Founder: Dena and Elazar Gottlieb
Business: TerraCure
Revenue/Month: $1K
Founders: 2
Employees: 0
Website: terracureproducts.com
Location: Israel
Founded: 2016

In the competitive health and wellness industry, TerraCure has carved out a distinctive niche with its innovative approach to pain management. Founded approximately 18 months ago by American expatriate Dena Gottlieb and her Israeli husband Elazar, this rising company specializes in natural pain relief formulations powered by the therapeutic properties of Dead Sea minerals. 

“We recognized a significant gap in the market for effective, non-pharmaceutical pain solutions,” says Gottlieb, whose passion for natural healing is evident as she discusses the company’s origins. “The Dead Sea region has been known for its healing properties for thousands of years. We wanted to harness these benefits in a modern, accessible way.” 

TerraCure’s product line centers on a carefully crafted combination of Dead Sea minerals and essential oils, creating powerful topical treatments for muscle, joint, back, knee, and tendon pain. Beyond merely masking discomfort, these products work to reduce pain significantly while supporting the body’s natural healing processes. 

“What sets us apart is our focus on addressing the root causes of pain, not just covering up symptoms,” Gottlieb explains. “Our formulations penetrate deeply to reduce inflammation and promote cellular repair at the source of discomfort.” 

The company’s flagship offering, the “All Natural Chronic Herniated Disc and Joint Pain Solution,” features three complementary creams designed to be alternated throughout the day. This comprehensive system targets persistent, debilitating pain that traditional medicine often struggles to address without resorting to invasive procedures or surgery. 

“Many of our customers come to us after exhausting all conventional options,” Gottlieb points out. “They’re often at their wit’s end, facing the prospect of surgery or a lifetime of pain medication.” 

TerraCure serves individuals who have often exhausted conventional treatment options. Many customers suffer from herniated discs and have previously invested considerable time and money in chiropractic care, acupuncture, epidural injections, and various other interventions with limited or temporary success. 

“The stories we hear are often heartbreaking,” says Gottlieb. “People who can no longer play with their grandchildren or enjoy their favorite activities because of chronic pain. Watching them regain mobility and joy in their lives drives everything we do.” 

The typical TerraCure customer is over 45 years old, experiencing anything from normal age-related joint and back wear to severe, mobility-limiting conditions. These individuals frequently express frustration with conventional painkillers and their potential side effects, seeking more natural alternatives that won’t compromise their overall health. 

“Our customers are discerning and well-informed,” Gottlieb observes. “They research extensively and come to us because they’re looking for solutions that align with their values around health and wellness.” 

Within its relatively brief existence, TerraCure has already assisted thousands of pain sufferers both in Israel through its physical retail presence and internationally—primarily in the United States—via its e-commerce platform. Gottlieb notes that repeat business forms a substantial portion of their sales, which she describes as both exciting and fulfilling for the founding team. 

“When someone makes a second or third purchase, it validates everything we’re trying to accomplish,” she says. “It tells us we’re genuinely making a difference in people’s quality of life.” 

From High-Tech to Healing: A Career Pivot with Purpose 

The path to creating TerraCure wasn’t a straightforward one for the Gottliebs, but rather a winding journey through corporate burnout, failed business ventures, and personal health struggles. Their transition represents a powerful example of how professional expertise combined with personal pain can spark innovation that transforms an entire category of wellness products. 

After completing her college education in the United States, Gottlieb built a substantial 25-year career in Israel’s competitive high-tech industry. Working with leading Israeli software companies, she excelled in sales and customer support roles, driven by her genuine passion for human connection. 

“I thrived on building relationships with clients,” Gottlieb recounts. “There’s something deeply satisfying about understanding someone’s challenges and helping them find solutions that genuinely improve their work.” 

However, as corporate priorities shifted toward aggressive revenue targets—with her final quota exceeding $1 million—and away from meaningful customer relationships, Gottlieb found herself increasingly disillusioned. 

“The metrics became everything,” she says with a hint of frustration. “When your value is measured solely by how much you sell rather than how well you serve, something vital gets lost. I knew it was time for a change.” 

