Exploring Life & Business with Michael Balk of Vivid IV Health

Today we’d like to introduce you to Michael Balk MSN, APRN, FNP-C and founder of Vivid IV Health.

Hi Michael, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today.
Even as a young kid I always had a passion for helping people, and knew I wanted to do something career-wise within this realm. I just didn’t know what that meant or what that would be until I became a young adult and decided to pursue pre-hospital emergency medicine as a paramedic.

As much as I enjoyed this, I wanted to do more and play a bigger role in the healthcare system, with goals of working within a hospital, so I returned to school and joined a nursing program. Upon completion, I worked as a nurse at a local hospital for over a decade and absolutely loved it. I built a strong rapport working alongside physicians and other advanced practice providers including nurse practitioners and physician assistants. I was always impressed with their level of knowledge and how much they were able use this to help with diagnosis, treating, and managing both acute and chronic illness, to the point where I knew this was what ultimately was meant to do. My insatiable desire to know more and do more fit this perfectly, so it was decided this is what I would do and return back to college and further my degree as a Family Nurse Practitioner.

Upon graduation as a Family Nurse Practitioner, I was fortunate to land a job right out of school working with some bariatric surgeons that I had known and respected from the first day I became a nurse, and absolutely loved helping people reach their health and wellness goals. It was in this role that I was also helping to manage their labs including nutritional and vitamin deficiencies. It seemed routine that after surgery we would order IV infusions for fluids, vitamin replacement, and medications to help address numerous ailments with amazing feedback from our patients on how great they felt after.

While having goals of helping people in a medical capacity, it has also been a goal of ours (my wife Amy and I) to own and operate our own business. We are both huge exercise and nutrition enthusiasts and knew we wanted to help people reach their goals of health and wellness via our own practice but didn’t really know what that would be at first. Initially, we thought we wanted to own a fitness center with some health coaching sprinkled in. With the knowledge of how IV infusions can really provide significant relief to patients, as well as promoting health and wellness in even the healthiest of individuals, we realized there was a need for an infusion center where we could offer this, thus came the creation of Vivid IV Health.

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
It’s been a smooth “ish” road. There are always obstacles when starting a new venture like opening a business for the first time. For us, we did it with a 1-year-old, a puppy, and oh, yeah, during a Covid-19 pandemic.

I’d say the biggest struggles of being a new entrepreneur are trying to know what you don’t know, and there’s always seemingly something like that popping up. But you take it with stride and do your best to enjoy the ride because despite all the stress involved, it’s an exciting and rewarding process!

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
We are a health and wellness inspired IV (intravenous) infusion lounge. We offer many different treatment options via both IV fluids that contain vitamins, nutrients, and medications and via booster shots.

Our IV “Cocktails” include various vitamins, minerals, nutrients, and in some cases medications that can help either boost energy, strengthen the immune system, treating migraines/headaches, alleviating hangover symptoms, and/or enhancing hair, skin, nails, and anti-aging effects.

We also offer NAD+ (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide), a coenzyme for ATP Synthesis (ATP is our bodies primary source of energy), treatments and specific protocols, supported by literature, that help with addiction such as alcohol, cigarettes, food, and controlled substance medications, as well as protocols aimed to help slow our bodies aging process as decreased levels of NAD+ can lead to premature aging, and treatments that can help with symptoms of certain neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and Huntington’s disease.

We also offer NAD+ treatments that can help with symptoms of Long Haul Covid, fight fatigue, inflammation, and more!

Our booster shots include NAD+, Vitamin B12, Vitamin B complex, Vitamin C, Vitamin D, Glutathione, and even medications aimed at controlling pain and inflammation.

In addition to all this, we also offer Oxygen Therapy where people can come in and safely breathe high-flow, medical grade oxygen either by itself, or during an IV drip, that can help fight fatigue, treat headaches/migraines, nausea, anxiety, and more! The supplemental oxygen will also be provided with safe aromas to further facilitate the ultimate relaxation experience.

Patients can either book an appointment at our clinic or via Mobile IV services where we come to your location. Our clinic is designed to feel less medical or clinical and more like a relaxed environment, similar to being at your own home. For Mobile IV, we bring all the necessary items to treat you in the comfort of your own home, hotel, or wherever you may be. This can be done by yourself, as a couple, or we even do group events as well.

Our main lounge area offers comfortable seating, a snack bar, and a TV for you to sit back and relax. We also offer private rooms that also have comfortable seating and a TV in each. There is little to no wait time, easy online booking, and walk-in appointments welcomed.

Who else deserves credit in your story?
Since the planning stages of opening this business, we have had a lot of support and mentorship along the way. We’d like to recognize and thank our parents for making themselves available to watch our kids. Lis Bartom – owner of Chasing Vanity Salon & Medi Spa, Khalida Cook – co-owner of Digital Diagnosis Marketing Agency, Kristin & Aaron Rzeznik – owners of Drafting Table Brewery, and Fred Scharmer & Michelle Harris – owners of Harris Hospitality, as they all helped inspire, motivate, and mentor us along the way and provided us the confidence to take this leap. Dr. Bill Bray, our Medical Director, for his support and trust. All of our friends and extended family for showing support to our new venture. And, of course, all of our valued patients and the Grand Rapids community who have trusted us with their care, who have recommended us, and showed additional support for our new, small local business!

Contact Info:

• Website: vividivhealth.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/vividivhealth/
• Facebook: facebook.com/vividivhealth
• Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/company/vivid-iv-health/