🔸Inside Orthopedics

Stu and I talk about the changes happening in orthopedics. Stu walks young sales reps in how best to start out. Then for those experienced sales reps in a big organizations who are frustrated, Stu offers a way out, a way to achieve control and agency in their sales career - the Broker Rep. The Q&A flow. Stu, before we dive in...  tell us about your journey.  How did you move from working in sa...

Episurf is a Swedish company who has brought 2020s technology into resurfacing implants with patient matching and 3D printed implants. Episurf is a very careful EU company that has invested in clinical studies for their Episealer implants. They have excellent clinical outcomes and have received US clearance for the Patellofemoral implant system. They are coming to America! Website - https://episur...

Finally, finally, finally... a company has solved the instrument and implant logistics problem.  If you are an owner of instrument cases, this is a no-brainer. You should start a Quest pilot next week.  You will literally double the effectiveness of these assets.  Website - https://qmedinnovations.com/

I predicted about the coming of Smart Implants on OrthoStreams back in 2012 . Today, Bill Hunter and his small team at Canary are actually doing it. They are bringing “talking” orthopedic implants to market that can predict problems before the patient even knows there is a problem.  FDA clearance is imminent. Zimmer is “all-in” with this new technology in their flagship TKA brand. Listen and...

This is about career sabotage.  Orthopedic professionals miss out on startup opportunities every day by doing these 10 things. 

The holy grail of biologic fixation has arrived.  Yes, I am talking about biologic bone fixation with the strength of a metal implant.  --> Enter Ossio In this episode, I interview Orahn Preiss-Bloom, the Founder and 1st CEO of Ossio. Orahn will walk you through the very early days of this startup, the wins, the challenges, and ultimate how little Ossio is positioned today to redefine...

It's rare that the perfect tools are available at the perfect time. --> Enter ExplORer Surgical ExplORer  offers tools for orthopedic device companies at the perfect time during the Covid era and beyond.  ExplORer's new tools will improve the performance of your device in the OR, will save time and steps for the OR team, and will enable remote case support for your sales force.  ...

Software is slowing eating orthopedics.  Enhatch is exhibit one here.  Enhatch is a pure software player, but they are not actually eating orthopedics so much as they are making the hardware better (implants, instruments and robots). They are a fast nimble startup, and when COVID hit, they quickly created a new tool called RepVision that enables remote rep support in...

Once COVID hit, reps were kicked out hospitals making it difficult to support orthopedic surgeries.  Enter Avail Medsystems.   Avail has the technology to bring a virtual rep into the operating room on demand.  They have the perfect technology solution for OR support at the perfect time in history. Read more Q&A with Avail  - https://orthostreams.com/2020/06/6-questions-wit...

In this crazy year in 2020, I realized that we are entering a whole new world in the orthopedics industry, that I call it Orthopedics 3.0.   So let me walk you down the history of the other major changes in Orthopedics 1.0 in 1960, Orthopedics 2.0 in 1980, and show you how 3.0 is a complete sea change.  I will share examples of how Orthopedics will never be the same again.  Fasten y...

In this new world of less human touch, I am going to show you how to use Digital Marketing to get in front of surgeon customers and capture new sales leads. Orthopedic sales process will be less "human touch".  Post-COVID you are unlikely to meet with a surgeon at the hospital or at the medical meeting. It's going to be a lot harder to get into the hospital. The days of bumping into new surge...

Today, I am declaring today that…  Orthopedics is going bespoke and nobody can stop it!    In future procedures, implants will be designed and manufactured to fit the patient for better outcomes.  This will be the end of orthopedic implant sizes as we know them today.  This will be the end of inventory and closely fitting implants.

Augmedics just brought real life "x-ray vision" to US spine surgeons in real time.  I our discussion, CEO Nissan shares the story of how Augmedics started in 2014 and how they are leading augmented reality in spine surgery today, and where they may be going in the future.  Enjoy.  READ also - 6 Questions with Nissan here - https://orthostreams.com/6-questions-augmedics/

Software is changing Orthopedics forever.  Believe it or not, in the near future, many Orthopedic companies will discount or even give away “medical devices", in exchange for the data.   TODAY most orthopedic companies will say that they “sell implants, disposables and capital equipment…  and, by the way, we provide software for the surgery or tracking clinical results or steps...

Mark provides insight into how a disruptive little startup, called Trice Medical, has created a brand new category in orthopedics and how they are executing today. Please excuse the cell phone skips during our conversation. You will be glad that you listened.  Enjoy. Mark Foster on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-foster-meddevice/ Trice Medical website - https://tricemed...

A  “Sacred Cow”  is a firmly held belief that is rarely questioned. The big orthos are not immune to Sacred Cows because of their defensive mindsets driven by a short-term finance goals.  I share 7 Sacred Cows that I see in Orthopedics today. 

An analysis of how the background of the Founder creates strengths/weaknesses for the startup business in the early years.  The Founder's strengths help to create the Founder's blind spots.  I dissect 7 Founder types by strengths/weaknesses and offer advice on early moves to compensate for weaknesses. 

I will share the one blindspot that the Big Orthos have that could bring them down in the future.  Time will tell if this Achilles Heal will kill them, or if they adapt.  Subscribe:   https://www.tigerbuford.com/newsletter/ Connect:     https://www.linkedin.com/in/tigerbuford Read:          https://tigerbuford.com

This is a deep dive into how Orthopedic Companies can leverage Digital Media using new strategies and techniques.  Lisa Denison and I cover these questions and more: How do Orthopedics companies use digital marketing today? How should Orthopedics companies use digital marketing? Which social media platforms are the best for reaching surgeons and patients? Walk me through some real example wit...

The first time this story has been told.  This is the real story of Danek as told by Ted Bird. Ted was there. He was one of the early employees at Danek and was part of the team responsible for the dynamic growth. In this podcast you will hear some great startup business practices, some brilliant gambles and the culture that enabled Danek to go from zero to world dominance in spine.

An inside look into a  successful orthopedic startup (OrthoHelix) from inception to being acquired.  The story is told by Marty Wynkoop, co-founder and head of operations, sales and marketing.  Marty shares nuggets of wisdom on how to build value in an orthopedics startup, hiring, funding, developing products, focusing on profitability and more. 

This is a look inside a surgeon-founded startup that is disrupting the orthopedics industry, in this case, arthroscopy.   An interview with Dr. Brett Sanders is an Orthopedic Surgeon who has re-invented trans-osseous arthroscopic tunneling fixation with some very clever cost-effective tools. His startup is called Tensor Surgical.   http://tensorsurgical.com/

I share 16 specific pieces of advice.  This is real-life coaching for Engineers who want to accelerate their careers in our industry.  Nobody else in going to tell you this stuff.  I wish I had know these stuff when I was starting out in Orthopedics.  Enjoy. 

Don't blow it early.  The first 5 to 10 people that you hire in will either set your company up for success or break your company.  I discuss six hiring mistakes that I have seen in early stage orthopedic companies. 

Want innovation?  Interation could be the killer app for creating game-changing innovation today in orthopedics.  Successful innovation giants that we all know like Danek, SpineTech, Kyphon, Arthrex, MAKO, Hand Innovations and Mazor Robotics used iteration to innovate.   I will teach you how to use innovation today in your company.