CEO of Elektra Health Alessandra Henderson on her 6 Key Lessons Learned While Building Elektra
July 26, 2024
Alessandra Henderson is the Co-Founder & Board member of Elektra Health, a next-gen women's healthcare platform on a mission to smash the menopause taboo.

Elektra partners with top health plans including Massachusetts General Brigham Health Plan and Emblem Health to empower the 50M women navigating menopause in the US with evidence-based telemedicine care, education & community. Prior to Elektra, Alessandra spent 10+ years building early stage consumer businesses at Artsy, the MIT NYC Startup Studio, and Human Ventures. She holds a B.A. from Vanderbilt University and MBA from MIT Sloan, where she received the Martin Trust Award and Patrick McGovern Entrepreneurship Award. Her work has been covered by The NY Times, Fast Company, Techcrunch, Fortune and more.

“There is a very wide gap between what should exist in the ecosystem and what the legacy players are willing to purchase or adopt.”​

"There is a very wide gap between what should exist in the ecosystem and what the legacy players are willing to purchase or adopt,” Alessandra Henderson, CEO of Elektra Health said. Her company had to be creative in its approach, often facing slow adoption of innovative solutions by traditional healthcare systems focused on fee-for-service care delivery. Nevertheless, the company persisted, becoming the first menopause company to partner with a US health plan, MassGeneral Brigham Health Plan​. Here's her tips for succeeding in this complex industry.

  • Mission-Driven Approach: Prioritize the mission to create a significant impact in women's health.
  • Adaptability: Be prepared to pivot and adapt based on user feedback and evolving market needs.
  • Understanding Slow System Changes: Recognize that traditional healthcare systems change slowly, requiring patience and persistence.
  • Creative Solutions: Develop innovative and creative approaches to bridge the care gaps in women’s health.
  • Long-Term Commitment: Be ready for a long-term commitment to address systemic issues and achieve lasting progress in the field.

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