The CQ: How Atticus is Getting Americans in Crisis the Aid They Deserve
Since leading the series A in 2021, Atticus has grown into the #1 law firm helping disabled Americans get benefits
The CQ is Forerunner’s weekly newsletter rounding up the most pressing consumer news and analysis, plus some bonus musings from our investment team. Subscribe now to get the latest edition in your inbox every Saturday.
By Brian O’Malley, Managing Director
For over two years, we’ve partnered closely with Atticus on their simple yet powerful goal: to make sure people nationwide get the life-changing aid they’re entitled to. Because at any given time, about 16 million injured or ill Americans urgently need legal help — and an estimated 50% who qualify for aid never claim it. Red tape, bureaucratic incompetence, and adversarial systems mean that millions of qualified people give up, get turned away, or simply never learn that they’re eligible. Those with the least resources are often the ones who are taken advantage of most.
Atticus makes finding legal help easy by building the first digitally-native public-interest law firm for consumers. It’s a no-brainer deal: Atticus helps people figure out if they qualify for aid, get a top-quality lawyer to represent them, then does all the legwork to win benefits. Clients pay nothing up front, and nothing if they lose. In doing so, Atticus is helping open up the $60B in legally-enforceable aid that exists between workers compensation, accident insurance, and other programs.
The solution is working — since launching in 2019, Atticus has grown to be the #1 firm in the country helping disabled Americans get benefits. In 2023, it will help 25,000 clients, who as a result of its work will get more than $3 billion in lifetime aid.
After leading the series A in 2021, we were eager to deepen our support by participating in their series B earlier this year. And we are proud to continue to closely partner throughout their growth as they democratize the best legal representation for all Americans.
What We’re Talking About on Slack:
Many retailers bet wrong on American’s feelings about brick & mortar stores, according to a new deep dive in The Atlantic. The article points to one hunting, fishing, and camping gear store in a whopping 535,000 sqft space in Memphis with “Disney-level production values” (read: a fake forest and live alligators) as an example of how brick-and-mortar retail is flourishing today, particularly in high-end markets. “More than 80% of retail purchases made in America are still made in person, and industry experts generally agree that that number won’t bottom out in the near future.” TL;DR— in-person retail experiences can be powerful, but they need to be just that: unique, dynamic experiences vs. boxes-to-check.
Wall Street Journal looks at how increased screen time and reduced sun exposure amongst kids is leading to an uptick in nearsightedness. About 30% around the globe suffers from myopia (the formal name for nearsightedness), and that number is expected to rise to 50% by 2050, according to the World Health Organization. One report found that myopia among children increased by 35% during the pandemic.
Shoppers say they want sustainable goods, but won't pay more for them — an established but still relevant issue in the context of emerging of sustainable consumer offerings. Some of the best companies getting consumers to buy sustainable goods are doing so via selling an aspirational product and brand as the primary appeal, where sustainability is baked in as a supporting point (for example: The Reformation) vs. asking consumers to spend more purely because of their moral compass.
Gen Z is rethinking the idea of college — and it involves a lot less “traditional” college. Four million fewer teenagers enrolled in college in 2022 vs. 2012. For many, the price tag is now too costly to justify the value (from 2010 to 2022, college tuition rose an average of 12% a year, while overall inflation only increased an average of 2.6% each year). Meanwhile, the salaries students are expected to earn post graduation haven't kept up with the cost of college. “Gen Z is a group known for challenging the status quo. Their changing views will fuel the drive different, value-driven alternatives to college. Those alternatives may take many forms.” Some examples: schools like Miami University of Ohio and Arizona State now allow honors students to design their own majors, while some skilled-trade programs have experienced a 40% spike in enrollment since the pandemic.
