Episode Summary
This episode of Sunny Side Up features an interview with Jill Canada, VP of Commercial at Mendaera, about her experience creating new markets and implementing disruptive technology. Jill discusses the challenges of market creation, especially in healthcare, and emphasizes the importance of change management. She also shares insights into building effective teams, lessons from both startups and large companies, and recommendations for books and guests.
About the guest
Jill Canada currently serves as the Vice President of Commercial at Mendaera Inc., a Silicon Valley-based healthcare technology company developing a platform that combines robotics, real-time imaging, artificial intelligence, and connectivity. Before Mendaera, Jill served as the Vice President of Corporate and Enterprise Sales and as a key member of the Executive team at Avail Medsystems where she led a dynamic team dedicated to supporting some of the healthcare sector’s largest and most influential entities.
Connect with Jill Canada
Key takeaways- Creating new markets takes longer and more money than expected, especially in healthcare with its regulatory complexities
- Finding the right product-market fit and beachhead is critical for startups
- Building a diverse, multidisciplinary team with empowerment and a culture of experimentation is important for disruptive technology
- Change management is essential but often overlooked, especially in communicating with and guiding clients through workflow changes  
- Experience from both startups and large companies is valuable; leadership qualities like accountability translate between environments
- Aligning with investors and boards that understand your sector and market creation is important for startup success
Quotes
"Sometimes, success is defined by what you say no to as much as what you say yes to"  -Jill Canada
Recommended Resource
Podcast-DeviceTalks Podcast Network (MedtechWOMEN Talks, DeviceTalks Weekly)
-Fast Five Medtech News
-Huberman Lab
-WorkLife with Adam Grant

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