Emily Chang - eHub Interviews

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Posted May 20, 2007
eHub Interviews MDJunction

Thanks to Roy Lev of MDJunction for this email interview.

eHub: What is your web application/service about?

MDJunction: MDjunction.com is about doing good.
We are building a Health community and center for Online Support Groups.

eHub: Why did you start this project?

MDJunction: About a year ago a friends’ mother was diagnosed with breast cancer, we searched the web to find information and support. We found many info sites, forums and mailing lists but not a community of patients. A place to meet friends, talk, and share experiences with people that are in your spot. 

eHub: How much time do you devote to its growth?  Do you have a day job?

MDJunction: Up till now MDjunction.com was a part time job for me and my partner Alon. We had day jobs and spent all of our free time together (this might be a good time to ask my wife for forgiveness).
This year we decided to devote all our time to the project. We’ve been approached by several potential investors lately, so we might actually be able to put food on our tables....

eHub: How large is your team and what are your backgrounds?

MDJunction: Our team consists of two full time employees. Alon Rachimi, who has over 10 years R&D experience in various Silicon Valley companies, and myself (Roy Lev). I’ve been in IT marketing and sales for 10 years. In addition, we have 6 great guys doing freelance work for us.

eHub: What is your design philosophy?

MDJunction: Try-ask-try again :-)
We try to keep things simple, attractive and friendly.
We ask our members for feedback all the time, and act according to what we hear, while the basic concept stays the same.

eHub: What technologies are you currently using?

MDJunction: We are an online internet community, the technology is an instrument to achieve our goal and not the goal itself.  But since you asked...we use mostly PHP.

eHub: If your project is live, what are the most requested features from your users/community?

MDJunction: MORE SUPPORT GROUPS.

We get daily emails from members and visitors asking us to open new support groups for their needs (and we are working on it).

eHub: Does your user base reside in a primary geographic location or is it distributed?

MDJunction: Our focus is US as a whole, having health problems is not a geographic thing.

In my eyes, one of the big advantages of Online Support Groups is the participation of people from rural areas where ‘Offline’ support groups are harder to find.

eHub: Where do you see the project heading in the next 6 months?  The next 2 years?

MDJunction: More support groups, increased participation in all active support groups, or wherever our path (and members) lead us.

Most of the recent successes in the internet industry evolved around communities, there is no major health community to date. We estimate there will be 10 in three years… So - I guess we’d like to be the community leading the pack, and hopefully by closing our first round - we will get closer.

eHub: What is the greatest challenge to your success?

MDJunction: Making the community a place with a true positive effect on the lives of its members.

eHub: What is the one thing you need to get to the next phase of the project?

MDJunction: Luck (?!)

eHub: Do you have a business model?  If so, what is it?

MDJunction: Our system will enable pin pointed marketing, segmented by the various illnesses and medical specialties. Over time, this can generate significant revenues.

eHub: If you’re able to disclose this information, how much traffic or usage do you see on an average day?

MDJunction: Our traffic is constantly growing, as the number of posts and people wearing their Awareness Ribbon (a support feature of the community).

eHub: What is the one thing you’re most proud of about the project?

MDJunction: We have a chance to improve peoples’ lives.

eHub: How would you describe the shift that’s occurring with the web right now to future generations?

MDJunction: I have no idea. I think I do, and an hour later I think I do again (only different).

It’s definitely the raise of the communities and social networks, but there is no way to know how this would be looked at in 5 years, things shift so quickly. I still have a clear picture of the day (1984 I was 9) I got my first C64 Commodore computer....

eHub: What site(s) do you visit everyday other than your own?

MDJunction:

Techcrunch
Emilychang :-)
NBA.com
Headrush - Creating Passionate Users
Guykawasaki

eHub: How many hours of sleep do you get a night?

MDJunction: It’s not the quantity that counts (4-5).

Thanks to Roy Lev of MDJunction for this email interview.

Visit MDjunction
Originally added to eHub on Dec 12, 06

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eHub Interviews is a series with the creators of Web 2.0 applications and services by Emily Chang, author of eHub, designer, and co-founder and principal of Ideacodes, a strategic web consultancy in San Francisco that she co-founded with Max Kiesler.

Also see eHub Interviews in Japanese at CNET Japan