"Make sure that you are resolving an unmet need that you can monetize" with Kathrin “Kati” Deutschle

Kathrin “Kati” Deutschle is the co-founder and inspiration behind emBorrow, a Chicago tech company that helps people take control of their fertility health, including those with fertility obstacles by providing a community of financial, emotional, and educational support.   While experiencing her own journey through fertility treatments that included numerous rounds of egg freezing and IVF, Kati recognized the need for education in regard to the entire process.  This included the administration of medications, monitoring, retrieval, possible side effects, emotions, physical response to treatment, and so much more.  While emBorrow provides installment plans to help cover the costs of fertility treatments, they also connect users with a community of people who have undergone a variety of fertility procedures as well as a network of physicians, nurses, and wellness experts who work in the fertility arena.

Can you tell our readers about your background?

I am a Chicagoland native, attending both college and law school in Chicago.  I have been a practicing attorney for the past sixteen years.

What inspired you to start your business?

I knew I always wanted to have my own children, but by the age of 35, I was still not at the point in my life where I was ready to have children.  I had heard about egg freezing in the past but did not have much information about it.  I decided to go to a talk about egg freezing at a local fertility clinic where I learned about a fertility test that could provide you with your “fertility age.”  “Fertility age” meant that just because you are 35 years old, your fertility may not be 35 years old.  After taking the test, I learned that I had low egg reserve for a female of my age.  I was asked by the nurse “why did you take this test?” to which I responded, “I was thinking of freezing my eggs.”  The nurse then told me “this would be the right time to do that.”  I didn’t really know what all went into the process of freezing my eggs, but I knew I wanted to proceed because I never wanted to be told I missed my opportunity to have my own children. Having children was always very important to me and since I was getting older, this was the best way to preserve my fertility. 

I ended up undergoing three rounds of fertility treatments with three successful egg retrievals.  During my first treatment, however, I did not know much of what to expect.  I was provided with links to videos on how to administer the shots, but other than that I had no idea what I was putting my body through, how the process worked, how long I would be on the shots, the monitoring that would take place throughout the cycle, the actual retrieval of my eggs, etc.  It wasn’t until my third round of fertility treatment that I felt like a pro.  I knew exactly what to expect in terms of the injectable medications, how I would physically feel during the process, the monitoring of my ovaries, and the egg retrieval.  Most women freezing their eggs, however, won’t be going through three rounds of treatment, and honestly, before you start the first round, you want to know EXACTLY what the process will be.  This is one of the main reasons that I wanted to start emBorrow.  To educate women on what it is like to actually go through fertility treatment.  And not just the actual administration of the medications, the monitoring, and the retrieval, but all the emotions that you will experience during this process.  

Another important reason for the founding of emBorrow is the cost of fertility treatments.  Let’s face it, they are not cheap, and this is a huge concern for women and couples who want to have children.  In the many women that I have talked to who are considering freezing their eggs, the main concern is the cost.  Does insurance cover any portion of the cost?  How much is the medicine?  How much is the procedure?  How can I afford this?  It’s extremely disappointing to hear women say that while they want to preserve their fertility and not be told in the future that they cannot have a child, that they won’t proceed with freezing their eggs because they cannot afford it, or they don’t understand the process.  Everyone should be able to afford the costs of fertility treatments and be supported through their journey in order to have the family that they want, whether that be egg freezing, IVF, using donor eggs, or surrogacy.  This is what emBorrow will make happen. 

Where is your business based?

emBorrow is based out of Chicago and we are currently working on expanding its services nationwide. 

How did you start your business? What were the first steps you took?

I knew that I wanted to help those going through fertility treatments by providing education, support, and affordable financing.  The first step we took was talking about the idea with local fertility doctors to get their feedback on providing these services to their patients. We got a lot of positive feedback from those doctors and moved forward with applying to obtain our consumer lending license in Illinois and began creating our website. 

What has been the most effective way of raising awareness for your business?

Really by sharing the story of my own fertility journey.  A lot of women and couples still don’t talk about fertility issues and struggles but as soon as you mention that you have struggled with fertility, you would be amazed how many people then start sharing their own stories. 

What have been your biggest challenges and how did you overcome them?

Coming from a legal background, my knowledge of how to start a company was non-existent.  I quickly realized that I needed to learn about strategy, marketing, customer service, etc.  To overcome these challenges, I compiled a team of experts, both internal and external to the company.   

How do you stay focused?

Something that really helps me to stay focused is allowing myself to have enough sleep.  If I’m running on fumes, it is very difficult for me to stay attentive. 

How do you differentiate your business from the competition?

emBorrow provides more than just financing.  We provide education and support to our members about fertility that other companies do not. 

What has been your most effective marketing strategy to grow your business?

Our most effective marketing strategy has been to sign up partners, such as fertility clinics.  These partners help grow our business by bringing their patients to become our members. 

What's your best piece of advice for aspiring and new entrepreneurs?

Make sure that you are resolving an unmet need that you can monetize.  Also, build a team that assists with resolving the issues that you are not an expert in because you likely won’t know how to do everything.   

What's your favorite app, blog, and book? Why?

My favorite app right now is Instagram to connect with the large fertility community base.  I have met women from all over the United States and even outside the United States who share in the fertility struggle and share their stories.  To connect in this way through Instagram allows women to feel that they are not alone and can share their journeys with others who understand what they are going through.  

My favorite book series is the Women’s Murder Club by James Patterson.  I enjoy the suspense of the book and the women’s relationships with one another in how they always support each other. 

What's your favorite business tool or resource? Why?

My favorite resource is being a member of 1871 Chicago, an incubator hub for startup companies.  We participated in the WiSTEM program through 1871 which was for female founders and assisted with supporting them in building out their companies.  I met a lot of wonderful people and made connections that truly helped with bringing emBorrow to the next level. 

Who is your business role model? Why?

Jessica Alba.  When she had kids, she realized that there was an unmet need for baby products that were safe and free of certain ingredients.  She took that need and created The Honest Company.  The Honest Company then expanded from just providing “clean” baby products, to providing other products such as household cleaning products, makeup, etc.  Alba had a vision and brought it to life.  This is what I strive to do with emBorrow. 

How do you balance work and life?

I’m still trying to figure out the balance, aren’t we all?  In my case, my work with emBorrow is also part of my life.  I have gone through the egg freezing process as well as seven rounds of IVF over the last five years.  I am constantly sharing my own personal journey through emBorrow but also with family and friends because this journey is part of who I am.  When I really think about it, my work with emBorrow is my life and it brings me great joy to support others who are also going through their own fertility journey. 

What’s your favorite way to decompress?

Pre-COVID my favorite activity to decompress was taking barre classes.  Now I’ve been taking a little time to watch Netflix and reality TV. 

What do you have planned for the next six months?  

I’m currently 8 months pregnant with my first child so I plan to take some time off but at the same time, continue to raise awareness about emBorrow and to provide support and education to our current and future members.

How can our readers connect with you?

Readers can reach out to me by email, kathrin.deutschle@emborrow.com, and follow @emborrow on Instagram and Facebook.