For most, a hangover is the consequence of one too many drinks. But for Dr. Jason Burke, it was the start of a new business.
In March 2013, Your Business traveled to the Sin City to talk shop with Dr. Jason Burke, founder and CEO of Hangover Heaven. The company uses IV hydration, vitamins, and other medications to treat patients suffering from hangover symptoms. Dr. Burke, a board-certified anesthesiologist with a medical degree from the University of North Carolina, says he can treat almost 95 percent of all hangover symptoms in about 45 minutes.
In an effort to make its services as convenient and readily available as possible, the company turned an old gospel tour bus into a mobile treatment facility. Hangover Heaven also provides shuttle service to their clinic, and offers in-room treatment options.
But that doesn’t mean the business has been welcomed with open arms. Some question whether or not a hangover is a medical condition that needs to be treated. To tackle that hurdle, Dr. Burke created the Hangover Research Institute to gather scientific evidence to back his claims and regularly asks clients to post on social media about their experiences.
WHERE ARE THEY NOW: TWO YEARS LATER
According to Hangover Heaven, the company saw a 40-percent increase in 2014 revenue year over year, and expects revenue to grow in 2015 as well. Hangover Heaven has found the greatest growth in private, in-hotel-room treatment plans, thanks to the relationships it has forged with concierge services at major hotels on the Strip. Dr. Burke says his company is often called to VIP rooms to provide treatment, and recalls one instance when, after providing treatment for a VIP client, the client felt so much better that he extended his trip to Vegas an extra day.
Hangover Heaven has also expanded its clinic to make room for a designated space for the Hangover Research Institute. It continues to conduct research on hangovers and ways to treat the symptoms head on.
Dr. Burke continues to receive requests to expand his business into other cities across the globe, and is seriously considering expanding the company into other locales.