Dr. Mark Sokolowski
Dr. Mark Sokolowski is an orthopedic spine surgeon and founder of Cabbage Labs (cabb dab). After patients shared how cabbage leaves relieve muscle and joint pain, he developed the product. Cabbage Labs launched in August 2021 to deliver this natural remedy in an easy-to-use cream.
Dr. Mark Sokolowski's Bio
Dr. Mark Sokolowski is a board-certified orthopedic spine surgeon and founder of Cabbage Labs, maker of cabb dab natural pain relief balm. He practices in Chicago, where he runs a busy surgical practice specializing in spine and orthopedic care.
Dr. Sokolowski earned his medical degree from Rush Medical College in 2001, completed residency at Northwestern University, and fellowship at the Twin Cities Spine Center. His surgical career spans over two decades treating patients with musculoskeletal pain.
The idea for Cabbage Labs emerged from conversations with his diverse patient population. For years, patients from European, Asian, and Hispanic cultures shared how cabbage leaves reduced swelling and pain. After investigating, Dr. Sokolowski learned that cabbage contains natural anti-inflammatory compounds. He developed cabb dab—a smooth cream with 100,000 ppm of real cabbage leaf extract—as a practical alternative to crushing fresh leaves.
He founded Cabbage Labs in August 2021, turning a folk remedy into a scientifically-grounded product. The company offers unscented and cooling menthol versions for muscle soreness, joint pain, and recovery. The brand gained national exposure when Dr. Sokolowski appeared on the How I Built This Advice Line podcast with Guy Raz and Bobbi Brown in September 2025.
Today, Dr. Sokolowski balances his surgical practice with growing Cabbage Labs, continuing his mission to bring natural, effective pain relief to more people.
Career Timeline
2001 — Graduated from Rush Medical College
Earned MD from Rush University Medical Center, member of Alpha Omega Alpha honor society
2006 — Completed Orthopedic Surgery Residency at Northwestern University
Finished five-year orthopedic surgery residency program
2007 — Completed Spine Surgery Fellowship at Twin Cities Spine Center
Specialized fellowship training in spine surgery
2007 — Established Orthopedic Spine Surgery Practice in Chicago at Private Practice
Founded surgical practice focusing on spine and orthopedic care
2021 — Founded Cabbage Labs (cabb dab)
Launched company to develop and sell cabbage leaf extract-based pain relief balm
2025 — Featured on How I Built This Advice Line
Appeared on Wondery's How I Built This Advice Line podcast with Guy Raz and Bobbi Brown
Episodes
Advice Line with Bobbi Brown of Jones Road Beauty (September 2025)
Guy Raz sits down with Bobbi Brown to unpack how she launched Jones Road Beauty at 62, right after her non-compete expired. The Advice Line then turns to three founders facing very different scaling problems: Mark wants to turn a clinic-only cabbage-leaf rub into a real brand, Abby is trying to grow beyond her live-stream dependence, and Henry needs to broaden a coffee-specific mouth rinse into a lasting oral-care company.
Advice Line with Bobbi Brown of Jones Road Beauty
Bobbi Brown brings her no-nonsense beauty expertise to the advice line, helping founders navigate the pressures of building authentic brands in a curated world. Joined by Abby Rosalier, Henry Davis, and Mark Sokolowski, this episode delivers raw insights on maintaining creative vision while scaling. Brown shares how she built Jones Road Beauty on simplicity and transparency—principles that apply to any founder fighting industry noise. Expect practical wisdom on product integrity, team trust, and the kind of slow growth that actually lasts.