Hola, I'm Farhad 👋
I'm an innovation sherpa passionate about regenerative design, wellbeing, and social impact.
Portfolio
I work at the intersection of technology and humanity, while enhancing human potential. My work bridges the gap between cutting-edge technology and human-centered design, ensuring that advances in innovation serve our collective wellbeing.
(2004-2008)
The Awakening: Beyond Wealth to Purpose
It began in the corridors of wealth and power. Fresh into my career at Merrill Lynch in Palo Alto during the 2004 boom market, I witnessed firsthand what appeared to be success at its pinnacle. For four years, I observed and learned, building my understanding of financial systems and wealth creation.
As 2007 approached, I experienced a growing disillusionment with traditional finance. The summer of 2007 marked a significant turning point when I discovered Curve dental software and connected with its founder. This initial foray into dental technology opened my eyes to an industry ripe for transformation.
Then came 2008. The market crashed, and I watched powerful men fall. These titans of finance, with all their accumulated wealth, found themselves spiritually bankrupt. It was a profound revelation: money alone does not create happiness or meaning.
Pivot Point: A chance introduction to Ben Cohen of Ben & Jerry's opened my eyes to a different possibility - social business as a vehicle for meaningful change. This meeting shifted my perspective from wealth accumulation to purpose-driven enterprise.
(2008-2009)
First Ventures in Social Enterprise (2008-2009)
With fresh inspiration, I launched Bliss Responsibly in 2008, my first entrepreneurial venture as a social business. Though the Stanford University location was short-lived, it planted the seeds for what would become my life's work: creating enterprises that serve a greater purpose.
During this exploration phase, a visit to my brother's pediatric dental practice in NYC's underserved communities became my next catalyst. Witnessing his impact on children's health crystallized my desire to use my talents to address systemic healthcare challenges.
Pivot Point: I recognized that pediatric dental care remained stuck in antiquated systems – paper charts and radiographs in a digital age. This technological gap represented both a problem and an opportunity.
(2009-2014)
The HelloSmile Era: Healthcare Innovation
My quest for solutions had already connected me with Matt Dorey, the 19-year-old founder of Curve dental software. Our friendship quickly evolved into a partnership focused on transforming and democratizing dental care.
In 2009, we launched HelloSmile 1.0, pioneering a fully integrated dental + medical model serving NYC's underserved populations. This wasn't just about providing services – it was about reimagining care delivery for communities that had been overlooked by traditional systems.
To amplify our impact, we created partnerships with prestigious institutions – RISD, NYU, Columbia, and Parsons – establishing the HelloLAB, a health and happiness innovation center that brought human-centered design thinking to underserved communities.
Pivot Point: By 2012, after four years of building and inevitable burnout, Matt and I traveled to a refugee camp in Haiti. There, amidst profound need, we realized our desire to create change at an even larger scale.
(2012-2015)
The Factory: Accelerating Innovation
San Francisco beckoned with new possibilities. Our first project, Do.Live.Love, was an intention-setting platform that unexpectedly connected us to major corporations like Nike.
This led to a critical insight: Fortune 500 companies needed the capability to innovate at the speed of startups. Transforming our 10,000 square foot mansion overlooking Alamo Square Park, we created Factory – an innovation lab serving Nike, Cisco, Levi's, and other global enterprises.
As Factory expanded to include additional properties, including the Archbishop's Mansion (San Francisco's largest), a new pattern emerged in our corporate collaborations.
Pivot Point: I observed that the world's largest companies all wanted to become healthcare companies. This realization pulled me back to my previous work with HelloSmile and reinforced my commitment to healthcare transformation.
Returning to HelloSmile
Returning to HelloSmile with renewed purpose, I launched version 2.0 with ambitions to scale our innovative care model. One of my first collaborations was with Super Sprowtz, bringing health education to children in schools and lunchrooms where it mattered most.
This period brought both recognition and challenges. While being accepted into the prestigious TED Residency program affirmed the importance of our work, an Office of Inspector General (OIG) audit nearly broke the company and strained my relationship with my brother.
Pivot Point: Through scaling attempts, I confronted the broken infrastructure in dental technology. Despite Curve's acquisition in a 2013, the vision of data unification in dentistry remained unrealized. This highlighted a fundamental truth: solving healthcare problems would require a better operating system and delivery model.
