In this episode, I sit down with Shelli Pavone, co-founder of Inlightened, a platform built to bridge the gap between healthcare innovators and professionals. Shelli shares her journey through healthcare and startup leadership, and we dive into why startups often miss the mark when they don't meaningfully involve clinicians in the innovation process. We explore how clinician feedback can prevent costly mistakes, why healthcare professionals should be compensated for their input, and how engaging with innovation can reignite a physician’s passion for impacting healthcare. Shelli also highlights how Inlightened simplifies the administrative side of consulting, creating a low-risk, high-value opportunity for physicians to step into the startup space. If you’ve ever wondered how your expertise could shape the future of healthcare—without needing prior consulting experience—this conversation is for you.

Episode Highlights
[00:00] — Introduction to Inlightened and Its Mission
[03:10] — The Disconnect Between Healthcare Innovators and Providers
[05:51] — Building Connections: The Role of Inlightened
[09:01] — The Innovation Lifecycle and Importance of Feedback
[11:53] — Engaging Healthcare Professionals: The Onboarding Process
[15:09] — The Value of Diverse Perspectives in Healthcare Innovation
[18:00] — Opportunities for Physicians in the Innovation Space
[20:52] — Conclusion and Call to Action

In this episode, I explore the powerful parallels between clinical care and startup innovation. As physicians, we are expert diagnosticians—trained to identify real problems, design strategic solutions, and build trust under pressure. Our ability to operate in uncertainty, assess risk, collaborate across disciplines, and drive continuous improvement positions us perfectly to thrive in the startup world. I walk through ten key analogies that show how our clinical mindset, from systems thinking to resilience and agility, translates directly into healthcare innovation. If you’ve ever wondered how to apply your skills beyond the bedside, this conversation is for you.

Episode Highlights

[00:00] — Introduction: Why Physicians Are Natural Innovators
[02:30] — Diagnosing Problems in Startups Like Patients in Medicine
[06:00] — Building Strategic Solutions: Treatment Plans to Business Plans
[09:45] — Thriving in Uncertainty and Assessing Risk
[13:00] — The Power of Interdisciplinary Collaboration
[16:20] — Building Trust with Patients and with Startup Stakeholders
[20:10] — Data Collection, Learning Loops, and Agile Iteration
[24:00] — Knowing When to Ask for Help (and Why It Matters)
[27:15] — Resilience Under Pressure: A Shared Skill Across Fields
[30:40] — Systems Thinking: Seeing the Bigger Picture
[34:00] — Continuous Improvement: The Link Between Medicine and Startup Growth
[36:00] — Final Reflections: How to Leverage Your Clinical Skills in Innovation

Summary
This episode, I discuss the growing opportunities for physicians in the startup world and how to successfully transition from clinical roles to entrepreneurial ventures. I share why identifying real healthcare problems, designing thoughtful solutions, and building sustainable business models are critical steps—often without needing large amounts of initial capital. I also walk through some of the common challenges physicians face during this transition and introduce a new incubator program created specifically to support physician-founded startups.

If you're a physician even thinking about what's possible beyond traditional clinical work, this conversation will help you reframe your skills, explore real business opportunities, and approach entrepreneurship with clarity, courage, and purpose.

Episode Highlights:

[00:00] Introduction to startup opportunities for physicians and why now is the time.
[02:48] How to identify healthcare problems worth solving — and where to start.
[06:43] The critical role of discovery before designing solutions.
[12:49] Building a business model: who pays, how much, and why it matters.
[17:37] Overcoming common challenges: perfectionism, uncertainty, and starting small.
[24:15] Why community and structured support are essential for physician entrepreneurs.
[28:05] An inside look at the new incubator program designed for physician-founded startups.
[31:42] How physicians can create scalable startups that attract venture funding.
[35:00] Final thoughts on building momentum, creating impact, and forging your own path.

When you think about startups and healthcare, it’s easy to feel like those worlds are galaxies apart — but Dr. Alyssa Abo shows us that they’re much more connected than you think. In this episode, Alyssa shares how her journey from engineering school to pediatric emergency medicine led her straight into the heart of healthcare innovation. We talk about embracing curiosity, building medical devices, translating clinical needs for tech companies, and why physicians have so much untapped potential to impact startups without ever needing an MBA or a business degree.

