Devika Wood is an award winning healthtech leader with 13 years of experience in the healthcare sector, spanning startups to multinationals.

Specializing in digital health, she achieved a successful exit as Founder/CEO in 2019 and was honored as a Forbes 30 under 30 in Healthcare and Science. She has been recognized as a thought leader and health tech pioneer, winning Entrepreneur of the year from King's College London. Devika's passion for digital health and disruption in the care industry stemmed from her 12 years as a young carer, leading her to launch Vida, resulting in numerous accolades including recognition from the United Nations #sheinnovates campaign. She has been featured in Glamour, Cosmopolitan, the FT, Business Insider, and on the cover of Courier magazine.

In 2022, Devika launched I am Arla, a women's mental health platform driven by a desire to improve access to mental health support and reduce the stigma around the topic of gender based violence. She has now made it her mission is to make women's mental health a priority and the platform allows women to find experts; therapists and coaches specialising in women’s mental health to match you, wherever you are on your journey. What you'll learn in this episode: - The challenges and beauty of moving from one business venture to another based on personal experiences - How technology can change lives by reducing barriers to accessing healthcare - Channeling pain and trauma into a positive force for helping others - How domestic abuse impacts various aspects of women's lives and the journey to recovery and empowerment after trauma - Helping women step into their power and break cycles of abuse - Transforming personal pain into a positive, impactful mission - The importance of self-advocacy and making genuine choices in your journey - Understanding that it's okay not to be okay and embracing vulnerability - Recognizing the strength and power in your personal story
Learn more about Devika and I Am Arla: https://www.iamarla.com/ https://www.instagram.com/_iamarla/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/devikawood/ More from This Independent Life Follow TIL on Instagram ⁠@thisindependentlife⁠ Follow Rebekah Lloyd on ⁠LinkedIn⁠ Get in touch at rebekah@thisindependentlife.co and ⁠www.thisindependentlife.co⁠ Thank you for listening to this episode of This Independent Life. If you liked this episode and want to help spread the word, please rate, review, and share with your community. We love seeing you share the love so feel free to tag us using @thisindependentlife! Rebekah Lloyd is a women’s health consultant, careers advisor, podcast host, and founder of This Independent Life. After experiencing burnout and chronic pain, a 10-year delayed endometriosis diagnosis, and the resulting career and financial challenges, she started This Independent Life to help advance the future of women’s health and careers. She provides consulting and advisory for healthcare startups, industry, universities and research, as well as charities and workplaces. She is a UN Women UK delegate and is dedicated to using business as a force for good, her clients including global organisations such as Omnicom, Astra Zeneca, Barclays, UNiDAYS, National Trust, Whistles, University of Cambridge and Imperial College London. She has been featured internationally, including The Guardian, Nasdaq and Stylist, and in 2023 was invited to advise the UK Parliament Women and Equalities Committee on women’s health as a result of her work that was broadcast globally via the BBC. Disclaimer: This Independent Life is not a certified health, career, or financial adviser. The content made available on This Independent Life is provided for information and educational purposes only and does not constitute advice. You are advised to consult with independent advisors for advise on your specific circumstances.