Advisory Boards That Actually Move the Needle | Ep 103

How do you build advisory boards that actually change your commercialization trajectory instead of checking a box? The panel breaks down who to invite, what to ask, and how to turn insight into action.In this episode of the Medtech Business Academy, host Scott Alexander sits down with Skender Daerti, Barbara Strain, and Mike Sperduti to go deeper on voice of customer by focusing on one of the most underused tools in medtech: advisory boards.They unpack what a modern advisory board really is, how it differs from one-off focus groups, and why the best boards are “snowflakes” that look different for each product, market, and objective. Skender introduces the idea of “closing the circuit” across all personas who touch a product, from physicians and nurses to EVS, biomed, IT, and quality leaders.The group explores how to avoid the trap of getting “say” data that never turns into “do,” why you should pay advisors to tell you what you do not want to hear, and how to balance gray-bearded experts with emerging clinicians who understand today’s channels and behaviors. They wrap with practical steps for building your first advisory board, setting objectives, holding advisors accountable, and knowing when the right move is to kill a project.If you are in medtech leadership, product management, marketing, or sales, this episode will give you a concrete playbook to design advisory boards that create a real unfair advantage in your market.