Disrupting the Medical Market and Saving Lives with Jon Merrell Beyond The Ordinary

Humans react in different ways when an emergency strikes. Some people thrive under pressure, but others can’t handle stressful scenarios. These reactions are influenced by the stakes of the situation. In cases where life or death is on the table - such as cardiac arrest - the odds of human error are multiplied. Around 80% of the time, people performing CPR give breaths too quickly, which can lead to hyperventilation. Jon Merrell hopes to alleviate this problem with the Butterfly BVM. 
In this episode, Tommy talks to Jon, CEO of Compact Medical, about the company’s latest product and how it is transforming the CPR space. The Butterfly BVM is a bag valve mask (BVM) that medical personnel can use to ventilate patients that are not breathing properly. Jon’s passion for problem-solving began as an elementary student and grew as he entered his first biomedical engineering class. His passion, adaptability, and effort led him into a challenging career as a full-time entrepreneur. 
Tommy talks to Jon about how he pivoted from physician to entrepreneur, how the Butterfly BVM reduces human error in stressful CPR situations, and how aspiring innovators should approach problems. Learn more at mammoth.vc.

Key Takeaways

[01:49] - How Jon got to where he is today.

[04:49] - Jon’s advice for aspiring innovators.

[06:24] - Jon’s decision to become a physician.

[09:44] - What led Jon back to engineering.

[14:26] - Jon’s inspiration behind Compact Medical.

[17:43] - How Compact Medical earned its first round of funding.

[20:17] - The history of bag valve masks.

[22:11] - What can go wrong with BVM (bag valve mask).

[24:30] - How the Butterfly BVM works.

[25:57] - How the Butterfly BVM minimizes human error.

[27:41] - Information overload in CPR situations.

[30:18] - What phase of development the Butterfly BVM is in today.

[31:31] - Jon’s suggestions for entrepreneurs.

[36:00] - Jon’s shift from physician to entrepreneur.

 [38:02] - How to stay updated on the Butterfly BVM and Compact Medical.


Quotes
[04:49] - “Don't start by finding solutions to things. Your first task is to go find really important problems to solve because a compelling problem will outlive any number of solutions that you may find.” ~ Jon Merrell
[29:02] - “There's a flurry of activity going on in any kind of CPR situation. If you can free up the mental space to be able to focus on what matters most, which is clearly the patient, not only is it a relief to the person who's doing the bagging, but it's also better and safer for the patient.” ~ Jon Merrell
[31:48] - “Build a multidisciplinary team. Figure out where the holes are, what are the skill sets you don’t have, and look for people to fill those holes. People who have those talents, but people who are also going to catch your vision and get excited about what you’re doing.” ~ Jon Merrell

Links 

Jon Merrell on LinkedIn

Compact Medical on LinkedIn

Compact Medical’s Website

The Butterfly BVM

The American Heart Association

The University of Virginia

Eastern Virginia Medical School

Riley Children’s Hospital

Purdue College of Engineering

Operation Smile

Dr. Bill Magee

gBeta


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Tommy on LinkedIn


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When you move beyond the point of making sure your retirement goals are on track, your investment opportunities are wider than just publicly traded funds. Step into the world of investing in venture capital by learning more about Mammoth Scientific's Health & Tech Fund 1. Curated by some of the leading medical and fintech experts, Mammoth's Fund 1 is paving the way for health science and tech innovation. If you're interested in helping patient care, provider insight, and instrumentation go beyond possibility and into reality, check it out today at Mammoth.vc. Visit Mammoth.vc today!