How do you take healthcare’s toughest challenges, fragmented data, regulatory complexity, and life-or-death decisions, and turn them into opportunities for innovation?

In this episode of Lightning RX, host Colette Nataf sits down with Nancy Ahola, a Board Member, C-suite executive, and global business growth strategist, to explore how technology is reshaping healthcare and what it truly takes to scale in this highly regulated industry.

Nancy shares her journey leading a €10M oncology project in Finland, where AI-driven insights and centralized patient records made clinical trial recruitment faster and more effective. She contrasts this with the U.S., where HIPAA restrictions and fragmented EHRs often leave patients out of potentially life-saving trials.

• How centralized data and AI can transform clinical trial recruitment
• Why U.S. patients often miss out on trials due to EHR fragmentation
• The current role of AI in radiology, oncology, and genetic risk analysis
• Why interoperable health records could unlock better care continuity
• Challenges healthcare startups face in regulation, funding, and adoption
• How founders can build their “founding crew” of mentors and advocates

💡 Golden Nugget:

“Entrepreneurship in healthcare doesn’t have to be lonely—find your people, build your support crew, and keep going.”

• LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/global-business-growth-strategy
• Calendly: calendly.com/nancy-ahola/60min
• Email: nancy.ahola@gmail.com

Connect with the Show:

• LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/colettenataf
• Website: lightning.media

Subscribe on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or your favorite platform.

If you enjoyed this episode, share it with someone passionate about healthcare marketing, startup growth, or innovative product launches, and don’t forget to leave us a review. New episodes drop weekly!

What if the strongest predictor of surgical success wasn’t age or diagnosis—but frailty? And what if assessing frailty could be automated at check-in, providing doctors with critical insights before they meet the patient?

In this episode of Lightning RX, host Colette Nataf sits down with Dr. Jason Johanning, vascular surgeon and founder of Vital IT System, to explore how his company is transforming frailty assessments from outdated pen-and-paper methods into automated, billable tools integrated with EMRs.

Jason shares how his work in surgical services earned the 2023 Eisenberg Award, why existing methods weren’t enough, and how his passion for biomechanics and technology led to the creation of a Class I FDA-registered device now on the market. He also opens up about navigating early product development in India, pivoting back to the U.S. for faster progress, and leveraging Nebraska’s entrepreneurial ecosystem to raise a pre-seed round.

From concept to commercialization, Jason reveals the persistence and passion it takes to bring a healthcare product to life—and why both are non-negotiable for founders.

What You’ll Learn:

• Why frailty is the strongest predictor of surgical and recovery outcomes
• How Vital IT System automates grip strength, walk speed, and physiological measures
• The challenges of replacing century-old methods with modern tech
• Why local manufacturing can be a scaling advantage in today’s market
• Lessons learned from shifting development from Bangalore to Nebraska
• How to approach pre-seed fundraising in medtech without giving up too much equity
• Why persistence and passion are the true keys to healthcare innovation

💡 Golden Nugget:

“Keep the passion, be persistent, and get to the end of the line.”

Connect with Jason Johanning:

• LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jjohanning

Connect with the Show:

• LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/colettenataf
• Website: lightning.media

Subscribe on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or your favorite platform.

If you enjoyed this episode, share it with someone passionate about healthcare marketing, startup growth, or innovative product launches, and don’t forget to leave us a review. New episodes drop weekly!

What does it take to steer a healthcare company through crisis, pivot at lightning speed, and still keep patients at the center of every decision?

In this episode of Lightning RX, host Colette Nataf sits down with Eric Doherty, President & CEO of DPE International, to unpack the realities of building, pivoting, and scaling healthcare businesses across pharmaceuticals, medical technology, and digital health. With healthcare in his DNA, his father a pharmacist and his mother a microbiologist, Eric has spent two decades leading companies that prioritize patient outcomes over profit.

Eric shares how he turned a COVID testing startup into a digital health company in just two months, why partnering with SAS was a game-changing move for credibility and access, and how relentless outreach (hundreds of emails a day) opened doors to FDA, NIH, and even Fortune 500 CEOs. From bold moves that paid off to “failed” pivots like digital COVID passports, Eric reveals the scrappy, strategic decisions that shaped his journey through one of healthcare’s most volatile eras.

Whether you’re a founder, operator, or healthcare innovator, you’ll learn how resilience, foresight, and fearless hustle can turn setbacks into stepping stones.

What You’ll Learn:

• Why patient-first innovation drives lasting business success
• How to pivot fast without losing focus on core mission
• The role of strategic partnerships in accelerating growth
• Lessons from scaling through layoffs, rebrands, and new talent models
• Why credibility and access are startup currencies in healthcare
• How relentless outreach builds connections with top decision-makers
• Why some pivots fail—and why that’s still a win for long-term strategy
• The balance between rapid execution and thoughtful due diligence

💡 Golden Nugget:

“Never give up. The email you’re afraid to send could change your company’s future.”

Connect with Eric Doherty:

• LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/ericdohertygloballeader
• Company: SAS Partnership Press Release
• Company: PR Newswire – Dr. Robert Redfield Named Senior Medical Advisor
• Personal: Shoutout Atlanta – Meet Eric Doherty

Connect with the Show:

• LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/colettenataf
• Website: lightning.media

Subscribe on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or your favorite platform.

If you enjoyed this episode, share it with someone passionate about healthcare marketing, startup growth, or innovative product launches and don’t forget to leave us a review. New episodes drop weekly!

What does it take to turn messy healthcare data into real-world impact for patients and providers?

