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

Julie earned her PhD in Affective Science at Stanford University and is a Leadership in Inclusive Teaching (LIT) Fellow. An expert in emotion, culture, and close relationships, she is passionate about empowering people to cultivate their own and others’ well-being using scientific tools. Prior to Stanford, Julie earned her Master’s and Bachelor’s degrees in psychology at New York University, where she conducted research on motivation and communication among romantic partners. She is also an experienced facilitator and meditator. In her free time, she enjoys meditation, yoga, and traveling.

Julie earned her PhD in Affective Science at Stanford University and is a Leadership in Inclusive Teaching (LIT) Fellow. An expert in emotion, culture, and close relationships, she is passionate about empowering people to cultivate their own and others’ well-being using scientific tools. Prior to Stanford, Julie earned her Master’s and Bachelor’s degrees in psychology at New York University, where she conducted research on motivation and communication among romantic partners. She is also an experienced facilitator and meditator. In her free time, she enjoys meditation, yoga, and traveling.

SHE/HER

Tianyi Xie

Product Design, Co-Founder

Tianyi is a serial entrepreneur and skilled UI/UX designer, passionate about blending science, technology, and design to create AI products aligned with human values. As a co-founder and Product Lead of Giaran, an AI+AR cosmetics shopping startup, she played a pivotal role in building the company toward its successful acquisition by Shiseido America in 2017. A former Kleiner Perkins Design Fellow, she holds a BFA in Graphic Design from RISD and a Master’s in Interactive Telecommunications from NYU. Tianyi also brings extensive industry experience from her previous roles at Google, CVS Health, and C3 AI. In her free time, she enjoys painting, traveling, cat-sitting and teaching design thinking to young children.

Tianyi is a serial entrepreneur and skilled UI/UX designer, passionate about blending science, technology, and design to create AI products aligned with human values. As a co-founder and Product Lead of Giaran, an AI+AR cosmetics shopping startup, she played a pivotal role in building the company toward its successful acquisition by Shiseido America in 2017. A former Kleiner Perkins Design Fellow, she holds a BFA in Graphic Design from RISD and a Master’s in Interactive Telecommunications from NYU. Tianyi also brings extensive industry experience from her previous roles at Google, CVS Health, and C3 AI. In her free time, she enjoys painting, traveling, cat-sitting and teaching design thinking to young children.