The Power of Partnership: Co-Founders Building Bridge and the Future of Women in Healthcare

In this episode of The Builders Podcast, host Matt Levenhagen sits down with Lorie Spence and Carolyn Pritchard, co-founders of Bridge Medical Communications—a life-sciences agency that helps biotech and pharmaceutical companies better connect with healthcare providers and improve patient outcomes.

 Together, they explore what it truly takes to build a lasting partnership, navigate change in the healthcare industry, and grow a business that balances purpose, innovation, and trust.You’ll hear how two women from different professional paths—one from nursing, the other from communications—came together to build a company that thrives on collaboration and shared values. Fourteen years later, their story is a masterclass in what it means to build together.

Key Takeaways

• Strong partnerships start with shared purpose, not just complementary skills. Lorie and Carolyn credit their longevity to alignment in values and vision before all else.
• Plan the partnership like you’d plan the business. Early on, they created a structured model that defined roles, expectations, and communication rhythms—key to avoiding common co-founder pitfalls.
• Boutique scale = big advantage. By staying intentionally lean, Bridge can remain nimble, innovative, and deeply connected to client needs—something larger agencies often struggle with.
• Purpose drives resilience. Their backgrounds in healthcare give deeper meaning to their work, keeping the mission of improving patient outcomes at the center.
• Women building in healthcare are shaping the future. Lorie and Carolyn’s leadership shows how empathy, collaboration, and adaptability create not only strong companies, but stronger industry connections.
• Longevity is built on trust and adaptability. Fourteen years in, Bridge continues to evolve by anticipating change, mentoring others, and holding onto the values that sparked its creation.