Episode 51 - Emily Durfee, Investor at Healthworx

Welcome back to the Digital Health Heavyweights Podcast for Episode 51! Today, Norm sits down with Emily Durfee, partner at Healthworx Ventures, who shares her journey in venture capital and her experiences in the healthcare industry. She emphasizes the importance of diverse perspectives in venture capital and the value of hiring people with different skills and strengths. Emily also discusses her role as a product operations manager at Clover Health and the challenges and successes she faced. She highlights the need for effective leadership and creating a culture of respect and value within a team. Emily shares her experiences in East and West Africa and the lessons she learned about healthcare systems and the importance of incentives. She also mentions the healthcare initiatives she was involved in during her time at Optimizer Foundation. Emily joined Healthworx during the COVID-19 pandemic and found a sense of purpose in working in the startup ecosystem. She values learning every day, working with people she likes and respects, and having a mission that aligns with her values. Healthworx sets itself apart by providing access to the knowledge and expertise of a payer, which is rare in the venture capital world. Emily emphasizes the importance of understanding the customer's top five problems and articulating why your solution is a top value proposition for them. She also shares her love for exercise and being active outdoors as a way to manage stress. In terms of healthy eating, she enjoys buying fresh, locally grown ingredients from the farmer's market and making salads.

Takeaways

🌐 **Diverse perspectives in venture capital are crucial for making well-rounded investment decisions. **

🤝 **Effective leadership involves hiring people with different skills and strengths and creating a culture of respect and value within a team. **

🌍 **Healthcare systems face similar challenges globally, such as engaging patients, ensuring an adequate number of healthcare professionals, and promoting adherence to treatment plans. **

💰 **Incentives play a significant role in shaping healthcare systems, and different payment models can lead to different priorities and outcomes. **

🏥 **Investing in healthcare initiatives can have a profound impact on improving access to care and quality of life for underserved populations. Joining Healthworx during the COVID-19 pandemic provided Emily with a sense of purpose and the opportunity to work in the startup ecosystem. **

🔍 **Healthworx differentiates itself by providing access to the knowledge and expertise of a payer, which is rare in the venture capital world. **

🩺 **Understanding the customer's top five problems and articulating why your solution is a top value proposition for them is crucial in healthcare. **

🏃‍♀️ **Emily manages stress through exercise and being active outdoors. **

🥗 **Emily enjoys buying fresh, locally grown ingredients from the farmer's market and making salads. **

Chapters

00:00 Empowering Entrepreneurs in Venture Capital

03:00 Balancing Solutions in Product Operations

05:47 Leadership and Team Building

09:20 Universal Challenges in Healthcare Systems

23:47 Emily's Journey in Healthworx: From Joining to Leading

26:28 Venturing into Healthcare: Focus, Organizations, and Uniqueness

30:23 Crucial Traits and Advice for Startup Founders in Healthcare

35:06 Challenges and Wellness in Venture Capital

42:39 Balanced Lifestyle and Healthy Recipes

45:55 Outro

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