What sparked your interest in the medical device and technology field? 

 

It all started with a referral from a friend who had recently entered the field, a few years after graduation. I’ve now been in healthcare for over 15 years, and I can’t see myself doing anything else professionally. The combination of the quality of the people you work with, the intensity of the problems you’re partnering to solve and the impact that innovation in this field can have on the patient and our world -- it's incredibly rewarding.  

 

You are part of a group of generous alumni matching donations made during the upcoming UConn Gives. Why did you choose to support The Werth Institute, and how does its mission resonate with your experiences and values?  

 

I’m in awe, frankly, of what David and the entire team at the Werth Institute have built and are growing. The common knock on Connecticut, and specifically entrepreneurship or innovation in this state, is a tendency to think too small. Everything that The Werth Institute stands for is larger-than-life but what makes it special is how practical and hands-on the work is. You have this program meeting students where they are and giving them resources and access to mentorship, all wrapped around this incredible education at a Top 10 public university in UConn. Having spent some time with many of the students coming through The Werth Institute over the past few years, I know we’re in a position to leave that knock behind.   

I hope to be in a position someday where I can be philanthropic to the University at a larger scale. In the meantime, I’m looking for opportunities to sort of “lever up” donations by trying to be helpful to students, being an advocate for the University, and just staying connected as an alum. The Werth Institute and its mission provides a unique venue for that.
 

Why is giving back important to you, both personally and professionally? 

 

I’m lucky and grateful to have a number of mentors in my life, and I can’t imagine where I’d be without them. Giving back to the community, and to the University in particular, is about honoring them and giving others access to the same opportunities that people have given to me.  

 

How has your entrepreneurial mindset influenced your approach to leadership? 

 

I think I’ve built a strong appreciation and empathy for what it takes to exist in an entrepreneurial environment. I see my leadership role as keeping the heads and hearts of the team in shape to take on the challenges and opportunities that come our way. I’m always working towards being able to consistently do what former Ford Motor Company CEO Alan Mulally put as—lead with a compelling vision, comprehensive strategy and relentless execution plan.  

 

As a startup mentor working with companies through CTNext and UConn, what advice do you share with young entrepreneurs?  

 

At least recently, I’ve been talking a lot about two things.

First, find comfort in the questions. We’re wired to seek answers to everything. I’m not particularly good at this yet myself, but I think it’s important to spend more time in the unknown as an entrepreneur and to really break down big questions into sets of smaller questions before we try to construct the perfect answer. There’s a lot of value in those next levels of thought. If we immediately try to put a nice clean answer around the first question

The second is around entrepreneurship through acquisition, or ETA. Being a startup or zero-to-one entrepreneur isn’t the only path and there might be unique opportunities in a more buy-then-build type approach.  

 

Can you share an instance where you took a risk? Did it pay off? If not, what lesson did you learn from the experience? 

 

I suppose it was a bit of a risk to move from the big companies and relative safety of the medical device sales career I was in for nearly a decade and make the leap to a startup. Though it didn’t feel like it. I’m happy with that decision, it’s opened up a world of opportunity and the journey has been gratifying.  

 

What’s your favorite UConn memory and how has your connection to the university influenced your professional journey?

Last fall we lost a great man and teacher with the passing of Charles (Pete) Peterson, who founded and built up the Program for Sales Leadership which has since become the Professional Sales Leadership minor in the School of Business. Pete had such a positive impact on the lives and careers of everyone who went through his program. I’ll always cherish the fond memories of Pete, his courses, his friendship, and how intensely he cared about helping people be their best.  

 

Which business tool or resource do you recommend to others, and why?  

 

If you’re an entrepreneur in Connecticut, I recommend building a relationship with Connecticut Innovations. 

 

What’s your go-to karaoke song? 

 

Mr. Big “To Be with You” 

 

What are you passionate about outside of work? 

 

Spending time with my family, rooting on the UConn Huskies and playing golf.  

What got you interested in working with startups/venture capital (VC)?

