Episode 39 - Russell Glass, CEO at Headspace

Welcome back for Episode 39 of the Digital Health Heavyweights Podcast. 

In today’s episode, Norm sits down with Russell Glass, CEO of Headspace, who shares his experience as an entrepreneur and leader in the healthcare and tech industries. He discusses the importance of culture, focus, and building a great team in driving success. Russell also emphasizes the need for founders to be optimistic, curious, and intentional about the culture they create. Russell highlights the challenges and complexities of building a digital health product, including navigating regulatory and payer landscapes. He also shares his insights on the explosive growth of Ginger and the importance of getting the core model right before scaling in healthcare. Russ and Norm discuss the importance of distribution and marketing in determining the success of a product. He explains that the best product doesn't always win, and that in healthcare, distribution is even more crucial. Russ also shares his experience of joining Ginger and leading it through a period of growth and transformation. He highlights the accomplishments he is most proud of, including rebuilding the team and growing the company's care team. He also discusses the merger between Ginger and Headspace and the benefits it brings to the member experience. Russ concludes by sharing his personal practices for wellness, including meditation, walking meetings, and intentional time management.

 Takeaways

 🌟 Culture, focus, and building a great team are key to driving success in entrepreneurship.

🔍 Founders should be optimistic, curious, and intentional about the culture they create.

💻 Building a digital health product requires navigating complex regulatory and payer landscapes.

🔑 Getting the core model right before scaling is crucial in healthcare.

💡 The best product doesn't always win in the healthcare industry. The best product doesn't always win in the market. Distribution, marketing, and access play a crucial role in determining success.

🏥 In healthcare, distribution is even more important than in other industries. Removing friction and making it easy for people to access a product or service is key.

🔧 Rebuilding a team and creating a world-class executive team can contribute to the growth and success of a company.

🤝 The merger between Ginger and Headspace has enhanced the member experience by combining two powerful brands and offering a comprehensive end-to-end platform for mental health support.

🧘 Personal wellness practices include meditation, walking meetings, intentional time management, and prioritizing sleep and exercise.

🚀 When considering a career in healthcare tech, focus on the mission, the CEO, the company culture, and the product's potential impact.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Background

05:32 Creating the Right Team

21:27 Building a Digital Health Product

27:14 Differences in Building Tech and Healthcare Products

33:19 Leading Growth and Transformation at Ginger

41:26 Personal Wellness Practices

51:30 Outro

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