The Digital Executive Podcast — Ep. 1056

Guest: Joe Kiani, CEO of Willow Laboratories & founder of Masimo
Host: Brian Thomas, Coruzant Technologies
Date: May 5, 2025
Episode Theme:
Transforming Health Through Technology and Personalized Nutrition

Overview

In this concise and insightful episode, Joe Kiani, a pioneer in medical technology and CEO of Willow Laboratories, discusses the gaps in personal health management, the science behind personalized nutrition, and how his new app, Nutu, leverages technology, clinical research, and behavioral insights to empower users to improve their health outcomes. The discussion highlights the importance of moving beyond outdated advice, using both data and expert consensus, and democratizing health through broader language access and wearable integrations.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Driving Force Behind Nutu

(01:29–03:02)

• Gap in Personal Health:
  Joe identifies widespread ignorance regarding nutrition and the futility of quick fixes and reactionary health solutions.

  • Quote @02:00:
    "Most people don't know what foods are really bad and what foods are really good." — Joe Kiani

• Proactive Approach:
  Nutu is designed to provide users with actionable, personalized insights, removing the guesswork from daily health choices.

  • Quote @02:42:
    "If you don't go nose down or nose up, you're at zero. It's perfect. Why? Because that means you're eating right and you're exercising the right amount." — Joe Kiani

• Outcome-Oriented Design:
  The goal is not just weight loss, but actual disease prevention, backed by measurable biological indicators (like diabetes risk).

2. The Nutu Score: Science & Personalization

(03:40–04:40)

• Metric Construction:
  The Nutu Score is a simple number that blends metabolism, food choices, physical activity, and sleep, aiming to gently nudge users toward healthier decisions daily.

• Expert Consultation:
  The team behind Nutu included food scientists, nutritionists, endocrinologists, and clinicians to ensure both accuracy and usability.

  • Quote @03:44:
    "We worked with many experts...to come up with something that not only was accurate, but was helpful and easy to use." — Joe Kiani

• Holistic Data Use:
  Not just calorie counts, but macronutrient diversity, protein, fiber, and personalized activity baselines are considered, with the system designed to support small, sustainable changes.

  • Quote @04:18:
    "It's all of that coming together that we believe we can help people make small changes that...can have a big change in their trajectory." — Joe Kiani

3. Evidence-Based Outcomes: Beyond Weight Loss

(05:26–06:42)

• Real-World Impact:
  Early users of Nutu report tangible benefits, such as weight loss and significant improvements in HbA1c (a key diabetes marker).

• Up-to-date Science vs. Old Fads:
  Joe emphasizes moving past outdated dietary advice, using an example about the health differences in types of red meat.

  • Quote @05:59:
    "There are these ideas that hey, you should not eat red meat. Well, there is one red meat that if you eat that actually is good for you...that's grass-fed beef." — Joe Kiani

  • Quote @06:21:
    "It's trying to get the latest data, not anecdotal but scientifically backed data to help people make their health better." — Joe Kiani

4. Future Vision: Tech and Global Access

(07:24–08:19)

• Wearable Tech Integration:
  Willow Labs plans to enhance the seamless connection of Nutu with various health trackers and devices to automate health monitoring and activity tracking.

• Global Language Rollout:
  Nutu currently supports English and Spanish, with plans to add German, Italian, French, and Arabic so more people worldwide can access personalized nutrition guidance.

  • Quote @07:33:
    "We want to bring out German, Italian, French, Arabic because we want to make this available to everyone in the world." — Joe Kiani

• Democratizing Health:
  Joe sees democratization of actionable health information as key to improving both lifespan and "health span" worldwide.

  • Quote @08:09:
    "I like nothing more than if everyone on the planet used this to hopefully have not only longer lifespan but a longer health span." — Joe Kiani

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the purpose of Nutu:
  "So Nutu, which means nudge in Latin, is a tool...if you use that score...you'll not only lose the weight...hopefully you'll avoid getting diseases like type 2 diabetes." — Joe Kiani @02:25

• On behavioral change:
  "Finding what they're used to doing and just nudging them to do a little bit more of it." — Joe Kiani @04:08

• On scientific rigor:
  "Going with what the latest data is showing...not anecdotal but scientifically backed data." — Joe Kiani @06:21

• Global vision:
  "We want to make this available to everyone in the world." — Joe Kiani @07:38

Important Timestamps

• 00:08–01:29: Host introduction & Joe Kiani’s background
• 01:29–03:02: Identifying the gap in nutrition and preview of Nutu’s concept
• 03:40–04:40: Deep dive on the Nutu Score and its creation
• 05:26–06:42: Real-world impact & science over fads
• 07:24–08:19: Future plans: wearables, languages, democratizing access

Conclusion

This episode distills cutting-edge thinking in digital health, blending a scientist’s rigor with the practical wisdom of decades in health technology. Joe Kiani’s insights emphasize not just improving individual health outcomes, but fostering a worldwide movement toward sustainable, data-driven well-being. Whether you are a health-tech enthusiast, a practitioner, or simply striving for better health, this episode offers a compelling look at the future of personalized nutrition and patient empowerment.