Get to know: HUED

What inspired you to found HUED?

In 2016, I was diagnosed with uterine fibroids, which is extremely common for women but disproportionately impacts black women in particular. I had over 30 of them and over a period of 6 months I was in and out of hospital or doctors offices for severe pain.

I visited four physicians during this time - all white males. Two outright dismissed my pain and concerns and the other two said that the only way to relieve the pain was through a hysterectomy. I was 30 years old and to be told something of that magnitude without alternatives was traumatizing for me.

That is when my mom advised me to get another opinion, this time from a Black physician. I lived in New York City and the time and the closest referral for a Black doctor I could find was in Baltimore. I had to travel over 200 miles for culturally-competent care and it was a complete 180 - I felt seen and heard, I was provided with education and literature about what I was going through, and I received a recommendation for an alternative procedure. In December of 2018, I got an abdominal myomectomy to remove the fibroids and my uterus remained intact.

During this, I began talking to more people who had all had at least one similar experience as a person of color navigating the healthcare system. Black and Latino populations are 40% more likely to experience poor health outcomes. Factoring in socioeconomic factors, many people aren’t able to do the same due diligence that I could as a lawyer. Even Serena Williams was talking about being a black woman and nearly dying during childbirth because doctors ignored her pain.

I knew there was something better out there.

Nitin with the University of Miami Herbert Business School Assistant Dean of Programs in 2006 - Nitin was the first student from Nepal to enroll at the university

What do you hope to get out of Lighthouse and acceleration?

Previous accelerators and Lighthouse Labs have been tremendous for me because I am a first time founder - I didn’t come from tech and I don’t have a roadmap. Being with other founders and entrepreneurs who are all building solutions from the ground up is really powerful. We’re often so focused on networking up but real power comes from being surrounded by community and peers who have the same dream of impact - you have to look at your peers not just the CEOs who have already made it.

Often accelerators are an opportunity to gain traction benchmarks for venture capital - a way to make connections with industry stakeholders and people within tech who can really advance our startups. I didn’t have an opportunity to do a friends and family round, I don’t have people in my network to give thousands of dollars to my startup. Accelerators are important for those who don’t have that network and accelerators for Black founders are especially important - we receive less than 1% of VC funding. And only about .002% of all VC dollars go to startups led by Black women.

“We’re often so focused on networking up but real power comes from being surrounded by community and peers who have the same dream of impact.”

— KIMBERLY WILSON, FOUNDER

What are the most exciting moments of your entrepreneurial journey thus far?

We have been fortunate to have several corporations and other partners who have wanted to work with us from H&R Block to the City of Boston to our current work with Vaseline. Each of those projects is exciting and encouraging to see outside interest.

But the best is always the response and feedback we have gotten from patients. You think it will solve a need but then you get an email from a patient who is so thankful - it is really enough to touch one person through HUED!

Kimberly in Cape Town, South Africa - she’s traveled to more than 40 countries

What have been the most challenging moments of your entrepreneurial journey thus far?

Every day as a founder, and a Black woman founder on top of that, is a challenge.

Being a founder means having to temper your expectations at every moment. You get really excited about things but then it is a lot of “No’s”. You have to be resilient, not be discuouraged, and keep moving forward.

Sometimes the issue isn’t finding the right fit but the right timing, and being a founder means removing ego from everything you do.

I work on not letting those “no’s” deter me from continuing to do the work.

What founders do you admire?

A friend and mentor of mine is Sevetri Wilson, founder of Resilia. Sevetri was the first Black woman in New Orleans to raise over $1M in venture funding. Less than 100 other Black women have done that so far and it is inspiring to see how resilient she is while overcoming those odds.

Also Melissa Butler, founder of The Lip Bar, whose products are now sold in target.

And Toyin Ajayi of Cityblock Health. They are focused on marginalized populations and are also in the healthcare space - they are a unicorn company which is always inspiring to see.

What is your big vision for HUED?

HUED being the gold standard when you think about health equity and how to provide equitable health solutions for marginalized populations.

We are trying to create behavioral changes on both the patient and physician side. Through our certification and curriculum we’ve developed for physicians, everything we do is built to solve the need for patients.

Ultimately, we are working to ensure that patients are their own self-advocates and are equipped with the tools and resources they need to get the healthcare they deserve.

How can someone support HUED?

If you are a culturally-competent healthcare provider or are a patient looking for culturally-competent care - check out huedco.com!

“Ultimately, we are working to ensure that patients are their own self-advocates and are equipped with the tools and resources they need to get the healthcare they deserve.”

— Kimberly Wilson, Founder