Patty Post graduated with a B.A. in Communication Studies and Broadcast Journalism from the University of Minnesota. As a parent and patient, she founded Checkable to provide families with innovative at-home testing kits, saving time and reducing healthcare costs. Inspired by her own struggles with her children’s recurrent strep throat, Patty created Checkable in 2019. The platform offers quick and accurate results, easy-to-use tests, and a mobile app connecting users to telemedicine and prescription providers. As a former medical device executive and CEO, Patty is passionate about empowering individuals to take charge of their health. She resides in North Dakota and cherishes spending time with her family.
1. Tell us about your business (what product or service do you provide and who is your target audience).
At the forefront of home healthcare, Checkable is revolutionizing the healthcare industry by bringing fast and accurate at-home test kits and telehealth services to the home. Checkable is developing the first at-home strep throat platform, currently undergoing studies for FDA clearance. In addition, Checkable has released a line of women’s and maternal at-home health diagnostics, including a UTI test, a Vaginal pH test, a Breastmilk strip for nutritional value, and a breastmilk strip for alcohol content. All diagnostics can pair with a proprietary digital telehealth app that seamlessly connects patients with healthcare professionals. These easy-to-administer home testing kits allow individuals to get the treatment they need when they need it, with fast and accurate results from the comforts of home.
Checkable also provides an array of health and wellness content, including podcasts and blogs from experts and doctors, to help keep consumers informed about different aspects of their health. Based in Fargo, N.D., the Checkable Medical team consists of business leaders, scientists, regulators, and clinical experts committed to reshaping healthcare. All test kits are either over-the-counter approved or undergoing clinical studies for FDA clearance.
2. Please tell us what being a business owner means to you and why you became an entrepreneur in the first place.
Being an entrepreneur is freedom, creativity, leadership, capitalism, and innovation all rolled into one! Being an entrepreneur is my mission; I’m making the world a better place, and I’m employing people giving them an awesome place to work. The goal is to make their lives better through employment and opportunities. I’ve been an entrepreneur since my 20s; even when I had a corporate job, I always had some sort of side business. I didn’t realize it then, but I realize now it was because working on my own exciting innovation drove me; it wasn’t work; it was fun, and it was all that I’d think about. Not great for my employer, but I did a good job of juggling it.
3. What or who has been your greatest influence in business and why?
My husband, Dad, brother Joel, and Mom have all been the greatest influencers in various ways. My husband is my rock, my supporter, and my protector. I wouldn’t be where I am without him. My Dad taught me to work hard, to go after things even if I wasn’t prepared for them, and taught me that being a well-disciplined person with high integrity wouldn’t get me far in life. My brother Joel taught me that medical device innovation is the coolest and most challenging industry to work in, with loads of opportunities to make an impact. My Mom is a creative free spirit firecracker. She can knit you a sweater, quilt you a gorgeous, intricate quilt or paint you a beautiful sunset using oil paints. She taught me to be creative, make something out of nothing, not take shit from anyone and live to the beat of my own drummer.
4. What would you say is your greatest professional accomplishment to date?
My biggest accomplishment is raising the money to fund the teams that executed the first of its clinical trial for our at-home strep test and the development of the mobile app and telemedicine platform. No one has done what these teams have done, and it’s going to change healthcare. Moving to North Dakota to access non-dilutive funding, raising money from investors with my plan, and seeing it through is tremendously satisfying.
5. What’s the best advice you have received in business that you wish to pass on to our readers?
Get used to getting rejected. It sounds cold, but it’s true. You’re going to get rejected a lot as an entrepreneur and founder, but you can’t let it slow you down.
6. What is your relationship with social media?
It’s touch and go. I’ve deleted social media from my phone. Every time I wanted to escape, I went to social media to scroll. So I rely on our social media partner; they do way better than me just posting about my life anyhow.
7. What have been the most effective marketing initiatives or programs you have used to promote your business?
We’re very early in our commercialization, and awareness is our objective. Content and building trust is key. We have focused on creating content relevant to our target market and, more importantly, content that creates value and is written by credible sources. We consider Amazon as a marketing tool; we’ve put a lot of effort into gaining traction through ad placement and A+ content on Amazon. Lastly, my favorite way to market is by wearing Checkable branded merch. I had custom jean jackets made for all of the ladies, hoodies, golf shirts, and t-shirts; we’ve thought of everything, and we give it away, and we have to wear it when we travel. It’s the best way to get people talking about our brand, and we control the narrative.
8. What one thing have you learned as a small business owner that has served you well over the years?
You need to be a badass. You’ll get beat up. Told to your face that you’re either not worth what you think you are, your idea is horrible, or both. You’ll have to work your ass off and learn every facet of the business enough to know how to do it until a point when you can hire it out AND know enough to know if that person is performing and, if not, be ruthless enough to fire them immediately.
9. How has your routine changed since covid?
It hasn’t.
10. What productivity tools do you use?
I choose to incorporate habits in my life that help me accomplish my goals. I use my notes app the most, it sounds boring, but it’s so quick to write notes and keep things top of mind.
11. Are there any other resources/tools that have helped you run your business?
Google Suite all day long. Google Drive to Gmail to Slides; I use it all and wouldn’t be nearly as put together if I didn’t use the entire platform.
12. Do you have any new projects coming up (or have you just completed a big project ~ reached a milestone, etc.)? If so, please tell us about it.
I’m pumped about the launch this summer of our at-home diagnostics, app, and telemedicine offering this summer. Two breast milk strips can tell you the amount of alcohol in your breast milk and its nutritional value paired with a supplement. Two diagnostics in women’s health too, a UTI test paired with our UTI prevention supplement and a vaginal pH test. All of these tests are supported with our app, which has content, videos, podcasts, and the ability to track symptoms and see a doctor for a consultation and treatment plan if needed. It’s our first step into changing how healthcare is delivered.
13. How do you prepare for the next day?
I go to bed early, but I have a routine down. Get my jammies on, look at my schedule for the next day, lay out my workout clothes for the next morning, take my Checkable supplements and progesterone, wash my face, do a lesson of DuoLingo, read ten pages, pray, then sleep.
14. What is the number one meeting you never miss (and why)?
I never miss a meeting with my VP of Product, Ashish. We have so many ideas to talk about and work together really well.
15. What do you do for fun/relaxation?
I love making dinner with my family, nothing beats a good weekend at the lake, and I love bowling and going to the mall with my daughter in the winter.
16. What is the Number One Business Goal you plan to accomplish over the next year?
OTC clearance of the at-home strep test is my biggest goal, then launching into a national retailer.
17. What is the number one book you recommend to our readers? And why?
That’s a hard question; I read a lot! I love the books Beyond Entrepreneurship by Jim Collins and Crush It by Gary Vaynerchuk. I read them once a year and keep them with me. Venture Deals, Brad Feld, and Jason Mendelson were instrumental in developing my fundraising knowledge.
18. What’s the best way for the readers to connect with you (feel free to include the links to your social networks and websites)?
Checkable can be found on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, TikTok, and Youtube.
