85. What Doctors Get Wrong About Equity, Consulting, and Startups

What does it take for a physician to move from consulting hours to lasting influence in MedTech? In this week’s episode, Dr. Jay Mathews MD, MS, FACC, FSCAI, shares his path from early startup work in software and design to interventional cardiology, and how that background shaped his approach to device development. He discusses the trade-offs between consulting and equity, the risks physicians face with crowdfunding models, and why he now partners only with companies where he can directly shape outcomes. 🎧 If you’ve been curious about what it takes for a physician to go from industry consulting to building companies, you’ll want to hear this one. 02:03 Family pressure vs. personal resistance 04:06 Startup life before medicine 06:28 Medicine as a tool, not a goal 07:34 Mentorship at WashU 15:44 Early startup collaborations 18:24 Joining Penumbra 20:14 Consulting vs. equity. 25:34 Protecting value and trust 38:32 Personal lessons from burnout 49:26 Physician crowdfunding concerns 💡 Who Should Listen This episode is for physicians interested in entrepreneurship, MedTech founders weighing equity and consulting models, and investors looking to understand the role of clinicians in early-stage innovation. About Dr. Jay Mathews MD, MS, FACC, FSCAI Dr. Jay Mathews is an interventional cardiologist and endovascular specialist based in Tampa Bay Florida. He did his residency and fellowships in Cardiology, Advanced Cardiac Imaging, and Interventional (Coronary/Structural/Peripheral) at Washington University School of Medicine in St Louis. He is actively involved in device development for multiple companies and endovascular research serving as national/global PI of several trials. Connect with Dr.Mathews 🐦 X: Jay Mathews MD, MS, FACC, FSCAI 💼 LinkedIn: S. Jay Mathews, MD, MS, FACC, FSCAI Follow Life of Flow 📲 Instagram: ⁠@LifeofFlowPodcast⁠ 👍 Facebook: ⁠Life of Flow Podcast⁠ 💼 LinkedIn: ⁠Life of Flow Podcast⁠ 🐦 X: ⁠@VascularPodcast If this episode made you think differently about equity and control in healthcare innovation, pass it along to a colleague. And if you’ve been enjoying these conversations, leaving a quick review helps us keep them going.