A community platform for all parents

Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in health and wellness but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Swati Matta, Founder and CEO of Koble, located in Toronto, Canada.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

Through our personal and professional experiences, we understand firsthand that growing and nurturing a family is emotionally, physically, and financially demanding. And that the support today is missing the mark. Unlike any other life event, parents are abandoned to navigate a set of challenges, leaving them unaware, untreated, and isolated. Last year we spoke to 300 expectant and new parents. We learned that: The services available today aren’t accessible. The support available does not meet their unique families’ needs. Their stress and anxiety stems primarily from the lack of preparedness. They feel alone in their journey. This isn’t only impacting the 300 families we spoke to; it impacts the health and well-being of over 223 million people across Canada, the U.S., and the U.K., yearly.

So what are we doing to solve this problem? At Koble, we’re personally invested in improving the health, happiness, and confidence of all parents through a digital health and community platform that provides parents with the knowledge, support, and community they need. We support the family unit 24/7: our live and on-demand content with experts has been created with families of all forms in mind. We tailor the content and services to reflect their unique needs. We provide multidisciplinary, affordable care: our experts come from diverse backgrounds and experiences. Through a group-based approach, our experts support the many needs of new parenthood at a fraction of the cost of individual health services. We foster intimate communities: we foster communities of like-minded parents and experts, offering ongoing support throughout the parenting journey. Today, Koble supports parents from the first trimester to their child’s first birthday. Looking ahead, our goal is to expand Koble into a platform for parents of kids of all ages.

Tell us about yourself

I dedicated the last decade towards building and scaling digital health experiences for the world’s leading healthcare providers, employers, and pharmacy retailers across North America. As someone in the midst of growing my family, I noticed the lack of care, benefits, and support for expectant and new parents. So I knew I needed to do something.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

Bringing a diverse team of tech and health leaders, partners, and investors together to build a solution that will help millions of families globally. While there is a lot for us to learn ahead, I am proud that in less than a year, we have been able to launch a private beta to 100 families, gather product feedback, and launch a product to market. Some metrics from our private we are proud of:- We have over 200 sessions being offered live or on-demand today, all personalized for the member based on the stage and needs of our Beta families, so they don't get overwhelmed - We have close to 20 family health experts, ranging from OBGYNs to psychotherapists to lactation consultants to pelvic floor therapists- Our Beta families engage 3x weekly- Member quotes: "The last two days, I've been watching Koble sessions while I pump at night! They're pretty much the exact length of my pumping sessions. It's making pumping waaaay better." and "Koble is what I needed that I didn't even know I needed."

What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?

Acknowledging and managing the impact it has on your mental health.

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

People: Form a strong founding team that works well together and brings diverse perspectives and expertise. Surround yourself with mentors, investors, and partners who believe in you and the team; and will help you grow the team, product, or customer base.
Product: Dedicate your early months/years in building a product that your target segment will use, love, and pay for. Growth will follow.
Mindset: Be persistent while evolving your thinking. Building and growing a start-up is a very long journey, and conviction is what will carry us through the ups and downs.

We are currently in private beta with 100 families across Canada, U.S., and U.K. As a result of the positive feedback and weekly engagement, we are gearing towards our public launch this month. We closed a pre-seed round of $1 million in July 2021, which was led by Garage Capital, with participation from Panache Ventures, and angels from Telus Health, Shopify, Uber, League, and Cleveland Clinic, among others. While we are not raising right now. We welcome introductions to funds for our planned seed round in summer-fall 2022, as well as providers or insurers to explore partnership opportunities.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://koblecares.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/koblecares/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/koblecares/

If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solopreneur that you'd like to share, then email community@subkit.com; we'd love to feature your journey on these pages.

Feel inspired to start, run or grow your own subscription business? Check out subkit.com and learn how you can turn "one day" into day one.