Our Story

Why We Founded Flourish —

A Letter from the Founding Team

As the saying goes, “How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives.”

We all want to live happy and fulfilling lives, but in this fast-paced, hyper-connected world, it's easy to get lost in the daily grind. We forget to live with intention, to check in with ourselves from time to time, to appreciate the people and the nature around us, and to connect with each other on a deeper level.

That's why we founded Flourish — a public benefit corporation to offer scientific insights and daily actions for more happiness and well-being. We make science more accessible, personalized, and fun by turning the right knowledge into simple actions at the right time. It is our life's mission to help people live better lives through science.

Running a mission-driven company isn't easy, but it is our calling. We deeply believe that to turn the mental health and loneliness crisis around, we need to put science into everyone's hands and help people translate their knowledge into actions. This belief has given us tremendous motivation to press on, day and night. And we know we are on the right track when we hear stories of how Flourish has positively impacted many lives.

Thank you so much for becoming a part of our world! We're thrilled to have you join us on this meaningful and exciting journey.

With love and gratitude,
Flourish co-founders 🌱

Team Flourish

SHE/HER

Xuan Zhao, PhD

Social Psychology & HRI, Co-Founder

Dr. Xuan Zhao is an expert in the psychology of social connection, well-being, and technology and a Research Scientist at Stanford University. She has rich experiences designing science-based products to share research insights, create inclusive environments, and cultivate meaningful social connections. Xuan earned her PhD in Psychology from Brown University and completed her postdoctoral training at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. Her research is published in top academic journals and featured in media outlets such as New York Times, Harvard Business Review, BBC, and NPR Science Friday. When she is not contemplating about human behaviors, she loves watching birds.

Dr. Xuan Zhao is an expert in the psychology of social connection, well-being, and technology and a Research Scientist at Stanford University. She has rich experiences designing science-based products to share research insights, create inclusive environments, and cultivate meaningful social connections. Xuan earned her PhD in Psychology from Brown University and completed her postdoctoral training at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. Her research is published in top academic journals and featured in media outlets such as New York Times, Harvard Business Review, BBC, and NPR Science Friday. When she is not contemplating about human behaviors, she loves watching birds.

SHE/HER

Julie Cachia, PhD

Affective Science, Co-Founder

Dr. Julie Cachia is an expert in culture, emotions, and motivation. Growing up in France and Japan, she developed a fascination for the ways in which people’s values and expectations are shaped by their cultural environments. Her award-winning research examines cultural differences in people’s conceptions and experiences of romantic love. Julie's teaching excellence has been recognized in numerous ways, including Stanford’s Leadership in Inclusive Teaching Fellowship and the Centennial Teaching Assistant Award. Julie earned her PhD at Stanford as a Women in Asia Fellow and is a StartX Student-in-Residence. In her free time, she enjoys meditation, yoga, and traveling.

Dr. Julie Cachia is an expert in culture, emotions, and motivation. Growing up in France and Japan, she developed a fascination for the ways in which people’s values and expectations are shaped by their cultural environments. Her award-winning research examines cultural differences in people’s conceptions and experiences of romantic love. Julie's teaching excellence has been recognized in numerous ways, including Stanford’s Leadership in Inclusive Teaching Fellowship and the Centennial Teaching Assistant Award. Julie earned her PhD at Stanford as a Women in Asia Fellow and is a StartX Student-in-Residence. In her free time, she enjoys meditation, yoga, and traveling.

SHE/HER

Tianyi Xie

Product Design, Co-Founder

Tianyi is a talented user experience designer passionate about blending science, technology, and design for user-friendly experiences. With a Bachelor's in Graphic Design and a Master's in Interactive Telecommunications, she has extensive industry experience, including at Google, CVS Health, and C3 AI. As a serial entrepreneur and former KP Design Fellow, she was also a founding member of Giaran, acquired by Shiseido America in 2017. In her free time, she enjoys painting, traveling, cat-sitting and teaching design thinking to young children.

Tianyi is a talented user experience designer passionate about blending science, technology, and design for user-friendly experiences. With a Bachelor's in Graphic Design and a Master's in Interactive Telecommunications, she has extensive industry experience, including at Google, CVS Health, and C3 AI. As a serial entrepreneur and former KP Design Fellow, she was also a founding member of Giaran, acquired by Shiseido America in 2017. In her free time, she enjoys painting, traveling, cat-sitting and teaching design thinking to young children.