The Med-Tech Talent Lab

Mitch Robbins had the opportunity to host Mr. Garth Conrad, the VP of Quality for Flex Health Solutions. Garth shares his career journey and insights on leadership and building a strong company culture. He emphasizes the importance of relationships, curiosity, and drive in achieving success. Conrad also highlights the role of mentors and coaches in career development. He discusses the differences between individual contributor and managerial roles, as well as the qualities that separate top performers from the average. Conrad stresses the significance of aligning values, beliefs, and behaviors to create a positive company culture. He encourages professionals to gain experience in different functional areas and to actively solve problems. Near the end of the show Garth humanly shares the vision for the legacy he hopes to leave behind. Takeaways About Garth Conrad: Mr. Garth Conrad comes to The Med-Tech Talent Lab with almost 25 years of industry experience across Med-Tech. He's worked for a variety of the large strategics like Medtronic, J&J, BD, etc. Garth holds a bachelors of science degree in materials engineering, an MBA, and he is also a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt. Garth on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/garth-conrad-38b3835/ About Flex & Flex Health Solutions: Flex Health Solutions is a division of Flex which is a $30 billion dollar organization with about 170,000 employees worldwide. The company is a global supply chain and manufacturing solutions provider. https://flex.com/resources/flex-health-solutions

In this episode, we talk with Mr. Mark Rhein, the Head of talent & Learning at Glaukos Corporation. Mark shares his experience in building a learning and development program at Glaukos, focusing on middle-level leadership development. He emphasizes the importance of prioritization and designing programs that provide the biggest value to employees. Mark also discusses the company's unique approach to performance management, which involves regular check-ins and feedback conversations. He shares insights on workforce planning and the need for flexibility in a rapidly growing organization. Overall, Mark highlights the importance of continuous learning and adapting to meet the needs of the business. Takeaways Chapters 00:00Introduction and Background 01:12Building a Learning and Development Program at Glaukos Corporation 05:01Focusing on Middle-Level Leadership Development 07:23Designing and Implementing Leadership Development Programs 09:16Expanding Learning Activities and Classes 11:15Balancing Time Constraints with Learning and Development 20:34Providing Feedback and Recognizing Achievements 22:09Streamlining Workforce Planning 32:27Lessons Learned and Advice for Building a Learning and Development Program 35:27Exciting Innovations at Glaukos Corporation About Mark Rhein: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-rhein-7b3944/ Mark has built a storied career over the last 25+ years building Learning & Development programs across industries. Deloitte, Sprint, Abbott, & now Glaukos are just some of the fine organizations Mark has contributed to. Mark’s expertise, which I know we are going to dig into today, lies in the areas of Organizational Development, Performance Management, Leadership Development across all levels & project Management. Mark Holds his Bachelors degree in Enviornmental Design from the University of Missouri-Columbia & his Masters Degree in Executive Leadership & Organizational Change from Northwestern University. About Glaukos: www.glaukos.com Glaukos Corporation is a ophthalmic medical technology & pharmaceutical company based out of Southern California that is focused on novel therapies for the treatment of glaucoma, corneal disorders & retinal disease.

Summary In this episode, Mitch Robbins interviews Mark Rhein, The Head of Talent & Learning at Glaukos Corporation. Mark shares his experience in building a learning and development program at Glaukos focusing on middle-level leadership development. He emphasizes the importance of prioritization and designing programs that provide the biggest value to employees. Mark also discusses the company's unique approach to performance management, which involves regular check-ins and feedback conversations. He shares insights on workforce planning and the need for flexibility in a rapidly growing organization. Overall, Mark highlights the importance of continuous learning and adapting to meet the needs of the business. Takeaways Chapters 00:00Introduction and Background 01:12Building a Learning and Development Program at Glauco's Corporation 05:01Focusing on Middle-Level Leadership Development 07:23Designing and Implementing Leadership Development Programs 09:16Expanding Learning Activities and Classes 11:15Balancing Time Constraints with Learning and Development 20:34Providing Feedback and Recognizing Achievements 22:09Streamlining Workforce Planning 32:27Lessons Learned and Advice for Building a Learning and Development Program 35:27Exciting Innovations at Glauco's Corporation About Mark: Mark has built a storied career over the last 25+ years building Learning & Development programs across industries. Deloitte, Sprint, Abbott, & now Glaukos are just some of the fine organizations Mark has contributed to. Mark’s expertise, which I know we are going to dig into today, lies in the areas of Organizational Development, Performance Management, Leadership Development across all levels & project Management. Mark Holds his Bachelors degree in Enviornmental Design from the University of Missouri-Columbia & his Masters Degree in Executive Leadership & Organizational Change from Northwestern University. https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-rhein-7b3944/ About Glaukos: Glaukos Corporation is a ophthalmic medical technology & pharmaceutical company based out of Southern California that is focused on novel therapies for the treatment of glaucoma, corneal disorders & retinal disease. www.glaukos.com

