May is Mental Health Awareness Month! In this episode, Michael Esquivel and Halle Tecco sit down with David Ko, CEO of Calm, to discuss the mental health challenges founders and their teams face. They discuss practical strategies for building resilience, managing the relentless pressure, and why destigmatizing mental health is crucial for startup success. David shares how leaders can champion well-being, creating a workplace where mental health support is the norm, not the exception. This episode is a must-listen for anyone who believes building a thriving business starts with a healthy mindset.




We cover:

- How resilience is built through learning from mistakes and taking risks

- Where stress comes from and if you can really eliminate it

- How to lead by example and create a supportive work environment

- Generational shifts in the conversation around mental health

- Why mental health should be normalized throughout the year and not just during Mental Health Awareness Month

Beat Burnout & Build Resilience: A Startup Mental Health Guide

Closing Time is a new podcast where you, the listener, get to be a fly on the wall during a startup pitch meeting. Imagine being part of a room where passionate entrepreneurs are pitching their healthcare startups, the innovations that could very well shape the future of healthcare. This podcast allows you to do just that. Every episode, we introduce you to a founder who's at the frontline, driving the next generation of life-changing solutions, from AI-driven diagnostics to new patient care models. We’ll discuss the hard problems they are trying to solve, and if their solutions can turn into a viable, venture-backable business. We also invite industry experts and venture capitalists to provide their insights, making Closing Time a comprehensive (and super entertaining) crash course in digital health entrepreneurship. So, whether you're an aspiring entrepreneur, an investor looking for the next big thing, a healthcare professional curious about the future of your field, or simply a lifelong learner, Closing Time offers you a unique insight into the dynamic, challenging, and exciting world of healthcare startups.

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We’re back talking about startup employment law! In this episode, we double click on terminations. One of the hardest things every founder and manager has to do in their job is letting people go. Whether it's due to poor performance or a restructuring, there are right and wrong ways to handle it. Our guest, Fenwick employment lawyer Sheeva Ghassemi walks us through the steps on handling terminations legally and compassionately.

We cover:Common grounds for termination including poor performance and reorganizationHow behavioral-based performance issues can be harder to support than job description performance issuesHow to handle terminations legally and with fairness and compassionThe importance of documentation and performance management in the termination processHow to conduct termination meetingsWhen and how to cut off access to company resources and ensure compliance with state-specific requirements

Terminations Made Less Terrible (For Everyone)

In this episode, Fenwick employment lawyer Sheeva Ghassemi joins us to discuss various aspects of employment law that all founders should know. From the legal risks and consequences of misclassifying workers to navigating employment laws with remote employees across multiple states, this episode is a must-listen for anyone hiring and growing a team.




We discuss:The difference between employees and contractors, and exempt vs non-exempt classificationsHow misclassifying workers can lead to major legal issuesHow to navigate employment laws with employees in multiple statesPEOs, AORs, and EORs, oh my!What non-compete agreements are and when they are and aren’t enforceableHow AI algorithms in hiring can introduce bias and discrimination

Startup Employment Law: Avoid Costly Mistakes Before They Happen

In this episode, Christine Lemke, co-founder and CEO of Evidation Health, shares how her personal struggles with chronic pain fueled her mission to transform how we measure and improve health outcomes. She shares the company's evolution and innovative approach to generating real-world evidence (RWE) using a global research platform serving millions of people.




We discuss:

- The power of real-world data and understanding health outside the clinic

- Lessons from pivots: Evidation's journey to its current focus

- How they recruit diverse participants, prioritize consent, and even compensate individuals

- Accelerating research and making it more representative of the populations drugs will actually serve

- Where the company's unique data platform goes next, and how it could change healthcare

Founder Pitches Real-World Data for Healthcare Breakthroughs

In this episode, Sebastian Seiguer, CEO of Scene Health, introduces his company’s innovative use of video technology to drive medication adherence, particularly among underserved populations. He shares how Scene Health supports patients, leading to better outcomes and significant cost savings for payers.




We discuss:

- The challenges of medication non-adherence and its impact on patients and the healthcare system

- How Scene Health's video platform empowers patients and creates unique engagement opportunities

- Strategies for successful implementation within public health departments and Medicaid plans

- The importance of building a care team passionate about this unique approach

- The potential of AI to further enhance the Scene Health model

Beat Burnout & Build Resilience: A Startup Mental Health Guide

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