Kaizen Executive Search, Inc.

This team couldn’t be prouder to say farewell to the first Focalist™ System—now on its way to its first customer. A milestone to celebrate, and a step toward putting next-generation robotics in clinicians’ hands, designed to simplify ultrasound-guided procedures and enable precise, confident needle placement. #nextgenerationhealthcare #robotics #teamwork

At Kaizen Executive Search, we do a lot of business with early-stage startups. One of the most popular roles we fill is a start up's most critical hire, aka their first commercial person. This is the moment that sets the tone for everything including how the market experiences your product, how investors view your trajectory, and how fast you get real traction. Here’s what we’ve learned time and time again. A huge percentage of startups are asking for the wrong thing. Not because they’re careless, but because they assume they need a senior commercial leader straight out of the gate. That might sound right, but it usually backfires. Why? Because strong commercial leaders are often scalers, not builders. They excel with a clear ICP, a tight GTM strategy, and momentum to fuel. When those pieces aren’t fully in place, even the best CCO can struggle. So who should you hire first? A hands-on operator who’s scrappy, strategic, and customer obsessed. Someone who can test messaging, gather feedback, and build early processes. A builder who thrives in ambiguity and lays the foundation for scale. Once traction is proven, then bring in leadership to grow what’s working. It’s not about skipping senior talent. It’s about sequencing the right talent at the right time. And, when you come across that "first commercial hire" who was replaced by someone "bigger" in 1-3 years, don't automatically assume that person is "damaged goods". Many times, that builder who was replaced is again exactly who you need as your first hire. Startups win when they hire with the moment, not the title, in mind. #MedTech #HealthTech #Startups #ExecutiveSearch #GTMStrategy #EarlyStageHiring #SeriesA #SeedStage #CommercialLeadership #FounderTips

A long time ago, a new client said to me: "It would be really nice if you could find me someone other than a well-educated, white male." It stuck with me. That one sentence called out a massive, systemic issue in the industry. When every person on your commercial team looks the same, it’s not an accident. It’s a decision whether it's intentional or not. And here are some of the messages it is sending: Lack of inclusivity. Companies in the top quartile for gender diversity are 25% more likely to outperform on profitability, yet your team looks like a throwback to 1995. Groupthink. Diverse teams are 87% better at making decisions, but your "sameness" is creating an echo chamber that kills innovation. Cultural red flag. High-performing women see your team photo and think: "That’s not a place where I’ll be heard, supported, or promoted." So, they don’t want to work for you. Missed market insight. In many sectors of healthcare, women drive 80% of consumer decisions. If you’re selling without them on your GTM team, you’re flying blind. Recruiting blind spot. You’re not “hiring the best person for the job”. You’re hiring who looks like you. That’s not merit based. That’s bias. So many people think that diversity is charity. Think about that. Diversity is not charity. It's actually strategy. It’s profitability. It’s performance. And if you’re still saying “we just can’t find any women,” then you’re either not looking hard enough or you’re creating a culture where they don’t want to work. And yes, we know where to find her. #Diversity #WomenInSales #MedTechleadership #GoToMarketStrategy #ExecutiveSearch #InclusionMatters #RepresentationMatters #FoundersToWatch #StartupsToFollow #WomenInMedTech

We get a lot of outreach from fractional consultants looking to transition into full-time roles. And it makes sense. Startups today are leaning hard into "fractional everything." Plenty of great talent is saying yes to fractional work not because it's ideal for them, but because something is better than nothing. A fractional CFO, for example, can be a game-changer. But when startups start hiring fractional everything? That’s a red flag. A fractional CFO makes sense when you need strategic financial oversight but haven’t hit the scale (or burn rate) to justify a full-time hire. Same goes for fractional legal, regulatory, or even market access. These roles can be in "bursts", but not daily. Here's where things can get sideways: Fractional CCO- NOPE. Fractional Head of Sales- NOPE. Fractional CEO- Yes, I’ve seen it. Big NOPE. Fractional “Everything” because you think it saves money. Quite the opposite. What actually happens? No one is fully accountable. Execution gets pieced together. The team loses clarity on who’s actually leading. Leadership is not a gig economy. You can’t scale a company on 10% loyalty from 10 different people. You need someone in the chair who’s making the hard calls, owning the roadmap, and bleeding for the brand. If you use fractional strategically, it can be game changing. But don’t confuse “lean” with “leadership.” There’s no fractional version of trust, culture, or commitment. #medtech #healthtech #startupleadership #executivesearch #fractionalCFO #strategichiring

Cook and Mendaera- who's next? Just yesterday, Cook Medical announced a collaboration with Mendaera, Inc. to create solutions for needle-based interventions with handheld robotics. This is exactly the kind of partnership we’ll be seeing more of across MedTech and HealthTech . Legacy leaders and next-gen platforms will continue to combine strengths to redefine what’s possible in minimally invasive care. What’s happening: Cook is integrating its EchoTip needle tech into Mendaera’s AI-powered handheld robotics system which will advance precision and workflow in needle-based urological interventions. This comes on the heels of Mendaera’s $73M raise, its Ultrasound-on-Chip collab with Butterfly Network, and the acquisition of Avail’s telepresence IP + team. Here’s why this matters: It’s not just about robotics anymore. It’s about fit-for-purpose tools that are disposable-ready, specialty-specific, and scalable across care sites. It’s not just a cool integration. It’s genius vertical alignment. Cook brings a proven needle IP, Mendaera brings next-gen AI and imaging. Together, they deliver real clinical utility, not just a sexy platform. It’s not a one-off. This is becoming the playbook. Strategic pairings between agile tech developers and established clinical channels to move faster, validate smarter, and scale with intention. This is a reshaping of the ecosystem. If innovation continues to meet collaboration, the sky is the limit. Excited to see what this partnership unlocks and who follows next! #medtech #healthtech #surgicalrobotics #digitalsurgery #needleguidance #minimallyinvasive #healthcareinnovation #strategicpartnerships

Looking for a strong medical device marketer who can move the needle with the 3 P’s: Payors, Providers, and Patients. This role is all about building smart messaging, creating tools that help the field sell, and making sure the right people understand why this therapy matters. And it really matters. The addressable population is massive. If you have done the work, know how to drive adoption, and can collaborate without chaos, this might be worth a look. Details below! #MedicalDeviceJobs #HealthcareMarketing #SaaS #VirtualHealthcare #DownstreamMarketing #MarketDevelopment #MedicalDeviceMarketing #HiringNow #CommercialStrategy #GoToMarket #MedTechJobs

Seeking a Vice President of Sales. Finding the right leader isn’t just about experience. It’s about alignment. We’re looking for a VP of Sales who not only understands how to build and scale a high-performing commercial team in MedTech but also thrives in an environment where relationships, collaboration, and shared vision drive success. Our client is a fast-growing startup company, already bringing innovative technology to healthcare, and this role will be instrumental in shaping their future. The right candidate will be someone who values partnership, works with a sense of purpose, and is excited to be part of something bigger than just a job. If you’re a proven sales leader looking to make an impact in an organization where how we work matters just as much as what we achieve, please feel free to reach out! #Hiring #MedTech #VPofSales #Leadership #SalesJobs #Growth #TeamCulture #ExecutiveSearch #HealthcareInnovation