How to Build the Future

After a decade studying biotech, pharma, hospitals, and insurance on Wall Street, Wojcicki concluded that health care largely rewards treating illness rather than preventing it. She wanted to build a company that encouraged people to take a more active role in staying healthy.

Wojcicki says patients often have little say because insurers and other intermediaries make many decisions. 23andMe aimed to give people access to their own genetic information, while she argued that data could help make care more personalized and support prevention.

Falling genome sequencing costs made large amounts of genetic information more accessible, while social networks suggested people could contribute information collectively. Wojcicki saw a chance to combine those trends and build a research resource that could support discoveries beyond the work of universities or pharmaceutical companies alone.

After an enthusiastic launch, sales settled at about 15 to 25 kits a day. Wojcicki responded by speaking widely, changing her presentations based on feedback, and educating people about genetics and the product’s value. She also emphasizes choosing early hires for scientific integrity, humility, and their positive effect on the whole team.

Wojcicki says regulated work brings rules, added costs, and a need to communicate with regulators using data; she also respects their focus on public safety. She describes persistence as essential to executing a long-term mission, and points to large-scale studies, including a 70,000-person weight-loss study, as a way to investigate how genetics may relate to behavior and health.