Summary In this episode, Mitch Robbins interviews Alan Beckman, the Vice President of Market Access at Blue Wind Medical. They discuss Alan's background, his transition from sales to market access, and the challenges and rewards of working in market access. Alan shares his insights on interviewing and hiring, the qualities of a successful market access professional, and the changes in market dynamics post-pandemic. He also talks about managing stress and maintaining a routine, his desired legacy, and the exciting developments at Blue Wind Medical. Takeaways About Alan: Alan received his Bachelors in Economics from Rutgers University & MBA from Fairleigh Dickinson University & comes to us today with almost 30 years of experience across Med-Tech & the greater LifeSciences having held positions in sales, progressive roles in sales leadership and for the last 14 years leadership roles overseeing Reimbursement, Market Access & Healthcare economics. Back in the day he worked for companies like Cephalon and Abbott Labs. More recently he was a Senior Director of Healthcare Economics & Reimbursement for LivaNova before joining BlueWind Medical in 2022 as the VP. https://www.linkedin.com/in/alan-beckman-mba-abb5986/ About BlueWind Medical: Bluewind Medical, is introducing a transformative new treatment for urgent bladder leaks. The company’s product, Revi, is a miniature device implanted near the ankle that sends signals up through the nerves to the bladder to help manage symptoms. With up to 95% patient satisfaction, Revi is a long-term solution designed to help calm and control your bladder symptoms. https://bluewindmedical.com/

Joining us for this episode was Mr. Ken Mariash, the CEO at Sinaptica Therapeutics. For over 20 years Ken has been leading & growing new business ventures on both the 'Buy Side' and the 'Build Side.' He started his career in management consulting at Charles River Associates then jumped to industry at CLS, then Baxter BioScience (acquired by Takeda) and then Boston Scientific with leadership roles in marketing, strategy & corporate development. Ken holds degrees in both Biochemistry & Business Economics from Brown University. Today, Ken is leading the team at Sinaptica to advance their personalized closed-loop neuromodulation therapy for Alzheimers which has generated unprecedented Phase 2 sham-controlled clinical data that was recently published in the Oxford journal, 'Brain.' Sinaptica has FDA Breakthrough status for its novel proprietary approach which combines rTMS, EEG, and Neuronavigation with a sophisticated ML-derived personalization engine based on a novel brain target--the precuneus, the central hub of the Default Mode Network, a brain network involved in episodic memory. The company has completed all clinicals to date with non-dilutive funding and is now in-process of obtaining financing to complete the clinical product (SinaptiStim-AD) ** and prepare to initiate a pivotal study in one year's time. Some of the major highlights we discussed: -How Ken's upbringing shaped his early & future career days -Pivotal roles that were instrumental in Ken's career development to becoming a CEO -How Ken manages stress, especially during difficult times -Ken's perspective on the toughest part of being a CEO -Career advice for others coming up behind him ...and so much more Key Takeaways: Find Ken Mariash on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kenmariash/ Sinaptica Therapeutics on the web: https://sinapticatx.com/ Note: (SinaptiStim is a trade mark of Sinaptica Therapeutics)

