Leadr. - A Tribe Studio Podcast

Season 2 episode of Leadr. Podcast, guest speaker Cameron Berg, AI researcher and founder of Reciprocal Research, joins the conversation to explore one of the most important and unresolved questions of our time: what is consciousness, and could artificial intelligence already be developing it? We dive into the philosophical and technical frontier of AI development, from mechanistic interpretabilit...

In this episode of the Leadr. Podcast, I’m sharing a major evolution happening inside Tribe Consulting and the vision behind where we’re headed next. What began with a strong focus on MedTech is expanding into something much bigger: the Whole Human Entrepreneur. This conversation dives into the new topics of Leadr. Podcast Season 2, the intersection of leadership, entrepreneurship, biohacking, fai...

In this episode of Leadr. Podcast, Dr. Ronen Elefant, founder of ACES National Surgical Team , shares his compelling journey from trauma surgeon to pioneering healthcare entrepreneur. Discover how his experiences revealed the inefficiencies of the traditional medical system, inspiring him to create a revolutionary model that leverages private aviation to deliver top-tier surgical care to underserv...

On this episode, host Steph Pliha sits down with Adam Clark, CEO of IMRA Surgical. A surgical training company advancing hyper realistic synthetic tissue and progression-based learning to replace animals and cadavers. Adam shares his journey from the military to J&J, Medtronic, and Intuitive, why VR plus synthetics beats single-episode learning in cadaver labs, and how global adoption of robot...

In this episode of Leadr. Podcast, host Steph Pliha sits down with Mohamed Abou-Alam, CEO of Precision Cardiovascular, to discuss how remote monitoring could redefine heart failure management. An engineer turned investor turned CEO, Mohamed shares lessons from Samsung, venture capital, and now medtech, where he’s leading a team building implantable sensors that track heart pressure in real time. F...

What happens when a world-class robotic surgeon becomes a founder? In this episode, Dr. John Porterfield of Informed Surgical shares how his experiences in the OR and robotic surgery inspired a new way to measure surgical quality. He explains why patient outcomes—not volume or reputation—should drive referrals, and how data transparency can change healthcare incentives. A grounded conversation for...

Leadr. Podcast host Steph Pliha welcomes Hasan Ertas, CEO of Exin Health AI, for a conversation about leadership, medtech innovation, and the future of AI for surgical documentation.  Drawing from his time at Stryker and Intuitive Surgical, Hasan reveals how OR Genie uses speech and vision AI to transform how nurses capture intraoperative data.  For medtech professionals, this episode is a masterc...

Dense breast tissue creates blind spots in screening and drives uncertainty for patients and clinicians. Dr. Tara Ghazi and Dr. Peymon Ghazi of MALCOVA are addressing this challenge with advanced imaging and AI-powered decision support. In this episode, we explore clinical trial design, proof points that matter, and strategies for building trust with radiologists. Investors will find a grounded vi...

In this episode of Leadr. Podcast, host Steph Pliha sits down with Drue DeAngelis, founder of The DeAngelis Group and an industry veteran with nearly four decades in orthopedics. From carrying a Zimmer sales bag to leading at Stryker, and ultimately building his own retained search practice, Drue shares how his career evolved and why alignment between talent and company mission matters more than e...

Emotional intelligence (EQ) is the secret weapon every leader needs to win — in business and in life. In this episode of Leadr. Podcast , Steph Pliha sits down with bestselling author and emotional intelligence pioneer Dr. Travis Bradberry to explore how mastering emotional triggers, self-awareness, and relationship management transforms leadership at every level. Dr. Bradberry shares powerful ins...

Dr. Shirin Towfigh breaks down gender-specific hernia mesh designs that are transforming patient care—and why every surgeon needs business savvy. In Episode 20 of the Leadr. Podcast, Dr. Shirin Towfigh—leading hernia surgeon and medical-device innovator—shares her journey from the OR to the boardroom. You’ll learn how gender-based mesh designs are improving outcomes, why “if you don’t have revenue...

Watch episode 19 with host Steph Pliha on Leadr. Podcast as she discusses the essential leadership qualities needed to win in MedTech with Tim Matthews, a distinguished leader and consultant from Spencer Stuart. Uncover the nuances of effective leadership that are shaping the future of MedTech. In This Episode: ♦️Leadership Evolution: Tim’s journey from Intuitive Surgical leadership to his influen...

