Of Note

"The one thing that I can predict in healthcare is that it's going to continue to change." After being introduced to the healthcare industry in high school, Shawn Valenta began working towards transforming healthcare delivery — especially to minority and vulnerable populations. His journey began in the Greenville Memorial Emergency Department as a respiratory therapist. There, he discovered his appetite for learning, and soon after, he uncovered his passion for healthcare administration.

Now, Shawn and his team provide services that serve the different healthcare needs for communities across South Carolina. Shawn supports the operations for all of MUSC’s telehealth programs that range from the ICU to the home, oversees the nearly $50 million budget of state-invested telehealth funds for South Carolina, and is responsible for the contract execution for their network of over 100 sites.

The MUSC Center for Telehealth's mission is "telehealth for efficient, effective care," and not just replicating healthcare over a distance. South Carolina has faced many healthcare disparities over the years. Shawn discusses his evolving journey working to overcome these disparities, how to lead by example, and how he and his team are breaking the traditional healthcare mold to deliver care in new and innovative ways.

"Of Note" is an original production by Scribble and Designsensory. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram for more.

A “chile head” in the truest sense of the word, Ed Currie – the man behind the Carolina Reaper, the world’s hottest pepper – knows hot enough is never hot enough. His journey began in the 80s when he started growing peppers at his house in South Carolina. By the 90s, his 800+ plants covered every inch of his home, as well as the homes of his friends, family, and neighbors. There was a growing demand for his peppers, and by the early 2000s, he and his wife Linda realized it was time to start a real farm. Now, their farm grows over 100,000 pepper plants and is one of the largest on the east coast.

With the creation of the Carolina Reaper, Ed pushed the limits of the chile pepper — his love for spice helping him to light a spark across an entire industry. And the whole world took notice. Ed discusses how his life brought him to growing peppers, how he’s grown his business, and his personal philosophy to innovation and pushing boundaries. In this episode, our hosts Joseph Nother and Laura Corder are joined by Vic Clinco, the owner of the world's largest collection of hot sauces to talk Ed, PuckerButt, and the Carolina Reaper.

"Of Note" is an original production by Scribble and Designsensory. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram for more.

In a special mini-series from the “Of Note” crew, we’re turning back to our innovators from season one to see how the COVID-19 pandemic is affecting their personal, professional, and business lives and uncovering the insights they’ve learned from making major business changes across the board.

Juan Caicedo, Department Chair and Professor in the College of Engineering and Computing at the University of South Carolina, talks with “Of Note” co-host Joseph Nother about the current state of the education system during a pandemic, as well as how (in a world with fully online classes) what the value of a physical learning environment is.

This episode was recorded on March 30, 2020.

In a special mini-series from the “Of Note” crew, we’re turning back to our innovators from season one to see how the COVID-19 pandemic is affecting their personal, professional, and business lives and uncovering the insights they’ve learned from making major business changes across the board.

Philippe Herndon, the founder of boutique guitar pedal manufacturer Caroline Guitar Company, talks with “Of Note” co-host Joseph Nother about how the small business owner and entrepreneur has been impacted by the pandemic. From managing his manufacturing small team in a work from home environment to evaluating his dependency on retail stores and overseas manufacturers, Philippe underscores just how much life has changed as a small business owner.

This episode was recorded on March 30, 2020.

In a special mini-series from the “Of Note” crew, we’re turning back to our innovators from season one to see how the COVID-19 pandemic is affecting their personal, professional, and business lives and uncovering the insights they’ve learned from making major business changes across the board.

Mary Beth Westmoreland, CTO of Blackbaud, has been named one of the most innovative women in America. And now, more so than ever, it's time for her to leverage her ability to innovate. Blackbaud is the world's leading provider of cloud computing solutions for the social good community — that means non-profits, churches, schools — some of those organizations hit hardest by the pandemic, and those most in need of quick, large, full-scale pivots.