(2017-2020)
Nacci: Building Data-Driven Ecosystems
Leaving HelloSmile, I partnered with Dionna McPhatter to create Nacci, a data-driven incubator. Leading the dental division focused on the "Future Of Dental," our first company was FlossBar – a hygiene model bringing preventive dentistry to the masses with investment from Colgate and Heartland.
Despite promising beginnings, we encountered the legal, regulatory, and technical challenges of scaling healthcare services, particularly in staffing and revenue cycle management (RCM).
This led to collaborations with innovative founders like Joe Fogg, who uniquely provided temporary healthcare workers with benefits, and Ato and Mani from Zentist, who were addressing the RCM challenge in dental care.
Pivot Point: These experiences solidified my thesis: healthcare transformation would require an integrated operating model that brought foundational tools together under one cohesive platform.
(2025)
Project ∞ 2025
After 15+ years in innovation, I discovered true systems change begins within. My path led me to Todos Santos where I met my wife, Ashley Ray—a healing arts practitioner and end-of-life doula whose expertise has transformed experiences at leading wellness destinations worldwide.
When I faced the same burnout I'd worked to prevent in others, Ashley showed me that lasting transformation requires integrating mind, body, and spirit. Together, we're building Project ∞ (Infinity), beginning with our first location, Jardín De Los Sueños—a regenerative wellbeing sanctuary that combines my ecosystem approach with her embodied wisdom.
This partnership has deepened my understanding that ethical innovation requires both external architecture and internal alignment—a philosophy that now guides all my work.
“If success or failure of this planet and of human beings depended on how I am and what I do... HOW WOULD I BE? WHAT WOULD I DO?”
-Buckminster Fuller
About
I am an Innovation and Start Up Sherpa
With over 20 years of experience spanning healthcare, technology, and social entrepreneurship.
As a TED Resident and trusted advisor to CEOs and next-generation startups, I help leaders reimagine what's possible when we put purpose before profit. I'm passionate about stewarding a new narrative of success—one that prioritizes wellbeing, meaningful relationships, and environmental stewardship.
Currently, I'm building a Regenerative Wellbeing Sanctuary in Baja Sur with my wife Ashley Ray, an end-of-life doula and healing arts practitioner. Together, we're creating spaces where leaders can reconnect with their deepest purpose while fostering authentic human connection and collective flourishing.
This vision extends beyond physical spaces—it's about cultivating ecosystems where transformation happens at both personal and systemic levels. Whether advising companies, developing ethical frameworks, or building regenerative communities, my work centers on one belief: true innovation serves humanity's highest potential.
Years of experience
20+
Companies Launched
20+
Investment Raised
$50M
Hours of Designing
10,000+
Brand Building
GTM
Product Zero to 1
Fundraising
Why me?
Ancient Wisdom + AI = Tomorrow's Solutions
Ecosystem Architecture
I design win-win-win partnerships that transform competitive landscapes into collaborative ecosystems. By mapping current and future value chains, I help organizations identify opportunities for co-opetition that benefit all stakeholders while driving industry-wide innovation.
Category-Defining Brands
I build purpose-driven brands that don't just compete—they create entirely new categories. By aligning deep social impact with market opportunity, I help organizations establish themselves as pioneers in spaces that previously didn't exist.
Regenerative Culture
I architect organizational cultures that sustain themselves and their people. Through intentional design of values, practices, and environments, I help teams create workplaces where innovation, wellbeing, and performance naturally reinforce each other.
Testimonials
See what others say about me
I have helped many businesses create category defining companies. Wanna be the next?
I was an early advisor to FACTORY and had the privilege of working closely with Farhad on investor strategy, program development and business model design. What makes Farhad so unusual is his degree of comfort across the areas of strategy, product development and product management. At the same time, Farhad is deeply empathic and intuitive. This deepens rather than competes with his analytical strengths. Farhad cares deeply and personally about his work and he makes being in the trenches feel purposeful rather than painful. He's a born collaborator who has strong views, but who also knows how to include and amplify the best in others. I'd call him a patient leader, one who always makes careful decisions about the present with a weather eye on the long-range vision. If you want to be part of building something that matters, keep your eyes on Farhad.
Michael Anton Dila
Designer of strategic conversations, agent of AI Diplomacy, and originator/advocate of System 3.
