Q: For those not familiar with your company's work, what sets Optimal Bio apart from other medical practices?
TB: We are a medical company with medical practices. Medical practices are not run like a regular company, and there is a huge market for this expertise. We are a mission-focused company. We hire people who want to grow individually, as a team and as a company. We are paving the way in the healthcare space specializing in preventative healthcare by optimizing your hormone health. We are what healthcare is meant to be – a patient relationship.

We have opened seven locations in the past four years – with a focus on patient care, culture, core values, operational excellence, and growth. We are pushing outside the box and creating something that does not exist.

Across our seven offices we have over 6,000 patients with a 97% retention rate. We have over 200 new patients every month and have doubled the patient count year after year in each one of our offices. We impact people from all walks of life from mothers to CEOs, veterans, athletes and everyone in between, and each patient has their own success story. 

Q: How has leading Optimal Bio's mission changed your life?
TB: I truly believe in what we do, and love being able to be part of creating something- I couldn’t imagine doing anything else. I want others to know what we do, so they are aware they have a solution to feel better. For most of our patients, we are not the first doctor they have seen. They come to us not feeling well, physically, and mentally, and defeated that there is something wrong with them and they have no options for changing it. 

I believe that as a leader you have a duty to hold yourself accountable, put the work in to be better, strive to continue to learn, make the hard decisions and make mistakes. Working in the healthcare space, we have a duty to provide the education, knowledge, and best patient experience that we can. I truly enjoy being part of creating a company, a team, a brand, a culture that continues to push outside the box. 

See more below for the science of what I’ve learned and how it’s changed my life. 

Q: What keeps you passionate about the work that you do with Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy?
TB: Health and wellness are foundational to a happy, successful, and enjoyable life. As Arthur Schopenhauer said, “We do not become conscious of the three greatest blessings in life, such as health, youth and freedom, as long as we possess them, but only after we have lost them.” At Optimal Bio, we practice preventative healthcare. We give you the tools and resources to prevent sickness and disease, and for your body to function the way it was created to. We specialize in Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy (BHRT). As we age, our hormones decrease, and because of environmental factors, our hormones are now decreasing at a much quicker rate. Testosterone and estrogen are hormones with over 500 functions in our bodies, and almost every cell in our body has a hormone receptor (brain, skin, heart, nerve, bone and vascular). If our hormones are out of balance, our bodies can’t function properly, resulting in symptoms such as fatigue, brain fog, anxiety, depression, menopause in women and more.

Females are more than twice as likely as males to suffer from anxiety and depression because testosterone yields protective benefits against both. Males with decreased levels of testosterone have a significantly higher prevalence of anxiety and depression. Many studies show that testosterone-replacement therapy greatly improves mood, alleviates anxiety, and mitigates symptoms of depression. Additionally, BHRT may protect against heart attacks, disease, dementia, and osteoporosis, and help heal PTSD and TBI.

It’s important to take note of your blood work. Many ask, what is the normal range? The normal range is the average of the population, and each year it decreases. Do you want to be in the average range of a sick population?

By using BioIdentical Hormone Replacement Therapy (BHRT), you can mitigate negative side effects that synthetic hormones may cause. BHRT uses all-natural hormones that are identical to the hormones made by your body to ease the degenerative side effects of medical issues, environmental factors, and aging. The goal is to re-establish the hormone levels that your system was designed to maintain. Your BHRT dose is based on your bloodwork, height, and weight, so it’s the dose that your body needs to get into the goal range- which is very personalized. This goal range is the average level of testosterone just fifty years ago.

We see the impacts of the plastics in our water and xenoestrogens and chemicals in our food sources, as they lead to mental and physical health problems. We want to be a resource and solution for people to be aware of what’s going on, why they feel a certain way and how to live optimally.

The work we are doing at Optimal Bio is literally changing lives. As a population, we are getting sicker each year, both physically and mentally. We offer a solution by treating the person’s root cause of issues. Giving bodies these tools to function properly and treat the root cause of illnesses leads to less disease and sickness, and a more productive and happy society with less healthcare costs.

There is so much information about health and wellness out there that is incorrect and making our population sicker. We grow up going to the doctor and listening to what they say, but we need to learn to be advocates for our health. We know our bodies and how we feel best. Our team provides resources for advocacy in health and wellness to put patients in charge of their health. A few years ago, I had my own health issues, and it took me being at rock bottom to learn how to become my own advocate and find the answers. I went to many doctors until I found the right one for me. I want to help people avoid feeling hopeless or crazy, because I have discovered there is in fact a solution to feeling better.

Q: How do you make an effort to be a good leader to ensure Optimal Bio positively affects everyone it comes in contact with, both employees and patients?
TB: Leading by example, being a servant leader. A leader should be the hardest working person in the room. Continually learning, being prepared, holding myself and others accountable, creating a culture of growth and building the team. Holding to our core values and mission. Perspective, gratitude, and joy are at the forefront.