Mary Beth talks about the need for understanding during times like these and how empathy can make or break your position as a leader.

This episode was recorded on March 30, 2020.

"Of Note" is an original production by Scribble and Designsensory. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram for more.

In a special mini-series from the "Of Note" crew, we're turning back to our innovators from season one to see how the COVID-19 pandemic is affecting their personal, professional, and business lives and uncovering the insights they've learned from making major business changes across the board.

Jon-Michial Carter, co-founder and CEO of ChartSpan, reconnects with "Of Note" co-host Joseph Nother to discuss how he and his telemedicine company quickly and efficiently transitioned to remote work, how telemedicine directly impacts those on the frontlines of the crisis, and how you – as a leader – can maintain the trust and confidence of your staff.

This episode was recorded on March 30, 2020.

"Of Note" is an original production by Scribble and Designsensory. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram for more.

Many people have dreams of shaping the future, and for Dr. Juan Caicedo, those dreams are a reality. A professor and department chair of the University of South Carolina College of Engineering and Computing, Juan specializes in Structural Dynamics to make our world safer and more efficient. From floors that sense the vibrations of your footsteps to walls that stand strong against storms, he and his department utilize their one-of-a-kind equipment to run experiments and come up with new solutions to everyday problems. Juan moved to the United States from Colombia, South America to achieve his goals, proving to all the dreamers out there that nothing is impossible.

In this interview, Juan talks about his roles and goals as a professor, and he dives into the different experiments going on in his department and how they can shape the world for the better. He also discusses how innovation can be fostered in schools, and the different ways he and his students and colleagues maintain that innovation throughout their education and careers.

"Of Note" is an original production by Scribble and Designsensory. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram for more.

Innovation can oftentimes be slow. Ideas and projects can't always be completed by the team that starts them — especially in the world of science. Even in retirement, George Wicks, CTO of Applied Research Center (ARC) in Aiken, South Carolina and adjunct professor at several universities, is helping to continue to breathe life into his innovations. One of George's most groundbreaking projects is the research and development of microspheres. These tiny glass spheres have potential applications in the medical, automotive, and security fields, among many others.

Join hosts Laura Corder and Joseph Nother as they talk with George about his work, approach to innovation and how he prepares the next generation of scientists.

"Of Note" is an original production by Scribble and Designsensory. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram for more.

Craft. Passion. Family. These are the virtues that define Boyd Cycling, the creator of one of the world's fastest bike wheels. Started by competitive cyclists Boyd and Nicole Johnson, the Greenville-based husband and wife team got their footing in the industry as one of the first manufacturers to sell directly to consumers online, disrupting deep-pocketed established brands. Ten years later, the company focuses on creating handbuilt, well-engineered wheels and aims to be one of the best wheel companies in the world. 

Join hosts Laura Corder and Joseph Nother as they talk with Boyd and Nicole about the process of building a team, how to be successful in business with family, how they were able to obtain grant and seed funding, and the valuable lessons they’ve learned over the years. 

"Of Note" is an original production by Scribble and Designsensory. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram for more.

We all like to think that innovation and creativity come as a spark, an epiphany, as the "light bulb" moment. But that isn't always the case. Dr. Nancey Tsai had a number of experiences during her time as a student and practicing doctor where she simply took note of something – a fact, a challenge, a need – and "filed it away." After more than a decade, she'd eventually bring all of this back together to create a potentially game-changing device. 

As a clinical associate professor of neurosurgery at the Medical University of South Carolina, Nancey invented a device that uses gentle puffs of air and videography to detect subtle differences in the way a patient blinks. As Nancey put it, “it’s all in the eyes” when it comes to examining neurological functions. Today, the Blink Reflexometer is a portable device that can be used to test an athlete for concussion right on the sidelines, and in the future has the potential to detect other neurological disorders including Alzheimer’s, stroke, and Parkinson’s. 

"Of Note" is an original production by Scribble and Designsensory. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram for more.