I met Farhad the co-founder of hellosmile and helloLAB in the 2008 Overlap conference where they presented their work on addressing oral health disparities among New York City children. He is unique and deliberate design thinking approach towards solving a serious health issue affecting the underserved population, children's tooth decay. A number of my graduate students at Pratt have now interned with helloLAB with some basing their masters thesis on design solutions that have now become part of hellosmile's social entrepreneurial operation.
Deb Johnson
Chair For Pratt School of Design
I have had the pleasure of coaching Farhad and his partners at Hello Smile, and I can say unequivocally that Farhad is an inspiration and force! He is committed to continually improving both his abilities as a conscious leader and creating as much impact as possible towards groundbreaking systemic social change. Farhad is incredibly visionary, hard working, receptive and passionate. He gets consumed by "challenges/opportunities", powerfully gives his all to "address" them, and is simultaneously very real and caring person all the way. I'm not quite sure what's bigger - his heart, his mind, or his commitment.
Michael Lipson
CEO whisperer
I was an early advisor to FACTORY and had the privilege of working closely with Farhad on investor strategy, program development and business model design. What makes Farhad so unusual is his degree of comfort across the areas of strategy, product development and product management. At the same time, Farhad is deeply empathic and intuitive. This deepens rather than competes with his analytical strengths. Farhad cares deeply and personally about his work and he makes being in the trenches feel purposeful rather than painful. He's a born collaborator who has strong views, but who also knows how to include and amplify the best in others. I'd call him a patient leader, one who always makes careful decisions about the present with a weather eye on the long-range vision. If you want to be part of building something that matters, keep your eyes on Farhad.
Michael Anton Dila
Designer of strategic conversations, agent of AI Diplomacy, and originator/advocate of System 3.
I met Farhad the co-founder of hellosmile and helloLAB in the 2008 Overlap conference where they presented their work on addressing oral health disparities among New York City children. He is unique and deliberate design thinking approach towards solving a serious health issue affecting the underserved population, children's tooth decay. A number of my graduate students at Pratt have now interned with helloLAB with some basing their masters thesis on design solutions that have now become part of hellosmile's social entrepreneurial operation.
Deb Johnson
Chair For Pratt School of Design
I have had the pleasure of coaching Farhad and his partners at Hello Smile, and I can say unequivocally that Farhad is an inspiration and force! He is committed to continually improving both his abilities as a conscious leader and creating as much impact as possible towards groundbreaking systemic social change. Farhad is incredibly visionary, hard working, receptive and passionate. He gets consumed by "challenges/opportunities", powerfully gives his all to "address" them, and is simultaneously very real and caring person all the way. I'm not quite sure what's bigger - his heart, his mind, or his commitment.
Michael Lipson
CEO whisperer
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
What do you mean by "innovation ecosystems"?
What makes an ecosystem "ethical"?
What's the difference between your approach and traditional consulting?
What industries do you work with?
Did not find the answer you're looking for?
Contact info@example.com
Contact
Let's Get in Touch
Let's connect and start with your project ASAP.
Or email info@example.com
Hola, I'm Farhad 👋
I'm an innovation sherpa passionate about regenerative design, wellbeing, and social impact.
Portfolio
I work at the intersection of technology and humanity, while enhancing human potential. My work bridges the gap between cutting-edge technology and human-centered design, ensuring that advances in innovation serve our collective wellbeing.
(2004-2008)
The Awakening: Beyond Wealth to Purpose
It began in the corridors of wealth and power. Fresh into my career at Merrill Lynch in Palo Alto during the 2004 boom market, I witnessed firsthand what appeared to be success at its pinnacle. For four years, I observed and learned, building my understanding of financial systems and wealth creation.
As 2007 approached, I experienced a growing disillusionment with traditional finance. The summer of 2007 marked a significant turning point when I discovered Curve dental software and connected with its founder. This initial foray into dental technology opened my eyes to an industry ripe for transformation.
Then came 2008. The market crashed, and I watched powerful men fall. These titans of finance, with all their accumulated wealth, found themselves spiritually bankrupt. It was a profound revelation: money alone does not create happiness or meaning.
Pivot Point: A chance introduction to Ben Cohen of Ben & Jerry's opened my eyes to a different possibility - social business as a vehicle for meaningful change. This meeting shifted my perspective from wealth accumulation to purpose-driven enterprise.
