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“There is something that happens when we create expectations that are actually realistic, that we have a chance to delight ourselves. And then that creates this motivation to keep going and be like, Oh, this is working out much better than I expected.”
In this episode of The Biotech Startups Podcast, Sandra Shpilberg, Co-founder and COO at Adnexi, shares her remarkable founder’s journey, launching Seeker Health from her living room, landing her first customer on LinkedIn, and scaling a mission-driven startup without outside funding—all while balancing family life and navigating the emotional challenges of entrepreneurship and acquisition offers. 
Her story challenges Silicon Valley myths, showing that pragmatic optimism, real customer traction, and staying true to one’s values can drive both personal and professional success.
Key topics covered:

• Bootstrapping Seeker Health: Building a digital recruitment platform from scratch.
• Customer Acquisition Tactics: Winning early clients and validating demand fast.
• Building and Leading a Team: Evolving from solo founder to culture builder.
• Navigating Acquisitions: Facing offers, learning, and sealing a strong exit.
• Balancing Family, Growth, and Resilience: Juggling work, life, and relentless change.

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Subscribe to the Podcast:Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-biotech-startups-podcast/id1679591994Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2PSL162R2s0zOwU5913Zv4Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@thebiotechstartupspodcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ 
Find our guest, Sandra Shpilberg, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandra-shpilberg-b7b334/Website: https://adnexi.com/ Find our host, Jon Chee, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee
Learn more about Excedr:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Website: https://www.excedr.com
Intro & Outro Songs Created by OkKyojin, Owned by Excedr:Website: https://flow.page/kyojin 
Resources & Articles:The Harry Potter Series: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_PotterPlaid & Visa Acquisition Story: https://fortune.com/2020/01/14/visa-plaid-acquisition-fintech/
Companies, Universities, & People mentioned:Adnexi: https://adnexi.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/Bain & Company: https://www.bain.com/Nora Therapeutics: https://noratherapeutics.com/Syneos Health: http://www.syneoshealth.com/
Mark Joing: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markjoing/
Timestamps:00:00 Intro01:47 Founding Seeker Health: The Early Days02:58 Launching and Naming the Company06:20 Landing First Customer & Mindset Shift08:53 The Power of Startup Networking09:46 Transitioning to Real Team Building11:57 Family Life & Involving Children13:36 Becoming a Syneos Health Supplier18:02 Growing Through Serious and Rare Disease Trials20:35 First Acquisition Offer and Lessons24:32 Structuring the Ideal Deal and Due Diligence35:29 OutroThe Biotech Startups Podcast gives you a front-row seat to the business and science of building a biotech. Hosted by Jon Chee, CEO of Excedr, the show features honest conversations with founders, execs, and investors about their work, their companies, and how they got there. From scientific breakthroughs to startup lessons, each episode explores what it really takes to grow a life science company—from pre-seed to IPO.