Doing the work, making the decisions (good or bad), wanting to continue to learn and be better. Managing chaos and compartmentalizing. Care and the knowledge that I will figure it out and I’m not going to quit. Helping individuals grow. 

I focus on discipline, growth, leadership and learning more while growing the team, the company and office locations. 

Having personal non-negotiables, knowing what I need to be the best version of myself. Since I travel often, podcasts are my best friend. 

What lifestyle changes would you recommend making/have you made as a result of your 5+ years of experience in the hormone industry?

1. Understanding the importance of your hormones. Specifically for women: fasting with your hormones, what birth control is actually doing to your body and the negative side effects. 
2. Nutrition and understanding its importance. Food is medicine- it’s either going to help or hurt you. Food helps create your cells, among many other important functions. 
3. Environmental toxins- understanding the risks and choosing products to mitigate the toxins in your life. 
4. Listening to your body, and what makes you feel best in particular regards to work outs and nutrition. 
5. Being your own advocate.
6. Being in nature. 
7. Walking. 
8. Take it in phases, so it’s lifestyle changes, and not so overwhelming that causes you to quit. 
9. Health is the foundation to a happy, successful life. It should be a priority. Wellness or sickness is going to take up a space in your life, and you can help mitigate sickness and disease by prioritizing it. 

Q: What is one word of advice you can offer to young women who want to reach your level of success?
TB: One word: work.

“By contrast, those with leadership potential are motivated by a deeply embedded desire to achieve for the sake of achievement.”

Be the hardest worker in the room. Show up. Do not be afraid to fail. It is something I constantly remind myself. Take the initiative, go that extra 1% every day. It all builds on each other.

Q: Can you tell our audience one of your most memorable moments of your career?
TB: Each time we open a new location, I love seeing the office come together. Seeing the team grow, work together, and build their own relationships is a really cool thing to witness. Watching our growth year after year is a testament to what we are building day in and day out. 

Q: At the start of your career, what do you wish you had known?
TB: We are all figuring it out. Each day is a learning experience that builds upon the day before. 

Q: Which woman inspires you and why?
TB: Amelia Earhart. “There's more to life than being a passenger.” She was smart, courageous, brave, pushed the boundaries and created her own standards. 

Q: What advice would you give to young women who want to pursue their dream and start a business?
TB: Find your why. You are going to have really hard days, weeks, and months, and it is your why that helps you keep going. Work hard; continue learning while building. Do what is right for your company, not what someone may tell you to do. Create structure and discipline, so you can have freedom. Push the boundaries and take risks while being smart. 

Preparation is key. How you spend your Saturdays impacts your Tuesdays. Keep going. It will come together. On my hardest days, there is nothing else I would want to do. Nothing compares to the beauty of being a part of creating a team, company, and brand. Enjoy the process! The hard, the joy, the learning experiences and the little moments are all part of the journey. 

Be thankful for the opportunity we have in being able to have this experience. 

Tangibly, keep your overhead as low as you can where you can. Hire a good team (it takes time) and focus on culture and accountability. 

Q: What advice would you give to young women who want to succeed in the workplace?
TB: Show up, work hard, have confidence, keep learning and know when to talk and when to listen. Do not be afraid to fail- this is something I constantly remind myself. Take the initiative, go that extra 1% every day. It all builds on each other.

Q: After high school, where did you feel your career path would take you? 
TB: Medical school!

Q: Can you tell us how you manage your work life balance?
TB: I don’t believe work life balance exists. Work and life are woven together. I am a person who is all-in and truly wants to push the boundaries to see what life has to offer. Being fulfilled in work and working hard will only benefit and add fulfillment to your personal life. Have non-negotiables, discipline, protect your energy and know what helps you recharge, so that you can be the best version of yourself. Travel- it always brings perspective and recharges me. I am a firm believer that structure and discipline are what gives you flexibility. 

Q: What’s your advice for women in male-dominated fields?
TB: Do not label yourself. Show up, work hard, and put the time in. Surround yourself with good people who will build you up and push you to be better. People are going to treat you as a projection of themselves, do not let it bother you (of course, easier said than done). Continue to work on yourself professionally and personally, and it will help you gain confidence day in and day out.

Five Things About Tylar Brannon

1. What celebrity would you like to meet at Starbucks for a cup of coffee?
Nick Saban.

2. What’s the most amazing adventure you’ve ever been on? 
Hiking in the Swiss Alps in Switzerland.

3. What’s your favorite app on your phone? 
Google Calendar. 

4. Are you a morning person or a night owl? 
Both! 

5. What’s your signature drink?
Tequila soda (casamigos) with lime.