(2008-2009)
First Ventures in Social Enterprise (2008-2009)
With fresh inspiration, I launched Bliss Responsibly in 2008, my first entrepreneurial venture as a social business. Though the Stanford University location was short-lived, it planted the seeds for what would become my life's work: creating enterprises that serve a greater purpose.
During this exploration phase, a visit to my brother's pediatric dental practice in NYC's underserved communities became my next catalyst. Witnessing his impact on children's health crystallized my desire to use my talents to address systemic healthcare challenges.
Pivot Point: I recognized that pediatric dental care remained stuck in antiquated systems – paper charts and radiographs in a digital age. This technological gap represented both a problem and an opportunity.
(2009-2014)
The HelloSmile Era: Healthcare Innovation
My quest for solutions had already connected me with Matt Dorey, the 19-year-old founder of Curve dental software. Our friendship quickly evolved into a partnership focused on transforming and democratizing dental care.
In 2009, we launched HelloSmile 1.0, pioneering a fully integrated dental + medical model serving NYC's underserved populations. This wasn't just about providing services – it was about reimagining care delivery for communities that had been overlooked by traditional systems.
To amplify our impact, we created partnerships with prestigious institutions – RISD, NYU, Columbia, and Parsons – establishing the HelloLAB, a health and happiness innovation center that brought human-centered design thinking to underserved communities.
Pivot Point: By 2012, after four years of building and inevitable burnout, Matt and I traveled to a refugee camp in Haiti. There, amidst profound need, we realized our desire to create change at an even larger scale.
(2012-2015)
The Factory: Accelerating Innovation
San Francisco beckoned with new possibilities. Our first project, Do.Live.Love, was an intention-setting platform that unexpectedly connected us to major corporations like Nike.
This led to a critical insight: Fortune 500 companies needed the capability to innovate at the speed of startups. Transforming our 10,000 square foot mansion overlooking Alamo Square Park, we created Factory – an innovation lab serving Nike, Cisco, Levi's, and other global enterprises.
As Factory expanded to include additional properties, including the Archbishop's Mansion (San Francisco's largest), a new pattern emerged in our corporate collaborations.
Pivot Point: I observed that the world's largest companies all wanted to become healthcare companies. This realization pulled me back to my previous work with HelloSmile and reinforced my commitment to healthcare transformation.
Returning to HelloSmile
Returning to HelloSmile with renewed purpose, I launched version 2.0 with ambitions to scale our innovative care model. One of my first collaborations was with Super Sprowtz, bringing health education to children in schools and lunchrooms where it mattered most.
This period brought both recognition and challenges. While being accepted into the prestigious TED Residency program affirmed the importance of our work, an Office of Inspector General (OIG) audit nearly broke the company and strained my relationship with my brother.
Pivot Point: Through scaling attempts, I confronted the broken infrastructure in dental technology. Despite Curve's acquisition in a 2013, the vision of data unification in dentistry remained unrealized. This highlighted a fundamental truth: solving healthcare problems would require a better operating system and delivery model.
(2017-2020)
Nacci: Building Data-Driven Ecosystems
Leaving HelloSmile, I partnered with Dionna McPhatter to create Nacci, a data-driven incubator. Leading the dental division focused on the "Future Of Dental," our first company was FlossBar – a hygiene model bringing preventive dentistry to the masses with investment from Colgate and Heartland.
Despite promising beginnings, we encountered the legal, regulatory, and technical challenges of scaling healthcare services, particularly in staffing and revenue cycle management (RCM).
This led to collaborations with innovative founders like Joe Fogg, who uniquely provided temporary healthcare workers with benefits, and Ato and Mani from Zentist, who were addressing the RCM challenge in dental care.
Pivot Point: These experiences solidified my thesis: healthcare transformation would require an integrated operating model that brought foundational tools together under one cohesive platform.
(2025)
Project ∞ 2025
After 15+ years in innovation, I discovered true systems change begins within. My path led me to Todos Santos where I met my wife, Ashley Ray—a healing arts practitioner and end-of-life doula whose expertise has transformed experiences at leading wellness destinations worldwide.
When I faced the same burnout I'd worked to prevent in others, Ashley showed me that lasting transformation requires integrating mind, body, and spirit. Together, we're building Project ∞ (Infinity), beginning with our first location, Jardín De Los Sueños—a regenerative wellbeing sanctuary that combines my ecosystem approach with her embodied wisdom.
