🍩 What the Health is Next? A Year in review and 2022... ft. input from you
What was, what's to come, and a survey (yay)
Happy 2022!
I know - we’ve already said this. But given Jan was such a shamble, I don’t know about you, but I’m starting fresh from Feb and Lunar New Year.
For any newbies - A BIG welcome but FYI, this is not a normal post
PS - I know promised you a web3 post and swear it’s coming soon
Before blaring full boar ahead into another chaotic year - what better time to stop and take stock of what was.
Is this a lame cliche? Yes
Is this a cop-out because I’m tired and behind on content? Also yes
✅ Now We’ve Cleared That Up
If you don’t want to read today the TLDR is we want yo input. And one of you will get a $50 Amazon voucher for your view - cause this is serious 🎫
🔮 Review Time
First, I’m going to be a bit wanky…
But I need to thank every single one of YOU. For joining me. Ok, us - on this awesome health nerd adventure 💜 We wouldn’t exist or be what we are without you.
Can you believe it hasn’t even been a year yet?!
Wild. Magical.
From the bottom of my heart - thank you.
So who actually reads this nonsense and makes up this motley crew?
Well, we have a cool collection of operators, founders, investors, health professionals, enthusiasts, decision-makers, accelerators, students, and industry movers & shakers from all over.
Including Aus (shock), NZ, Singapore, Vietnam, the US, Brazil, UK, Switzerland, UAE, and Spain, just to name a few (hola international friends)!
Since it’s been a while, and many of you likely stumbled here from the depths of the internet - thought it might be a good time to have a little refresh.
🍩 WTH is What the Health?!
Ok, its just a shitty newsletter, but go with me for a second…Health & Health innovation is hard. Not to mention often boring, dry, and difficult as hell to navigate. But it doesn’t have to be…
So, What the Health exists to make healthtech & health innovation fun, easy and accessible. Ft. Content & Community to help connect, educate and empower awesome like-minded people.
Why?
Well, healthtech is damn fascinating. Not to mention, creating health content, community, and connecting people is SO fun. So, it’s my way of “making a difference”.
I believe the future of health, and the key to better outcomes (both health and commercially) is through empowerment, tech and innovation.
Note: Innovation does not always mean tech. It just means doing things better
Systems are struggling. And there’s so much possibility. But we can’t do it alone and are better together.
So, as wanky as it sounds - ultimately, WTH exists to help empower patients & professionals (so like, all people) to live healthier and happier lives. Even if just a touch.
How the H*ll Did It Come To Be?
When Covid hit, healthtech (finally) became hot.
The problem? It’s crazy disconnected and confusing as hell. There wasn’t, and still isn’t clarity, connection, or accessibility to the right info, knowledge and resources. Not to mention, most content is dry af (sorry, not sorry).
So I started writing about it and trying to connect a few of those dots. Thinking maybe 10 people might read.
Apparently - it resonated with a few people…
Turns out there was, and still is, a giant education, pathways and connection problem.
So this is what we’re trying to help, just a little 😉
*Disclaimer - I by no means claim to be any expert, but just use my life experience and what I learn from people much smarter than me to share news, try put things together and form opinions. Bur Always up for learning more, being challenged, or proved wrong… listen to me at your own risk ✌️ And clearly never investing advice
📈 The Numbers for 2021…
>52,000 reads
Open rate ~51% (46-57%)
1293 legends (subscribers)
762 event regos
~4k new LinkedIn friends
~115k Linkedin views per month
♾ emojis & gifs
But numbers never show the full picture. Or what really matters…
Like the endless friends. Convos. Crazy inspiring and impressive individuals. Collabs. Connections. Laughs. Learnings. Lightbulb Moments. Ideas. People who found a passion. Made big strides. Or were brave enough to make jumps.
🏆 What Was Most Popular?
✅ Why is Australian Healthtech So Behind? - Part 1
✅ Would It Really Be the End of 2021 Without a Healthtech Trends Wrap?
✅ Funding, Flywheels and the Future of Healthtech with Folklore Ventures
✅ We have a Communication Problem
✅ What the F is going on with Funding?
Roundups are also ace with solid engagement & click rates, but the deep dives and insights seem to bring more bants & a broader audience (unsurprisingly).
Despite the weather gods and a pandemic, we managed to have some not totally terrible events…
(I am notoriously bad at remembering to obtain photo evidence)
✨ Some Personal Highlights
I learnt A LOT about, well, everything. And everyone
The lovely notes I got from people - saying they don’t hate the newsletter, learnt something new or even found jobs 😍
Talking to endless stupidly impressive people, and even working with a few
Started officially “Community Consulting” (yes, it’s a thing - who knew)
Startmate let me into their Women’s Fellowship (game changer)
Airtree took me as an Explorer
I started putting my money where my mouth is making small bets as an angel investor (stay tuned for Emily’s chronicles of learnings & losses 😂)
People thought it was a good idea to let me on some panels and pods (RIP)
Someone gifted me some homemade succulents
Big Win💡: My parents are no longer (as) disappointed in me for dropping out of med school cause I can practically claim I’m a professional Med joker so it wasn’t a total waste
🙏 Special Shoutout to Those Who Believed Before I Did And Supported
“Officially” - Nutromics, Folklore Ventures, Axiom IO, Earlywork, Startmate, The Medtech Actuator, Talking Healthtech, Creative Careers in Medicine, The Digital Health Festival, Startup Vic and everyone who posted job ads 💜
“Unofficially” - Everyone who has taken time to talk, attend, share, and help me/this in any shape or form. If I listed you all it would legit be half the mailing list, but just know it’s appreciated more than I can say.
❓So, What Comes Next?
No clue. Guess thats up to you!
Ok, fine… we might have some ideas 😉
But there are so many cool things we could do, so first, we’d love your view! Cause there’s zero point in doing stuff no one wants.
So, let us know what you rate, hate (tough love baby), or things we should deliberate 👇
Because we are big fans of “incentive alignment” (*cough* bribery) one lucky survey doer will get a $50 Amazon Voucher. But, if you want to remain anonymous, that’s cool too Once again - thanks for the love. And being a part of this. You’re awesome.
DO THE SURVEY AND I’LL LOVE YOU EVEN MORE.
If that’s possible. Or I’ll just give you my firstborn…
As always, hit reply if you want to say hi. And, if you know anyone who might like WTH - please do flick it their way. The more the merrier 😊
Ok, back to normal content next time
👋 Emily
💌 emily@whatthehealth.io