Meet the Team Behind The Glow Up Group
Our founders and clinical staff are dedicated to helping you achieve lasting weight loss and wellness through personalized, root-cause focused care.
Meet the Founders
Weight Loss & Wellness — From the Inside Out
Slim Down Glow Up Inc. (The Glow Up Group) was founded by Jake Adams and Cara McCollum with a shared belief:
"True health is built by addressing root causes — not just managing symptoms."
Their mission is to help people move beyond reactive sick care and into proactive, personalized wellness that supports the whole body.
A Different Philosophy of Care
Most healthcare systems are designed to respond once something is broken. We believe the best care happens before that point.
Treating the body from the inside out
Identifying root causes rather than masking symptoms
Supporting hormones, metabolism, and the nervous system
Proactive, preventative strategies over reactive sick care
Personalized plans based on your optimal, not population averages
Because every body is unique — and care should reflect that.
Jake Adams
Marine Veteran | Former Global MedTech Executive
Jake Adams knows your journey because he's walked a similar path. After overcoming a total shoulder replacement, shedding 30 pounds, and restoring his energy and hormonal balance, he understands the frustrations of conventional approaches. Having experienced the limits of traditional pathways, he's dedicated to guiding you on a personalized, concierge path. With over 20 years in healthcare innovation—spanning early-stage startups to Fortune 500 leadership—Jake doesn't just provide expertise. He offers empathy and structure. He walks beside you, ensuring you have the tools, clarity, and unwavering support to become the hero of your own transformation—because this is your story, and he's here to guide you through it.
Cara McCollum
Community Advocate | Wellness Leader
Cara McCollum knows what it feels like to look in the mirror and not recognize yourself. After years of struggling to reach a weight she felt confident in, she finally lost 40 pounds—and discovered that the journey was about so much more than the number on the scale. It was about feeling seen, supported, and finally in control. That transformation fuels everything she does at Slim Down Glow Up. Cara brings heart, compassion, and unwavering encouragement to every client she works with. She's not here to hand you a rigid protocol. She's here to walk beside you, celebrate your wins, hold space for the hard days, and remind you that sustainable change is possible—because she's living proof. Your story matters. Your goals matter. And Cara is here to help you write the next chapter.
Leadership You Can Trust
Dr. Kartik Patel, MD
Dr. Kartik Patel serves as Medical Director for The Glow Up Group / Slim Down Glow Up, helping guide our clinical standards and treatment approach across medical weight management, metabolic optimization, longevity, regenerative wellness, and IV therapy.
His medical career began with internal medicine training at Wright State University, followed by a faculty role at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. Over the past decade, he has cared for patients as a hospitalist and primary care physician, while also leading clinical teams at organizations including UCHealth, UnitedHealthcare, and Aetna.
Dr. Patel is known for combining evidence-based medicine with a whole-person mindset—prioritizing patient safety, quality outcomes, and sustainable results. His philosophy is simple: when clients feel empowered in their health journey—physically, mentally, and spiritually—they don't just see results… they build a healthier life that lasts.
Why Slim Down Glow Up Exists
Jake and Cara saw the same pattern repeated over and over:
People were told their labs were normal — yet they still struggled with weight, fatigue, low energy, poor sleep, and stalled progress.
"Normal is not the same as optimal."
Weight loss resistance and poor wellness outcomes are often rooted in:
- Hormonal imbalance
- Chronic stress and nervous system dysregulation
- Metabolic dysfunction
- Poor recovery and sleep
Hormone optimization and nervous system balance are foundational necessities, not optional add-ons.
Slim Down Glow Up exists to provide personalized care that helps the body regulate, recover, and respond — so progress becomes possible again.
To help people achieve lasting weight loss and wellness by restoring balance at the root — optimizing hormones, metabolism, and nervous system function so they can feel better, function better, and live healthier for years to come.
Ready to Discover Your Optimal?
You don't need more pressure. You need a plan that works with your body — not against it.
We're here when you're ready.