The Boob Bus wants mammograms to be fun.
A startup co-founded by Rena Vanzo, who is in the Master of Business Creation (MBC) program at the University of Utah’s David Eccles School of Business, The Boob Bus offers mobile breast imaging services, as well as cosmetic injectables and genetic testing. All the above happens in Doris Jean, the company’s bus lovingly named after Vanzo’s late grandmother.
Through 3D mammography and high-density breast ultrasounds interpreted by board-certified and breast-fellowship trained radiologists, Vanzo’s company is helping Utah women receive personalized breast cancer risk assessments.
Vanzo never planned for something like The Boob Bus – a lifelong fascination with Punnett squares initially led Vanzo to a career in genetics.
“I’ve been a genetic counselor for over 15 years, primarily in the pediatric arena,” she said. “Over the years, several of my female family members were diagnosed with breast cancer, which prompted discussions and journeys of genetic testing among my loved ones. My grandmother was a firecracker and one of my biggest role models. Although she didn’t have an identifiable genetic variant, she was a breast cancer survivor and has become my inspiration.”
Her genetics background coupled with personal experience led The Boob Bus to become the first mobile breast imaging service in Utah to also incorporate genetic testing for hereditary cancer risk, according to Venzo.
The Boob Bus is more than mobile medical services, though – it’s a party.
“Women can book The Boob Bus to come to their home,” Vanzo said. “They can attend and learn together, as well as support each other immediately before and after breast imaging.”
The Boob Bus founder Rena Vanzo is enrolled in the Master of Business Creation (MBC) program.
Vanzo’s goal is to modernize mammograms by making them personalized in a spa-like environment, leaving women looking forward to their next screen.
“Utah is ranked 48th out of 50 in the United States for mammogram compliance,” she said, citing facts from the National Cancer Institute. “We need more options designed to overcome women’s fears, objections and barriers regarding breast imagining.”
Since launching her startup, Vanzo and her co-founder Mike Koch, who met during their Executive MBA program at the University of Utah, say they’ve seen unimaginable support and enthusiasm.
“We secured a private loan to put a down payment on Doris Jean and the mammogram equipment,” she said. “Our next big win was partnering with the Utah Breast and Cervical Cancer Screening Program, which pays mammogram providers for breast screening on women who meet certain economic or hardship requirements.”
Vanzo has enormous internal motivation – she spent almost six months training to receive a commercial driver’s license so she could pilot Doris Jean herself – but that doesn’t mean there are no roadblocks in her path. One of the biggest, Vanzo says, is obtaining insurance contracts.
“I’ve experienced this process firsthand working at a genetic testing laboratory, and it was not easy,” she said. “I’ve already been told by some insurers that their networks are ‘closed’ to new mammogram providers, which is incredibly frustrating.”
Participating in the Master of Business Creation program has kept her going.
“I’m a smart person who knows how to use her resources and her network,” she said. “However, I’ve never started a business. I wanted direct support and guidance from faculty and camaraderie from other entrepreneurs who are living a similar experience.”
On top of round-the-clock encouragement, Vanzo said she leaves her classes with actionable insight.
“One major component of the MBC program that has helped us achieve our business goals is building, from scratch, a custom financial model specific to The Boob Bus,” she said. “This has aided critical decision-making in terms of timing for our funding needs, employee start dates, areas of concern that need attention, and so much more. It’s also amazing how often I get contact information for a contractor or potential partner through the MBC network that turns out to be a major boon for the business.”
Learn more about The Boob Bus or book an appointment on their website: theboobbus.com.
The Boob Bus offers mobile breast imaging services, as well as cosmetic injectables and genetic testing.