This partnership has deepened my understanding that ethical innovation requires both external architecture and internal alignment—a philosophy that now guides all my work.
“If success or failure of this planet and of human beings depended on how I am and what I do... HOW WOULD I BE? WHAT WOULD I DO?”
-Buckminster Fuller
About
I am an Innovation and Start Up Sherpa
With over 20 years of experience spanning healthcare, technology, and social entrepreneurship.
As a TED Resident and trusted advisor to CEOs and next-generation startups, I help leaders reimagine what's possible when we put purpose before profit. I'm passionate about stewarding a new narrative of success—one that prioritizes wellbeing, meaningful relationships, and environmental stewardship.
Currently, I'm building a Regenerative Wellbeing Sanctuary in Baja Sur with my wife Ashley Ray, an end-of-life doula and healing arts practitioner. Together, we're creating spaces where leaders can reconnect with their deepest purpose while fostering authentic human connection and collective flourishing.
This vision extends beyond physical spaces—it's about cultivating ecosystems where transformation happens at both personal and systemic levels. Whether advising companies, developing ethical frameworks, or building regenerative communities, my work centers on one belief: true innovation serves humanity's highest potential.
Years of experience
20+
Companies Launched
20+
Investment Raised
$50M
Hours of Designing
10,000+
Brand Building
GTM
Product Zero to 1
Fundraising
Why me?
Ancient Wisdom + AI = Tomorrow's Solutions
Ecosystem Architecture
I design win-win-win partnerships that transform competitive landscapes into collaborative ecosystems. By mapping current and future value chains, I help organizations identify opportunities for co-opetition that benefit all stakeholders while driving industry-wide innovation.
Category-Defining Brands
I build purpose-driven brands that don't just compete—they create entirely new categories. By aligning deep social impact with market opportunity, I help organizations establish themselves as pioneers in spaces that previously didn't exist.
Regenerative Culture
I architect organizational cultures that sustain themselves and their people. Through intentional design of values, practices, and environments, I help teams create workplaces where innovation, wellbeing, and performance naturally reinforce each other.
Testimonials
See what others say about me
I have helped many businesses create category defining companies. Wanna be the next?
I was an early advisor to FACTORY and had the privilege of working closely with Farhad on investor strategy, program development and business model design. What makes Farhad so unusual is his degree of comfort across the areas of strategy, product development and product management. At the same time, Farhad is deeply empathic and intuitive. This deepens rather than competes with his analytical strengths. Farhad cares deeply and personally about his work and he makes being in the trenches feel purposeful rather than painful. He's a born collaborator who has strong views, but who also knows how to include and amplify the best in others. I'd call him a patient leader, one who always makes careful decisions about the present with a weather eye on the long-range vision. If you want to be part of building something that matters, keep your eyes on Farhad.
Michael Anton Dila
Designer of strategic conversations, agent of AI Diplomacy, and originator/advocate of System 3.
I met Farhad the co-founder of hellosmile and helloLAB in the 2008 Overlap conference where they presented their work on addressing oral health disparities among New York City children. He is unique and deliberate design thinking approach towards solving a serious health issue affecting the underserved population, children's tooth decay. A number of my graduate students at Pratt have now interned with helloLAB with some basing their masters thesis on design solutions that have now become part of hellosmile's social entrepreneurial operation.
Deb Johnson
Chair For Pratt School of Design
I have had the pleasure of coaching Farhad and his partners at Hello Smile, and I can say unequivocally that Farhad is an inspiration and force! He is committed to continually improving both his abilities as a conscious leader and creating as much impact as possible towards groundbreaking systemic social change. Farhad is incredibly visionary, hard working, receptive and passionate. He gets consumed by "challenges/opportunities", powerfully gives his all to "address" them, and is simultaneously very real and caring person all the way. I'm not quite sure what's bigger - his heart, his mind, or his commitment.
Michael Lipson
CEO whisperer
I was an early advisor to FACTORY and had the privilege of working closely with Farhad on investor strategy, program development and business model design. What makes Farhad so unusual is his degree of comfort across the areas of strategy, product development and product management. At the same time, Farhad is deeply empathic and intuitive. This deepens rather than competes with his analytical strengths. Farhad cares deeply and personally about his work and he makes being in the trenches feel purposeful rather than painful. He's a born collaborator who has strong views, but who also knows how to include and amplify the best in others. I'd call him a patient leader, one who always makes careful decisions about the present with a weather eye on the long-range vision. If you want to be part of building something that matters, keep your eyes on Farhad.