Dr. Alyssa Abo is a pioneering physician executive with over 20 years of experience in MedTech and digital health, recognized for integrating advanced technologies to transform clinical medicine. She pushes the boundaries of innovation by leveraging her medical, technological, and business background to deliver scalable, impactful solutions that drive patient-centered care, improve outcomes, and elevate healthcare globally. Dr. Abo's thought leadership in medical imaging, artificial intelligence, real-world data applications, and pediatric technologies has set new standards across the healthcare ecosystem. Dr. Abo is frequently invited as a speaker, panelist, and podcast guest, to discuss emerging tech and entrepreneurship.

Episode Highlights:

[0:46] Kicking off the conversation with Alyssa Abo’s unique journey from engineering to pediatric emergency medicine.
[2:47] Alyssa’s childhood roots in STEM, tinkering, and how it shaped her career path.
[5:40] Why investing in children is the best investment society can make — and why pediatric care is so close to our hearts.
[8:11] Early career moments: How curiosity around technology led to a prototype, a provisional patent, and real lessons about entrepreneurship.
[10:01] Building a medical device as a resident — and the importance of teamwork and collaboration across fields.
[13:23] Lessons learned about ideas, startups, and why handing off innovations can be just as powerful as founding a company yourself.
[17:00] How ultrasound became Alyssa’s first major foray into healthcare innovation.
[18:16] Becoming an early pioneer in pediatric ultrasound — and why early adopters end up leading the charge.
[21:43] Keeping the patient as the North Star: How Alyssa’s operational mindset changed how tech was used in her hospitals.
[22:33] The real story behind working with industry partners — and why it’s not the "dark side."
[24:55] Why teaming up with companies can fast-track innovation, not compromise it.
[26:31] How pursuing an MBA added to Alyssa’s ability to bridge clinical, engineering, and business worlds.
[29:56] Getting started in startup advising: judging competitions, joining advisory boards, and taking fractional roles.
[32:07] Why physician involvement can mean the difference between a successful health tech company — and a flop.
[34:57] Transferable skills: Why diagnosing and solving problems in medicine makes physicians natural fits for startups.
[37:29] Final thoughts: Stay curious, be brave, and start small. You never know where one idea can lead.

Resources:

• Connect with Dr. Alyssa Abo: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alyssa-abo-md-mba/
• Dr. Alyssa Abo’s Website: https://alyssaabomd.com/
• Explore our services for physicians at: StartupPhysicians.com

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to the podcast, rate, and leave a review. Don’t forget to share this episode with fellow physicians who might be interested in startups. Together, we can shape the future of healthcare! See you next time.

This episode I’m joined by my friend and former co-consultant Dr. Rebecca Miksad. Rebecca is a powerhouse—Harvard-trained oncologist, health economist, startup executive, and now Chief Medical Officer at Color. We go deep into how she made the leap from academia to startups, how she navigated uncertainty and mentorship, and why your clinical skills are more transferable than you think.

If you're a physician who's even thinking about what else is possible beyond traditional medicine—this one’s for you. Rebecca shares how to talk about your skills in business terms, what it's really like working at a startup, and how to find your footing in a world that feels totally new. I promise you’ll walk away with a fresh dose of courage, clarity, and a few laugh-out-loud moments, too.

Dr. Rebecca Miksad is a physician-scientist and nationally recognized leader in oncology, healthtech, and data science. As Chief Medical Officer at Color Health, she leads clinical strategy for innovative cancer care solutions, including screening, diagnostics, and survivorship programs. Previously, she built the Strategic Affairs and Research teams at Flatiron Health, helping shape real-world data standards and FDA guidance. With over 100 scientific publications, Dr. Miksad continues to care for patients at Boston Medical Center, where she is an Associate Professor. She holds an MD from Cornell and an MPH from Harvard.

