How do you go from a cultural icon like the yellow wristbands to building AI products? Livestrong’s CEO Suzanne Stone argues that the through line is a focus on survivorship, the life you live from diagnosis onward.
This is the leap from story to community to software and back again.
Three Takeaways
1) It’s about trust and community
The wristband was a simple trust signal that helped people find each other. Ellis is the software version, a closed loop AI that earns trust at every answer and strengthens community in a lonely world.
2) Position donations to scale, not sustain
Run programs like micro businesses with an earned revenue engine. Keep the core team lean and pull in expert contractors as needed. Use donor dollars to accelerate and scale, not to keep the lights on.
3) Design for decisions, not clicks
Solve real challenges like the fertility crunch with clear routes to services. Source every answer, break the marketing rules by sending people to external resources, and continuously update as new evidence lands. Reliability beats reach when lives are on the line.
Links
Highlights
01:34 Mission: Survivorship Over Cures
06:18 The Wristband as Community Signal
12:39 Fertility Program and Real Cost of Cancer
14:34 Copycats and What Persists
25:20 From Guidebook to Ellis, a Trusted Closed-Loop AI
38:56 Guardrails, Swim Lanes, and Safety
51:35 Revenue Engines and Scaling
01:02:40 What’s Next Austin?
Guest Bio
Suzanne Stone is a Texas Christian University graduate and Louisiana native whose career began in television, earning a regional Emmy Award for her work in Dallas. In 1998, she transitioned from producing television to teaching it in the nonprofit sector, leading public access television initiatives in Naperville, Illinois, and later in upstate New York.
Beyond media, Suzanne spent four years as Head Coach of a New York Community college women’s basketball team while simultaneously managing a local TV station. Her passion for impact-driven work led her back to Texas, where she has since dedicated her career to leading nonprofit organizations across the state, including Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA), Children’s Miracle Network, Lake Travis Education Foundation, and Susan G. Komen Greater Central and East Texas.
In 2019, she joined Livestrong to spearhead its mission initiatives, and in November 2023, she was named President & CEO. Today, she leads the organization in its commitment to ensuring that anyone affected by cancer has the resources and support they need to live the highest quality of life possible, regardless of the diagnosis.
Guest Links
Suzanne Stone: LinkedIn
Livestrong: Website, X, Ellis, Livestrong Challenge 2025
