Founding a Lyme+ Business: Q&A with Olivia Abrams

A conversation between Olivia Abrams, founder of TiCK MiTT, & Eva, founder of LymeLnk

Olivia DM’d me in the Zoom chat of the 2023 Center for Lyme Action virtual fly-in. “I’ll be your friend. You’re not alone.” It was the first time I had publicly told my Lyme & tick-borne disease (Lyme+) story, and while typically composed (I’d like to think…) I was blubbering to the kind-eyed representative from Senator Kristen Gillibrand’s office. As we asked for our senator’s support to secure funding for federal Lyme research, I told a story of isolation. Struggling to explain my invisible illness to a society that doesn’t give Lyme+ much weight, I had never felt more alone, in rooms of people and loving communities. Olivia was my first Lyme+ friend. When we got Thai food the next week at a neighborhood spot just blocks between our apartments, I found myself impressed by the Lyme+ business she had founded at just 25. We would start to build more than a friendship, but a phone-a-friend lifeline of sorts, supporting one another along our founder journeys, even in a pinch.  

You were bedridden, without answers, at 8 years old. What do you remember about that time, looking back? 

I remember feeling so frustrated that I couldn’t do the simple things other kids were doing—like PE or after-school dance. Even going to the kitchen to grab a snack was a challenge; I had to hop on one leg just to get there. I went undiagnosed for months, and as a kid, constantly bouncing between doctors’ offices and getting blood tests was overwhelming and, honestly, pretty scary.

How was that experience formative throughout your adolescence, into young adulthood? 

Even though I made a strong recovery, I had family members dealing with chronic health issues, so that shaped a lot of how I see the world. Getting sick so young made me more empathetic toward others and made me super grateful for being able to move and be active. I never took playing sports or running around with friends for granted after that. 

And later, these personal experiences with ticks helped me and my dad come up with the idea for TiCK MiTT. I had a passion for combating Lyme disease, and my dad, Steve, was committed to finding a practical solution. This fueled the creation of TiCK MiTT. After years of dealing with our dogs bringing ticks into our home, knowing how devastating Lyme+ can be, we created the first product designed to help you perform an effective tick check.

How did you decide to leave your finance job and be a Lyme+ founder full-time?  

When I graduated in 2021 in the midst of the pandemic, I felt lucky just to have a job. I already had the idea for TiCK MiTT, but at the time, no one was really spending time outside post-pandemic, so it wasn’t the right moment to launch. I waited until I started seeing real momentum in the outdoor and pet spaces—then I knew it was time to go all in and make a real difference. 

And now, it feels great to focus on executing our mission full time, so that both people and pets can explore the great outdoors without worrying about ticks. Whether you’re hiking through dense forests, enjoying a day of gardening, or embarking on a camping adventure, we are helping to protect you and your loved ones from ticks and the potential dangers they carry. Our goal is to reduce cases of tick-borne diseases, including Lyme disease, by educating people on the importance of tick checks and providing a safe and effective tool to perform those checks.

What should people know about prevention? Help us bust the myths… 

Bug spray isn’t enough on its own. You need a full routine: check your pets, wear the right clothes, and use TiCK MiTT to find ticks before they bite. Just like we teach kids to put on sunscreen or bug spray, we need to teach them to do tick checks. That kind of habit can make a huge difference in future health.

What’s been the most rewarding part about being a Lyme+ founder? What are you looking forward to most? 

The most rewarding part is when people tell me they’ve gone back to doing the things they loved—like hiking or horseback riding—because they feel safer using TiCK MiTT. Hearing that we’re helping people feel confident and protected outdoors means everything. I’m especially excited to see how we grow after our Shark Tank episode and can’t wait to see TiCK MiTT in stores around the world.