and world can be shaped. Optimism isn’t just about seeing the bright side; it’s about believing in action, people, and the power of meaningful change.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
I’m Jean Ross, a nurse and entrepreneur, and I’m on a mission to make health information work for families instead of against them. I’m the founder and CEO of Primary Record, a platform that helps families, caregivers, and professionals collect, organize, and use health information in a way that truly coordinates and supports care.
For too long, health data has been locked in silos, making it nearly impossible for families to get a complete picture of their family members care. Whether navigating complex conditions, coordinating between specialists, or simply keeping track of changes in health, the burden has been placed entirely on patients and caregivers. And, the best tool to date is that family medical binder. Primary Record changes that by giving families and care teams one place to access, verify, and add to their health data with notes, documents, and education—because no one knows your health story better than you do.
What excites me most about this work is seeing the impact in real-time. I’ve watched nurses, care coordinators, and patient advocates use our technology to bring clarity and confidence to families who have spent years feeling overwhelmed by fragmented information. I’ve had moms text me that their son just completed their first doctor’s visit on their own using our technology. We’re not just building a tool; we’re changing how families and professionals work together to make healthcare more personalized and better.
Right now, we’re focused on expanding Primary Record Pro, the professional side of our platform, to serve businesses that work closely with families—like private patient advocates, elder law attorneys, and assisted living teams. These professionals play a critical role in navigating healthcare, and we’re making it easier for them to collaborate with families while maintaining a single, accurate source of truth.
This year is all about growth—getting Primary Record into the hands of more families, scaling our professional platform, and proving that when people have control over their health information, they can make better, faster, and more informed decisions.
If you’re a caregiver, advocate, or professional who sees the struggle in keeping families on the same page and understanding what’s happening health-wise, I’d love to connect and hear how we can help. This work isn’t just business for me—it’s personal, and I believe that together, we can reshape how healthcare works for the people who need it most.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
Looking back, three things have had the biggest impact on my journey: resilience, adaptability, and the ability to connect with people.
Resilience has been everything. The entrepreneurial journey is full of highs and lows, and the only way to keep going is to stop seeing failure as an endpoint. Early on, I took failure personally, but I’ve learned to see it as data—just another input that helps me adjust and move forward. The faster you can bounce back and apply what you’ve learned, the stronger you become.
Adaptability is another big one. Building something new means constantly adjusting based on what you’re learning, what the market is telling you, and what your customers actually need (which is often different from what you assumed). Being adaptable doesn’t mean changing your mission, but it does mean being willing to iterate, pivot, and improve. The best thing you can do is stay curious. The people who succeed aren’t the ones who have all the answers—they’re the ones who ask better questions, challenge their assumptions, and stay open to feedback, even when it’s hard to hear.
And then there’s connection. Whether it’s customers, partners, mentors, or your team, success—both in business and in life—comes down to relationships. You have to genuinely care about people, about what they need, what they struggle with, and how you can help. That means listening more than you talk, building relationships before you need them, and following up. So much of what has moved me forward has come from a strong network of people who believe in what we’re doing.
For anyone early in their journey, my biggest advice is to embrace the process. There’s no perfect path, no secret formula—just a series of opportunities to learn, grow, and improve. Keep going, keep showing up, and stay connected to why you started in the first place. That’s what will keep you moving forward.
Looking back over the past 12 months or so, what do you think has been your biggest area of improvement or growth?
Over the past 12 months, my biggest area of growth has been learning to let go of perfection and focus on progress. As a founder, I spent many nights focused on everything I didn’t get done—the email I didn’t respond to, the team member who needed more 1:1 time, or the investor waiting on information. In the early stages, it’s easy to get caught up in trying to please everyone and make everything just right. But I’ve learned that momentum matters more than perfection and that there’s a process to launching a new idea into a community.
This shift has shown up in so many ways—whether it’s making faster decisions, refining our Ideal Customer Profile instead of chasing every potential lead, or testing ideas without over-engineering them. I’ve realized that waiting for something to be “perfect” usually just slows down learning. The faster we put something out there, the faster we get feedback and improve.
Another big area of growth has been trusting the process. I’ve always been someone who likes to have a plan or a checklist to knock out, but this past year has taught me that sometimes the best opportunities come from being open to unexpected conversations, unplanned connections, and shifts in direction that weren’t on my radar but ended up being exactly what was needed.
Ultimately, I’ve grown the most in my ability to balance action with patience. There’s a time to push hard, and there’s a time to let things unfold. Knowing the difference has made me a better leader.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.primaryrecord.com/
- Instagram: http://instagram.com/primaryrecord
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/primaryrecord
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/primary-record/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@primaryrecord
Image Credits
Project MedTech 2024 | Midwest Showcase | Chicago
Georgene Glass Dreamsickle Kids Foundation
Case Management Society of America Annual Conference 2024
Kevin Yamashita 1upHealth
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