Michael Anton Dila
Designer of strategic conversations, agent of AI Diplomacy, and originator/advocate of System 3.
I met Farhad the co-founder of hellosmile and helloLAB in the 2008 Overlap conference where they presented their work on addressing oral health disparities among New York City children. He is unique and deliberate design thinking approach towards solving a serious health issue affecting the underserved population, children's tooth decay. A number of my graduate students at Pratt have now interned with helloLAB with some basing their masters thesis on design solutions that have now become part of hellosmile's social entrepreneurial operation.
Deb Johnson
Chair For Pratt School of Design
I have had the pleasure of coaching Farhad and his partners at Hello Smile, and I can say unequivocally that Farhad is an inspiration and force! He is committed to continually improving both his abilities as a conscious leader and creating as much impact as possible towards groundbreaking systemic social change. Farhad is incredibly visionary, hard working, receptive and passionate. He gets consumed by "challenges/opportunities", powerfully gives his all to "address" them, and is simultaneously very real and caring person all the way. I'm not quite sure what's bigger - his heart, his mind, or his commitment.
Michael Lipson
CEO whisperer
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
What do you mean by "innovation ecosystems"?
What makes an ecosystem "ethical"?
What's the difference between your approach and traditional consulting?
What industries do you work with?
Did not find the answer you're looking for?
Contact info@example.com
Contact
Let's Get in Touch
Let's connect and start with your project ASAP.
Or email info@example.com
Hola, I'm Farhad 👋
I'm an innovation sherpa passionate about regenerative design, wellbeing, and social impact.
Portfolio
I work at the intersection of technology and humanity, while enhancing human potential. My work bridges the gap between cutting-edge technology and human-centered design, ensuring that advances in innovation serve our collective wellbeing.
(2004-2008)
The Awakening: Beyond Wealth to Purpose
It began in the corridors of wealth and power. Fresh into my career at Merrill Lynch in Palo Alto during the 2004 boom market, I witnessed firsthand what appeared to be success at its pinnacle. For four years, I observed and learned, building my understanding of financial systems and wealth creation.
As 2007 approached, I experienced a growing disillusionment with traditional finance. The summer of 2007 marked a significant turning point when I discovered Curve dental software and connected with its founder. This initial foray into dental technology opened my eyes to an industry ripe for transformation.
Then came 2008. The market crashed, and I watched powerful men fall. These titans of finance, with all their accumulated wealth, found themselves spiritually bankrupt. It was a profound revelation: money alone does not create happiness or meaning.
Pivot Point: A chance introduction to Ben Cohen of Ben & Jerry's opened my eyes to a different possibility - social business as a vehicle for meaningful change. This meeting shifted my perspective from wealth accumulation to purpose-driven enterprise.
(2008-2009)
First Ventures in Social Enterprise (2008-2009)
With fresh inspiration, I launched Bliss Responsibly in 2008, my first entrepreneurial venture as a social business. Though the Stanford University location was short-lived, it planted the seeds for what would become my life's work: creating enterprises that serve a greater purpose.
During this exploration phase, a visit to my brother's pediatric dental practice in NYC's underserved communities became my next catalyst. Witnessing his impact on children's health crystallized my desire to use my talents to address systemic healthcare challenges.
Pivot Point: I recognized that pediatric dental care remained stuck in antiquated systems – paper charts and radiographs in a digital age. This technological gap represented both a problem and an opportunity.
(2009-2014)
The HelloSmile Era: Healthcare Innovation
My quest for solutions had already connected me with Matt Dorey, the 19-year-old founder of Curve dental software. Our friendship quickly evolved into a partnership focused on transforming and democratizing dental care.
In 2009, we launched HelloSmile 1.0, pioneering a fully integrated dental + medical model serving NYC's underserved populations. This wasn't just about providing services – it was about reimagining care delivery for communities that had been overlooked by traditional systems.
To amplify our impact, we created partnerships with prestigious institutions – RISD, NYU, Columbia, and Parsons – establishing the HelloLAB, a health and happiness innovation center that brought human-centered design thinking to underserved communities.