Episode Highlights:

[1:50] Rebecca shares her background in oncology, economics, and her “aha” moment discovering medical decision-making.
[4:26] We nerd out over early academic research and how her MPH training shaped her next career steps.
[6:00] Why her ideas were “too big for an R01”—and how that pushed her to explore other options.
[8:45] Her first leap into startups: Flatiron Health, cold networking, and convincing mentors it wasn’t a terrible idea.
[10:58] We dive into the reality of startup uncertainty, equity, and redefining mentorship.
[12:45] How to use LinkedIn (yes, even if you haven’t touched yours since residency) and why cold outreach really works.
[16:36] Breaking down “transferable skills” for physicians—what you actually bring to the table.
[19:50] Learning to speak tech: scrums, sprints, and agile product teams for docs new to startups.
[23:45] What’s a must-have vs. a nice-to-have in healthtech product design—and how to be that trusted clinical voice.
[27:32] Rebecca’s consulting phase: working with tiny startups and helping them decode the healthcare ecosystem.
[30:58] Our own mini-community of consulting docs and how peer support changed the game.
[33:22] Her current role as CMO at Color—and building a 50-state virtual cancer clinic to fight healthcare deserts.
[35:32] Virtual care, prevention, and the future of cancer treatment for working adults across the U.S.
[36:55] Final thoughts on building a meaningful career outside the traditional path—and doing it your own way.

Resources:

• Connect with Dr. Rebecca Miksad on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebecca-miksad
• Learn more about Color Health: https://www.color.com
• Explore our services for physicians at: StartupPhysicians.com

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to the podcast, rate, and leave a review. Don’t forget to share this episode with fellow physicians who might be interested in startups. Together, we can shape the future of healthcare! See you next time.

In this solo episode, let’s work on getting past the most common mindset hurdles that keep physicians from stepping into the startup space. If you’ve ever felt like you don’t have anything unique to offer, or that you’re “just a doctor” without a business background, this one’s for you. I unpack the top five limiting beliefs I hear again and again—and I walk you through how to reframe them so you can confidently explore advisory roles, consulting opportunities, or even launching your own venture.

This episode is all about equipping you with clarity, confidence, and structure. I’ll walk you through the foundational steps to get started without needing an MBA, a business plan, or even a ton of time. Whether you're curious about dipping your toe into consulting or ready to build a strategic pipeline of leads, I break down the exact framework I teach in my course so you can start where you are and grow from there. Let’s get into it.

Episode Highlights:

[1:18] Busting the belief that you don’t have anything unique to offer—and how to uncover the value in your own story
[4:32] Why you don’t need a massive network to get started, and how strategic outreach can change the game
[8:21] Learning to talk about yourself without sounding “salesy” (hint: it’s not selling—it’s alignment)
[11:19] Think you don’t have time? How you can get started in a low-lift, flexible way
[15:50] The “I’m just a doctor” myth—and why you don’t need an MBA to be valuable in this space
[18:02] A breakdown of the six-part framework I use to help physicians enter and thrive in the startup world
[23:40] How to start building your own pipeline of meaningful work and supportive connections

Resources:

Checkout our services at StartupPhysicians.com

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to the podcast, rate, and leave a review. Don’t forget to share this episode with fellow physicians who might be interested in startups. Together, we can shape the future of healthcare! See you next time.

Have you ever felt like the system just wasn’t built for you? Like you’re in a role that no longer fits—but you don’t know what else is out there, or if you’re even allowed to want more? In this episode, I sit down with my brilliant friend and colleague, Dr. Karen Leitner, a physician, coach, and out-of-the-box thinker who’s reimagined what a meaningful career in medicine can look like. Together, we explore how to recognize burnout, shift your mindset, and open yourself up to the world of startups, innovation, and—most importantly—possibility.

Karen brings such a powerful perspective to this conversation. From leaving traditional practice in a fog of burnout to exploring roles in startups, advocacy, and executive coaching, she shares what it looks like to find clarity, value yourself again, and take courageous steps toward building the life you actually want. If you’ve ever doubted your worth or felt stuck in medicine, this is the episode for you.

Dr. Karen Leitner is the founder of Karen Leitner MD Coaching, where she empowers women physicians to achieve greater happiness and fulfillment in their personal and professional lives. She earned her undergraduate degree from Brown University, her medical degree from the University of Rochester, and completed a combined Internal Medicine and Pediatrics residency at Mount Sinai in New York. Following her residency, Dr. Leitner practiced primary care and student health in the Boston area and held a faculty appointment at Harvard Medical School. She has also ventured into the startup ecosystem, contributing to medical patient advocacy, transgender health, and consulting for emerging healthcare companies.

