For March, Women’s History Month, Industrious’ featured Member of the Moment is Gabbi, Inc. — a digital health solution designed to accurately and inclusively predict risk of breast cancer, empowering women to take action early with personalized action plans and community support.
We asked Caitlin Christine, CEO & Founder of Gabbi, Inc. and Industrious Portland member, to tell us more about why she founded the company, how Industrious informs her work, and what’s on the horizon.
What is the mission of Gabbi, Inc.? And why is that mission so important?
Gabbi’s mission is to decrease delayed diagnosis starting with breast cancer – we’re leading to be the detection company where stages 3-4 are turned to 1-2.
What inspired you to found the company? What problems are you trying to solve?
I lost my mom to a delayed diagnosis of breast cancer. Shortly after, I found my own breast lumps in my early 20s. I had to fight to get a physician to take me seriously. It took almost a year and a half for me to get an answer. I was ignored, told I was too young. It wasn’t until I took matters into my own hands, and in surgery was diagnosed with breast cancer at 24. I went into healthcare and seeing other women every day that made me realize my mom and I were actually not that unique. Women every day are experiencing a delay in diagnosis. I want to solve that. — Excerpted from StartUp Health
What do you love about what you do?
I get to solve something that I’m passionate about everyday. But more importantly, I’m having conversations with various people about how breast cancer has affected their lives and am reminded of how needed the work we’re doing is.
How does your Industrious workplace inform your work?
Industrious provides a reliable space to work out of, for me and the rest of the team. We have a hybrid workforce and we travel so we can have that no matter where we are. We love that everything is included in the price. High touch community managers make it so we don’t have to worry.
At Industrious, we’re all about great days at work; what makes a great day in your book?
I am able to exercise in the morning before I head in, I am able to read before I start work and have quiet time to myself. A good cup of tea, exciting meetings and opportunities to collaborate. It’s even better if they’re held with me in the office and, of course, paired with a local food item provided by the Industrious site.
What’s next for Gabbi, Inc.? Any upcoming initiatives or projects you’d like to share?
User testing will be launching our MVP. We’re eager to have more women who would like to be early users.