Pivot Point: By 2012, after four years of building and inevitable burnout, Matt and I traveled to a refugee camp in Haiti. There, amidst profound need, we realized our desire to create change at an even larger scale.
(2012-2015)
The Factory: Accelerating Innovation
San Francisco beckoned with new possibilities. Our first project, Do.Live.Love, was an intention-setting platform that unexpectedly connected us to major corporations like Nike.
This led to a critical insight: Fortune 500 companies needed the capability to innovate at the speed of startups. Transforming our 10,000 square foot mansion overlooking Alamo Square Park, we created Factory – an innovation lab serving Nike, Cisco, Levi's, and other global enterprises.
As Factory expanded to include additional properties, including the Archbishop's Mansion (San Francisco's largest), a new pattern emerged in our corporate collaborations.
Pivot Point: I observed that the world's largest companies all wanted to become healthcare companies. This realization pulled me back to my previous work with HelloSmile and reinforced my commitment to healthcare transformation.
Returning to HelloSmile
Returning to HelloSmile with renewed purpose, I launched version 2.0 with ambitions to scale our innovative care model. One of my first collaborations was with Super Sprowtz, bringing health education to children in schools and lunchrooms where it mattered most.
This period brought both recognition and challenges. While being accepted into the prestigious TED Residency program affirmed the importance of our work, an Office of Inspector General (OIG) audit nearly broke the company and strained my relationship with my brother.
Pivot Point: Through scaling attempts, I confronted the broken infrastructure in dental technology. Despite Curve's acquisition in a 2013, the vision of data unification in dentistry remained unrealized. This highlighted a fundamental truth: solving healthcare problems would require a better operating system and delivery model.
(2017-2020)
Nacci: Building Data-Driven Ecosystems
Leaving HelloSmile, I partnered with Dionna McPhatter to create Nacci, a data-driven incubator. Leading the dental division focused on the "Future Of Dental," our first company was FlossBar – a hygiene model bringing preventive dentistry to the masses with investment from Colgate and Heartland.
Despite promising beginnings, we encountered the legal, regulatory, and technical challenges of scaling healthcare services, particularly in staffing and revenue cycle management (RCM).
This led to collaborations with innovative founders like Joe Fogg, who uniquely provided temporary healthcare workers with benefits, and Ato and Mani from Zentist, who were addressing the RCM challenge in dental care.
Pivot Point: These experiences solidified my thesis: healthcare transformation would require an integrated operating model that brought foundational tools together under one cohesive platform.
(2025)
Project ∞ 2025
After 15+ years in innovation, I discovered true systems change begins within. My path led me to Todos Santos where I met my wife, Ashley Ray—a healing arts practitioner and end-of-life doula whose expertise has transformed experiences at leading wellness destinations worldwide.
When I faced the same burnout I'd worked to prevent in others, Ashley showed me that lasting transformation requires integrating mind, body, and spirit. Together, we're building Project ∞ (Infinity), beginning with our first location, Jardín De Los Sueños—a regenerative wellbeing sanctuary that combines my ecosystem approach with her embodied wisdom.
This partnership has deepened my understanding that ethical innovation requires both external architecture and internal alignment—a philosophy that now guides all my work.
“If success or failure of this planet and of human beings depended on how I am and what I do... HOW WOULD I BE? WHAT WOULD I DO?”
-Buckminster Fuller
About
I am an Innovation and Start Up Sherpa
With over 20 years of experience spanning healthcare, technology, and social entrepreneurship.
As a TED Resident and trusted advisor to CEOs and next-generation startups, I help leaders reimagine what's possible when we put purpose before profit. I'm passionate about stewarding a new narrative of success—one that prioritizes wellbeing, meaningful relationships, and environmental stewardship.
Currently, I'm building a Regenerative Wellbeing Sanctuary in Baja Sur with my wife Ashley Ray, an end-of-life doula and healing arts practitioner. Together, we're creating spaces where leaders can reconnect with their deepest purpose while fostering authentic human connection and collective flourishing.
This vision extends beyond physical spaces—it's about cultivating ecosystems where transformation happens at both personal and systemic levels. Whether advising companies, developing ethical frameworks, or building regenerative communities, my work centers on one belief: true innovation serves humanity's highest potential.
Years of experience
20+
Companies Launched
20+
Investment Raised
$50M
Hours of Designing
10,000+
Brand Building
GTM
Product Zero to 1
Fundraising
Why me?
