You’ve got the vision. The mission. The drive.

But somehow, deadlines slip, messaging splinters, and your team keeps “missing the point.”

Sound familiar? This episode is your blueprint to break the cycle.

I sat down with Shawna Smith to dissect a pattern I see all too often in HealthTech founders: visionary brilliance without the bridge to execution.

We dug into the real reasons your strategy meetings stall, your marketing fizzles, and your partnerships fall flat—and how to fix it without burning yourself (or your team) out.

—

Where do you see the biggest breakdown in your organization—vision, strategy, or execution?

Comment below with what tends to get lost in translation (and how you’re solving it). Your insight could be exactly what another founder needs to hear today.

Listen now and find out how to speed up the process from

🔑 Here’s what you’ll learn in this episode:

• ▶️ Why visionary communication often leads to execution paralysis
• ▶️ The four layers of business planning—and where most teams get stuck
• ▶️ The difference between a plan and a capital “S” Strategy (it’s not what you think)
• ▶️ How to evaluate if your team has the right roles (or if you’re stuck managing doers)
• ▶️ What founders must provide before any team can produce real ROI
• 
  
• ▶️ How vague partnerships and misassigned authority dilute your core offer

CONFESSION TIME:

You’ve got the traction, the tech, the team…

So why do investors still walk away confused after your pitch?

You’re not alone.

In this episode, I sat down with Heather Caouette, a communications strategist who’s worked with high-growth startups and VCs, to unpack what’s really going wrong when brilliant founders can’t get buy-in.

Spoiler: it’s not your product. It’s how you're telling the story.

👉 If you’ve ever heard “That’s great, we’ll circle back” and never got the call, this episode is your wake-up call.

💡 Why most HealthTech pitches fail not because of the product, but the positioning

💡 The one test Warren Buffett says every pitch must pass

💡 What investors actually look for in the first 60 seconds of a conversation

💡 Why saying “we have no competitors” is a silent deal-killer

💡 How to build a company that feels healthy—not just looks good on paper

💡 How to prep for high-stakes visibility (like HealthTech Showdown)

TIMELINE:

00:00:00 - Capturing innovative solutions and effective communication

00:01:40 - Heather of Ray Communications shares her work experience

00:03:20 - Challenges of communicating with different buyer personas

00:07:21 - Importance of making technical innovations relatable

00:09:29 - Healthy leadership and transparency

00:12:03 - Focus on helping companies refine their messaging

00:15:03 - Understanding different communication styles

00:18:09 - Crafting a succinct 30-second elevator pitch

00:29:13 - Summary of key communication strategies

💬 Quotes to Highlight

🎙️ Heather Caouette:

“Investors want to know you’re aware of the challenges ahead… If there are no competitors, that means you haven’t done enough market research.”

🎙️ Sabrina Runbeck:

“Investors are not just looking at your plan—we’re looking at how healthy your company is… Are you having fun? Are your people sticking around? That tells us everything.”

👥 Guest:

Heather Caouette

Founder, Raitt Communications

Works with VCs, health systems, and startups to fine-tune messaging that actually lands.

🌐 raittcommunications.com

• 🎯 HealthTech Showdown
• Present in front of active investors + buyers and win an $800 scholarship
• 👉 HealthTechShowdown.com
• 
  
• 📊 Business Impact Quiz
• Think you're building traction? See if it’s actually scalable.
• 👉 ImpactQuotientQuiz.com
• 
  

🗣️ Your Turn →

What’s one part of your pitch you think investors don’t “get” yet?

Drop your thoughts wherever you're tuning in—Apple, Spotify, or LinkedIn—and tag me so I can cheer you on (or help you clean it up 😉).

Let’s turn your brilliance into buy-in.

#ProviderEdge #HealthTechFounders #StartupStorytelling #SabrinaRunbeck #InvestorPitchTips #FoundersVoice

Did you know that patients in some healthcare systems wait up to six months just to see a specialist?

This isn't just an inconvenience—it's a healthcare crisis affecting millions of patients, leading to poorer outcomes, increased ER visits, and skyrocketing healthcare costs.

🎧 In our latest podcast episode, we dive into how innovative healthcare tech founders are tackling this massive challenge and turning it into a lucrative business opportunity.

Our guest shares how his company reduced specialist wait times from 6 months to just 2 days!

What you'll learn:

🔑 How e-consultation systems are dramatically cutting specialist wait times while improving care

🔑 Why asynchronous communication between providers creates an "ecosystem of value"

🔑 The business opportunity in solving healthcare's referral bottleneck

🔑 How to overcome EMR integration challenges that plague healthcare tech

🔑 Strategies for scaling from Medicaid systems to commercial applications

🔑 Why AI-enhanced summaries are making specialists more efficient

🔑 The secret to building a healthcare tech business that enables rather than competes

This episode is essential listening for healthcare tech founders generating $2M+ in revenue or with $5M+ in funding who want to capture this growing market opportunity.

What integration hurdles have you encountered, and how are you overcoming them?

🎙️ Listen to the full episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite platform.

Episode Timeline:

00:00:38 – Chris Cruttenden, Safety Net Connect

00:01:19 – The frustration of long wait times for specialty care

00:04:41 – Changing the culture of referrals in healthcare

00:06:07 – Chicago asthma patient case study: Avoiding unnecessary ER visits

00:12:31 – Addressing physician shortages in rural and urban “doctor deserts”

00:14:46 – Improving efficiency and reducing physician workload

00:17:17 – Expanding partnerships with Medicaid and ACOs

00:22:48 – How Safety Net Connect stands out in the market

00:26:42 – Looking Ahead: The Future of Specialty Care

00:30:17 – The power of physician-to-physician communication

00:39:12 – Closing Remarks

Listen 🔊to this episode now and Subscribe to the Provider’s Edge to never miss an episode❗

🎧 SabrinaRunbeck.com/Podcast

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