Much has been written about how the creator economy industry has faltered after a surplus of funding chased over-hyped ideas. A lesser-told angle: influencers are thriving, dodging the downfall felt by their industry’s startups. “One reason is that creators, as a channel for advertising, are still relatively small and continue to gobble share from more-mature media businesses. Many social media influencers are also showing themselves to be far more adaptable to changing market conditions than creator-focused startups. Influencers run lean operations, which keeps their costs low, and their small size allows them to quickly change up strategies—switching the type of content they make or diving into new platforms like podcasting—if their original plan isn’t working.”
Esquire sheds light on a complex topic — the cost of living with a disability in America — through a cartoon-style visual analysis. It’s been over 30 year the Americans with Disabilities Act was signed to grant those with disabilities a new future with equal access and opportunity, but the reality is a very different picture. “On average, disabled households require 28% more income to obtain the same standard of living as non disabled households.”
Kids are going back to school. So is ChatGPT. Much like how personal calculators threw a major wrench in school curriculums when they first became a thing, ChatGPT is leaving teachers caught between cracking down on cheating with generative AI and using it to help empower students. Wired looks into the complicated year ahead of figuring this out.
The New York Times looks into how Menopause retreats are the latest thing in wellness travel. “Menopause-centered offerings vary widely, from mindfulness techniques to herbal remedies to nutritional guidance and exercise. Sometimes, the most important activity is just the chance to bond with other women facing the same issues.” Not surprisingly, doctors are skeptical that spa treatments will alleviate menopause symptoms, but it does suggest that middle-aged women are eager for information, support, and a specific kind of self-care.
Social media is feeling especially stale (and at times, “dead”), which isn’t necessarily new, but now it’s juxtaposed with a rise in more appealing alternatives: private communities, DMs, and “close friends” features. In a nutshell, social media has become less social, and more media — and younger generations are turning to other channels for swapping personal updates. “These closed spaces aren't just more private than Instagram and TikTok — they offer something algorithms can't serve: niche communities. You have this really interesting countermovement backwards into these much smaller, hyper-specific communities."
Related: TikTok appears to be gearing up for a big push into messaging. “Ultimately, it appears that while the rest of the industry chases TikTok’s vertical video, creation tools, and seemingly magical algorithmic feed, TikTok is going to try and build the rest of what makes those other apps work.”
Portfolio Highlights:
The Wall Street Journal tells the story of Glossier in this feature and talks to CEO Kyle Leahy on the new direction for the brand.
Doug Sweeny, CMO of Oura, joined the Earned podcast by Creator IQ to talk scaling startups and how Oura facilitates content creation.
A-Frame Brands launched a new line of baby products for textured hair called Haircare by PROUDLY available nationwide at Target and on Proudly.com.
Marisa Sharkey and Bianca Gates, co-founders of Birdies, share how they started their business on The Today Show’s “She Made It” segment.
WWD and Cosmopolitan UK cover Glossier’s plans to partner with Sephora to expand into the U.K.
Glossy reports that Glossier has again collaborated with the WNBA for a new launch of its new Stretch Fluid Foundation.
WWD discusses the continued rise of wellness wearables, with a quote from Oura CEO Tom Hale.
Forerunner Highlights:
Eurie Kim joins the Earned podcast by Creator IQ to share her thoughts on the shift to in-person retail, the rise of A.I. and more.
Work at a Portfolio Company:
Head of Paid Social | Curated: Curated is on a mission to help people find exactly what they’re looking for when shopping is hard and the stakes are high. The role will be responsible for shaping and executing the paid social media strategy to accelerate growth of the business.
VP of Healthcare Partnerships | Oura: Oura is on a mission to empower every person to own their inner potential by gaining a deeper knowledge of their readiness, activity, and sleep quality. This role will lead business development partnerships in the healthcare sector, sourcing, developing and bringing to fruition deals to advance growth and success.
Senior Director, Product Operations | Glossier: Glossier is a people-first beauty company on a mission to give everyone a voice through beauty. This role will elevate the integrity, efficiency and efficacy of product related functions within the supply chain and operations organization, such as program management of product development, sourcing, inventory management and production.
There are ~515 other openings on our jobs site. Check ‘em out.