Episode Highlights:

[1:49] Karen shares her early career in primary care—and the first signs of burnout that sparked her transition.
[5:32] Exploring non-clinical options: from urgent care to CROs to patient advocacy startups.
[7:49] The freedom of startup life: starting with a blank slate and designing care outside the traditional system.
[11:40] Imposter syndrome in medicine—and why startup skills are more transferable than you think.
[14:18] Embracing the unknown: how curiosity (and asking questions) fuels success in new industries.
[16:36] Moving from silenced to seen: what it felt like to be truly valued in a startup setting.
[22:00] Coaching, mindset, and how our value isn’t dictated by others' recognition.
[26:25] Finding opportunities through simple outreach—and why ghosting is never the end of the story.
[30:46] What it means to have a why—and how mission-driven work propels us past fear.
[37:12] On investing in coaching and personal growth—and the ROI that really matters.

Resources:

• Learn more about Karen’s coaching for women physicians at karenleitnermd.com
• Karen’s group coaching program: How to Feel Better for Women Doctors (starting May, CME available!) https://www.karenleitnermd.com/how-to-feel-better
• Karen’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/karenleitnermd/
• Schedule a call with Karen: https://karenleitnermdconsult.as.me/?appointmentType=17942285

Checkout our services at StartupPhysicians.com

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to the podcast, rate, and leave a review. Don’t forget to share this episode with fellow physicians who might be interested in startups. Together, we can shape the future of healthcare! See you next time.

In this episode, I sit down with the brilliant and down-to-earth Dr. David Canes—a practicing urologist who found himself burned out, uninspired, and stuck in the repetitive rhythm of clinic visits. But instead of staying stuck, he did something a lot of us dream about—he turned a real-life clinical inefficiency into a business. And get this—he didn’t start with a formal pitch deck or MBA, just a Loom video and a whole lot of curiosity.

We dive deep into David’s transition from full-time clinician to founder of WellPrept, a patient education platform built to enhance physician-patient conversations and reduce redundancy in clinic. We talk risk aversion in medicine, developing an MVP on zero budget, the underestimated value of physician creativity, and how to know when it’s time to pursue an idea that just won’t leave you alone. If you’ve ever wondered how to spot a startup-worthy problem in your own practice or what it really takes to build software from scratch—this one’s for you.

Dr. Canes was born in South Africa, and spent most of his life growing up in New England. He attended Yale University as an undergraduate, followed by medical school at Cornell, then Urology residency at Lahey Hospital in Burlington, MA. After a 1 year laparoscopy and robotics fellowship at Cleveland Clinic he returned to the Boston area where he has stayed ever since. He is Associate Professor at Tufts University, and his clinical work mostly centers on minimally invasive oncology. After a personal burnout struggle, now he deeply enjoys talking about strategies and tactics that help doctors work more efficiently. This passion led to founding WellPrept, a health technology company aimed at helping doctors work smarter. He is a father of 5 boys, and enjoys playing guitar if he has a spare minute.

Episode Highlights:

[1:00] Getting to know Dr. David Canes—his journey from South Africa to urology and how safety shaped his early career path.
[3:15] Why physicians are wired to be risk-averse and how that impacts our startup mindset.
[6:55] The moment David realized repeating the same patient education daily was an opportunity—not just a frustration.
[9:40] Creating his first MVP with a Loom video + a PDF—no budget, just brainpower.
[12:46] How WellPrept was born out of necessity, and the surprising validation from colleagues.
[17:06] The power of looking for problems with the intention to solve them—David’s advice for mindset shifts.
[22:07] Starting without an MBA or tech background—how curiosity and passion fueled the process.
[28:20] Why co-developing software became one of his favorite parts of the startup journey.
[34:01] From prototype to paying customer—how he validated the idea before fully building.
[38:56] Balancing clinical practice and startup life—and when it starts to tip.
[42:16] David’s final words of encouragement for physicians who are on the edge of taking the leap.

Resources:

• Learn more about WellPrept: www.wellprept.com
• Follow David on X (formerly Twitter): @CanesDavid
• Book mentioned: Obviously Awesome by April Dunford
• AI tools for development: Replit, Cursor, Vercel V0

Checkout our services at StartupPhysicians.com

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to the podcast, rate, and leave a review. Don’t forget to share this episode with fellow physicians who might be interested in startups. Together, we can shape the future of healthcare! See you next time.