In this episode of Lightning RX, host Colette Nataf sits down with Chris Hutchins, healthcare strategist and founder of Hutchins Data Strategy, to unpack how health systems can cut through complexity and make data actually work for them. With years of experience helping organizations navigate data governance, analytics, and adoption challenges, Chris shares how he empowers teams to make smarter decisions faster.

Chris dives into the biggest pitfalls he sees in healthcare data strategy, why alignment between IT and business leaders is crucial, and how to balance short-term wins with long-term transformation. From cleaning up data pipelines to ensuring clinicians trust the insights they’re given, he outlines the roadmap for creating systems that actually stick.

Whether you’re a hospital executive, a data leader, or a startup founder building in healthcare, this conversation is packed with lessons on clarity, execution, and the human side of data-driven change.

What You’ll Learn:

• Why most healthcare data strategies fail before they start
• How to align IT and business teams around shared goals
• The role of trust and adoption in making data valuable
• Practical steps for cleaning up and governing healthcare data
• How to balance short-term impact with long-term transformation
• Ways to build systems that scale across a health organization

💡 Golden Nugget:

“Data is only valuable if people use it. Strategy is about turning numbers into trust, action, and outcomes.”

Connect with Chris Hutchins:

• LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/chutchins-healthcare
• Website: hutchinsdatastrategy.com

Connect with the Show:

• LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/colettenataf
• Website: lightning.media

Subscribe on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or your favorite platform.

If you enjoyed this episode, share it with someone passionate about healthcare marketing, startup growth, or innovative product launches and don’t forget to leave us a review. New episodes drop weekly!

What does it take to launch a healthcare startup from scratch and compete with big pharma on a shoestring budget?

In this episode of Lightning RX, host Colette Nataf sits down with Brittany Bare, the first and only marketer at Luminopia, to unpack how she built the company’s go-to-market strategy from the ground up. Joining as employee #12, Brittany transformed a bare-bones, founder-built website into a fully rebranded, professionally positioned product complete with targeted campaigns for physicians, parents, and payers.

Brittany shares how she balanced competing priorities, supported a small but mighty salesforce, and used creative, data-driven marketing to accelerate the adoption of Luminopia’s FDA-approved treatment for amblyopia. From rethinking physician outreach to geo-targeted consumer pilots, she reveals the scrappy tactics and strategic decisions that moved the product from a Harvard dorm room concept into doctors’ offices nationwide.

Whether you’re a marketer, founder, or healthcare innovator, you’ll get real-world lessons on launching fast, adapting constantly, and making every dollar count.

What You’ll Learn:

• How to launch a healthcare brand from zero with minimal resources
• Why physician education was the critical first step in driving adoption
• Creative ways to support a small sales team in a large territory
• How geo-targeted campaigns can connect with hard-to-reach parents
• The role of tailored messaging in engaging different healthcare audiences
• How feedback loops between marketing and sales accelerate growth
• Why speed sometimes beats perfection in a startup launch
• Lessons on prioritization when everything feels urgent

💡 Golden Nugget:

“In a startup, you wear 15 hats. The trick is knowing which one matters most today.”

Connect with Brittany Bare:

• Connect with Colette Nataf: linkedin.com/in/colettenataf
• Visit the Show & Insights: lightning.media

Connect with the Show:

• LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/colettenataf
• Website: lightning.media

Subscribe on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or your favorite platform.

If you enjoyed this episode, share it with someone passionate about healthcare marketing, startup growth, or innovative product launches and don’t forget to leave us a review. New episodes drop weekly!

What if the fastest way to grow a company isn’t to buy one, but to build it from the ground up?

In this episode of Lightning RX, host Colette Nataf sits down with Stuart Fine, CEO of Silver Scott Mines Inc., to unpack his journey from inheriting a dormant mining company to launching innovative healthcare ventures. When acquisition targets came with unrealistic price tags, Stuart pivoted to creating his own platforms, leveraging AI, blockchain, and telehealth to tackle everything from sexual wellness to affordable, around-the-clock medical access.

Stuart opens up about breaking down stigmas around sexual health, building safe spaces for candid conversations, and designing subscription-based nurse-led telehealth services that could revolutionize healthcare delivery. He also reveals how blockchain-powered personal health records and AI-driven translation tools can make healthcare more portable, personalized, and inclusive worldwide.

Whether you’re an entrepreneur, a healthcare professional, or simply curious about where medicine is headed, this episode will inspire you to think bigger about access, empathy, and innovation.

What You’ll Learn:

• Why building a business can beat buying one in today’s market
• How AI is changing sexual health and performance coaching
• The role of blockchain NFTs in secure, portable medical records
• How telehealth can deliver 24/7 nurse and doctor access for just $25/month
• Why personalized medicine will replace “one-size-fits-all” dosing
• Creative marketing strategies that normalize sexual wellness
• How to design products so intuitive that even an 80-year-old can use them
• The surprising story of how quick medical action saved Stuart’s wife’s hand

💡 Golden Nugget:

“Design for your toughest user. If an 80-year-old can navigate it, everyone else can too.”

Connect with Stuart Fine:

• LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/stuartfine
• Website: silverscottmines.com | silverscotthealth.com | trustnft.io

Connect with the Show:

• LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/colettenataf
• Website: lightning.media

Subscribe on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or your favorite platform.

If you enjoyed this episode, share it with someone passionate about healthcare innovation, tech startups, or wellness, and don’t forget to leave us a review. New episodes drop weekly!