Thank You, Joel

Finding Kindred Spirits

We first discovered Joel Friedlaender's philosophy through his blog posts. Here was a founder who openly admits he dislikes getting up early—so he built a company with flexible hours. A founder who hates meetings—so his team of 57 people across the globe operates with barely any. A founder who believes that if you hire the best people, you should get out of their way.

As Joel himself wrote: "It's just business" is possibly my most hated phrase. It's an excuse for bad integrity and to do wrong by people. The funny thing is, no matter how hard we pretend, it's not just business. We're real people, dealing with other real people.

Reading those words, we knew we'd found our platform.

The Courage to Say No

Cliniko is proudly bootstrapped. Joel and his partner Liora famously took out a home renovation loan to start the company—except they built software instead of a kitchen. Over the years, venture capitalists have come knocking with offers of investment. The answer has always been the same: no thanks.

As Joel explained: "We don't want money from an investor who wants fast growth at all costs. We want it to come from our customers who use Cliniko. In order to do right by our customers, our motives need to be aligned with them."

This is radical in an industry obsessed with growth metrics and exit strategies. It takes courage to choose sustainability over speed, integrity over investment.

Recognition That Matters

The world has noticed. In 2025, Cliniko was named to the Australian Financial Review BOSS Best Places to Work list. In 2023, SmartCompany featured Cliniko in their Smart50 Workplaces awards, highlighting their unlimited annual leave, flexible hours, and no-meetings culture. Red Guava (the company behind Cliniko) received the Australian Enterprise Award in 2019.

But perhaps the most telling recognition is this: when Cliniko posts a job opening, they receive over 5,000 applications. People don't just want to use Cliniko—they want to be Cliniko.

More Than Carbon Neutral

Since 2021, Cliniko has been 100% carbon neutral. For a fully remote company with team members scattered across the globe, this wasn't simple. They measured every laptop, every monitor, every air conditioner, every flight to team meetups. They partnered with Carbon Neutral Australia to offset 482.4 tonnes of CO₂ annually—the equivalent of three Boeing Dreamliners.

And then there's the giving. Cliniko donates a minimum of 2% of all customer subscription revenue to charity—not profit, revenue. That's a commitment that doesn't waiver with market conditions. To date, they've donated over AU$2.7 million to causes including Beyond the Orphanage (supporting vulnerable children in Kenya and Nepal) and Sea Shepherd (protecting our oceans).

The API That Made Abby Possible

Now we come to the reason we can even exist. Cliniko maintains a robust, well-documented, public API that enables developers like us to build tools that extend and enhance the platform. This wasn't an afterthought—it was a strategic choice to empower an entire ecosystem.

As they wrote on their blog: "The possibilities of our Public API are only limited to two things: what we allow, and your imagination."

That imagination has flourished. Today, dozens of connected apps—from telehealth solutions to AI-powered documentation tools—integrate with Cliniko. Abby is proud to be among them, helping over 65,000 healthcare professionals save time on appointment confirmations.

The API is clean. The documentation is thorough. The support is responsive. These things matter when you're building a business on top of another company's platform. Joel and the team at Cliniko clearly understand that their success is intertwined with ours.

The Ripple Effect

Here's what Joel might not fully appreciate: the impact of his decisions extends far beyond Cliniko's 65,000+ users. Every clinic that runs more efficiently because of Cliniko treats more patients. Every practitioner who spends less time on admin has more energy for care. Every integration partner who builds on the API creates additional value.

When we confirm an appointment through Abby, we're standing on foundations Joel laid. When a patient shows up on time because of a reminder we processed, that's Joel's vision in action. When a physio doesn't have to chase confirmation calls and can focus on treatment—Joel made that possible.

One person's risk. One person's vision. One decision to do things differently. And now, healthcare systems across Australia, New Zealand, the UK, and 70+ countries worldwide are better for it.

A Simple Thank You

Joel, we don't know if you'll ever read this. But we wanted you to know that your philosophy matters. Your commitment to building something ethical, sustainable, and genuinely useful has created ripples you can't see.

Thank you for proving that you can build a profitable company without sacrificing your soul.

Thank you for maintaining an API that enables partners like us to exist.

Thank you for showing that no meetings, no managers, no investors isn't just possible—it's preferable.

Thank you for the team you've assembled, the culture you've created, and the platform you've built.

Most of all, thank you for reminding us that there's another way to do business.

From everyone at Abby.clinic—we're proud to build for Cliniko. We're grateful to build with Cliniko. And we're inspired every day by the example you've set.