Katie’s Notebook: Feb 21, 2025

Written By Katie McMillan

Hello there,

I’m one day off schedule for sending this out due to being at the ViVE conference for the beginning of the week and then flying into a snowstorm in North Carolina that led to school closures. One of the biggest lessons I have to learn over and over again (and was the subject of a group text this week with other moms) is the need to give ourselves grace. One of the ingredients in my decision-making process to become a solopreneur was to have flexibility over my schedule — so instead of gritting my teeth when school is out unexpectedly I should take a moment of gratitude that no one is checking my time at my desk. But old habits die hard right? It’s all a process. I am extremely grateful for the community I have built around me that enables splitting time among houses for play dates and hiring a teenager to babysit for a few blissful hours. As Hillary Clinton said, it takes a village, y’all.

Let’s jump into this week’s five things:

  • Funding: My Normative Announces Next Generation Women’s Health Research Award Alongside Starter Product to Reduce Barriers for Researchers to Account for Sex and Gender. I am a huge fan of My Normative, and “through this award, My Normative commits to funding up to five projects per year for the next five years, in which researchers receive funding for a “Starter” technology implementation for prospective research across expertise and domain areas that impact women differently and disproportionately.” Researchers, take note!

  • Finished: I read The Rivals, the sequel to The Verifiers, last week. The books are about a small company in NYC that verifies that people on dating platforms are who they say they are for the dating population. (Aka, is this person too good to be true?) Along the way they learn some nefarious things about the fictional dating app companies and how they are using data. If you are interested in a dark humor take on corporate espionage with a cheeky 20-something Chinese lesbian narrator, these books are for you. The sequel dove into the concept of digital twins which I researched recently for their use in healthcare so it was fun to imagine the potential use cases in finding love.

  • Findings: ProPublica outed the state of Texas when they weren’t sharing the public health impacts of their near total abortion ban. It’s not a good look for the lone star state: the second trimester sepsis rate doubled which is a serious blood infection and can lead to death if it isn’t treated. This is happening because during a fetal demise or pregnancy complication, bodies don’t always expel the entire contents of the uterus and many women require a D&C procedure, which could also be categorized as an abortion. Texas only allows for an abortion under the threat of life and those parameters haven’t been defined by the state. (Poor policy writing.) Aiding physicians could be charged with 99 years of prison. The report also shows that the rate of maternal deaths in Texas rose 33% between 2019 and 2023 even as the national rate fell by 7.5%. So what have we learned? Doctors need the right to care for their patients in a way that follows clinical guidelines without fear of legal consequences in order to save women’s lives.

  • FemTech: FemTech Insider’s recent Op-Ed is a must read: The Women’s Health Goldrush: Sales Over Science? Kathrin speaks up about one of my long time concerns — the lack of evidence supporting new women’s health interventions. I appreciate her call to action for better research alongside product development, better funding models to support this research, and transparency about what product companies know and don’t know about efficacy.

  • Food: I’ve lost track of how many times I have made Marcella Hazan’s 4 ingredient tomato sauce. It punches above its weight in the satisfaction vs. simplicity ratio. The internet debates using 5 tablespoons of butter versus using a full stick — choose your own adventure. I find it works best with linguine. Easy dinner, coming right up! (Kid friendly too!)

What I’ve Been Writing

Fun Finds

I just got my kids this book: Democracy: A positive primer on people power. Discover what defines a democracy and why your voice matters. We read it over breakfast during one of the snow days and it sparked a great discussion around the history of democracy and the alternatives. The content is perfect for the 5-10 year old set. There was a section on independent media being a cornerstone of democracy and my daughter said, “You are an independent writer! You are a helper!” It may have brought a little tear to my eye.

I used this quick YouTube tutorial to make the most epic paper snowflakes.

In the last Katie’s Notebook issue I shared these new leggings. I’ve since washed them and they are still looking great. I stand by this recommendation and am wearing them with this cozy waffle neck top right now.

This is an overdue recommendation, but I love Dr. Sarah Glova’s 8&21 newsletter. It’s a short and sweet inbox pause that leads me to be more thoughtful about my career. Check it out!

That’s a wrap this week.

Be well,

Katie

Note: As a solopreneur I use affiliate links for some of the products I believe in as a means of diversifying my income. When you buy something I have linked to, I may receive a small commission from that company at no cost to you.

Katie McMillan
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