The Health Innovators Show

Careers are a funny thing. We build them and nurture them and then, for some of us, we switch gears and chase our dream to build a unicorn startup. It can be a scary place for most folks. But when you have an established career in the healthcare space, you’ve got a lot of leverage that you might not know you can capitalize on. This week, we sit down with John Figueroa, Founder and CEO of Carepath Rx. He shares some of the strategies he used to do just that: chase the dream of a unicorn startup that changes healthcare - for the better. Touching on everything from how to leverage relationships you’ve built over the years to understanding the criteria and framework for a true unicorn business, John brings it all to the table for listeners. Maybe you’ve been thinking about how you need a change, or want to make a difference, or would really like to put your idea to the test. Whatever your reasons, if you’re considering a change in perspective for your career, you’re going to want to tune in! Here are the show highlights: Switching gears from an established career to a startup (7:11) How to leverage your experience (and relationships) to open doors (11:28) Why service innovation is a form of product innovation (14:01) How digital technology can make America healthier (17:39) A breakdown of the unicorn criteria (18:36) Healthcare trends to watch for (23:55)  Guest Bio John Figueroa is the Chairman and CEO of CarepathRx, a company providing innovative pharmacy solutions to hospital health systems. In his 30-year career in the healthcare industry, John has served as CEO of Genoa Health, Chairman and CEO of Apria Healthcare Group and Coram LLC, CEO and Board Member of Omnicare, Inc. and President of McKesson Corporation’s U.S. Pharmaceutical Group. Honored with the Distinguished Alumnus and Pepperdine Graziadio Business School Inspired Leadership Award, he went on to receive the Supply Chain Executive of the Decade award from the Global Supply Chain Leaders Group (GSCLG) and served as a Commissioned Officer in the United States Army as well as serving with the 12th Special Forces Group. John received his Bachelor’s degrees in both English Literature and Political Science from the University of California at Los Angeles, and his Master’s Degree in Business Administration from Pepperdine University. If you’d like to know more about John and CarepathRx, visit their website at carepathrxllc.com.

Healthcare is notoriously slow to move or change. That’s not news, it’s fact. And sometimes we have ‘solutions’ that might not be ideal, or even utilized because, well, they’re not all that effective. But what if you could reimagine that solution? Or take a different approach to getting the solution out to those who need it? That could be exactly what the “doctor ordered.” While enduring a health crisis of her own, Marina Borukhovich recognized a need in the healthcare market with a current solution that wasn’t very effective. Marina and her husband Eugene were able to reimagine a traditional - and often underutilized health coaching solution and, with the help of an unplanned pandemic, bring it into the 21st century. I was thrilled when Marina and Eugene agreed to sit down and talk about what steps they took, and challenges they faced, while trying to solve an unmet need in healthcare - and succeeding. Here are the show highlights: When (and how) to take advantage of shifting mindsets (9:47) Understanding that your role is valuable (14:49) It pays to pay attention to the ‘Oh, CRAP!’ moments (12:34) Building a (virtual) company culture (22:16) Nurturing a “gig” economy (26:58) The best advice is filtered advice (34:52)  Guest Bio Marina Borukhovich is founder and CEO at YourCoach Health. She began her career as a developer at Lockheed Martin, followed by several entrepreneurial ventures. After moving to Amsterdam, Marina was diagnosed with cancer. That battle helped fuel a passion for helping others. If you’d like to get in touch with Marina, you can reach out to her @YourCoachHealth on all social platforms or via email at Marina@yourcoachhealth.com. Eugene Borukhovich is co-founder and COO at YourCoach Health and founder of Initium Impact Ventures. He’s a career intra and entrepreneur, executive, venture builder, and speaker & board advisor focused on digital health. If you’d like to reach out to Eugene, you can reach him @YourCoachHealth on all social platforms, via email at Eugene@yourcoachhealth.com, or on twitter at @HealthEugene.