Her first venture beyond the corporate world came through an introduction to an Israeli Multi-Level Marketing business specializing in vegetarian Omega-3 supplements. While the Gottliebs believed in the product’s quality, they quickly grew uncomfortable with the MLM culture that transformed friends and family into potential recruits. 

“We were drawn to the health aspects of the business, but the constant pressure to monetize personal relationships felt wrong,” Gottlieb explains. “There’s a fine line between sharing something beneficial and exploiting connections.” 

The constant motivational “brainwashing” at distributor events further pushed them away. When poor management caused the company’s collapse after two years, they remained convinced about the value of providing quality health products to discerning consumers. 

“That experience taught us what we didn’t want to be,” she reflects. “But it also confirmed our belief that people are hungry for authentic health solutions without the gimmicks.” 

During this transitional period, Elazar Gottlieb was managing his furniture chain—physically demanding work that eventually resulted in serious back, muscle, joint, and knee problems, including a herniated disc. Traditional medicine offered limited options: potentially risky surgery or medications that delivered only modest relief while introducing unwanted side effects. 

“The doctors essentially told him to learn to live with the pain or risk complications from surgery,” Gottlieb says. “It was devastating to watch him struggle just to get through each day.” 

As his condition deteriorated, he began experimenting with various natural creams available in the local market, finding little lasting benefit. 

“He tried everything on the shelf,” she remembers. “Some provided temporary relief, but nothing addressed the underlying issues. The pain always returned, sometimes worse than before.” 

The breakthrough came when Elazar discovered that a specific combination of Dead Sea minerals with other natural elements provided genuine relief for his chronic pain. This personal success inspired the couple to develop not just a single solution but a comprehensive three-cream system for pain management. 

“The moment he experienced real improvement was transformative,” Gottlieb says. “Suddenly, we weren’t just looking for a business opportunity—we had found our mission.” 

What began as a marketing strategy evolved into a revolutionary approach when they realized each cream, formulated with different essential oils, delivered unique therapeutic benefits. 

“We initially thought having three products would simply give us more presence on store shelves,” she admits with a smile. “But through experimentation, we discovered something much more valuable—each formulation addresses different aspects of pain and inflammation.” 

Together, the three products create a synergistic, all-encompassing treatment protocol for complex pain conditions—potentially helping users avoid surgical interventions altogether. The powerful combination of Dead Sea minerals with essential oils penetrates deeply, addressing root causes and supporting the body’s recovery process. 

“It’s not about masking symptoms,” Gottlieb emphasizes. “Our approach focuses on giving the body what it needs to heal itself naturally.” 

To perfect their formulations, the Gottliebs collaborated with professional formulators, scientists, and manufacturers, outsourcing production to cosmetic cream facilities throughout Israel. They engaged an affordable graphic artist to design their logo and product labels while the creams were being manufactured. 

“We knew our expertise was in understanding the customer, not chemistry or manufacturing,” she notes. “Finding the right partners who shared our quality standards was crucial.” 

Before expanding internationally, the couple conducted a market test in Israel, selling through their physical store location and promoting their products via street advertising and local circulars. 

“Those early days were exhausting but exhilarating,” Gottlieb recalls. “We’d spend hours talking directly with people about their specific pain issues, learning what worked and what didn’t.” 

Their approach emphasized direct customer communication—speaking with potential customers about specific pain issues and how TerraCure products might help. The response proved remarkable, with many users experiencing immediate relief and others showing significant improvement over time, confirming the founders’ belief that they had developed something extraordinary. 

“When someone comes back to tell you they slept through the night for the first time in years,” she says, “you know you’ve created something truly valuable.” 

Building a Brand from the Ground Up: Trial, Error, and Perseverance 

Creating a wellness brand in today’s hyper-competitive market requires more than just a quality product—it demands resilience, adaptability, and a willingness to learn from mistakes. For TerraCure’s founders, the road from concept to viable business has been paved with unexpected challenges that tested their resolve while ultimately strengthening their business foundation. 

The journey from concept to market-ready product isn’t always a straight path, particularly in the specialized health and wellness industry. For TerraCure, this evolution involved overcoming manufacturing challenges, navigating website development headaches, and discovering the most effective marketing approaches through persistent experimentation—all while maintaining unwavering faith in their product’s exceptional quality. 

