Kylie Verzosa: stepping into power

In mid-2025, Verzosa invested in telehealth startup &you and joined as its creative director. She, like many of its initial investors, was drawn to its mission of making healthcare as accessible as possible to all Filipinos. “It takes time to book an appointment with a doctor,” she says. Patients and individuals often have to block off an entire day, only to be exasperated by long lines and wait times.

“I really loved their cause,” Verzosa adds. “It was about ownership, empowerment and rewriting the narrative of healthcare in the Philippines, and that mission really resonated with me.” &you’s three main offerings are hair regrowth plans, weight loss medications and improved intimacy. These are delivered to patients in discreet packaging, following consultations with partner medical professionals. She also hints that mental health wellness—perhaps her greatest advocacy—will also soon be on the platform. “Later on, we’ll be offering free therapy sessions,” she explains. “We’re just trying to find the right fit and the right partner.”

Verzosa’s influence is quickly apparent at a glance from the warm tones, themes of self-determination and gentle encouragement present in the startup. These are qualities that she had expressed in previous ventures, but it has now taken on a life of its own in the telehealth space. “I help to make sure that the brand’s vision and voice are [consistent],” she explains, “making sure that the right story is told, and that it feels authentic.” However, she emphasises that the atmosphere within &you is collaborative and progressive. “It was never about stopping at one product or solving one problem.” She would not have been able to do what she does without a capable team behind her—one she is beyond grateful for.

Like with most businesses and product-centric startups, &you’s social media pages are filled with customer testimonials. “In the beginning, we used to reach out to people to share their [experience with &you],” she admits. “But now, they’re the ones reaching out to us, to share their [stories].” Indeed, there can be no greater indication of trust or belief than clients themselves taking the initiative to speak up.

It’s not just the patients, either. &you is also trusted and backed by international investors such as US-based Fluent Ventures and Everywhere Ventures. “It’s very rare for a company in the Philippines to be backed by New York or Los Angeles, especially in a space of health and technology,” she enthuses. “I feel like there’s so much potential in &you—and we’re about to scale to the whole of Asia, starting with Singapore, Indonesia and Thailand.”

Verzosa herself is aware that health and technology don’t exactly fit her image. By her own admission, she felt that there were certain expectations of her to continue down a path of fashion or beauty. “I’m proud to say that I’ve invested in a business I believe in, [that] has potential and is changing the lives of people,” she remarks.

The value of organic relationships was also Verzosa’s main motivation behind starting her podcast, Almost Honest, named so because she believes the best conversations aren’t polished nor rehearsed. The “almost” signifies that sometimes, we’re still in the process of figuring things out, especially when we’re furtive and vulnerable.

The series features her alongside a guest to candidly discuss topics that aren’t normally aired out in the open. As of writing, the series spans nine entries, seven of which have guests, such as Kim King, Michelle Dee and Sarah Lahbati.

“I wanted to have real, normal conversations with women that weren’t filtered,” she explains, “just like conversations you would have with your friends at two o’clock in the morning.” But aside from these raw interactions, she also sought to create a platform that shed light on more pressing issues and seldom-discussed topics.

Verzosa brought up her interview with Risa Hontiveros, with whom she collaborated with in the past to promote mental health awareness; Hontiveros was the principal author of the Mental Health Bill, which was later passed into law in June of 2018. “Advocates and other stakeholders didn’t just retire and leave the law to be implemented by itself,” Hontiveros said during the interview. “They continue to monitor [the situation]. Every year, at budget debates, we ensure that the Mental Health Law is funded through the Department of Health.”

“In that conversation, I really wanted to ask, ‘what is your opinion on the flood control issue?’ or ‘Do you think there’s still hope for the Philippines?’”, Verzosa recalls. Hontiveros’ reply to the latter was simple, but poignant.

“Never lose hope—sometimes that’s all we have left,” she reflects. “You hold it, and you don’t let it go.”

Verzosa stresses, “I want to ask those hard-hitting questions, but in a softer, non-intrusive way.”

She has long been an outspoken advocate for mental health issues, especially after her own bout with depression in 2021. She launched Mental Health Matters to draw greater awareness to the struggles of severe depression, anxiety and other disorders. “This is something very personal to me,” she affirms.

Almost Honest also fulfils another of Verzosa’s goals: to help women feel seen, heard and most importantly, understood. “I want them to know that they’re not the only ones going through [something],” she explains. “I want them to know that there’s someone else going through this. If someone is able to relate to their stories and learn from it, I would be happy.”

Verzosa never felt limited by herself, even after being crowned Miss International in 2016. She remained focused on what she could do not just for herself, but for others. “It’s never too late to start, and sometimes we just need to do it, like starting the Almost Honest podcast, for example,” she shares. “I was so scared, so nervous and so doubtful with myself.”

“We were supposed to start it way back last year, but I kept on pushing it back as far as I could,” she laughs, stretching out her arms as if to shove away an invisible force. Thoughts of failure constantly plagued her mind, but she did not dwell on them for long. “I surrounded myself with people who were supportive and [encouraged] me.”

Joining &you, with its emphasis on accessible healthcare, could be seen as a culmination of Verzosa’s journey as a businesswoman and the years she’s spent connecting with others. To not only believe in oneself, but to have others who believe in you, is something she hopes all young women can one day find. 

“Don’t be afraid to keep on evolving. Don’t box yourself into one category or label, because women are multi-dimensional,” she asserts. “We can be ambitious but soft. We can have a business but still try to figure things out. We can be strong but also feminine.”

“Embrace all the sides of what it means to be a woman.”

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