Episode notes
In this episode of the Woman Run Podcast, host Meredith Lowry sits down with Christine Scarlett and Lauren Weaver, co-founders of The Patient Whisperers and Upskillery based in Northwest Arkansas. The duo shares their origin story, which began when Lauren was Kristine’s patient at an ophthalmology practice, leading to a successful influencer marketing campaign and eventual business partnership. They discuss their transition from traditional healthcare consulting to creating a movement centered around emotional intelligence, soft skills, and human connection in patient care.
Kristine and Lauren break down their core methodology of keeping patients connected, informed, and safe, explaining how empathy and soft skills complement technical medical protocols to diffuse distress and build trust. They reflect on their experiences as female co-founders, navigating their friendship alongside business decisions, and their participation in local entrepreneurial networks like the VC Women Achieve program through The Venture Center.
The conversation highlights the launch and growth of Upskillery, an online learning platform designed to make soft-skills training engaging by utilizing bite-sized, social-media-style content. They dive into practical advice, including tips for making positive first impressions, applying the Q-TIP principle of quit taking it personally, and adapting human connection strategies to fast-paced environments like emergency rooms. Looking ahead, they outline their future plans to integrate AI tools for interactive roleplay scenarios, roll out a consumer direct-to-learner model, and expand their platform to featuring external healthcare thought leaders.