Ancient Wisdom + AI = Tomorrow's Solutions
Ecosystem Architecture
I design win-win-win partnerships that transform competitive landscapes into collaborative ecosystems. By mapping current and future value chains, I help organizations identify opportunities for co-opetition that benefit all stakeholders while driving industry-wide innovation.
Category-Defining Brands
I build purpose-driven brands that don't just compete—they create entirely new categories. By aligning deep social impact with market opportunity, I help organizations establish themselves as pioneers in spaces that previously didn't exist.
Regenerative Culture
I architect organizational cultures that sustain themselves and their people. Through intentional design of values, practices, and environments, I help teams create workplaces where innovation, wellbeing, and performance naturally reinforce each other.
Testimonials
See what others say about me
I have helped many businesses create category defining companies. Wanna be the next?
I was an early advisor to FACTORY and had the privilege of working closely with Farhad on investor strategy, program development and business model design. What makes Farhad so unusual is his degree of comfort across the areas of strategy, product development and product management. At the same time, Farhad is deeply empathic and intuitive. This deepens rather than competes with his analytical strengths. Farhad cares deeply and personally about his work and he makes being in the trenches feel purposeful rather than painful. He's a born collaborator who has strong views, but who also knows how to include and amplify the best in others. I'd call him a patient leader, one who always makes careful decisions about the present with a weather eye on the long-range vision. If you want to be part of building something that matters, keep your eyes on Farhad.
Michael Anton Dila
Designer of strategic conversations, agent of AI Diplomacy, and originator/advocate of System 3.
I met Farhad the co-founder of hellosmile and helloLAB in the 2008 Overlap conference where they presented their work on addressing oral health disparities among New York City children. He is unique and deliberate design thinking approach towards solving a serious health issue affecting the underserved population, children's tooth decay. A number of my graduate students at Pratt have now interned with helloLAB with some basing their masters thesis on design solutions that have now become part of hellosmile's social entrepreneurial operation.
Deb Johnson
Chair For Pratt School of Design
I have had the pleasure of coaching Farhad and his partners at Hello Smile, and I can say unequivocally that Farhad is an inspiration and force! He is committed to continually improving both his abilities as a conscious leader and creating as much impact as possible towards groundbreaking systemic social change. Farhad is incredibly visionary, hard working, receptive and passionate. He gets consumed by "challenges/opportunities", powerfully gives his all to "address" them, and is simultaneously very real and caring person all the way. I'm not quite sure what's bigger - his heart, his mind, or his commitment.
Michael Lipson
CEO whisperer
I was an early advisor to FACTORY and had the privilege of working closely with Farhad on investor strategy, program development and business model design. What makes Farhad so unusual is his degree of comfort across the areas of strategy, product development and product management. At the same time, Farhad is deeply empathic and intuitive. This deepens rather than competes with his analytical strengths. Farhad cares deeply and personally about his work and he makes being in the trenches feel purposeful rather than painful. He's a born collaborator who has strong views, but who also knows how to include and amplify the best in others. I'd call him a patient leader, one who always makes careful decisions about the present with a weather eye on the long-range vision. If you want to be part of building something that matters, keep your eyes on Farhad.
Michael Anton Dila
Designer of strategic conversations, agent of AI Diplomacy, and originator/advocate of System 3.
I met Farhad the co-founder of hellosmile and helloLAB in the 2008 Overlap conference where they presented their work on addressing oral health disparities among New York City children. He is unique and deliberate design thinking approach towards solving a serious health issue affecting the underserved population, children's tooth decay. A number of my graduate students at Pratt have now interned with helloLAB with some basing their masters thesis on design solutions that have now become part of hellosmile's social entrepreneurial operation.
Deb Johnson
Chair For Pratt School of Design
I have had the pleasure of coaching Farhad and his partners at Hello Smile, and I can say unequivocally that Farhad is an inspiration and force! He is committed to continually improving both his abilities as a conscious leader and creating as much impact as possible towards groundbreaking systemic social change. Farhad is incredibly visionary, hard working, receptive and passionate. He gets consumed by "challenges/opportunities", powerfully gives his all to "address" them, and is simultaneously very real and caring person all the way. I'm not quite sure what's bigger - his heart, his mind, or his commitment.
Michael Lipson
CEO whisperer
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