Situation Analysis
Stroke is a leading cause of death and long-term disability, affecting millions worldwide. Unfortunately, women are disproportionately affected by stroke, with one in five expected to experience a stroke in their lifetime. At the same time, women face unique challenges in stroke recovery, including higher rates of depression, anxiety, and low self-confidence. The psychological impact of stroke often manifests as profound feelings of loneliness and isolation, further complicating the recovery process.
The aftermath of a stroke is an isolating experience for many survivors, particularly women. The sudden shift in physical and cognitive abilities, coupled with the loss of previous social and professional roles, can lead to a sense of loneliness, disconnectedness, and diminished self-confidence. Traditional support systems often fall short in addressing the emotional and psychological needs of female stroke survivors, leaving a significant gap in stroke recovery care.
Women often derive strength from relationships and social connections. Community support can significantly impact their emotional well-being. Women, especially those who are older or living alone, may experience higher levels of social isolation and loneliness after a stroke. Community support can help mitigate these feelings by providing social interaction and a sense of belonging.
Stroke Sisters is uniquely positioned to address the critical issue of loneliness and isolation among female stroke survivors. By leveraging our team’s expertise and personal experiences, we will create a comprehensive support system that not only aids in physical recovery, but also fosters emotional and psychological well-being. Our commitment to community-building and personalized care sets us apart in a market that urgently needs better recovery solutions.
The Stroke Sisters app is poised to become a transformative tool for female stroke survivors, addressing the profound impact of stroke on women's self-confidence and fostering a supportive environment for holistic recovery.
Business Mission
Stroke Sisters will be the foremost recovery resource for female stroke survivors worldwide, ensuring their emotional recovery is prioritized alongside their physical recovery.
Product
Stroke Sisters is more than just an app or online community. It's a lifeline—a mobile-first recovery companion offering a supportive sisterhood and tools, resources, and community support to find a path back to a fulfilling post-stroke life.
The Stroke Sisters app provides users with what they need to navigate their recovery journey with confidence and optimism. It's a comprehensive digital platform for female stroke survivors and their caregivers. One of the app's key components is its supportive community, where users can easily:
1) connect with others who understand their experiences.
2) share their journey for mutual encouragement and support.
3) tap into a global sisterhood when loneliness creeps in or the user needs extra support and motivation.
In addition to the community aspect, the app will offer a wide range of vetted educational resources tailored to stroke recovery. These resources will include articles, videos, and expert advice to provide users with reliable information and practical tips to help them navigate their recovery journey more effectively.The app will also include tools to help users track their progress in various recovery areas, such as cognitive challenges and emotional well-being. Users can stay motivated and see tangible improvements over time by monitoring their progress. The app will provide daily motivational posts, confidence-building exercises, and tips for managing stress and anxiety to further support users' mental health. Caregivers will also have access to dedicated resources and support to help them better understand and support their loved ones during their recovery process.
Management Team
All members of our management team are distinguished leaders in their respective fields, driven by a deep personal commitment to stroke awareness and recovery.
Angie Read, Founder and CEO
Angie Read (Doyal) is a passionate advocate for stroke recovery. She’s a respected author of four books about living with post-stroke anxiety and depression. As a certified master life coach, Angie empowers female stroke survivors to rediscover their self-confidence and resilience. Angie has 30 years of experience as a public relations, marketing, and communications leader, managing large projects, product launches, and multi-million dollar budgets.
Doug Jackson, Co-founder and COO
Doug has more than 30 years of experience as an entrepreneur providing Architecture Based Analysis (ABA) solutions. He has worked with global corporations, federal departments, defense agencies, and state organizations to help them achieve their strategic goals. His firm, 2md LLC, provides enterprise architecture and business analysis support, specifically in supply chain management, compliance support, and delivering strategic objectives.
Marcie Jones, Co-founder and CTO
With more than 25 years of experience as a Senior-Level Software Engineer, Marcie specializes in object-oriented design and development, enterprise databases, and technical leadership. Her expertise extends to using diverse tools and software technologies to create effective solutions. Marcie has worked in the healthcare, government, and insurance sectors, bringing a wealth of industry knowledge to her role as CTO.
II. BUSINESS SUMMARY
Industry Overview
As of 2024, the health tech industry is valued at approximately $150 billion in annual revenue globally. In the United States alone, the sector is in the range of $80 to $90 billion per year. This includes various segments such as digital health, health IT, medical devices, and telemedicine. The industry continues to grow rapidly due to advancements in technology and increasing demand for innovative health solutions.