“When you believe in what you’re creating, you find the strength to push through obstacles that would otherwise seem insurmountable,” Gottlieb reflects. “There were countless moments when we could have given up, but the feedback from customers kept us going.” 

The three-product pain relief system was the brainchild of Elazar Gottlieb, whom his wife describes as the genius behind their operation. Despite initial skepticism from manufacturers who laughed at his ideas, he collaborated closely with formulators to identify the optimal ingredients and create a basic prototype. 

“Some manufacturers literally chuckled when Elazar explained his vision,” Gottlieb recalls. “They kept saying, ‘That’s not how it’s done.’ But he refused to accept conventional limitations when he knew there was a better approach.” 

This initial model served as the foundation for the three distinct final creams. With his keen aesthetic sensibility, Elazar also guided the visual development of their brand, working directly with a graphic artist on the logo and label design rather than hiring an external branding agency. 

“My husband has an incredible eye for design,” she says with evident pride. “He knew exactly how our brand should look and feel. Working directly with the artist allowed us to capture that vision without the filter of an agency.” 

In a fortuitous coincidence, the Gottliebs met their marketing writer while waiting for MRI appointments at a local hospital—she for a hip issue, he for a torn rotator cuff. After trying and appreciating the TerraCure products, he joined the team and created their “Branding Bible,” which crystallized their vision, goals, and target market, eventually providing content for their website. 

“Sometimes the most valuable connections happen in the most unexpected places,” Gottlieb muses. “There we were, both dealing with pain issues, when we started chatting about TerraCure. His enthusiasm after trying the products convinced us he was the right person to help tell our story.” 

Manufacturing presented unexpected complications. While the product quality exceeded their expectations, packaging and quality control issues arose as manufacturers occasionally took advantage of the small startup. 

“Being small makes you vulnerable,” she admits frankly. “We learned quickly that we needed to inspect everything meticulously. Trust but verify became our mantra.” 

The Gottliebs quickly learned that outsourcing production requires vigilant oversight of every process step. Working with smaller manufacturers meant dividing tasks across multiple facilities—cream production at one location, packaging at another—due to equipment limitations. 

“Coordinating between different facilities added layers of complexity we hadn’t anticipated,” Gottlieb explains. “Something as simple as getting labels properly aligned became a major headache.” 

This experience proved instructive, inspiring plans to include an anesthetic in their next product line to help customers eliminate painkillers entirely. 

“Each challenge taught us something valuable about product development,” she notes. “Our upcoming line with anesthetic properties is a direct result of what we’ve learned about effective pain management.” 

The business launch proceeded without formal ceremony—once their products and labels were ready, they simply began advertising to the local market. Website development, however, became an expensive lesson in due diligence. 

“We were so focused on perfecting our formulations that we underestimated the importance of vetting our digital partners,” Gottlieb confesses. “That oversight cost us dearly, both in money and time.” 

Failing to request references, they initially paid $2,000 to a seemingly knowledgeable company before cutting their losses. A second developer delivered acceptable but limited work before they turned to an overseas contractor who discarded their purchased theme in favor of a free one with custom code—leaving them with an inflexible homepage they cannot modify. 

“It’s frustrating to look at our homepage and know we can’t make simple changes without hiring a developer,” she sighs. “These are expensive lessons for small business owners.” 

Financially, the Gottliebs have invested over $150,000 in their business, covering manufacturing, salaries, and website costs—depleting savings and requiring loans. Despite these expenditures, additional product ideas await development, including Dead Sea-based skin treatments, pending new investment. 

“We’ve poured everything we have into this venture,” Gottlieb states. “When you believe in something this strongly, you find ways to make it happen, even when resources are tight.” 

Their marketing strategy spans multiple channels: direct customer outreach in Israel and the U.S., e-commerce via their website, and work with distributors. Initially most successful with direct marketing, they’ve gradually increased their online presence, growing monthly sales from hundreds to over a thousand dollars. 

“Face-to-face selling helped us refine our messaging,” she explains. “We could see immediately what resonated with customers and adjust our approach accordingly. That knowledge proved invaluable as we expanded online.” 

Digital marketing efforts included costly lessons in SEO management—paying a retainer to someone who underdelivered—before finding success with a private consultant who taught them keyword research and proper site tagging. 

