Meet Allen Kamrava | Physician & Entrepreneur

We had the good fortune of connecting with Allen Kamrava and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Allen, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
It wasn’t some lifelong dream to “be an entrepreneur.” It was more practical than that. I kept running into systems that were inefficient, poorly designed, or constrained by incentives that didn’t make sense. At some point I realized I understood the problem well enough that I could either keep operating inside it — or try to build something better.

I don’t have a high tolerance for structural friction. If something is broken but fixable, and I can see a path to fixing it, it’s hard for me to ignore that. Starting the business wasn’t a leap of faith as much as a calculated response. The upside was meaningful, the downside was manageable, and the autonomy to set standards and build the system the right way mattered to me.

I also wanted leverage. If I’m going to invest time and energy into solving a problem, I’d rather build something that scales beyond my individual output. I’d rather take responsibility for building it than spend years working around someone else’s limitations.

At the end of the day, it came down to alignment. I’d rather try to build something that reflects how I think and operate — even if it’s harder — than stay inside something that doesn’t.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I’m a colon and rectal surgeon by training — that’s the core. My medical practice is simply my name: Allen Kamrava, MD. It’s built on outcomes, precision, and doing things the right way even when the right way takes more effort. Over time, I became known not just for procedures, but for clear thinking around complex anorectal problems and for delivering durable results.

ManukaMend came out of that clinical experience. I kept seeing patients who were either overtreated, undertreated, or cycling through compounded prescriptions that didn’t consistently work. I started experimenting with natural, organic formulations built around manuka honey and coconut oil for anorectal discomfort — and the results were objectively strong. Instead of keeping that as something only my patients could access, I built ManukaMend.com to make it available more broadly. It’s simple, clean, and highly effective. No gimmicks. Just something that works.

What sets me apart is that I don’t separate medicine from systems thinking. Whether it’s surgery or product development, I approach it the same way: identify the real problem, remove unnecessary complexity, test rigorously, and refine until outcomes are consistent. I don’t chase trends. I build things that hold up under scrutiny.

It wasn’t easy. Medicine is already demanding. Building a product on top of that meant navigating manufacturing, branding, compliance, and distribution — all while maintaining surgical standards. There were plenty of unknowns and moments where it would have been simpler not to do it. But once I knew the formulation worked and patients benefited, not building it felt like leaving value on the table.

The biggest lessons:
Execution matters more than intention.
Standards compound.
If something works, make it scalable.

What I want people to understand is that everything I build comes from direct experience solving real problems. There’s no abstraction layer. If I put my name on it, it’s because it’s been tested in the real world and held to the same standard I hold in the operating room.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
If a close friend were visiting, I’d keep them near Santa Monica Beach. Whatever people say about the Promenade, the beach itself is still special. There’s something about watching runners, cyclists, volleyball players, lifeguards, surfers — real movement — along the Marvin Braude Bike Trail that feels uniquely L.A. It’s active without being performative.

Day 1–2: Ease into it
Morning swim at Tower 26 with one of the ocean groups — ideally the Friday morning TriFit LA crew. Coffee after, barefoot, sun still low. Rent bikes and ride south toward Manhattan Beach for lunch. Keep it simple and outdoors.

Dinner that night at Matu — the cheesesteak is absurdly good and not what people expect in L.A. Then another night at Sasabune for proper sushi — no substitutions, just trust the chef.

Midweek: Move
One day biking further south toward Palos Verdes Estates — long coastal views, clean air, real distance. Another morning hiking in the Santa Monica Mountains — early start, clear head, ocean in the background. L.A. is best when you’re using it physically.

Maybe roller skating on the beach path one afternoon just because it’s fun and slightly ridiculous.

One “classic L.A.” night
I’m not big on Hollywood, but I’d pick one strong dinner somewhere in West Hollywood and leave it at that. L.A. shines more in movement and food than in tourist landmarks.

Weekend
Swim again. Long brunch near the water. Sunset walk along the sand. Nothing overproduced.

What makes L.A. special, to me, isn’t the staged glamour. It’s the mix of high-performance athletes, quiet discipline, great food, ocean access, and the ability to go from mountains to sea in a single morning.

If you do it right, the week feels healthy, grounded, and memorable — not chaotic.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
If I had to narrow it down, I’d point to the people who modeled standards without announcing them. The mentors and operators who didn’t just give advice, but demonstrated how to think clearly, make decisions under uncertainty, and take responsibility for outcomes.

I’ve been fortunate to have teachers, partners, and colleagues who didn’t lower the bar or over-praise. They challenged assumptions, asked hard questions, and expected competence. That kind of mentorship compounds over time.

I’d also credit my family — not in a sentimental sense, but in a foundational one. Stability, accountability, and the expectation that you carry your weight matter more than people realize. That backdrop allows you to take real risks.

And honestly, a lot of credit goes to the environments that forced growth — the moments where things didn’t work, deals fell apart, or plans failed. Those experiences sharpened judgment more than smooth wins ever could.

No one builds anything meaningful alone. But the people who deserve the most recognition in my story are the ones who modeled clarity, integrity, and high standards — and expected the same in return.

Website: https://drkamrava.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drallenkamrava/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/allenkamrava/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drkamrava/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@pilonidalexpert