Research shows that consumers in this industry focus on the following factors when making purchasing decisions:
• Effectiveness: How well the product or service addresses their health needs or goals.
• Ease of Use: The simplicity and user-friendliness of the technology.
• Cost: The price of the product or service relative to its benefits and their budget.
• Privacy and Security: How well technology protects their personal health data.
• Quality and Reliability: The overall quality, durability, and reliability of the product or service.
• Reviews and Recommendations: Feedback from other users and expert reviews that provide insight into the product’s performance and satisfaction.
• Integration: How well the technology integrates with other health tools or platforms they use.
• Customer Support: Availability of support and assistance for troubleshooting or using the technology.
Business Goals and Objectives
Short Term:
• Secure $500,000 in seed funding to build, launch, and market Stoke Sisters
• Launch the MVP by January 2025
• Acquire 20,000 freemium users by Dec 2025, converting at least 5% to premium (paid) users.
• Generate revenue of $115,684 by Dec. 2025
Long Term:
• Achieve profitability by year 3
• 60%+ profit margins by year 5
• Become the premier recovery resource for female stroke survivors, prompting hospitals and rehab facilities to ensure their female patients have access to this important tool.
Pricing Strategy
Keeping in mind our competition's pricing and the costs of customer acquisition, we have decided on the following pricing strategy:
Freemium Model:
• Free Version:
o Community Access: Join a supportive global community and engage in targeted chats.
o Educational Resources: Access articles, videos, and expert tips on stroke recovery, mental health, and confidence-building.
• Premium Subscription:Monthly Fee: $9.99 per month
o Dynamic Resources: Virtual coaching and personalized recovery plans.
o Advanced Tracking: Tools for tracking medication, progress, and goals.
o Exclusive Content: Daily motivational posts and specialized mental health support.
Competition
Existing solutions primarily focus on physical rehabilitation, overlooking the crucial aspect of mental and emotional recovery. The Stroke Sisters app distinguishes itself by offering a holistic approach that combines personalized coaching, peer support, and educational resources specifically designed to rebuild confidence and resilience.
Indirect competitors
• Local stroke support groups
• Facebook stroke groups (both public and private)
• Peer-to-peer discussion forums
• Disparate apps that help with rehab, memory, and cognition
• Apps that help manage/improve mental health
All require the survivor to spend time researching and wading through myriad resources. There’s no single source of truth, or “easy button.” Stroke survivors and caregivers are usually scared, confused, and struggling with their new reality. It's time to make it easy for them to find the resources and help they need.
Our two main direct competitors are:
• Empowered Neuro:
o Community focused
o Access to neuro-specialists (we’re in discussions to share this capability)
o Not stroke-focused (addresses all neuro injuries)
o Free + monthly subscription ($17/month)
o Not female-focused
o Not accessible via a mobile app (yet)
• The American Heart and Stroke Association's Heart and Stroke Helper:
o Community (not built out or easy to find)
o Stroke is secondary to heart
o Tracks symptoms and habits (focused on the physical)
o Trusted info
o Free
o Not female-focused
We’ll link to many of AHA’s trusted materials and resources through Stroke Sisters.
Competitive Advantages of Stroke Sisters
Holistic Approach:
• Unlike most competitors, Stroke Sisters offers a holistic approach to stroke recovery, addressing both physical and emotional needs. Our platform provides resources for mental health, community support, and confidence-building, which are often overlooked by other recovery tools.
Female-Centric Support:
• Stroke Sisters meets the specific needs of female stroke survivors. We understand the gender-specific challenges women face and offer targeted resources and community support to help them overcome these obstacles.
Community and Emotional Support:
• Our platform emphasizes the importance of community and emotional recovery. By fostering a supportive network of fellow survivors and offering resources for emotional well-being, we address the critical aspect of recovery that many competitors neglect.
Personalized Resources:
• Stroke Sisters provides personalized recovery plans and tools tailored to individual needs. This customization ensures that each user receives the most relevant and effective support for their recovery journey.
Jobs for stroke survivors:
• Stroke Sisters will seek to hire female stroke survivors as community moderators and content curators, as well as technical and organizational support. Stroke survivors often have difficulty finding employment, and when they lack self-confidence, they doubt their abilities. We will provide development opportunities for our staff, ensuring their emotional needs are being met.