“The SEO consultant who charged us monthly delivered minimal results,” Gottlieb recalls with evident frustration. “But the one who actually taught us the fundamentals transformed our approach. Our organic traffic increased by 300% after implementing his recommendations.” 

Content development presented another challenge, with the founders writing some material themselves while outsourcing the rest. After expensive experiences with local writers, they discovered quality talent on Fiverr, emphasizing the importance of internal and external links and keyword focus. 

“Finding the right content partners took trial and error,” she says. “Local writers charged premium rates but didn’t understand SEO fundamentals. Once we found reliable freelancers, our content strategy finally gained traction.” 

Their diligence has yielded impressive results—number one Google rankings for targeted phrases, with 25% of their traffic and over a third of sales now coming from organic searches. 

“Seeing our site at the top of search results for key terms was a breakthrough moment,” Gottlieb beams. “That’s when we knew our digital strategy was finally working.” 

Paid advertising brought additional learning opportunities. Google AdWords campaigns failed to break even after three months despite professional management. Facebook marketing improved after Gottlieb joined a mastermind group that taught her to set up and measure campaign performance, though returns remained modest until one-on-one consulting sessions helped create converting ads. 

“The mastermind group gave me confidence to try things myself,” she reveals. “But the personalized coaching showed me exactly where our ads were falling short. Our conversion rate doubled within weeks of implementing those changes.” 

Customer retention strategies include exceptional support with immediate email responses, occasional phone calls regarding orders, and personalized notes with free samples in every shipment. 

“We treat every customer like they’re our only customer,” Gottlieb emphasizes. “When someone trusts us with their health, they deserve our full attention. That philosophy drives every interaction.” 

While they’ve established a MailChimp subscriber list with a welcome email series, they acknowledge the need for more consistent communication with their audience. 

“Email marketing remains our biggest opportunity for growth,” she admits. “We have thousands of satisfied customers we should be reaching more regularly with valuable information and offers.” 

Through this process, the Gottliebs have distilled valuable lessons: prioritize product quality, always check references, secure adequate starting capital if possible, proofread meticulously, and recognize that every entrepreneur must ultimately learn through their own experiences. 

“No matter how much research you do, nothing prepares you completely for the reality of building a business,” Gottlieb reflects. “You have to embrace the learning process and be willing to adapt continuously.” 

While their website provides global reach, they’ve discovered that building a successful online presence requires substantial time and resources—a journey they see as just beginning. 

“We’re still in the early chapters of our story,” she says with determination. “The foundation is solid, but now comes the exciting part—scaling what works and reaching more people who need relief from chronic pain.” 

Financial Realities and Future Growth: Balancing Potential with Constraints 

For startups with proven products and satisfied customers, the path to profitability often involves navigating a precarious financial tightrope. TerraCure finds itself at this critical juncture—a business with demonstrated market validation and enthusiastic customer endorsements that must now overcome financial barriers to unlock its full potential. 

The current state of TerraCure presents a study in contrasts. By most operational metrics, the business demonstrates robust health—their products receive exceptional customer feedback, their brick-and-mortar location generates consistent sales, and their online presence continues to expand internationally with orders coming from Australia, Malaysia, and the United Kingdom. 

“We’re seeing a truly global response to our products,” Gottlieb says with evident enthusiasm. “Pain is universal, and effective solutions are in demand worldwide. Orders from three continents arrived without any targeted international marketing on our part.” 

However, accumulated debt from the initial business development phase has created significant financial pressure that limits their ability to implement strategic growth initiatives. 

“The startup costs were substantial,” she admits candidly. “We invested heavily in product development and manufacturing, which created exceptional products but also left us with financial constraints that affect our expansion plans.” 

This debt burden specifically prevents the introduction of new product lines that could diversify their offerings and attract additional customer segments. Gottlieb acknowledges they’re pursuing two potential solutions: securing an investor partner who believes in their vision or obtaining a government-guaranteed business loan that would provide the capital infusion needed for accelerated growth. 

“We have formulations ready for production that would broaden our market considerably,” she explains. “The challenge isn’t product development—it’s securing the capital to fund manufacturing minimums and marketing campaigns.” 

