For the entrepreneurs who have turned their own personal struggles or challenges into a force-for-good, leading the way for industry change and innovation.
Startups 100: Exceptional FounderFounders: Candice Hampson and Christine Beardsell
Founded: 2020
Website: kitelinehealth.com
One third of today’s UK workforce (around 15 million people) is currently living with a long-term health condition.
For these people, managing both work and their illness is a difficult balancing act – and one with real health risks. Research now suggests that increased anxiety can make conditions such as cancer spread faster.
Buckinghampshire-based Kiteline Health was set up by founder, Candice Hampson, following her own personal battle with breast cancer. Doctors told her to make certain lifestyle alterations as part of her treatment. But she struggled to stay motivated without a platform that could coach her through the switch.
One third of today’s UK workforce (around 15 million people) is currently living with a long-term health condition.
Unable to find a solution, Hampson decided to design one herself. Through the app, employers can better support the wellbeing of their most vulnerable staff, by accessing training for line managers and distributing expert information from a professional health coach.
And forget spending hours trawling through an online medical dictionary, filled with confusing jargon and esoteric pharmaceutical terms. Kiteline has created bite-sized content to keep learners engaged with practical tools and techniques in workbooks that can be applied straight away.
Presently, Kiteline is working with John Lewis to coach 800 of their managers as part of a pilot scheme. From a client perspective, the incentive is dual; by helping employees to live longer, healthier, less painful lives, they can also reduce a sickness absence rate which is four times greater for those living with a chronic condition than those without.
But Hampson and co-founder, Christine Beardsall also envisage Kiteline as being a preventative solution in the future.
“There is a unique opportunity to use tech-driven techniques like gamification and rewards to reach people earlier,” insists Hampson, “and prevent long-term conditions from occurring.”
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