In this episode, we were joined by Mr. Anthony Incontro, the Talent Acquisition Manager for Vertos Medical. We discussed the importance of creating a best-in-class candidate experience and how to streamline the application process. We also explored the challenges of collaborating with hiring managers and delivering tough feedback to candidates. Anthony shares insights into the growth and culture at Vertos Medical, a company focused on developing innovative treatments for lumbar spinal stenosis. Takeaways Chapters 00:00Introduction and Background 01:16Importance of Candidate Experience 05:49Streamlining the Application Process 06:36Engaging Candidates Throughout the Process 09:32Managing the Hiring Manager's Role 12:14Delivering Tough Feedback to Candidates Anthony Incontro on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aincontro/ Vertos Medical on the web: vertosmed.com About Anthony Incontro: Anthony received his bachelor’s degree from Rutgers University in Labor Relations & Human Resources Management, and since 2005, he has been building his career in Talent Acquisition. Anthony’s had the opportunity to work across the LifeSciences ecosystem in both Pharma & Medical Device having worked for various organizations like Johnson & Johnson, Novo Nordisk, Alcon, Integra LifeSciences & Acadia Pharmaceuticals to name a few. Today, as I mentioned, he leads Talent Acquisition for Vertos Medical.

Joining us for this episode was Mr. Michael Tutera, the Vice President of Market Access at Nalu Medical. Michael came to the show today with almost 25 years of experience across the Medical Device, Biopharma & Pharma sectors. Michael got his start in the industry by way of Sales and over the years has continued to take on progressive amounts of responsibility in Sales leadership and then of course both Reimbursement & Market Access leadership. He’s worked for companies like Forest Laboratories which many of you now know it as Allergan, Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals, Intersect ENT which is now part of Medtronic, and of course now now, Nalu Medical. For those unfamiliar with Nalu, it has been repeatedly recognized for its revolutionary technology & innovation including being named as one of the top 100 new products in the world by R&D Magazine. The company was also the gold winner of the 2021 Medical Design Excellence Award and winner of MedTech Visionaries Award for Best MedTech Company & Best Medical Device in the field of neurology. The Nalu Neurostimulation System gives patients more options for managing intractable, chronic pain. Some of the highlights we covered: -How Mike's upbringing shaped the early beginnings of his career -Mike's take on high performance, especially in Market Access -Why some make it to the top of their pyramid & others don't -Toughest challenges in 2024 for Med-Device organizations to achieve market access -How Mike handles stress as a leader with many varying personal & professional responsiblities ...and so much more!

Joining us for this episode was Mr. Anthony Watson, the Vice President of Regulatory & Quality at Windgap Medical. Tony comes to the show today with almost 30 years of experience in the greater LifeSciences industry. Prior to working on the industry side, he spent almost 20 years working for the FDA where prior to resigning, he was the Director for the Division of Anesthesiology, General Hospital, Infection Control & Dental Services. If you can’t tell already, Tony has a tremendous breadth of experience working for companies like Sanofi, Biogen, Pear Therapeutics and of course now Windgap Medical. He has been at the forefront of the development of FDA emerging technology global regulatory schemes affecting the evolution of regulated combination products, SaMD products & human factors and he is an expert when it comes to building new Regulatory teams, defining problems & finding optimal solutions. He holds his BS in Engineering from the United States Naval Academy & both his Masters in Management Information Systems & MBA from the University of Maryland. Some of the highlights we discussed: -How his formative years shaped his career trajectory -His transition from FDA to the industry side of the business -His take on leadership & lessons learned from his Military experience -What separates top performers from the average in RA and/or QA -Advice for those aspiring to lead the entire RA and/or QA functions ..and so much more! Find Tony on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthony-w-77abaa3/ Learn more about Windgap Medical: https://windgapmedical.com/

Joining us for this episode was Mr. Philip MacDonald, a Market Access Executive who has helped 100s of thousands gained access to proper care. He's worked for strategics like Medtronic, Abbott & Siemens. He's also worked for start-ups like Vertos Medical. He holds a Doctorate in Health Economics & a Masters in Healthcare Administration. Some of the highlights we discussed: -What separates top performers from the average in market access -Primary challenges manufacturers & sponsors face in 2024 to gaining market access for medical devices -A look back on what he would do differently if he could go back in time -Advice for those aspiring to lead the Market Access function ..and so much more! Philip on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/philipmacdonald/