Either path would enable expanded product development and more aggressive advertising campaigns. 

“With adequate funding, we could double or triple our growth rate,” Gottlieb asserts. “Our customer retention numbers prove we’ve solved a real problem. Now we need resources to reach more people who are suffering needlessly.” 

The current financial situation has personal implications as well. Despite creating products that genuinely help thousands of customers, the founders cannot yet draw adequate salaries from the business. 

“It’s a strange feeling to receive heartfelt thanks from customers whose lives have improved dramatically while struggling to pay your own bills,” she reflects. “We’re creating substantial value for others but haven’t yet translated that into financial stability for ourselves.” 

This creates a paradoxical situation where business success doesn’t yet translate to personal financial stability for the entrepreneurs who built it. 

“We remain completely convinced of the eventual outcome,” Gottlieb states firmly. “But the interim period requires patience and sacrifice. Every entrepreneur faces this valley—we’re simply in the middle of crossing ours.” 

Website conversion rates remain another persistent challenge. Current performance falls significantly below industry benchmarks, potentially due to slow mobile loading speeds—a critical factor given the predominance of smartphone browsing. 

“Our site performs reasonably well on desktop computers but struggles on mobile devices,” she acknowledges with frustration. “In today’s market, that’s like having a store with a door that’s difficult to open. You lose customers before they even see your products.” 

This technical limitation may be contributing to abandoned shopping carts and lost sales opportunities. 

“We see the analytics—people find us, browse products, but too many leave without completing purchases,” Gottlieb explains. “Addressing these technical issues could potentially double our online conversion rate overnight.” 

Manufacturing economics present additional complexity. Producers require minimum order quantities that create inventory management challenges for a growing business. 

“Manufacturers set production minimums that make perfect sense for their operations but create cash flow challenges for us,” she notes. “We’re forced to invest heavily in inventory, which ties up capital that could otherwise fund growth initiatives.” 

These volume requirements mean TerraCure must sell substantial quantities through multiple channels—website, direct sales, and distributors—to achieve optimal profit margins. Current profitability remains somewhat undefined until their existing inventory sells through completely. 

“We’re in that awkward middle phase where we’ve invested in growth but haven’t yet realized the full return,” Gottlieb says. “Our unit economics are solid, but the overall picture won’t be clear until we’ve moved through our current inventory completely.” 

The company’s distribution strategy continues to evolve. While their physical store currently drives most sales, the website’s contribution grows steadily as traffic increases. 

“Direct customer interaction will always be valuable to us,” she emphasizes. “It provides immediate feedback and builds lasting relationships. But our online presence offers scalability that a physical location can’t match.” 

The next strategic phase involves developing a distributor network that can accelerate growth while creating profitable opportunities for sales partners. 

“We’re structuring distributor relationships that create win-win scenarios,” Gottlieb outlines. “Our products deliver exceptional value and strong margins, which makes them attractive to partners who can reach customer segments we couldn’t access directly.” 

Despite these challenges, international expansion continues organically through their e-commerce platform. Initial sales to customers across three continents signal promising global potential for their unique Dead Sea-based pain relief solutions—early validation that their products address universal needs that transcend geographic boundaries. 

“Pain doesn’t recognize borders or cultures,” she observes thoughtfully. “When you create something that genuinely helps people reclaim their quality of life, word spreads naturally. Our international orders represent the beginning of what could become our largest growth opportunity.” 

Smart Guidance for Aspiring Entrepreneurs: Hard-Won Wisdom from the Trenches 

Building a successful business involves navigating countless decisions, each with potential long-term consequences. For those considering the entrepreneurial path, especially in health and wellness e-commerce, TerraCure’s journey offers valuable insights that can help others avoid costly mistakes while accelerating their path to market viability and customer success. 

The entrepreneurial journey invariably involves costly missteps and valuable lessons that can benefit others who follow similar paths. For those looking to translate their ideas into successful ventures, particularly in the e-commerce space, Gottlieb offers practical insights drawn from TerraCure’s evolution from concept to thriving business with global ambitions. 

“If I could go back in time and guide my earlier self, there are several pivotal decisions I would approach differently,” Gottlieb reflects. “These aren’t regrets—they’re growth opportunities that shaped our current approach.” 

