Frances Abeton

Frances Abeton is a thriving business professional dedicated to helping individuals make informed decisions about their health. Motivated by her experiences in the healthcare system, Frances firmly believes in collaborative patient care, and her experience with her daughter’s complex health condition ultimately led to the creation of WHYZE Health – a platform that connects the entire healthcare ecosystem, allowing physicians to better care for patients.

Frances obtained a master’s in Business administration from Smurfit Business School in Dublin, Ireland. She has held numerous executive positions for prominent companies including Firecrest, a subsidiary of ICON, the leading Global Clinical Research organization, where she assumed the role of CEO.

As a passionate business leader, Frances has spent two decades leading companies through positive transformations while developing strategies to enhance bottom line results. Her intellectual curiosity continues to serve her as she works to improve the patient-physician experience.

Where did the idea for WHYZE Health come from?

WHYZE Health came from a personal experience of traveling through the healthcare system with a 12-year-old girl who was on crutches for four years of her life and was in pain 24/7. One day, I sat at the hospital and thought, it cannot be this difficult. Being unaware of the things that are going on inside of your own body, can be the most vulnerable part of your life. We had no access to medical records we could carry around as ours. Having the records would have been incredibly helpful going from one doctor to the next, as many of the specialists we saw required additional information. I think that every patient has the right to make informed decisions about their health, so I wanted to provide an easy and cost-efficient way to help patients access the information they require on a daily basis. That is where the inspiration for WHYZE Health began.

What does your typical day look like and how do you make it productive?

I get up every morning and start my day with some meditation, which puts me in a positive mindset for the day. Then, I go for a walk with my husband, have an espresso, and start working. I make it productive, because I have worked a week ahead where I know what I want to achieve. I make sure that all the work is scheduled in my diary.

How do you bring ideas to life?

I normally bring ideas to life through reading and having conversations with people who can share their real-life experiences with me. That is where I get my inspiration. Then, as I walk out and about in nature, I start to see it evolve. After that, I collaborate with the WHYZE team on the implementation of the idea.

What’s one trend that excites you?

The trend that excites me the most is the continuous development of technology. You can buy anything instantly now from any part of the world. We can send money instantly to anybody in the world. Being able to use technology instantly is empowerment.

What is one habit of yours that makes you more productive as an entrepreneur?

I have an action list. I have always had action Lists. I keep lists of what I need to do then I start at the top of my priorities list.

What advice would you give your younger self?

Don’t fret, everything works out.

Tell us something that’s true that almost nobody agrees with you on.

I believe that we, as women, have won the war around diversity. We are at a point where we are learning to take our seats now. We need to stop acting as if we are in a war and still are fighting. We must start acting like winners. You have a different mindset when you do not think like a winner. The consequences of considering that the diversity war is still on are that you are constantly fighting; you are in this mode of fighting and arguing. It is time to just act like a winner and take our seats now.

As an entrepreneur, what is the one thing you do over and over and recommend everyone else do?

Look after yourself from a health and well-being perspective, and everything else will flow for you.

What is one strategy that has helped you grow your business?

I never give up, no matter how many obstacles I encounter. I just reassess and try again.

What is one failure you had as an entrepreneur, and how did you overcome it?

I might have selected the wrong person to go into a partnership with our business. The way I overcame it was to let it run its course, and naturally, we came to a mutually agreed to go separate ways.

What is one business idea that you’re willing to give away to our readers?

One business I would like to see developed is being able to track the location of our teenagers through a mobile device. We need to do more when it comes to protecting our kids. That may be too in-depth. Inventors can develop a technology for a necklace or bracelet that can indicate whether they are in danger. Or they can develop a device to warn teens about their decisions if they go out to a party and have a device that tells them they are not ready to drive or to get a hold of their parents if they have not already.

What is the best $100 you recently spent? What and why?

The best one hundred dollars I have spent recently is on breakfast for my daughter and my husband and son on my daughter’s birthday. We got to spend some time together and have a laugh. That is always wonderful.

What is one piece of software or a web service that helps you be productive?

There are a few things that I find necessary to be productive, my email, my to-do list, and my calendar. I try to utilize technology wherever possible. I just need to bring my laptop wherever I go, and I am set.

What is the one book that you recommend our community should read and why?

The book I would recommend is Atomic Habits by James Clear. We all create habits in life, and it is always good to understand how we create them. Why did we create them? Which ones are the good ones? Which ones are the habits that are not working for us, and how to change those habits?

What is your favorite quote?

My favorite quote is from Walt Disney, which is “The way we get started is to quit talking and begin doing.”

Key Learnings:

• Never give up.
• Look after yourself from a health and well-being perspective.
• Have an action list.