SummaryIn this episode, Mitch Robbins interviews Melanie Leibovitz, a regulatory and quality executive with over 25 years of experience in the medical device and digital health sectors. Melanie shares her journey from growing up in New Jersey to falling into the regulatory and quality field. She emphasizes the importance of soft skills for executive roles and offers advice on developing these skills. Melanie also discusses the role of AI in regulatory and quality and encourages professionals in the field to adapt and learn new skills. She concludes by sharing her hope of leaving a legacy in the industry. Takeaways Tune in for this and so much more!

Joining us for this episode of The Med-Tech Talent Lab was Mr. Kevin Bentley, the Vice President of Regulatory Affairs & Quality at Zoll Respircardia. Kevin is a 30 year veteran in the fields of medical device quality and regulatory. Since 2017, Kevin has served as the Vice President of Regulatory Affairs and Quality for a company called Zoll Respircardia, which is a leader in innovative technologies that address the unmet needs of people with central fleet apnea. Kevin and his team are responsible for driving regulatory strategy. For successful commercialization and maintaining commercialized status across a portfolio of novel class two and class three products. Prior to this, Kevin served in a variety of RAQA leadership roles for companies like Angiotech, Angel medical systems, LSI solutions, and others. Simultaneously over the years, Kevin has maintained a vibrant consulting practice called Acumen regulatory and quality consultants. Where he and his team assist MedTech startups with creating and executing regulatory strategies for novel devices, which includes meeting with the FDA, Health Canada, and notified bodies to determine the least burdensome path to device approval. Some of the highlights we discussed: -His formative years and how they helped shape his interests -Pivotal career moments that helped him get to his VP spot today -Tips of what to look for when interviewing candidates -How does he spot top performance compared to 'average'? ...and so much more!

Joining us for this episode of The Med-Tech Talent Lab was Mr. Kevin Bentley, the Vice President of Regulatory Affairs & Quality at Zoll Respircardia. Kevin is a 30 year veteran in the fields of medical device quality and regulatory. Since 2017, Kevin has served as the Vice President of Regulatory Affairs and Quality for a company called Zoll Respircardia, which is a leader in innovative technologies that address the unmet needs of people with central fleet apnea. Kevin and his team are responsible for driving regulatory strategy. For successful commercialization and maintaining commercialized status across a portfolio of novel class two and class three products. Prior to this, Kevin served in a variety of RAQA leadership roles for companies like Angiotech, Angel medical systems, LSI solutions, and others. Simultaneously over the years, Kevin has maintained a vibrant consulting practice called Acumen regulatory and quality consultants. Where he and his team assist MedTech startups with creating and executing regulatory strategies for novel devices, which includes meeting with the FDA, Health Canada, and notified bodies to determine the least burdensome path to device approval. Some of the highlights we discussed: -His formative years and how they helped shape his interests -Pivotal career moments that helped him get to his VP spot today -Tips of what to look for when interviewing candidates -How does he spot top performance compared to 'average'? ...and so much more!

The Med-Tech Talent Lab kicks off its 3rd season with a guest who is no stranger to the show! Mitch Robbins sat down with Michelle Lott, Founder of Lean RA/QA, a consulting firm helping Med-Tech startups across the US with all things Regulatory & Quality to discuss when exactly is the right time to hire your first full-time RA/QA employee. During the episode Mitch & Michelle discussed: -Indicators for when it's time to hire a full time RA/QA professional -How fractional help makes the most sense early -The scope of responsiblity this RA/QA 1st FTE usually takes on -Where Med-Tech start-ups get it wrong in the beginning with their Regulatory strategy ...and so much more! Check out Michelle Lott & Lean RA/QA here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michellelottraqa/ and Lean RA/QA here: https://leanraqa.com/

During this final episode of The Med-Tech Talent lab, 2023 Mitch Robbins & Adam Saupe reflect on what's been a topsy turvy year in the employment market for Med-Tech. They share their learnings, insights, and forecasts for what is to come in 2024. Thanks to all our loyal listeners and newcomers alike! Excited to bring you a brand new season of The Med-Tech Talent Lab podcast in 2024!