The false pursuit of perfection tops her list of avoidable traps. Many entrepreneurs delay launching their products or websites while endlessly refining details, missing valuable market feedback and early revenue opportunities. 

“Perfectionism is the enemy of progress,” she states emphatically. “We’ve seen too many promising businesses stall because founders couldn’t pull the trigger on launching. Your early customers will tell you what needs improvement—but only if you give them something to evaluate.” 

Gottlieb advises against this hesitation, encouraging founders to launch their websites before achieving perceived perfection. However, this recommendation comes with an important qualification—ensure your site framework allows for ongoing modifications. 

“Get your site live, but make sure you can easily update it as you learn what works,” she cautions. “We made the critical error of allowing a developer to create a highly customized homepage that we couldn’t modify ourselves.” 

TerraCure’s experience with a highly customized homepage created an expensive barrier to making necessary changes, limiting their ability to optimize the customer experience over time. 

“Every time we want to update our homepage, we face development costs that eat into our marketing budget,” Gottlieb explains. “That ongoing limitation stems from a single decision made early in our website development process.” 

Mobile optimization represents another critical consideration she emphasizes. With the majority of their traffic coming from smartphones, TerraCure’s older Shopify theme creates loading speed issues that potentially hurt conversion rates. 

“Mobile isn’t just important—it’s everything in today’s market,” she insists. “When we started, desktop optimization was still the priority. The market shifted dramatically toward mobile browsing, and our site architecture wasn’t prepared for that transition.” 

For new businesses building their online presence today, selecting a fast-loading mobile-friendly theme should be a foundational priority, not an afterthought. 

“If I were launching today, I’d select my website theme based exclusively on mobile performance,” Gottlieb advises. “Desktop users will rarely abandon your site over minor speed issues, but mobile users have zero patience for slow-loading pages.” 

Marketing strategy receives particular attention in Gottlieb’s advice. Based on their experiences with outsourced advertising campaigns that delivered disappointing results, she recommends entrepreneurs maintain direct control over their marketing efforts. 

“We spent thousands on professional Google AdWords management with minimal results,” she recalls. “The issue wasn’t necessarily the agency’s competence—it was that we hadn’t developed enough internal knowledge to effectively guide or evaluate their work.” 

This doesn’t mean working in isolation—mentorship programs like Social Sales Girls’ Inner Circle or consulting relationships still provide valuable expertise—but rather ensuring founders understand and guide the strategy rather than delegating it entirely. 

“Find mentors and consultants who will teach you, not just do things for you,” Gottlieb recommends. “The most valuable relationships are those that build your capacity while accelerating your results.” 

This principle of maintaining control extends to technical marketing assets as well. Gottlieb specifically cautions about Facebook advertising partnerships, emphasizing the importance of retaining ownership of your Facebook pixel—the tracking code that enables retargeting and audience building. 

“Your pixel data represents one of your most valuable marketing assets,” she explains. “When we first worked with marketing partners, we didn’t understand that allowing them to use their pixel meant we weren’t building our own audience data.” 

When working with external marketing partners, she stresses the importance of using your own pixel rather than theirs, ensuring you maintain full control of these valuable marketing assets and the customer data they collect. 

“Insist on maintaining ownership of your marketing infrastructure,” Gottlieb advises firmly. “As your business grows, the audience data you’ve collected becomes increasingly valuable for targeting and retargeting campaigns.” 

Throughout these recommendations runs a consistent theme: entrepreneurs must balance openness to expert guidance with maintaining direct involvement in key business functions. 

“The most sustainable path combines selective expert support with continuous personal learning,” she summarizes. “Outsource execution if necessary, but never outsource understanding. As a founder, you need to comprehend every aspect of your business, even those you don’t personally manage day-to-day.” 

This approach creates a virtuous cycle where founders continuously develop their skills while ensuring their ventures remain true to their original vision and values—precisely the formula that has allowed TerraCure to transform a personal pain solution into a growing international business that improves thousands of lives. 

“At the end of the day, entrepreneurship is about creating value that didn’t exist before,” Gottlieb reflects. “The challenges are real, but so is the satisfaction of building something that genuinely helps people. That’s what sustains you through the difficult periods—knowing your work makes a meaningful difference.” 

