Katie’s Notebook: November 3, 2025
Hello Friend,
Before I went to the HLTH conference, I got a gel manicure. (Hang in here, male readers, this will loop back to healthcare.) I am not a nail girl. On any given day mine are natural and short. But like many women, when I am doing something special I like to paint them. Traditional nail polish has a tendency to chip, even with a 7 day “tough as a dinosaur’s scales” guarantee. I knew that my trip to HLTH would mean shoving my suitcase up into the overhead compartment, digging through my bag for necessary items, washing my hands 1,000 times, and that frankly, my nail polish likely wouldn’t hold up to that level of effort. So as I debated the $50 gel manicure that would take an hour of my life, I realized I was going to pull the trigger on it because it gave me peace of mind. Peace of mind that I would do everything I needed to do without worrying that I might look unprofessional with chipped nails. And that was enough for me to do it.
As I was on the plane I got to thinking about how peace of mind often isn’t touted as a brand value-prop outside of the insurance industry, but is actually a pretty strong pull for humans. People keep their Amazon prime memberships not because they love Jeff Bezos, but because in the moment they realize they have to get a birthday gift for a neighborhood kid’s party tomorrow and they have back-to-back meetings, plus evening activities and zero time to make it to the store beforehand, that something will show up on their porch and they won’t let the kid down. It gives them peace of mind. At HLTH I heard Ellen DaSilva speak about Summer Health, a ‘text a pediatrician’ company. Their mission may be to build the healthiest generation, but what they really offer to parents is peace of mind at 11:30pm when their kid has been puking and has a fever, and they don’t know if they should drag them to the ER or just wait it out at home with a little Tylenol and fluids. Being able to chat with a doctor quickly gives them peace of mind with how to care for their child.
So often brands lean on productivity metrics and technical specs to communicate their value. While these may help customers ultimately make a decision, so much about brand loyalty and sales is about connection. I heard Chrissy Farr speak at HTLH about how human brains are wired for storytelling and empathy. Being able to communicate about peace of mind gets to understanding the underlying deeply human emotions of worry, decision-making fatigue, and trust.
I leave you with this: which brands in your life have offered you peace of mind (and is this the first time you’ve thought of them that way?) How could you apply this to how you tell the story of your work?
Let’s jump into the FIVE for you
If my fall reading list is full of witchy tales like The Once and Future Witches and Magic Lessons, then my winter reading list is going to have a few dark academia novels to read by the fire. This curation looks like a great starting point for Libby requests.
45 thoughts for 45 years was a delightful quick read. I am a sucker for everyone’s reflections on a life well lived and creating their own rules. This has some gems.
Former CDC Director William Foege: How public health can fight back in a time of dangerous nonsense. One of my favorite quotes: “We have always been challenged by nature with organisms, droughts, malnutrition, and climate change. We have also been challenged by human foibles with addictions to alcohol, tobacco, violence, and power discrepancies. Now we have special challenges because of those who hold power but have no concept of public health responsibilities.” 🖐️ 🎤
The CEO I needed didn’t exist, so I decided to become her. I had the pleasure of moderating a panel a few years ago with Monica Cepak and it was fun to hear about her transition from Chief Marketing Officer at Wisp, a digital women’s telehealth company, to CEO. I enjoyed reading this leadership profile about her.
Digital Health Startups funded by Y Combinator (YC) 2025. Y Combinator is always a good barometer for companies with a high chance of success. I am intrigued by Eden and Papa.
What I’ve Been Writing
I wrapped up a year of being a contributing author to Digital Health Insights in September. I am proud that I wrote 34 articles that all came out of my own brain! I wrote a Reflection a Year of Writing with some of my top themes and hits on my blog and my last article felt like a perfect end:
Women are building their own Health AI tools, Digital Health Insights
Fun Finds
Prior to HLTH I looked in my closet and obviously had nothing appropriate to wear. I ordered a bunch of dresses from Nordstrom Rack and found two winners! This black $39 sheath doesn’t wrinkle and has feminine lines. I paired it with a moto jacket and will definitely be making it a travel staple for work and play. (Size up for a less snug fit.)
I also bought this leather sling bag for HLTH that was the perfect size for some bandaids, my phone, a little notebook and pen, and hand sanitizer. You could easily wear it with a dress or jeans and a t-shirt. So versatile! This would make a great Christmas gift!
I have 6 pairs of these J.Crew Factory pjs and now that is chilly at night they are all I am wearing. I love some new jammies for Christmas morning and just bought these bottoms and this top in the pink/white toile-esque style and LOVE THEM.
I went against my own rules of waiting until after Halloween to purchase anything Christmasy when I saw these adorable mugs that are giving Rifle Paper vibes at half the cost. I know they will be my go-to mug for the holiday season!
That’s a wrap on this issue.
Be well,
Katie
Note: I use affiliate links for some of the products I believe in. When you buy something I have linked to, I may receive a small commission from that company at no cost to you.