The digital health space is changing so fast, it can sometimes feel like your head is going to spin right off trying to keep track of what’s coming and going. And with all those moving parts, if you’re not paying attention - and I mean close attention - you could miss out on some huge opportunities, or fall into some epic traps. Dr. Joseph Kvedar has had his finger on the pulse of digital health and telehealth for over 30 years - so, when it comes to hyper shifting technology and business models, or even stalled out progress, he’s the man you want on your team. That’s why I was thrilled when he agreed to come onto the show, again, and share his expertise and thoughts on all those moving parts. Only this time, instead of discussing the possible changes to digital health and telehealth, we’re going to pick apart the massive shifts caused by COVID, and what those shifts may mean to the future of healthcare. Here are the show highlights: Looking at digital healthcare through the eyes of patients or caregivers. (9:52) Who’s at risk of being the next Kodak? (12:45) Successful healthcare disruptors will want to do this (15:39) Which healthcare innovations are further along than others (22:04) The risks and rewards of AI (24:25) The fastest growing trend of entrepreneurship (33:31)  Guest Bio Joseph C. Kvedar, MD is a practicing dermatologist, Chairman of the Board at the ATA, Editor at the npj Digital Medicine, a senior advisor at Harvard Medical School and an advisor to many healthcare startups, and the author of two books, The Internet of Healthy Things and The New Mobile Age: How Technology Will Extend the Healthspan and Optimize the Lifespan. If you have additional questions or insights you’d like to discuss with Dr. Kvedar, you can reach out to him on LinkedIn at Joe Kvedar, Twitter at @jkvedar, or by visiting joekvedar.com.

The world of funding can be a bit intimidating. Where do you start? How do you increase your chances of receiving an award? The truth is, the process is highly specific. But if you take the time to really understand your proposal and what you’re hoping to prove, you’ve already got a leg up. Christine E.B. Howard has spent her entire career in the funding space - and when she says you need to do A, B, or C, you can bet you’re getting the right advice at the right time. On this week’s show, Christine helps dispel some of the myths around writing and submitting proposals while also providing strategic insights on how small startups can increase their chances with securing funds. Funding is definitely a hurdle every company will have to clear. But this episode is sure to give you the training you need to sail over that bar and increase your chances at winning an award and moving your startup into the next phase toward success. Here are the show highlights:  Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grants and innovation (3:20) Why writing for clarity is key when submitting funding proposals (5:13) This is why you need a rock solid R&D methodology (15:09) You’re going to want to work out your customer discovery and value prop (16:09) Is funding customer discovery a “chicken or the egg” phenomenon? (18:02) What grant writers should (and should not) do (21:07)  Guest Bio  Christine E.B. Howard is the Founder and CEO of E.B. Howard Consulting, specializing in non-dilutive SBIR (Small Business Innovation Research) funding that helps develop, fund, and implement innovative STEM-based solutions. Christine is a mentor at the National Science Foundation’s I-Corps and has served as president and on the board of directors for the National Association of Women’s Business Owners. If you’d like to reach out to Christine, or want more information about E.B. Howard Consulting’s platforms or their grant writing services, you can find her and additional information on EBHoward.com.

Change can be scary, or it can be exhilarating - it’s all a matter of perception. That said, one thing is for sure: the only way to make sense of change is to embrace it. And, in healthcare, change has been happening at a rapid pace, even before COVID hit the scene. But the tempo has certainly picked up. Mauro Guillen understands how trends work and the implications of their effect on the trajectory of innovation in the future. Which is why we’re thrilled he’s sitting down with our viewers and listeners to shed some light on where we are now - and where we’re headed in the next decade. A lot of us are concerned about the future and where we’ll be in 5, 10, even 20 years. If you count yourself as an entrepreneur who’s got one foot in the now and the other searching for a foothold on the next trend, we’re here to spot you! Here are the show highlights:  Two big trends affecting healthcare today - and in the future (1:49) The digitization of medical records, and the new wave of telemedicine (3:23) New initiatives among smaller to mid-sized companies in healthcare (6:24) What you need to do when so many things are changing (8:27) Four myths of the ‘gray’ population (14:02) This is the only possible response to the changes happening around you (26:43)  Guest Bio  Mauro Guillen is the author of over 40 scholarly articles and 10 books, including the bestselling "2030: How Today's Biggest Trends Will Collide and Reshape the Future of Everything." A former Guggenheim and Fulbright Fellow, Mauro is currently serving as the Dean of Cambridge Judge Business School. Frequently appearing on networks such as NPR, Bloomberg TV, CCTV (China News), CNN en español, and other broadcast media, he continues to write, consult, and collaborate regularly with organizations including Accenture, PriceWaterhouseCoopers, RAND Corporation, and AFI. You can purchase Mauro’s book, 2030: How Today's Biggest Trends Will Collide and Reshape the Future of Everything, on Amazon and other retailers. If you’d like to reach out to Mauro, you can connect with him on LinkedIn at Mauro Guillen.