AI is here, but most people aren’t using it right. If you’re frustrated with clunky AI tools, slow workflows, and security risks, you need to hear this. In this episode, host Steph Pliha sits down with Rajat Paharia—ex-Google Exec and now founder of Ask Steve, a no-BS AI tool built for real productivity. No fluff, just a smarter way to automate tasks, write better, and scale your business without...

🚫🍸 Continuing our Dry January series, we shift our conversation to automations—vital tools that streamline your business processes for 2025. Join me, Steph Pliha, and my special guest Spencer Jones, as we dig into powerful automation strategies that can transform your operations. This time, we're exploring how automations can significantly enhance productivity and innovation in your business...

January 2025 Series - AI & Automations 🚫🍸 It’s Dry January —but let’s be honest, your business could still use a drink... of AI & Automations. Welcome to AA for Business: AI & Automations , where we help you detox from manual work and automate your way to success in 2025. In this episode, Spencer Jones and Steph Pliha dive into how AI and automation are transforming fundraising, fina...

Dive into the essentials of launching a successful MedTech startup with Spencer Jones, Founder of XOMedTech on Episode 15 of Leadr. Podcast. Host Steph Pliha uncovers the critical insights every MedTech entrepreneur needs to know. From the integration of AI and automation to the power of community and mentorship, this episode is a treasure trove for aspiring innovators. Episode Highlights: ⚫️ Une...

Join host Steph Pliha on Leadr. Podcast as we delve into Kendy Elmore's transformative journey from teaching to creating The Lobby, a pivotal networking platform for medical sales professionals. Discover how Kendy is revolutionizing networking and mentorship in the medical sales industry. What You'll Discover: ➡ Career Shift: Kendy’s transition from educator to medical sales networking leader. ➡ N...

In this episode of Leadr. Podcast, host Steph Pliha interviews Whitney Faires, an executive coach and founder of WhitneyFaires.com. They discuss their history working together at Intuitive and Whitney's journey from corporate to entrepreneurship. Whitney shares her passion for helping people reach their untapped potential and achieve their goals. She also talks about her proprietary framework,...

Summary In this episode, Steph Pliha interviews Chris Wood, the CEO of Reveal DX, a company focused on early intervention for lung nodules. They discuss the origins of Reveal DX and its goal of catching lung cancer as early as possible. Chris explains how their technology, based on AI and machine learning, can triage and identify high-risk nodules, helping radiologists make informed decisions. The...

Join host Steph Pliha as she welcomes Wesley Jones, the visionary CEO of Vonova, to the 10th episode of Leadr. Podcast. Dive deep into the medtech startup world as Wesley shares his journey from mechanical engineering to pioneering minimally invasive solutions for neurological disorders. Discover how Vonova is giving new hope to patients with drug-resistant epilepsy and beyond, using cutting-edge...

Welcome to Episode 9 of Leadr. Podcast ! I’m Stephanie Pliha, your host and founder of Tribe Agency. Today, we dive into an inspiring chat with Alexis McCardle, who's not only a Senior Consultant at Tribe but also the Founder of Nura, a venture that’s transforming the way we approach brain health and our overall well-being. In this episode, we deep dive into the topics of "Nurturing your...

Welcome to Episode 8 of Leadr. Podcast . Join us as we dive into the world of robotic surgery in the medtech industry with special guest Steve Bell . Learn how startups are navigating this rapidly growing market, the importance of market research, fundraising tips, and the power of networking to succeed in business. Don't miss out on this insightful discussion! In This Episode: Discover the ro...

Welcome to Episode 7 of Leadr. Podcast with host Stephanie Pliha, Founder of Tribe Agency, and our guest speaker Dominique Gross. Join us as we chat with Dominique Gross, CEO of a fast-growing medtech startup, Hart, as she sets the record straight on EHRs and the impact Hart's software is having in the healthcare industry. Watch how she's navigating her journey to CEO and disrupting the wo...

Dive into Episode 6 of the Lead r . Podcast as we explore the exhilarating journey from corporate executive to CEO with our distinguished guest, Leah Braddell, CEO of DataBiologics . In this episode, Leah shares her unique perspective on making the significant leap, inspired by Gay Hendricks' New York Best Selling Book "The Big Leap," from a secure corporate position to leading the h...

Deep dive into Episode 5 of Leadr. Podcast , exploring the demise of meritocracy and unlocking the secrets of the MedTech industry with our guest speaker Drue DeAngelis. Learn strategies for startups in economic downturns, leadership traits, overcoming team dysfunctions, and much more. We unpack topics like: 🚨 5 Dysfunctions of Team 🚨 Death of Meritocracy in Corporate Culture and the Impact 🚨 K...