By Riley Kaminer
It’s not often that a business story starts at a bonfire in a small town in northern Michigan. But for Cary Gahm and Ed Thomas, co-founders of GoTu (FKA TempMee), that’s exactly where their lifelong friendship – and eventual business partnership – began.
“We met at a bonfire, and the conversation just never stopped,” Thomas told Refresh Miami. “We clicked instantly, and 22 years later, we’re still keeping up that same pace.”
The two best friends have built multiple businesses together over the years, but when Thomas first floated the idea of a dental staffing marketplace to Gahm, the reaction was less than enthusiastic. “I told him it was the worst idea I’d ever heard,” Gahm said with a laugh. “Why would I want a different hygienist working on me every time I went to the dentist?”
But the seed of the idea was planted. As Gahm dove deeper into the dental industry, the potential began to reveal itself. “There are 200,000 dental offices in the country,” he said. “It’s a massive, $200 billion industry. And the technology was still stuck in the 1990s.” That realization sparked a shift in their thinking. What if they could modernize the process, like Uber did for transportation?
The duo envisioned a marketplace that would connect dental offices with qualified professionals quickly and efficiently. The goal: address the chronic shortage of hygienists while offering a flexible work schedule for dental professionals. Thomas decided to go all in. “I sold my house, sold my car, and moved to Miami into a condo Cary had rented for me – sight unseen,” he said.
That leap of faith paid off. Today, GoTu has grown to 150 employees (the vast majority of whom are based in Miami), operates in nearly every U.S. state, and was recently ranked #42 on the Inc. 5000 list of the fastest-growing companies.
“We’ll pay nine figures to dental professionals this year,” Gahm said. “For a lot of these workers, a little extra income can mean the difference between going on vacation or sending their kids to camp. It’s amazing to see the impact.”
GoTu’s rise mirrors the growth of Miami as a tech hub. Gahm, a longtime Miami resident, has witnessed the city’s transformation firsthand. “When I first moved here, the tech scene wasn’t much,” he said. “Now, it feels like a revolution. There’s a sense of excitement and collaboration that’s hard to find anywhere else.”
For Thomas, who relocated from Michigan in 2019, the appeal of Miami goes beyond the beaches and sunshine. “Miami has become a place where you can build a world-class company,” he said. “You don’t have to go to Silicon Valley or New York. Everything you need is right here.”
That includes their funding – with their early angel investor Nate DaPore of Roo Capital eventually becoming the lead investor in their institutional rounds. Other local investors include Florida Funders, Flamingo Capital, and Miami Angels.
The co-founders are equally excited about the future of GoTu. Beyond growing their footprint, they’re committed to maintaining the company’s strong culture. “We were just rated one of the most loved places to work in the U.S.,” Thomas said. “That’s what I’m most proud of. We’ve built a company where people genuinely love coming to work, and that’s priceless.”
As they continue to expand, Gahm and Thomas have their sights set on building a billion-dollar company. But for them, success is about more than just numbers.
“If you love what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life,” Thomas said. “And I can honestly say, that’s how it feels every day at GoTu.”
Pictured at top of post: GoTu co-founders Cary Gahm (at left) and Ed Thomas.
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