Even though the world of healthcare is slow to implement changes to tried-and-true systems, the world of healthcare technology rockets right along. For many entrepreneurs who build startups in the healthcare space, we’re expecting that quick pace, we brace for it and match it - even when slowing down might be our best option. Harsh Vathsangam is the Co-Founder and CEO of Moving Analytics and he’s here to remind us that sometimes (okay, more often than not), slowing the pace and really listening can be the key to success. When we move too fast, we can miss small details that pack a big punch - and when our company picks up on those details and puts them into play, we put our solutions at the head of the pack. On this week’s episode, learn how strategy can be both quick and thoughtful, if we simply take the time necessary to really listen to what our market, and customers, are telling us. Here are the show highlights: Two things to do when you’re thinking of forming a startup (5:47) Should you be fundraising, or gathering analyses? (10:00) How landing your first customer can break down barriers (22:22) You never know where that lead is going to come from (23:44) How listening can be your winning strategy (29:56) Crossing the chasm between early the adopter market and mainstream market (31:27) Guest Bio Harsh Vathsangam, PHD, is the Co-Founder and CEO of Moving Analytics, a digital health company out to conquer heart disease through digital prevention. His personal mission is to take technological solutions and apply them in ways that benefit people's lives. Harsh brings a broad range of expertise to the startup community, from working at the intersection of big data and mobile health all the way to technological and social innovation. If you’d like more info on Moving Analytics, you can email them at Hello@MovingAnalytics.com or contact them on Twitter at @movinganalytics. If you’d like to reach out to Harsh, you can message him via LinkedIn at Harsh Vathsangam.

Over the years, we’ve had leaders, consultants, advisors - just about every manner of representation in the healthcare leadership ecosystem - but never one that had them all covered! And then there was Patrick Tarnowski, founder of PTx2 Healthcare Consulting - a healthcare ecosystem veteran with over 30 years exposure to healthcare and innovation. With more than half our listeners and viewers trying to sell to a provider market, hospital system, or a health plan, there’s been many challenges we’ve faced and opportunities missed. Patrick sits down with us this week to share his insights and experiences in bringing successful healthcare solutions to market - from every side of the coin, and without trying to boil the ocean. It doesn’t matter who your target market is for this one, because there’s something for everyone. Here are the show highlights:  This is how to successfully navigate long sales cycles (8:10) Understanding your solution is as important as understanding your technology (15:13) Is it a sale or is it a discovery? (20:55) Why you shouldn’t try to boil the ocean (27:30) Seek market understanding over product validation (30:06) Don’t bypass the healthcare ecosystem hooplah! (38:03)  Guest Bio  Patrick is the founder of PTx2 Healthcare Consulting – a firm that specializes in helping small/early-stage companies understand and successfully navigate the healthcare ecosystem. Over 30 years in healthcare leadership roles has culminated in a passion for helping innovators and founders navigate the complexities of the healthcare ecosystem. Pat has successfully launched and scaled care delivery companies, digital solutions that included health and wellbeing, disease management and virtual care and worked with providers to achieve success in value-based payment models. If you’d like more information about PTx2 Healthcare Consulting, you can contact Pat directly on LinkedIn at Patrick Tarnowski.