III. MARKETING SUMMARY
Target Market
The target market for the Stroke Sisters app consists of English-speaking female stroke survivors aged 18-69 who have access to the internet and smartphones. These individuals are seeking support, education, and resources to aid in their recovery journey, and are most likely to want to return to their careers or continue to make a living. They may have experienced a loss of confidence and struggle with feelings of isolation and loneliness post-stroke. They are motivated to regain their sense-of-self and independence and are actively seeking tools and strategies to improve their physical, cognitive, and emotional well-being. They value connection with others who understand their experiences and seek a community that can provide empathy, encouragement, and inspiration. They are open to learning and trying new approaches to enhance their recovery and overall quality of life. The estimated annual global target market for the Stroke Sisters app among English-speaking female stroke survivors aged 18-69 with internet access and smartphones, including both new and existing stroke survivors, is approximately 5.07 million.
· TAM (Total Addressable Market) 101 Million people living with aftermath of stroke
· SAM (Serviceable Addressable Market) 5 Million English-speaking female stroke survivors, aged 18-69 with smartphones
· SOM (Serviceable Obtainable Market) 1 Million, 20% of SAM
Distribution Strategy
We have a multi-channel distribution model:
App Stores: Google Play Store: For Android users. Apple App Store: For iOS users.
Website: A dedicated website for Stroke Sisters with download links for both Android and iOS versions. Includes a blog, testimonials, and resources to attract organic traffic and provide value to potential users.
Social Media: We will leverage platforms like Facebook, Instagram, X, and LinkedIn to share updates, success stories, and engaging content related to stroke recovery.
Targeted digital ads will reach potential users through these platforms.
Partnerships:We will collaborate with healthcare providers, stroke recovery organizations, and therapists to recommend the app to their patients.
Email Marketing:We will build an email list through our website and social media channels, and send regular newsletters with updates, resources, and motivational content.
Online Communities:We’ll engage in online forums, support groups, and communities dedicated to stroke survivors to share information about the app.
Events and Webinars:We will host virtual events, webinars, and live Q&A sessions to demonstrate the app’s features and benefits. We’ll also participate in health and wellness conferences or events focused on stroke recovery.
Traditional Media: We will issue press releases to announce the app’s launch and major updates. We’ll seek earned media coverage in health magazines, newspapers, podcasts, and relevant blogs.
Word of Mouth: We’ll encourage satisfied users to share the app with their networks and implement a referral program to incentivize users to invite others.
By combining these strategies, Stroke Sisters will effectively reach and support female stroke survivors and caregivers, ensuring they have access to the app and its valuable resources.
Promotional Strategy
To acquire and maintain customers for the Stroke Sisters app, we will implement a comprehensive sales and marketing strategy that focuses on the following key areas:
• Digital Marketing: We'll leverage social media platforms, such as Facebook, Instagram, X, LinkedIn and YouTube, to reach our target audience. We'll both curate and create engaging content, including inspirational stories, tips for recovery, and educational resources to attract and retain users. We'll use targeted advertising to reach English-speaking female stroke survivors aged 18-69.
• Content Marketing: A blog on the Stroke Sisters platform will feature original and curated/vetted articles, videos, and infographics related to stroke recovery, mental health, and confidence-building. We'll share this content on social media and through email newsletters to provide value to our audience and establish ourselves as a trusted resource.
• Search Engine Optimization (SEO): We'll optimize our website and blog content for relevant keywords related to stroke recovery and female empowerment, improving our visibility in search engine results and attracting organic traffic to our site.
• Influencer and Foundational Partnerships: We'll collaborate with individuals with a passion for stroke education and awareness, along with stroke/health influencers and organizations in stroke recovery and women's health to reach a wider audience. Partnering with individuals and institutions with a strong presence in our target market will help us gain credibility and reach new customers.
• Email Marketing: We'll leverage email marketing to engage with our audience and provide them with valuable content, updates, and resources. This will include personalized emails to address the specific needs and interests of our subscribers.
• Community Building: We'll foster community among our users through the Stroke Sisters app and social media channels, encouraging and incentivizing them to share their stories, connect, and provide support and encouragement.
• Customer Retention: To retain customers, we'll offer exclusive content, rewards, and discounts for loyal users. We'll regularly engage with our audience through social media, email, and in-app notifications to keep them informed and involved. We’ll also offer privacy and security methods outside of social media to confidently discuss sensitive topics with trusted members in the community. This trust will keep them involved as paying members.
• Feedback and Improvement: We'll continuously gather feedback from our customers to understand their needs and preferences. We'll use this feedback to improve our app, content, and services to better serve our target market.
We're happy to share financial projections with interested investors upon request.
Thank you for your consideration.