Success Factors: Why Did TerraCure Succeed? 

• Personal experience with the problem they’re solving – Elazar Gottlieb’s herniated disc and chronic pain issues gave the founders firsthand insight into the market need. This personal connection created both the motivation to develop their solution and a deep understanding of their customers’ pain points. 

• Unwavering product quality – Throughout their challenges, the Gottliebs refused to compromise on the effectiveness of their formulations. Their insistence on using authentic Dead Sea minerals and creating a three-cream system that addresses different aspects of pain has resulted in products that genuinely work. 

• Resilience through setbacks – Whether facing manufacturing challenges, website development issues, or marketing disappointments, the founders demonstrated remarkable persistence. They viewed these obstacles as learning opportunities rather than failures. 

• Customer-centric approach – Their emphasis on personal connection with customers through direct sales, immediate email responses, personalized notes, and free samples has built strong customer loyalty, resulting in significant repeat business. 

• Continuous learning mindset – Rather than outsourcing their knowledge gaps, the Gottliebs actively sought to learn digital marketing, SEO fundamentals, and Facebook advertising—developing their own expertise while selectively using consultants. 

• Strategic partnerships – From their chance meeting with a marketing writer at an MRI appointment to their work with formulators and manufacturers, they’ve built crucial relationships that enhanced their capabilities. 

• Authentic mission and purpose – Their genuine desire to help people suffering from chronic pain has sustained them through financial challenges. This mission-driven approach resonates with customers and keeps the founders motivated despite personal financial sacrifices. 

• Adaptability – Their willingness to pivot from corporate careers, evolve their marketing strategy from direct sales to e-commerce, and continuously refine their approach demonstrates crucial flexibility. 

• Controlled growth strategy – Despite limited resources, they’ve managed to expand internationally through their e-commerce platform while maintaining product quality and customer service standards. 

• Vision beyond immediate challenges – Even while dealing with current financial constraints, they maintain focus on new product development and global expansion opportunities, keeping the long-term vision intact. 

Key Lessons to Learn 

1. Product quality trumps everything – The Gottliebs’ unwavering commitment to creating genuinely effective products has driven customer loyalty and word-of-mouth growth. Their three-cream system addressing different aspects of pain management demonstrates that innovative solutions to real problems create their own momentum. 

2. Personal experience creates authentic business opportunities – Elazar Gottlieb’s own struggle with chronic pain led to the development of TerraCure. This personal connection to the problem they’re solving has provided both motivation and credibility. 

3. Test before scaling – Their approach of testing products in a local market before expanding internationally allowed them to refine their offerings and messaging with lower stakes. 

4. Technical foundations matter – The challenges with their website architecture highlight how early technical decisions can create long-term limitations. Their struggles with a rigid homepage and slow mobile loading speeds demonstrate that seemingly minor technical choices can significantly impact business performance. 

5. Maintain control of critical business assets – Gottlieb’s specific advice about maintaining ownership of marketing assets like Facebook pixels emphasizes the importance of not surrendering control of customer data and digital infrastructure to external partners. 

6. Balance perfectionism with progress – Their advice to launch before achieving perfect polish, while ensuring the ability to make ongoing improvements, offers a practical middle path between hasty launches and endless preparation. 

7. Financial planning needs careful attention – Despite product success and customer validation, financial constraints have limited TerraCure’s ability to scale. This underscores the importance of realistic capitalization and financial planning from the outset. 

8. Direct customer connection provides invaluable insights – Their face-to-face selling approach yielded crucial feedback that informed their messaging and product development. Even as they’ve expanded online, maintaining personal touches like handwritten notes has preserved this customer connection. 

9. Develop internal expertise while leveraging external guidance – The Gottliebs found the greatest success when working with consultants who taught them skills rather than simply performing tasks. This approach built their capabilities while keeping them in control of strategy. 

10. Persistence through setbacks is essential – Perhaps the most fundamental lesson is that entrepreneurship inevitably involves obstacles and disappointments. The Gottliebs’ willingness to learn from mistakes rather than being deterred by them has been crucial to their continued growth. 