“If you build it, they will come” only works in baseball. The truth is if you build it and they don’t know about it, you’ll never be seen. Eric Dai from Bio Launch at the University of Pennsylvania knows a few things about establishing problem and solution awareness - and how that works with product-market fit One of the keys to being “seen” is by helping people first. You’ll never make money if you’re not providing a product or service that fills a need or solves a problem. Intrigued? We were. So we invited Eric to come on the show and talk to us about the enormous impact transparency, positivity, and balanced relationships have on problem-solution awareness. If you’re a budding entrepreneur, this episode has your name written all over it! Here are the show highlights:  Why we need to do the right things for the right reasons (10:30) The positive effects of purpose-driven organizations (12:30) How value propositions and building relationships affect funding (18:52) The importance of knowing your value proposition’s sweet spot (22:17) Do you have problem-solution awareness? (26:55) This HUGE company killed it on co-creation (29:04)  Guest Bio  Eric Dai is a venture associate at Pillar VC/Petri and co-founder and Managing Director for Bio Launch, the University of Pennsylvania’s first student-run biotech accelerator. He’s also co-founder and host of Behind Biotech, a podcast that shares the stories of the innovative science and leaders behind biotech to educate and inspire future leaders in the life sciences. Eric uses his experience and expertise in technical problem-solving to fuel his passion for bringing people together. He’s out to change the world for the better. If you’d like more information about Bio Launch, you can contact Eric directly at eric@petri.bio or you can find him on LinkedIn at Eric Dai.

The first rule of successful commercialization is mapping out your path. The second rule is understanding when you have to adjust direction. Where to start; where to go; whether your product caters to consumers, providers, payers, or all three can change over the course of your commercialization journey. Dr. Elizabeth Ruzzo knows this first hand and she’s bringing us the scoop on how her startup was able to not only meet a need, but make that solution enticing to both customers and payers alike. Dishing on everything from out-of-this-world-crazy statistics to successfully weighing the pros and cons that line your commercialization path, Dr. Ruzzo delivers on key insights and strategies we know you’re looking for. If you’re trying to figure out which commercialization journey is right for you, you’re not going to want to miss this episode! Here are the show highlights: The crazy research statistic you haven’t heard about (1:56) Understanding where to start your commercialization journey (8:25) How to empower consumers with consumer-first healthcare (12:39) Weighing the pros and cons on your commercialization path (15:18) Data’s influence on audience message mapping (23:10) Influencer marketing - will it work for you? (25:01) Guest Bio Dr. Elizabeth Ruzzo is Founder and CEO of adyn, a company focused on bridging the medical research gap and making scientific discovery more inclusive. After more than a decade immersed in the study of human genomics and medical genetics, Dr. Ruzzo began noticing large knowledge gaps in medical research and information. It was then that she decided to build a new standard of care and work to close gaps caused by historic inequity in medical research. The recipient of many awards including the Charles J. Epstein Trainee Awardee for Excellence in Human Genetics Research, and the Jo Rae Wright Fellowship for Outstanding Women in Science, Dr. Ruzzo completed her graduate work at Duke University and postdoctoral research at UCLA. If you’d like to contact Dr. Ruzzo directly, you can email her at hello@adyn.com, or find her on LinkedIn at Elizabeth Ruzzo, PhD. If you’d like more information about adyn, visit their website at adyn.com.

Having a mission and vision are par for the course with healthcare entrepreneurs. We all want to change the face of healthcare in a positive way. Staying focused on your mission while growing and scaling your startup, though, that’s where it can get tricky. It’s good to have a few tools in our toolboxes, like how to leverage sales functions in your startup. Mayur Saxena can tell us all a thing or two about leveraging sales and growing a scalable startup - he’s done just that with his company Droice Labs. In our latest episode, Mayur talks about key strategies he put into place that helped him bring 50 healthcare systems on board. And, come on, 50? That’s amazing for a healthcare innovation! Come hear Mayur tell his story and dish a few insights - then take a trick or two back with you to add to your toolbox. Here are the show highlights:  Finding a path to better care programs (6:53) It’s okay to be mission-driven and disruptive (12:07) How being mission-focused can affect funding (19:43) Why you should stay mission-focused but reality based(22:42) The first function for startups is sales (29:54) Dig deeper and find the value in negative conversations (31:33)   Guest Bio  Mayur Saxena is CEO of Droice Labs, a company that is dedicated to enabling personalized medicine at scale. As both entrepreneur and scientist, Mayur spends his career concentrating on advancing medicine using high-noise/big data analysis. In addition to occupying key roles in several startups, including co-founding a biotech firm in the diabetes space, Mayur earned his Ph.D. from Columbia University, focusing on the computational physics of disease. If you’d like to contact Mayur directly, you can email him at mayur@droicelabs.com, or find him on LinkedIn at Mayur Saxena. If you’d like more information about Droice Labs, visit their website at DroiceLabs.com.