In this insightful episode, we explore Dara Cook's journey as the founder and CEO of Expect, a groundbreaking platform in prenatal and postnatal fitness. Dara's unique approach, which leverages her two decades of experience at Viacom MTV Group, led to the creation of a platform that significantly impacts maternal and child health. We dive deep into how Expect not only innovated in fitness programming but also strategically aligned with corporate giants in the healthcare industry. Dara shares her experiences working with Techstars Healthcare and major insurers like UnitedHealthcare, discussing the crucial role of industry partnerships in scaling a startup. This episode is a masterclass for entrepreneurs on leveraging corporate partnerships, understanding healthcare ecosystems, and navigating the challenges of expanding into new markets such as the UK, India, and Nigeria. Join us to gain valuable insights from Dara's entrepreneurial journey and learn how strategic collaborations can propel startup success.

--------------------------------------

00:00 In this episode

00:30 Intro

01:01 Today's guest

02:08 Dara's journey: from kid entrepreneur to maternal health advocate

07:36 The trifecta of opportunity - finding passion in problem solving

09:10 The importance of prenatal fitness in maternal health

12:20 Our Sponsor

13:00 Are accelerator programs helpful? Dara's experience with TechStars

17:50 Strategic partnerships: are corporates boosting startup innovation?

21:49 Harnessing identity as strength in entrepreneurship

25:24 Dara's tactics for ensuring product-market fit

29:32 Exploring international markets: from UK NHS to Bollywood & Nollywood

32:56 International expansion plans - navigating privacy laws & production costs

35:13 Three Learned Things

41:23 Outro --------------------------------------