Darden Rice joins wife Eve Epstein’s freelancer health care startup

A St. Pete-based start-up affiliated with St. Petersburg City Council member Darden Rice is identifying solutions to some of the problems new companies and gig economy workers face.

SoleVenture is creating a professional community of independent workers that leverages them as a whole to mimic the benefits that come from working for a larger company. 

The company’s latest endeavor seeks to provide health care for freelancers and gig workers by partnering with an Austin, Texas-based company called KindHealth. SoleVenture will connect its members to the company to help shop for health insurance plans that best meet their needs.

KindHealth is a national health insurance marketplace that connects users to health insurance policies that work for them. The company provides access to policies in the private market as well as to those that qualify for a subsidy under the federal Affordable Care Act. 

Rice serves as the director of business development for SoleVenture. Her wife, Eve Epstein, is the CEO. 

“We are excited to partner with a fellow cutting-edge company that shares SoleVenture’s commitment to addressing independent workers’ most critical needs: growing a stable business with the security of quality health insurance,” Epstein said. 

Gig economy workers are expected to comprise more than 40 percent of the U.S. workforce by next year, according to an analysis by Intuit. 

“The idea with group health insurance is, the costs are defrayed in a couple of ways,” Epstein said. “One of those is you have more negotiating power in a large group.”

By combining members into a group of health-care-seeking employees, freelancers can tap into a more extensive network that would not otherwise be available to them.  

“Just like with a large employer, the larger the SoleVenture community becomes, the more robust the offerings will become,” said SoleVenture Chief Operating Officer Robyn Rusignuolo. 

Epstein and her partners chose to work with KindHealth because the company places a significant emphasis on ensuring consumers are obtaining the proper health coverage for their needs at a price point they can afford. 

“We are especially drawn to KindHealth’s mission to take the stress away from daunting and overwhelming health insurance decisions. We want SoleVenture members to enjoy the security of the right coverage for their needs so they can focus on the work they love and growing their business,” Epstein said.

The company allows users to obtain an anonymous quote and enroll in a health plan. Users can start the process online and then receive a follow-up call from a KindHealth advisor before enrolling.

SoleVenture is offering an exclusive sneak preview of the company’s new marketplace platform on Tuesday, September 10 from 6 – 8 p.m. at Webb’s City Cellar located at 1133 Baum Avenue North in the Edge District in St. Petersburg, Florida.

The company is currently beta-testing its new feature with 20 members. They plan to expand that to 1,000 in October. 

SoleVenture currently serves members in the Tampa Bay region, but plans to expand in Austin as part of its partnership with KindHealth.