Building a Brand With Purpose: Dr. Neela Sethi Young on Jaanuu, Community and Staying True to Your Story

What happens when a practicing physician combines her firsthand understanding of healthcare with a love of fashion and a deeply personal mission?

For Dr. Neela Sethi Young, the result was Jaanuu, a medical apparel brand designed to help healthcare professionals feel comfortable, confident and seen.

In the latest episode of Like.Love.Share., Dr. Neela joined Sherri Langburt to discuss the story behind Jaanuu, the importance of building a genuine community and why founders should never lose sight of what makes their brand meaningful.

From a Personal Story to a Powerful Brand

Jaanuu was founded more than a decade ago with a clear goal: to create medical apparel that brought together function, fit and fashion.

As a pediatrician, Dr. Neela understood exactly what healthcare professionals needed from their uniforms. At the same time, she saw an opportunity to introduce form-fitting, fashion-forward and performance-driven scrubs that had been missing from the industry.

The brand’s name is equally personal. Jaanuu is inspired by the Hindi word jaan, meaning “life.” Growing up, Dr. Neela’s mother referred to her children as her “jaanuus” because they were her life.

That meaning has remained at the center of the company, even when others advised Dr. Neela to select a name that might be easier to pronounce or market.

For her, changing the name would have meant losing an essential piece of the brand’s story. Jaanuu represents her mother, her culture, her immigrant-family experience and the reason the business exists in the first place.

It is also a reminder for founders that a brand does not always need to sacrifice its identity to follow conventional marketing advice.

Designing for the People Behind Healthcare

Jaanuu’s collections are inspired by the fashion industry, evolving with different seasons, styles and preferences. The brand offers everything from classic V-necks to wrap tops, peplum silhouettes, oversized fits, Mandarin collars and joggers.

But the variety is about more than keeping up with fashion. It allows healthcare professionals across different roles, genders, ages, body types and personal styles to find something that works for them.

Inclusivity has been important to Dr. Neela from the beginning. As the daughter of immigrant parents, she remembers what it felt like not to blend in or feel fully included. Through Jaanuu, she wanted to create a brand where more people could see themselves represented and feel welcomed into the community.

Why the Right Community Matters More Than the Biggest Following

When Jaanuu evaluates creators, ambassadors and partners, follower count is not the only consideration.

The brand looks for people who understand its purpose, care deeply about healthcare and want to be part of something larger than a transaction. That creates an important role for micro-influencers and healthcare professionals who may have smaller audiences but deeply trusted relationships with their communities.

For Dr. Neela, the strongest partnerships often begin with curiosity. She wants to work with people who ask about the company, its history and its mission, not only the budget or potential reach.

That does not mean creators should not be paid fairly. It means the most effective partnerships are built when both sides care about the story being told.

Jaanuu also extends this community beyond social media through in-person events, hospital visits and intimate conversations with healthcare professionals. Some of the brand’s smaller activations, including providing meals outside hospitals and inviting nurses to try on scrubs, have created its most meaningful connections.

These moments give the brand an opportunity to hear directly from healthcare workers about burnout, mental health, fear and the challenges they regularly face.

Small Moments Can Build Long-Term Loyalty

Brands do not need a massive event or viral activation to make an impact.

Dr. Neela believes smaller experiences can sometimes be more powerful because they leave room for genuine one-on-one conversations. Jaanuu’s earliest customers did not simply purchase the product, they followed the company’s journey, watched it grow and became part of its story.

Years later, many of those customers still remember the brand’s earliest collections and milestones.

That loyalty cannot be manufactured overnight. It comes from consistently showing up, listening and making people feel valued long before a brand reaches a larger audience.

Growing Through Passion, Consistency and Persistence

Jaanuu did not become an overnight success.

While the brand had been growing for years, it gained significant visibility during the COVID-19 pandemic. At a time when healthcare professionals were under unimaginable pressure, Jaanuu was already positioned to understand and speak honestly about their experiences.

The brand discussed subjects that went far beyond medical apparel, including burnout, grief, mental health and the reality of healthcare workers supporting patients through their final moments.

That connection was possible because Jaanuu’s mission had always been grounded in genuine care for the healthcare community.

Dr. Neela’s advice for other founders is simple, even if following it is not: do not give up.

She encourages founders to understand what truly drives them, remain consistent and surround themselves with people who support their vision. When a business is built only to prove something to others or follow what appears successful online, it becomes much harder to sustain.

Passion alone does not eliminate the difficult moments, but it gives founders a reason to keep moving through them.

Authenticity Does Not Mean Sharing Everything

Social media has created pressure for founders to document every part of their lives. However, Dr. Neela has deliberately chosen to maintain boundaries around her children, marriage and private family experiences, even when sharing more could have helped grow her following.

Her approach offers an important distinction: authenticity does not require unlimited access.

Founders can be honest about who they are while protecting the parts of their lives that are not meant to become content. In fact, having clear boundaries can make a personal brand feel more consistent because the founder is communicating from a place that genuinely reflects their values.

The key is deciding what authenticity means to you instead of copying someone else’s version of it.

Creating a Place Where Everyone Can Sit With Us

One message shaped much of Dr. Neela’s conversation: “You can sit with us.”

It reflects her belief that brands and communities should lead with greater acceptance, compassion and curiosity. Instead of deciding who belongs, Jaanuu aims to create a space where people feel comfortable sharing their experiences and being recognized for who they are.

That mindset applies to everything from product design and creator partnerships to founder storytelling and in-person community building.

Dr. Neela’s final advice is a reminder that there is no single formula for building a successful brand: “You do you.”

Trends will change. Platforms will evolve. New strategies will constantly compete for attention. The brands that create lasting connections will be the ones that understand who they are, consistently show up for their communities and refuse to lose their purpose in the noise.

Listen to the full episode of Like.Love.Share. to hear more from Dr. Neela Sethi Young about building Jaanuu, protecting her peace and creating a brand grounded in fashion, community and care.