Running Through Walls

Former CMO at Datadog discusses the evolution of their go-to-market strategy, emphasizing the power of in-person sales. They also talk about balancing self-serve and enterprise selling motions, the importance of KPIs in marketing, and their childhood dream of becoming a rock star.

Heather Turner, CEO at Carmot Therapeutics, speaks with Venrock partner Nimish Shah to discuss her time as CEO. Turner shares how she guided the company through its acquisition by Roche, advice for other CEOs on the verge of an acquisition, her perspective on the GLP-1 market and what excites her about the future of biotech. 

Mark McKenna, chairman and CEO at Mirador Therapeutics, speaks with Venrock partner Nimish Shah to discuss his most recent role at Prometheus Biosciences and the beginning of his new company, Mirador. McKenna shares a behind-the-scenes look into leading Prometheus during its acquisition by Merck, why he started Mirador Therapeutics, advice for other CEOs, what he values in a team and more.

We have a special episode today because Venrock’s 8th annual Healthcare Prognosis results are in! From drugs (e.g., GLP-1s, pricing negotiations) to fundraising and optimism around the equity market to cybersecurity and AI regulations - this year’s survey covers it all. In this episode, partners Bryan Roberts and Bob Kocher sit down to share their perspectives on the most interesting findings.

Sami Inkinen, founder and CEO of Virta Health, speaks with Venrock partner Bob Kocher to discuss how Virta has evolved since he was on the podcast seven years ago. Inkinen shares how he views the GLP-1 craze, insights on his go-to-market strategy, advice for founders entering the healthcare market, and how Virta uses AI and technology. 

Latané Conant, Chief Revenue Officer at 6sense, speaks with Venrock partner Brian Ascher to discuss how her previous marketing role prepared her for her promotion to Chief Revenue Officer. Conant shares her approach to keeping product market fit, her opinion on Marketing Qualified Leads (MQLs), how AI could impact sales and marketing and more.

Isan Chen, CEO of MBrace Therapeutics, speaks with Venrock partner Racquel Bracken to discuss his career trajectory leading up to his founding of MBrace. Chen shares the impetus behind his decision to become an oncologist, why he switched from academic medicine to the industry side, lessons learned from years in drug development and more.

Patrick Conway, CEO of Optum Rx, sits down with Venrock partners Bryan Roberts and Bob Kocher to discuss his first few months on the job. Conway also shares his views on the best early metric indicators of success, the effectiveness of Medicare Advantage Star Ratings, the role of technology in value-based care and more.

Ed Park, co-founder and CEO of Devoted Health, sits down with Venrock partners Bryan Roberts and Bob Kocher to discuss the founding of Devoted. Park talks about his priorities for the next five years, the value he sees in AI and LLMs, Medicare Advantage industry changes, his favorite interview question for job candidates and more. 

Ying Huang, CEO of Legend Biotech, speaks with Venrock partner Nimish Shah about his career path to Legend Biotech and the lessons he learned from transitioning from Wall Street to an operating role. Huang also discusses what he prioritized when he first started the role, the most rewarding parts of his job and what characteristics he looks for when hiring people for his team.