Zocdoc has weathered multiple existential crises, a complete business model overhaul, and a global pandemic—all while maintaining its position as a leading healthcare marketplace. In this episode of The Narrative, Jessica Aptman, Chief Communications Officer at Zocdoc, reveals how strategic communications became the backbone of the company's survival and eventual profitability. With 13 years at the same company, Aptman offers rare insights into how comms leaders can shepherd organizations through fundamental transformations while building trust with both internal and external stakeholders.

Topics Discussed

• The anatomy of a business model pivot: How Zocdoc transitioned from a $3,000 flat subscription model to transaction-based pricing, requiring some customers to pay 10x-100x more while keeping others engaged
• Crisis communications during wartime: Managing internal transparency during a five-year business turnaround while strategically going quiet externally to preserve the brand
• Building resilience through radical internal transparency: Using weekly all-hands meetings and "opening the kimono" to galvanize 1,000+ employees during existential business challenges
• COVID as the ultimate stress test: Pivoting overnight to virtual care when revenue dropped off a cliff, then leveraging the platform for vaccine scheduling partnerships with cities
• Integration across functions: Managing PR, internal comms, government relations, and brand as one cohesive unit rather than siloed departments
• The Blue Shield California partnership: Executing a first-of-its-kind launch that drove inbound leads while advancing multiple strategic objectives simultaneously
• Managing up and building executive trust: How crisis situations accelerate trust-building and establish comms as a critical business function