113: Linda Avey | Co-Founder, 23andMe

To put it most simply: Linda is a biologist and entrepreneur at heart . Perhaps most notably, she is the co-founder of 23andMe, a publicly held consumer genetic data company. She was the co-president of the company from 2006 to 2009.

Linda is also the cofounder and former CEO of Precise.ly, an intelligent assistant for clinical care settings. Linda is currently a member on the board of directors of the Human Immunome Project, which is building the world’s largest immunological dataset at a population level, and she’s a Member of the Board of Fellows at Stanford University’s School of Medicine. Linda graduated with a bachelors degree in Biology from Augustana University.

In this episode, we cover the following topics:
1. Linda's Childhood and her initial interest in Biology at Augustana University
2. Choosing a career path after beginning her career in research
3. Linda's Transition to the Biotech Industry
4. Linda's entrepreneurial journey in founding 23andMe and everything that led to this ultimate jump, including meeting Sergey Brin (Founder of Google) and the first time she saw at a trade show that you're able to get your genetic data from saliva. Immediate light bulb moment.
5. Her decision in *leaving* 23andMe in 2009.
6. The importance of choosing your cofounders and balance the different roles and dynamics that ensure at a startup, especially with 3 cofounders.
7. Balancing ethics + speed in a biotech company
8. Importance of a science background as a founder of a biotech company (+ which skills you need to lean on others)
9. Linda provides her perspective as an investor when she evaluates biotech companies.

Linda's Book Recommendation? "The Sovereign Self" by Acharya Shunya.  Here it is on Amazon!
Linda's changed opinion in the last decade? Psychadelics   
Linda's life-time craft she is honing? Self-reflection

▶️ Video interview available on Youtube.

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Transcript

Outline

Passion for biology and its origins.

• Linda's passion for biology emerged in college, when they took a non-majors biology class and found it enjoyable (0:02:57).
• Linda did not show an interest in the sciences in high school, and only took classes they could (0:04:01).

Career paths in biotech industry.

• Linda was recommended to pursue a PhD by their supervisor at UC Irvine, but ultimately decided not to go that route and instead entered the biotech industry.
• Linda credits their supervisor at UC Irvine with encouraging her to pursue a PhD, but also acknowledges that she was not interested in the path.

Genetics research, entrepreneurship, and personal curiosity.

• Linda met Sergey Brin at a meeting organized by Perlegen to share updates with donors from the Michael J. Fox Foundation, where Brin showed interest in genetics research and grilled Linda on statistical tests used in the study.
• Linda connected with Brin after he cornered her with questions about the genetics research they were doing, showing his interest in the field and his mother's Parkinson's disease.
• Linda Avery had an "aha" moment at a trade show when she saw a company offering DNA testing from saliva.
• She shared her idea with her running buddies at Applied Metrics, who encouraged her to speak with the CEO.
• Linda and her co-founders launched 23andMe with the goal of providing personalized genetic information to consumers.

Advocating for a startup idea and overcoming initial skepticism.

• Linda mentally prepared for meeting with the CEO by believing in their idea and conveying conviction.
• Linda described the early days of 23andMe, including their initial conviction and passion for the project, as well as their efforts to secure support from the CEO and other key individuals.
• Carly inquired about the initial reaction of doctors and other professionals to 23andMe's mission, with Linda acknowledging that there was skepticism and resistance at first.

Genetic testing and its implications with 23andMe founders.

• Founders of 23andMe were shocked by medical professionals' reaction to the service.
• Anne Wojcicki joins a meeting with Google's leadership, including Larry Page and Sergey Brin, to discuss her interest.

Founding a biotech company and balancing science and communication.

• Linda reflects on their experience as a female founder in deep biotech in 2006, mentioning the challenges of funding and the importance of having a partner like Paul.
• Linda and Paul became co-founders of their company, and Linda is proud of their journey from 2006 to 2009.
• Linda: We balanced a move-fast approach with careful explanation of genetic information to consumers.
• Linda: There were moments of doubt, but never considered shutting down the company.

Navigating co-founder dynamics and responsible science communication.

• Perlegen worked closely with disease communities, including the autism community, to drive research forward and help patients.
• Company prioritized responsible reporting of genetic research findings, avoiding sensationalism and ensuring accuracy.

Leaving a startup, entrepreneurial instincts, and genetic testing.

• Linda left 23andMe in 2009. As recently reported in the Wall Street Journal, she didn’t have autonomy in this decision.
• Linda learned entrepreneurial instincts from early days at a startup, went on to found two more companies, and eventually became CEO of one of them.

Co-founding, entrepreneurship, and science backgrounds.

• Carly emphasizes the importance of having a co-founder who can think like an entrepreneur and make technical decisions alongside them.
• Linda recommends getting to know a person well before starting a company together, citing the importance of shared values and compatibility.
• Both speakers highlight the challenges of solo founding and the benefits of having a co-founder to share the workload and make decisions together.
• Linda emphasizes the importance of a science background in founding a biotech company, but also notes that certain personalities are better suited for entrepreneurship.
• Carly expresses concern about funding going into companies without a solid science foundation, potentially leading to unsuccessful outcomes in the long run.

Venture capital investing and entrepreneurship.

• Carly and Linda discuss the challenges of investing in startups, including the need to balance funding with responsible investing practices.
• Linda shares her experience as an investor, highlighting the importance of understanding the mindset and model of venture capitalists.
• Speakers discuss the importance of aligning expectations between founders and VCs for successful investments.

Investing, personal growth, and psychedelic drugs.

• Linda recommends "The Sovereign Self" by Acharya Shunya, a book that explores personal growth and self-discovery. She highly recommends the audio version of a book by a woman who shares her family's 1000-year-old teaching tradition, bringing it to the present in a relevant and moving way. Linked here.
• Linda shares her personal journey of changing her mind about psychedelic drugs, citing recent scientific research as key factors.
• Linda emphasizes the importance of honing the ability to recognize oneself and respond positively to external stimuli, describing it as a lifelong practice.

Meditation and personal growth with a guest speaker.

• Linda shares her journey of meditation and reflection, finding it a powerful tool for personal growth.