# Ron Gutman

> Ron Gutman is an entrepreneur, investor, author and Stanford educator. He founded Wellsphere and HealthTap, served as HealthTap’s original CEO, and co-founded Intrivo. His 2011 TED talk and book about smiling accompany a broader body of public work on leadership, product design and human connection.

- **Role:** Co-founder and Co-CEO at Intrivo
- **Organizations:** Intrivo, HealthTap, Wellsphere, Stanford University, TEDx Silicon Valley
- **Education:** Stanford University
- **Known for:** Founded Wellsphere and HealthTap; co-founded Intrivo., Author of the TED Book Smile: The Astonishing Powers of a Simple Act., TED speaker on The Hidden Power of Smiling in 2011.

## Career timeline

- **2005** — Graduated from Stanford, according to his recollection in a 2024 interview.
- **2006** — Founded Wellsphere.
- **2009** — Wellsphere was acquired by HealthCentral.
- **2010** — Founded HealthTap and became its original CEO.
- **2011** — Delivered The Hidden Power of Smiling at TED; TED introduced his book Smile in December.
- **2015** — Delivered the Stanford Entrepreneurial Thought Leaders talk Impact Will Keep You Motivated on April 15.
- **2017** — Participated in a World Economic Forum AI panel alongside Satya Nadella, Ginni Rometty and Joi Ito.
- **2018** — HealthTap’s board removed him as CEO following allegations of employee mistreatment; Gutman denied the allegations and disputed the board’s actions. Bill Gossman succeeded him.
- **2020** — Co-founded Intrivo; co-authored leadership writing with Aneel Chima.
- **2024** — Published an essay on compassionate AI behaviour in September.

## Achievements

- Founded Wellsphere and HealthTap; co-founded Intrivo.
- Author of the TED Book Smile: The Astonishing Powers of a Simple Act.
- TED speaker on The Hidden Power of Smiling in 2011.
- Co-developed the Sapient Leadership framework with Aneel Chima.
- Curator of TEDx Silicon Valley.

## Latest updates

- **2024-09** — Published a September 27 essay arguing for compassionate behaviour in AI and reflection by its designers.
- **2024-03** — Discussed his career outlook and the influence of Steve Jobs’s advice in a March 2 interview.

## Links

- Website: https://rongutman.com/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rongutman
- Twitter/X: https://x.com/ronsmilegutman
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@OfficialRonGutman
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ronsmilegutman/
- TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@ronsmilegutman

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/ron-gutman
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-10-11