Man ditched Harvard, McKinsey job to launch app. Now, it's worth $2.4 billion 

Cesar Carvalho is the CEO and co-Founder of Wellhub. (Image credit: Wellhub)

The CEO of a New York-based company had dropped out of Harvard Business School and left leadership roles at McKinsey to launch his own wellness app. Now, his corporate-wellness platform Wellhub is worth $2.4 billion.

Speaking to Fortune, Cesar Carvalho, the 41-year-old co-founder and CEO, said his inspiration for Wellhub stemmed from his upbringing in Brazil. He recalled a childhood spent amidst lush parks, gyms, and relaxing spaces where prioritising well-being was simple. This starkly contrasted with the reality he observed in major corporate cities. "It felt like staying ‘well’ was only possible for people with plenty of time or money. That idea of limited access really stuck with me and became the driving force behind what I’ve built with Wellhub,” Carvalho told the publication. “I wanted to bring back the simplicity of what wellness looked like growing up: going to the park, spending time with friends, taking a moment for yourself.”

Moreover, reflecting on his journey, Carvalho said his best investment was "moving to America to drive Wellhub’s global expansion." He added, "I was not only investing in building a company, but I was investing in myself, what I valued most in life, and the wellness of others."

For Carvalho, success is also measured beyond finances; he celebrates major "wins" by expanding his educational charity, Instituto Acredite, emphasising that family and friends will always outweigh money.

Currently, Wellhub serves 26,000 businesses. Its network provides 20 million employees access to over 50,000 in-person gyms and studios, 3,800 virtual personal trainers, and 93 wellness apps. It also has a permanent flexible-work model. "So there’s no mandate on how often employees need to be in the office. That applies to me too," Carvalho told the publication, adding that he goes to office two to three times a week.