Ep 69. From Dermatologist to Disruptor with Dr. Manju Dawkins on Building Thimble Health

What if the fear you've always been told to "get over" is actually a signal worth listening to?Dr. Manju Dawkins is a board-certified dermatologist, founder and CEO of Thimble Health, the first over-the-counter needle care platform designed to take the pain and fear out of needles. When her newborn daughter looked up at her during a vaccine appointment, something shifted. That one moment became the seed of an entire company.In this conversation, Dr. Dawkins shares her journey from full-time dermatologist to healthcare disruptor, what it costs to self-censor as a woman of color entrepreneur, and why perfectionism nearly kept her playing it safe. She also opens up about motherhood, the NBA Foundation All-Star Pitch Competition, and the quiet hug from her daughter that meant more than any prize.Episode Takeaways:Why 63% of adults experience needle fear and why we rarely talk about itThe moment that sparked the creation of Thimble HealthHow the Prepare Patch and Recover Patch work and why post-procedure pain mattersWhy medical training can work against the entrepreneurial mindsetThe real cost of perfectionism in medicine and beyondWhat self-censoring looks like for women of color in leadershipWhy dreaming matters more than mapping out five-year plansHow collaboration beats competition every timeOne piece of advice for anyone sitting on an idea: write it down and take one stepReferenced:Jill Bolte Taylor’s TED Talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UyyjU8fzEYU About the guest:Dr. Manju Chacko Dawkins is a board-certified dermatologist, founder and CEO of Thimble, keynote speaker, and mother of two. After watching her young daughter's reaction during her first vaccinations, she turned a deeply human moment into a mission — creating Thimble, the first over-the-counter needle care platform designed to take the pain and fear out of shots and blood draws. Thimble's two-part system includes Prepare, a topical lidocaine patch that numbs skin before injections, and Recover, a turmeric and arnica patch that soothes soreness afterward. She holds a B.A. from Columbia University and her M.D. from the University of Maryland, completed her dermatology residency and served as Chief Resident at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, and was twice named Teacher of the Year as an Assistant Professor at Mount Sinai School of Medicine. Most recently, Thimble was featured in Forbes as a leading micro-innovation in healthcare, and Dr. Dawkins was a finalist in the NBA Foundation's All-Star 2026 Pitch Competition in Los Angeles, where Thimble won a $25,000 prize.Connect with Dr. Dawkins:Learn More About Thimble Health: https://thimblehealth.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thimble.health LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/manju-dawkins-md/ ✨ What Type of Perfectionism is Sabotaging Your Success?Take the FREE 3-minute quiz and discover your predominant perfectionism pattern (Self-Critic? Frustrated Fixer? Performer? Sustainable High-Achiever?). You'll get a personalized podcast episode designed for YOUR type + a complete resource guide with tools for boundaries, impostorism, nervous system regulation, and more.👉 Take the Quiz: https://www.dramnashabbir.com/quiz About the HostDr. Amna Shabbir, MD, NBC-HWC, CPC is a Dual Board-Certified Physician and TEDx Speaker with advanced training in Integrative Well-being, Performance, and Leadership Development. She speaks, coaches, and consults on Perfectionism, Sustainable Success, and the well-being of High Achievers.Connect with Dr. Shabbir📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr.amnashabbir/💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amna-shabbir-md/📹 Watch Dr. Shabbir's TEDx TalkPerfectionism Has A Solution - It is Not What You Think: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oNIzzM4Vg3s&t=3s  🌍 Want to Book Dr. Shabbir to Speak at your event or organization?Reach out at: https://www.dramnashabbir.com/Speaking ✅Want to work 1:1 With Dr. Shabbir?Schedule Your Complimentary Strategy Session: https://calendly.com/dramna