S4 E4, Meghana Helder - Surgeon, Founder & CEO of Octin Health

What happens when a heart surgeon gets fed up with “good enough”?In this episode of She Leads Biotech, I sit down with Dr. Meghana Helder-Surgeon, practicing cardiac surgeon and Founder & CEO of Octin Health. She shares how one sleepless night in the OR — and one patient outcome she couldn’t let go of — led her to build a medtech company from her basement, starting with a garden hose, a drill, and a whole lot of determination.We talk about:Being a woman in one of the most male-dominated specialties in medicineWhat it takes to spot a gap in care — and do something about itWhy she didn’t wait for permission, funding, or perfect conditions to startHow she balances leadership, clinical practice, motherhood, and missionWhat she wants every young woman in STEM to hear💬 “You don’t have to change who you are to lead. You just have to stop apologizing for it.”📌 Chapters / Timestamps00:00 – Meet Meghana Helder and the origins of Octin Health03:20 – What it’s like to be a woman in cardiac surgery (3% club)06:45 – The patient case that changed everything10:00 – Building her first prototype with a garden hose and grit14:15 – Partnering with her husband and navigating startup life17:30 – What she’s learned about leadership along the way21:00 – Balancing motherhood, medicine, and entrepreneurship25:00 – Advice for women who feel like they don’t “fit the mold”28:00 – What’s next for Octin Health🎧 Now streaming on Spotify, YouTube, Apple Podcasts & more#SheLeadsBiotech #MeghanaHelder #OctinHealth #WomenInSTEM #MedTechFounders #CardiacSurgery #LifeSciencesLeadership #StartupJourney #AuthenticLeadership #CNAUSAExecutiveSearch #SharronCoxStudio