WoW Woman in Sexual Health I Daphne Chen, co-founder and co-CEO of TBD Health

Daphne Chen is a co-founder and co-CEO of TBD Health where she and Stephanie Estey are creating the first dedicated sexual healthcare platform for women and vagina-owners, starting with STI/STD testing. With years of experience in product leadership at Amazon/Alexa, Daphne brings her human-centered approach to building the complex and highly stigmatized world of sexual wellness. To date, TBD has launched at-home STI testing in 6 states and opened its first in-person Care Hub, located in Las Vegas. Daphne’s passion for empowering women was first fostered during her Fulbright Fellowship in which she researched gender-based violence and economic inequality. Daphne holds an MBA from Wharton and a BA from Princeton. 

TBD Health is a dedicated sexual healthcare platform that offers supportive, sex-positive care both online and in-person. With its at-home STI testing kit subscriptions, routine testing makes screening an easy moment of self-care. TBD supports great, healthy sex for your whole lifetime. Visit TBD to learn more.

Daphne, how did you get into this industry? Has it been an easy industry to get into or have you had many challenges?

My personal challenges navigating the traditional healthcare system in my twenties were the catalyst that motivated me to start TBD. I know firsthand how anxiety-ridden it can be searching for a provider you can trust with the intimate details of your sex life. Building in this space has had its fair share of challenges—despite how universal it is and despite major strides in sex-positivity in mainstream media, sex is still hard to talk about openly at all levels of society and culture. This has never been truer than with the discussions around the Supreme Court leak and Roe v. Wade that have surfaced in the last few weeks. TBD has made an unwavering commitment to supporting sexual autonomy and will do so no matter what.

How long did it take you to be where you are now? What was the biggest obstacle? 

TBD Health was conceived pre-pandemic—the challenge of stigma and declining access to sexual health resources and care has been an issue long before Covid became our reality. Obviously, Covid has had an undeniable impact—from managing a fully remote team to adjust to a rapidly shifting regulatory landscape, but the biggest challenge has been confronting the stigma that still surrounds sex, even in a healthcare context. When it came to fundraising, it was very revealing when some investors became squeamish at frank discussions about STIs and vaginal health; when it comes to advertising online, we confront issues around censorship related to sexual healthcare (especially so when it comes to women’s health). These challenges motivate us to work even harder to break down barriers that prevent people from seeking the care that they need. 

What are the challenges of being in the industry you are in? 

Healthcare is a heavily regulated space with complex requirements when it comes to providing high-quality clinical care at scale.  

What are your biggest achievements to date?

One of the things we’re most proud of is the fact that we have a high repeat visit rate and an NPS of 95. We set out to offer care that is warm and affirming, and we’re seeing patients come back to us over and over again and request new services. The feedback they’re giving us lets us know we’re on the right track.

What are the projects you are currently working on?

We’re currently working on some exciting improvements to our platform, including new features that make it even easier to create a personalized sexual health routine and connect with your clinical team. We’re also working on expanding to new states. Stay tuned!

Is the #WomenInTech movement important to you and if yes, why? 

More women building in tech means that women will be better represented in our tech. And, having a community of women founders, builders, and advisors/ mentors to talk shop with, learn from, and lean on has been absolutely critical to not only the success of TBD but to our personal well-being. 

What will be the key trends in your industry in the next five years and where do you see them heading?

Over the past few years, we’ve been seeing some very exciting momentum with an investment in digital health companies with a large horizontal focus— telemedicine and primary care platforms, for instance. Now, we are starting to see more tailored, vertical offerings that are increasingly focused on a condition or a population (think mental health, chronic pain, Medicaid). We’ll see more of these over the next 5 years; patients will “shop” for their healthcare and will decide based on the quality of service and brand values. We’re already seeing signs of this with Gen Z—over 45% of them do not have a PCP and instead seek out preventative care. As this behavioral shift occurs, we’ll see less adherence to traditional “one checkup a year” and more reliance on convenient digitally native services ad hoc.  

What is the most important piece of advice you could give to anyone who wants to start a career in this industry?

This advice applies to any industry—you have to know what motivates you in order to find enduring satisfaction in your career. Have that frank conversation with yourself, your friends and family, and your therapist. 

Who are three inspirational women in your respective industry you admire?

My co-founder Stephanie inspires me every day. She sees the possibilities and doesn’t let the obstacles get in her way. 

Ina Park is an advisor to TBD and a professor at UCSF, actively practicing clinician, consultant for the CDC, and author of the definitive book about stigma and STIs, Strange Bedfellows. She has an incredible advocate for sex positivity and empathy in healthcare.

Shan Boody. While she isn’t exactly working in health tech, Shan is an incredibly thoughtful intimacy educator and influencer who is making it easier (and more fun) for people to learn about sex and sexuality. 

Find out more about TBD Health on their website. 

Follow TBD Health on LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. 

Connect with Daphne on LinkedIn. 

This interview was conducted by Anja Streicher, Chief Marketing Officer at Women of Wearables. Anja is passionate about improving women’s health and wellness and supporting women in business, education, and children’s literature.