Where are you from originally and how long have you lived in the area?
I’m originally from Staten Island and my wife, Brenda, is from Clifton. We have been living in Morris County for about ten years now.
Child(ren) and Age(s)?
We have five kids in total! The three boys are 23, 18, and 13 years old. Our two girls are 5 and 2 years old. It’s always a lot of fun in our home.
Are you involved in a business venture or corporate world? Please Share!
Yes! We own Good Vibe Medical located in Chester, NJ, However, parting with the adrenaline surges of Emergency Medicine has been very difficult so I still, also, work in the same ER that I’ve been in for the past seven years.
When did you decide you wanted to open your own wellness center?
Brenda and I were sitting at our kitchen table during COVID and wondered how we could integrate all aspects of wellness medicine together into one space. That was how we originally understood the potential of Good Vibe Medical. What if we developed a medical space that was inclusive and welcoming to everyone? What if we opened a doctor’s office that didn’t give you a doctor’s office feeling? We have spent almost three years bringing this vision to fruition.
Has medicine and helping people always been a part of your lives?
Brenda and I have always been involved in medicine. It’s a drive that has been ingrained within us. Opening Good Vibe Medical has given us the opportunity to pivot from reactive emergency medicine to wellness medicine… which has been a welcomed change.
Is it fun to work with your spouse?
Working with my wife has been a great experience because I get to see a whole different side of her. Watching her in “business mode” when she’s behind the desk or “nurse mode” when putting in IVs and mixing medications makes me smile every single time.
If you could give one tip to fellow Mom Entrepreneurs what would it be?
My one tip for fellow entrepreneurs is to just do it. I’m not even sure that Brenda and I sat down and really thought about the leap that we were going to make when opening Good Vibe. We just did it. I think in hindsight, if we thought about the gigantic project that we were about to undertake, we would have been frozen with fear. Instead, we had confidence in each other and our vision.
One thing people would be surprised to know about each of you…
People would be surprised that Good Vibe Medical has a “secret menu.” But don’t worry – I’ll let you in on the secret. The staff of Good Vibe has been handpicked from various areas of medicine such as emergency medicine, neurosurgery, and the pediatric intensive care unit. Because of our various levels of experience, treating illness is like second nature to us. Our “secret menu” is that we can treat some diseases in our office like we are an ER. We have treated clients with kidney stones, stomach bugs, upper respiratory infections, migraine headaches, etc. We can diagnose and treat many things that an Emergency Department can treat, without the wait and hassle of the ER. Give us a call and ask for a “Dr. Volpe special.”
Ok 8 Fun LOCAL favorites – ready, go!
1. Favorite thing to do with your kids? My favorite thing to do with our kids is to take them to the beach and boardwalk in the Summer. Watching them dig for sand crabs, devour gigantic ice cream cones, and ride the boardwalk rides until they’re exhausted is my very favorite thing in all the world.
2. Favorite coffee spot? El Monte coffee consistently makes an amazing cup of coffee and chocolate croissant. When I bring in a box of their croissants, my staff follows me around like a pied piper.
3. Favorite lunch place? Easily, Artista Salumeria wins for best lunch place. I’m obsessed with their Sicilian tuna sandwich. No one does tuna better.
4. Favorite farm to go fruit picking? Alstede Farms is just down the block from our office and never fails at delivering a great farm experience. My girls love to feed the animals and pick out goodies from their shop.
5. Favorite spot to grab a drink? After a long week at Good Vibe, you can occasionally find our staff grabbing a drink at Redwoods Grill and Bar. The staff is always so welcoming and their food is wonderful.
6. Who has the best bagels in town? Chester Bagels is Brenda’s go-to place for an excellent bagel. She prefers crispy on the outside and a little doughy inside and they never disappoint.
7. Best slice of pizza in town? NY Pizza in Chester makes a great slice. Reminds me of actual New York pizza. I feel like I have the authority to judge this one!
8. Favorite spot for ice cream? Taylor’s Ice Cream is delicious. We love the whole hometown feel you get from their shop.
This interview was done in partnership with Good Vibe Medical. Be sure to follow them on social media below:
