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Inspiring Women with Laurie McGraw

Inspiring Women with Laurie McGraw

By: Laurie McGraw
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 Professional. Polished. Accomplished. Thoughtful. Made It. Ready to Make It. “Inspiring Women” is an interview show hosted by Laurie McGraw. 30 years of leadership in both commercial companies and non-profits has taught Laurie one thing: Women need women. Women need Inspiring Women. Hear short-form interviews every week from Inspiring Women who are at the pinnacle of their careers and Inspired Women who are just starting out.2025 Laurie McGraw. All rights reserved. Career Success Economics Leadership Management & Leadership
Episodes
  • The Founder Who Ignored Imposter Syndrome and Built a Global Fertility Empire || EP.222

    The Founder Who Ignored Imposter Syndrome and Built a Global Fertility Empire || EP.222
    Nov 4 2025
    "I had no idea. I didn't know what an HSA was, all the acronyms—HRA, HSA, HDHP, ERISA. I really had to learn all of that." When Tammy Sun pitched her fertility startup a decade ago, the category she was building didn't exist. Investors dismissed it as a lifestyle business, a niche play unworthy of venture capital. After 99 rejections, she raised her first million. Today, Carrot Fertility operates in 170 countries, serving millions in a market that didn't even have a name when she started. This conversation arrives at an inflection point. Women over 40 represent the only demographic having more babies, while one in six couples confronts infertility—a number experts believe vastly undercounts reality since you're only counted if you can afford to seek care. Sun saw these contradictions not as obstacles but as opportunities. Without a male co-founder, without prior startup experience, without even knowing basic healthcare acronyms, she built one of the most valuable fertility companies in the world. Her secret wasn't expertise. It was embracing what she didn't know. "Having a beginner's mind and coming in with curiosity and excitement and imagination around the art of what is possible—I can't think of an area of the world that needs it more now than healthcare", Sun explains. From that first million that was "the hardest million dollars I ever raised" to expanding beyond fertility into what she calls "post reproductive fertility care" with their menopause product—which became their fastest growing product ever—Sun has earned the right to her radical advice about imposter syndrome: "You can totally ignore it. You can pretend like it doesn't exist, and you can just act the way that you feel like you should act." In this episode of Inspiring Women with Laurie McGraw, discover how a non-professional founder transformed a personal fertility crisis into a global healthcare platform. From recognizing that "half of all infertility is related to male factor" to launching Sprints at the nexus of metabolic and fertility care, Sun reveals why the future of women's health isn't about incremental improvements to a broken system. It's about having the audacity to imagine something entirely new. For Tammy Sun, building in the space between naivete and expertise isn't a disadvantage. It's the only way to create categories that don't yet exist. In a world where knowing too much can blind you to what's possible, she's proof that sometimes the best qualification for changing healthcare is not knowing why it can't be changed. Key Insights: Why the fastest-growing fertility demographic reveals everything about modern family planning How embracing ignorance became a competitive advantage in healthcare innovation The hidden truth about male factor infertility that affects half of all cases Why imposter syndrome is a luxury founders can't afford How moving from California to Arkansas changed everything What GLP-1s mean for the future of fertility and healthcare About the Guest: Tammy Sun is the Founder and CEO of Carrot Fertility, now operating in almost 170 countries after starting with 12. Without prior founder experience or healthcare expertise, she transformed a personal fertility journey into a category-defining company. She built Carrot into one of the most valuable fertility platforms globally, expanding from fertility into menopause and metabolic fertility care. Chapters 2:03 The State of Women's Health and Political Landscape 4:51 Origin Story: Building a Category from Scratch 8:01 Fertility Trends and the Education Gap 11:41 Raising the First Million: The Founding Journey 15:11 Embracing the Beginner's Mind in Healthcare 16:41 The Future: From Fertility to Lifelong Care 22:38 Advice for Women Founders: Throwing Away Imposter Syndrome Guest & Host Links Connect with Laurie McGraw on LinkedIn Connect with Tammy Sun on LinkedIn Connect with Inspiring Women Browse Episodes | LinkedIn | Instagram | Apple | Spotify
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    26 mins
  • The Cancer Survivor Revolutionizing Cancer Care with AI and Human Touch || Ep.220

