Episode Details

Mel Strong, founding partner of Next Ventures and ex-Nike Women VP, joins Gabby Reece, Amber Taylor, and Dr. Abbie Smith-Ryan on why women’s health is the smartest bet in tech and the research and tools finally putting women first.

WHAT WE EXPLORE

Women-led companies deliver stronger returns

Decision frameworks for major career changes

Evidence-backed women’s health claims

Why AI trained on old data misleads women

Hormone monitoring technology for women

GLP-1 dosing and female metabolism

The women’s health gap

Timestamps

00:00 Intro

05:52 Women’s Broken Relationship With Money

09:54 Why Women-Led Companies Return More

15:08 The Autonomy Access Investing Framework

19:45 Spotting Gaps in Women’s Health

22:57 Why Startups Skip Funding the Science

27:21 How VCs Evaluate Health Startups

33:00 Why Women’s Health Data Is Broken

38:03 GLP-1 Dosing and Wearables for Women

42:28 Why Simple Health Advice Sells

47:30 The Growth Trap Killing Startups

50:16 The Women’s Health Funding Fight

53:08 How to Start Angel Investing

About Mel Strong:

Mel Strong is co-founder of Next Ventures, the health and wellness fund she launched after 17 years at Nike. She invests in evidence-backed women’s health companies and has advocated for women’s health equity on Capitol Hill.

Connect with Mel Strong:

Website: https://www.nextventures.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/melaniestrong

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melanie-strong

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ABOUT THE PROOF OF PRACTICE

The Proof of Practice: Where Science Meets Practice

Women have been understudied, undertreated, and given advice built for men. This show exists to change that.

Hosted by five of the most respected names in women’s health — Dr. Abbie Smith-Ryan, Amber Taylor, Gabby Reece, Dr. Gabrielle Lyon, and Dr. Stacy Sims — every episode brings evidence-based, experience-backed conversations on strength, metabolism, hormones, longevity, and performance. No trends. No shortcuts. Just the proof that practice works.

YOUR HOSTS

Gabby Reece

One of the most iconic athletes in American sports history, Gabby Reece is a former professional beach volleyball player, Nike’s first female spokesperson, New York Times bestselling author, and lifelong advocate for how women should train, eat, and live. She co-founded the Hamilton House Experience wellness program with her husband Laird Hamilton and hosts The Reecet women’s wellness retreat. Gabby brings decades of real-world performance experience to every conversation.

📷 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gabbyreece/

🌐 http://gabbyreece.com

Dr. Abbie Smith-Ryan, PhD, CSCS*D, FACSM, FNSCA

Professor of Exercise Physiology at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill and Director of the Applied Physiology Laboratory, Dr. Abbie Smith-Ryan has published over 190 peer-reviewed manuscripts and is one of the leading researchers in female physiology, metabolism, and sports nutrition. A three-time NSCA award winner — including Outstanding Sports Scientist of the Year (2022) — she translates cutting-edge lab science into practical strategies that actually work for women across every life stage.

📷 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/asmithryan/

🌐 http://asmithryan.com

Amber Taylor

Amber Taylor is a New Zealand–based digital health and product leader who builds evidence‑based fitness platforms designed to better support women’s physiol