While job descriptions can certainly be helpful they can also backfire and deter would-be qualified candidates from moving forward and applying. During this episode of The Med-Tech Talent Lab podcast we discuss how to leverage (or disregard) the contents of a job description in an effort to best position yourself for response to your inquiry. The advice as to what to do regarding your experience vs what the job description says varies depending on a variety of circumstances which we dive into during this discussion. Some highlights: Job Requirements Dilemma:Balancing Requirements with Candidate Potential:Strategy for Applicants:Insights on Hiring Manager’s Perspective:Emphasis on Networking:Final Takeaways:...tune in for so much more!

In this episode of "The MedTech Talent Lab" podcast, host Mitch Robbins is joined by Talent Acquisition veteran Nick Zweig. They discuss the benefits of recruiting and job searching during the holiday season. Despite the common preference for a fresh start in January, the hosts argue that starting the recruiting process during the holiday season can actually be more advantageous. They point out that new budgets are approved in January, making it a busy time for recruiters. They encourage companies and candidates to take advantage of the holiday season to begin their job search or open up new searches. An "against the grain" approach to why it's actually advantageous to recruit and job search going right up into the holidays vs waiting until all industry competition gets after it in the New Year.

If you've ever experienced a significant relationship that came to a close, you'd probably agree with the similarities to that of getting laid-off.Usually, depending on circumstances, there's:-A period of grief-A period of reflection-An opportunity to learn, grow and move FORWARDDuring this live episode of The Med-Tech Talent Lab podcast we discuss how to leverage the unfortunate event of getting laid-off to your advantage.

When was the last time you were truly proactive about a career move?It usually goes something like this:-I've been laid-off: Time to hit the job boards and talk to recruiters-I'm unhappy-Time to hit the job boards and talk to recruitersRather, what I want you to take from this episode is the idea of a well-thought-out, strategic approach to your career, your career journey, and your next career move.During this live episode of The Med-Tech Talent Lab we share strategies and ideas you can put into action to do just that...create a strategic approach to your career!Some highlights of what we discussed:-Defining criteria-Ranking said criteria-Leveraging this criteria to create proactive outreach...and so much more!Did you know The Med-Tech Talent Lab podcast goes live each Thursday at 11am Pacific/2pm Eastern on Thursdays on LinkedIn? Simply connect or follow Mitch Robbins on LinkedIn to be notified every time the show goes live.https://www.linkedin.com/in/mitchrobbins/

Let's be real....When it comes to following-up after an interview, most simply just don't know what to do. It usually goes something like this:-Send thank you notes to the interviewers (and most don't even do this).-The thank you notes are usually very generic and light on any substance-If no response after that, usually another "any news" or "hoping to hear" from you type of communication goes out.During this live episode of The Med-Tech Talent Lab, we dig deep into tips and tricks you, as the candidate, can leverage to garner a response from your interview in order to either move the offer process forward or cut ties and professionally move on with some closure.Tune in to learn:-The how and what for post-interview follow-up like a pro-Why it's so important and how you can help yourself quickly stand out from the rest of your candidate competition by leveraging these straight-forward strategiesDid you know The Med-Tech Talent Lab goes live each Thursday on LinkedIn at 11am Pacific/2pm Eastern? Follow Mitch Robbins on LinkedIn to be notified each time the show goes live! https://www.linkedin.com/in/mitchrobbins/

A staggering 59% of professionals don't attempt to negotiate their salaries when presented with an offer by a prospective employer! Yep, you read that right.....On this live episode of The Med-Tech Talent Lab we dig into:-Why it's important to negotiate-The items above & beyond base salary that can be negotiated..and most importantly the "how to" for preparing & executing your negotiationCheck it out!Did you know The Med-Tech Talent Lab goes live on Thursdays on LinkedIn at 11am Pacific/2pm Eastern? Follow Mitch Robbins to be notified every time the show goes live! https://www.linkedin.com/in/mitchrobbins/