The pilot’s voice crackled over the intercom — something about cruising altitude, I think. Or maybe it was about velocity. Or temperature. To be honest, I wasn’t paying much attention. Not because I was anxious, but because I was excited. I was heading to Mexico on vacation. It was my first post-pandemic trip outside the U.S. I felt like a kid at the start of the summer holidays.

Tom Kahl, Chief Revenue Officer

I popped in my earbuds — a gesture that shouldn’t surprise anyone who knows me. I love music! When I’m feeling the beat, I’ll close my eyes, bob my head, and groove like nobody is watching. Except, well, someone was watching. And apparently speaking, too. It was the passenger to my left.

“Good to finally get away.” 

I pulled out an earbud, and after he repeated the question, I told him that “good” didn’t even begin to describe it. Even “great” might be an understatement. And as often happens on flights, two strangers started chatting. Since talking about sports these days can be more volatile than talking about politics or religion (especially for San Francisco 49ers fans), the conversation quickly shifted to where you’d expect: careers.  

“So, what kind of work do you do?” 

I said that I was the Chief Revenue Officer for Hello Heart, a fantastic, mission-driven company that helps save lives. 

I don’t know if it was the enthusiastic tone of my voice, but he wanted to know more. I wanted to make sure my response reflected how I sincerely feel about Hello Heart. How could I make my answer interesting, memorable, colorful, and fun? Of course, the answer was right before my eyes -- or actually, make that in my ears: music! I’d explain what makes Hello Heart amazing and why organizations LOVE what we do by using three legendary artists on my rather eclectic playlist: Aretha Franklin, The Beatles, and Daft Punk. 

And so, here is what I shared with my fellow traveler at a cruising altitude of about 36,000 feet:  

Aretha Franklin was, is, and always will be the undisputed Queen of Soul. All of her music focuses on the heart — whether we’re talking about Respect, Freeway of Love, Think, or any other timeless anthem. Well, at Hello Heart, just like Aretha we completely focus on the heart as well — so that we can help individuals manage and improve their heart health, and help employers control their number one cost factor - cardiac claims.  Most people don’t realize that nearly half of the US adult population has high blood pressure. This is why we focus intently on the heart.  

The Beatles tallied the most number one hits in the history of the Billboard Top 100. They also scored more number one albums than any other artist on the Billboard 200. Basically, there is success. And there is Beatles-level success.  At Hello Heart, we strive for the latter to deliver best-in-class results. Our user engagement levels are 3-4 times higher than industry averages, and we deliver clinical outcomes that are 2 times higher than other solutions.  We accomplish this by making our solution fun, easy-to-use and habit-forming (similar to the addictive nature of Facebook and TikTok). 

When we think of artists that used advanced technology to create something phenomenal and shape the future, one duo immediately comes to mind: Daft Punk. Some music experts say they are the most influential pop musicians of the 21st century. At Hello Heart, we are heavily invested in predictive science, and our solution uses AI and massive amounts of data to proactively warn users who are at an increased risk of heart attack and stroke.     

I could see that my new friend understood the essence of what makes Hello Heart amazing: focusing on the heart like Aretha Franklin, achieving the best results like the Beatles, and using advanced technology to create new and better possibilities like Daft Punk. 

Who says in-flight conversations have to be boring?

Hello Heart is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, and treatment. You should always consult with your doctor about your individual care.

1. Gazit T, Gutman M, Beatty AL. Assessment of Hypertension Control Among Adults Participating in a Mobile Technology Blood Pressure Self-management Program. JAMA Netw Open. 2021;4(10):e2127008, https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.27008. Accessed October 19, 2022. (Some study authors are employed by Hello Heart. Because of the observational nature of the study, causal conclusions cannot be made. See additional important study limitations in the publication. This study showed that 108 participants with baseline blood pressure over 140/90 who had been enrolled in the program for 3 years and had application activity during weeks 148-163 were able to reduce their blood pressure by 21 mmHg using the Hello Heart program.) (2) Livongo Health, Inc. Form S-1 Registration Statement. https:/www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1639225/000119312519185159/d731249ds1.htm. Published June 28, 2019. Accessed October 19, 2022. (In a pilot study that lasted six weeks, individuals starting with a blood pressure of greater than 140/90 mmHg, on average, had a 10 mmHG reduction.) NOTE: This comparison is not based on a head-to-head study, and the difference in results may be due in part to different study protocols.
2. Validation Institute. 2021 Validation Report (Valid Through October 2022). https://validationinstitute.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Hello_Heart-Savings-2021- Final.pdf. Published October 2021. Accessed October 19, 2022. (This analysis was commissioned by Hello Heart, which provided a summary report of self-fundedemployer client medical claims data for 203 Hello Heart users and 200 non-users from 2017-2020. Findings have not been subjected to peer review.)