TerraCure Opportunity Matrix 

Founder Background 

• Dena Gottlieb: American expatriate with 25-year career in Israel’s high-tech industry (sales and customer support) 

• Elazar Gottlieb: Israeli entrepreneur who managed a furniture chain 

• Combined Strengths: Business acumen, direct sales experience, customer relationship management, design sensibility, and personal experience with chronic pain 

Problem Identification 

• Elazar Gottlieb suffered from serious back, muscle, joint, and knee problems, including a herniated disc 

• Traditional medical options were limited to risky surgery or medications with side effects 

• Commercial pain relief products provided only temporary relief without addressing root causes 

• No comprehensive natural solution existed for chronic pain sufferers who wanted to avoid invasive procedures 

Market Opportunity 

• Growing demographic of adults over 45 experiencing age-related joint and back pain 

• Increasing consumer preference for natural alternatives to pharmaceutical pain management 

• Therapeutic properties of Dead Sea minerals remained underutilized in pain management products 

• Global market for pain management solutions that cross geographical boundaries 

• Potential to serve customers who have exhausted conventional treatment options 

Competitive Landscape 

• Dominated by pharmaceutical solutions with side effects 

• Natural alternatives typically offer temporary relief without lasting benefits 

• Few competitors leveraging the unique properties of Dead Sea minerals for pain management 

• No comprehensive three-product system addressing different aspects of pain management 

• Market gap for products targeting chronic conditions like herniated discs 

Market Research 

• Initial testing conducted through local store in Israel 

• Direct customer interaction provided immediate feedback on product efficacy 

• Strong repeat purchase behavior validated product effectiveness 

• International orders appearing organically (Australia, Malaysia, UK) suggest global demand 

• Customer testimonials confirm significant pain relief for conditions conventional medicine struggled to address 

Business Model 

• Direct-to-consumer sales through physical retail location 

• E-commerce platform for national and international reach 

• Potential distributor network in development 

• Three-product system encourages multiple purchases and ongoing use 

• Strong repeat business and customer retention 

Initial Capital 

• Over $150,000 invested from personal savings and loans 

• Self-funded without external investors 

• Capital constraints limiting expansion and new product development 

• Currently seeking additional investment or government-backed loans to accelerate growth 

Product/Service Development 

• Three-cream pain relief system developed from Elazar’s personal experimentation 

• Collaboration with professional formulators, scientists, and manufacturers 

• Production outsourced to cosmetic cream facilities throughout Israel 

• Dead Sea minerals combined with essential oils for enhanced therapeutic effect 

• Future product lines planned including anesthetic formulations and skin treatments 

Marketing Strategy 

• Initial direct customer outreach in local Israeli market 

• Website development for e-commerce capabilities 

• SEO optimization achieving #1 rankings for targeted keywords 

• Paid advertising (Google AdWords, Facebook) with mixed results 

• Customer retention through personalized service and free samples 

• Email marketing with welcome series but opportunity for more consistent communication 

Milestones 

• Development of three-product pain relief system 

• Establishment of physical retail presence 

• Launch of e-commerce platform 

• First international sales 

• 25% of traffic and over 33% of sales coming from organic search 

• Thousands of pain sufferers assisted in relatively brief company existence 

Scalability 

• E-commerce platform enables global reach without proportional cost increases 

• Current manufacturing partnerships capable of meeting increased demand 

• Distributor network in development to accelerate growth 

• Mobile optimization needed to improve conversion rates for smartphone users 

• Additional capital required to fund inventory for expanded product lines 

Potential Risks and Challenges 

• Financial constraints limiting growth potential 

• Website conversion rates below industry benchmarks 

• Manufacturing minimums creating inventory management challenges 

• Competitive pressure from larger companies with greater marketing resources 

• Dependency on outsourced manufacturing with quality control concerns 

• Founders unable to draw adequate salaries, creating personal financial strain 

Key Performance Indicators/Metrics 

• Customer retention and repeat purchase rates 

• Website conversion rates (currently below benchmarks) 

• Organic search traffic and rankings for targeted keywords 

• Monthly sales growth from hundreds to over $1,000 

• ROI on marketing campaigns (Facebook, Google) 

• International market penetration 

• New vs. returning customer ratio 

• Customer acquisition costs across channels