    The Cancer Survivor Revolutionizing Cancer Care with AI and Human Touch || Ep.220
    Oct 14 2025
    "The worst part of cancer is the wait. Just waiting and waiting to hear and waiting to talk to someone involved in your care. We can be there 24/7 to essentially understand whether there may be SDOH needs—I need a ride to treatment, I need someone to watch my dog, I have issues paying my electric bill." From navigating her own cancer diagnosis with insider healthcare knowledge to becoming Chief Growth Officer at Reimagine Care, Ann Stadjuhar is on a mission to ensure no patient faces their cancer journey alone. After 20+ years revolutionizing digital health—from women's health to standing up big centers during the pandemic—she's now tackling what she calls her "capstone": transforming cancer care through AI-powered companionship that never sleeps. Ann's personal cancer experience while working at Optum revealed a harsh truth: even with her extensive healthcare expertise, inside knowledge of case volumes, and connections to top surgeons, navigating treatment was overwhelming. Her uncle wasn't so fortunate; by the time he reached MD Anderson from rural New Mexico, inadequate local treatment had made his cancer inoperable. "Sometimes people are honestly more comfortable with the bot," Ann explains, challenging assumptions about AI in healthcare. "They'll tell REMI, our AI solution, that they're having these challenges more readily, and we can escalate it quickly to get them the resources they need." It's this blend of 24/7 AI availability with human expertise—what she calls "AI plus human in the loop"—that attracted her to Reimagine Care after first encountering them at the Cancer X Accelerator. In this episode of Inspiring Women with Laurie McGraw, Ann reveals: Why one in four people will face cancer—and how AI can transform their journey The hidden complexities of cancer care that even insiders struggle to navigate How her Meta glasses and AI tools multiply her capabilities "times four" Why patients often open up more to AI than human caregivers about their struggles The 18-month health system adoption cycle that's literally costing lives What working through "the gauntlet" of healthcare for 20+ years taught her about innovation How her 20-year-old daughter keeps her learning about the next generation's use of AI Her advice: "Stay curious, stay true to yourself, and know what you care about" "Cancer, healthcare, it's endless. There will never be a mastery of it. There will never be an end to what I can learn." From launching pharmaceuticals to scaling CRMs and population health platforms, Ann Stadjuhar has spent two decades preparing for this moment. At Reimagine Care, she's not just applying her expertise—she's combining personal experience, technological innovation, and deep empathy to ensure no cancer patient waits alone in fear. Her motto, "stay curious," drives her to constantly explore how AI can enhance rather than replace human connection, creating a future where every patient has a companion through their darkest hours. Because for Ann, this isn't just business—it's personal. And that makes all the difference. Chapters 03:03 - Cancer's Complexity: When Fear Meets Treatment Options 06:54 - From Patient to Advocate: Ann's Personal Cancer Journey 10:15 - Never Alone: 24/7 AI Companionship for Cancer Patients 12:50 - From Launching Drugs to Leading Cancer Innovation 16:23 - Breaking Through Healthcare's 18-Month Adoption Problem 18:02 - Becoming Bionic: How AI Multiplies Human Capabilities 19:45 - Stay Curious: Advice for Healthcare's Next Generation Guest & Host Links Connect with Laurie McGraw on LinkedIn Connect with Ann Stadjuhar on LinkedIn Connect with Inspiring Women Browse Episodes | LinkedIn | Instagram | Apple | Spotify
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    24 mins
  • Creating Your Own Roadmap When You're Always the First with Dr. Mitzi Krockover || EP.219

    Creating Your Own Roadmap When You're Always the First with Dr. Mitzi Krockover || EP.219
    Oct 7 2025
    Dr. Mitzi Krockover has been the first in every leadership role she's taken—from founding UCLA's Women's Health Center to becoming Humana's first Vice President of Women's Health to now investing in women-led healthcare companies. In this powerful conversation with Laurie McGraw, Dr. Krockover reveals why she's optimistic about women's health innovation despite recent funding challenges, sharing how the "train has left the station" on progress that can't be reversed. Dr. Krockover breaks down the expansive definition of women's health beyond reproductive care—from the fact that 66% of Alzheimer's patients are women to how female inflammatory responses differ fundamentally from men's. She connects the dots between women's health investment and economic returns, citing studies showing a potential $14 billion ROI from modest research increases. Key Takeaways: Why women's health encompasses far more than reproductive health—and the three critical buckets every leader should understand How the 1993 NIH Revitalization Act changed everything, yet we're still recovering from decades of exclusion The economic case for women's health: from workforce retention during menopause to trillion-dollar market opportunities Why Dr. Krockover sees women as investors, not just philanthropists, in health innovation The career advice that shaped her path: "If it's not challenging you and scaring you a little, it's probably not worth doing" From navigating being "the first" in multiple sectors to building Arizona's women's health innovation ecosystem, Dr. Krockover demonstrates how connecting the dots between health, economics, and leadership creates unstoppable momentum for change. Chapters 00:00 - Intro 03:50 - Being the First: Navigating Uncharted Leadership Territory 05:44 - Beyond Reproductive Health: Redefining Women's Health 08:21 - From NIH Mandate to Investment Boom: 30 Years of Progress 11:22 - The Perfect Storm: Why Women's Health Finally Took Off 13:37 - Arizona's Women's Health Innovation Ecosystem 15:05 - From Treating Patients to Investing in Solutions 18:09 - Finding Optimism Despite Political Headwinds 23:09 - Say Yes First, Figure It Out Later: Advice for Women Leaders Guest & Host Links Connect with Laurie McGraw on LinkedIn Connect with Mitzi Krockover, MD on LinkedIn Connect with Inspiring Women Browse Episodes | LinkedIn | Instagram | Apple | Spotify
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    26 mins
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