I actually got into VC by accident. I was contacted by a recruiter for an operating role at an accelerator in the video/broadband industry and learned about VC through that job - I had never heard of it before that! Since then, I’ve come to love the passion that early-stage founders have and how the job allows me to spend my day being curious and asking questions.

Where do you find your inspiration? 

I’m always really impressed by founders who worked in an industry, saw something missing, and decided to fix it - their nuanced understanding of the space, whether shown in unit economics and pricing or sales strategy - is so impressive to watch.

How did UConn prepare you for where you’re at today? 

UConn gave me the freedom to conduct research on an area of interest to me (the sociology of education as it relates to war-torn societies). I don’t work in that space anymore, but the freedom given to me allowed me to carve my own path in the following years, leading me to where I am today.

What’s your favorite UConn memory? 

Walking around campus on the weekend in the fall! I love autumn in New England. Also study abroad - I had the fortune of going abroad twice (Granada and Maastrict) and loved both experiences.

What advice do you have for today’s students or emerging entrepreneurs? 

Invest time into getting to know yourself and those around you - a strong network is important, but that starts with understanding your own strengths and desires and leaning into those!

Describe a professional moment you are most proud of, and why? 

Probably getting into Columbia Business School - it’s one of the few moments when it’s been very obvious to me how much effort and energy I put into something and seeing it all pay off in a calculated way.

Which business tool or resource do you recommend to others, and why? 

Make yourself a good to-do list in any form that works for you - whether that’s Inbox Zero or a piece of paper. Especially in entrepreneurship, where you’re juggling so many balls, it becomes easier and easier to drop them - figure out a way that works for you that keeps that from happening.

What are you passionate about outside of work?

I love houseplants and have dozens of them. I’m also a big fan of technical driving roads - I recently did a really fun road trip along the coast of Italy!

How did you become interested in working as an investor?

I was always interested in how finance worked. I think that was the starting point – taking business courses, joining clubs and learning more about the world of investing. It was not something I knew much about growing up, so I wanted to learn and really understand it. After working at Citi and getting even more exposure to equity investing, I knew it was something I wanted to do.  

What role does entrepreneurship play in your career? 

I speak with company founders every day in my current role. I have a strong appreciation for entrepreneurs – their drive, work ethic and creativity. 

Can you describe a time you took a risk? Did it pay off? If not, what lesson did you learn?

I decided to move to the west coast because I wanted to focus on technology in my career. All of my family and friends at the time were in the NY/CT area. I love living in SF and this move ended up leading to my current role. 

How did UConn prepare you for where you’re at today? UConn gave me the building blocks for a lot of the work I do today. The classes, especially accounting, were critical. SMF, UCG and other groups helped me prepare technically for a lot of work that I do. The UConn Alumni network has also been key. 

Tell us about your continued involvement with UConn. Why is it important to give back as a mentor? 

I really enjoy speaking with students and being available to give them advice, opportunity ideas or just listen. I participated in the Werth Mentoring program, am a mentor in the UConn Consulting Group and was an advisor for one of their recent projects. I also act as a mentor/advisory member for Hillside Ventures. I went to an insurtech conference for work and got to meet some UConn students in person – it was great to see them get this experiential learning! 

Describe a professional moment you are most proud of, and why? 

Pitching at a client meeting – it was still very early on in my career, and I had the opportunity to travel with seniors and meet potential IPO clients in person. I was proud that my managers trusted to put me in front of the client.  

Which business tool or resource do you recommend to others, and why?

Excel! (Just kidding that’s a joke). I am a big fan of videos and guides that teach you how to do things. Example (Ezra Okon – UConn alum) has YouTube videos on financial modeling that walk you through every step. Also, LinkedIn has been very important in my current role in building relationships with companies and founders.  

What’s your favorite UConn memory?

Cornell Stock pitch competition – we drove up to Boston. 

What are you passionate about outside of work?

Passionate about human rights/ESG improvement efforts/international relations. I am also a big fiction reader.