Smita Nair, Chief Product and Technology Officer at Equip Concept to Care

Today on Concept to Care, we welcome Smita Nair, Chief Product and Technology Officer at Equip, a pioneering health tech company dedicated to treating eating disorders and related conditions such as anxiety, depression, and OCD. Equip offers virtual, family-based treatments accessible to patients of all ages across all 50 states, leveraging a comprehensive approach to ensure broad reach and effectiveness.
In this episode, we'll delve into the crucial role of clinical expertise in developing and scaling digital health solutions. Smita will share strategies for achieving impactful healthcare outcomes, focusing on aligning organizational tasks with broader company goals and the importance of tying every action to key organizational metrics.
We'll explore Smita's approach to product development and strategic roadmapping, including maintaining flexibility in plans while ensuring stakeholder alignment. She'll explain how to balance strategic planning with the need for agility, especially in the dynamic healthcare sector.
Additionally, Smita will discuss building high-performing teams, emphasizing clear role definitions, collective accountability, and fostering psychological safety. She'll offer advice on addressing cultural and operational misalignments with new hires and promoting a culture where feedback is seen as a tool for growth.
Here are all the highlights of our conversation:
Experience and alignment with Equip’s mission and model
Importance of clinical expertise in developing healthcare solutions
Aligning organizational tasks with broader company goals
Effective application of OKRs (Objectives and Key Results)
Balancing strategic planning with agility
Building high-performing teams
Clear role definitions and collective accountability
Promoting a culture where feedback is a tool for growth
Integrating empathy and lean startup methodologies into product development
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Where to find Smita Nair
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nairsmita/
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Where to find Angela and Omar:
Angela Suthrave
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/angela-suthrave/
X: https://twitter.com/ASuthrave
email: angela@concepttocare.com

Omar Mousa
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/omarmousa/
X: https://twitter.com/OmarMHealth
email: omar@concepttocare.com

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Referenced:
Equip’s Company Website: https://equip.health/
Equip is hiring: https://equip.health/join-us#jobs
Equip was highlighted on Time100 as one of the most influential places to work: https://time.com/collection/time100-companies-2023/6285207/equip/
Equip was highlighted by Fast Company as one of the top most innovative companies of 2024: https://www.fastcompany.com/91040027/equip-most-innovative-companies-2024
Feedback is a gift, how to give and receive feedback: https://buffer.com/resources/how-to-give-receive-feedback-work/
Asana’s guide for creating company wide Objectives and Key Results (OKRs): https://asana.com/resources/setting-okrs
Pingboard’s — How to set up OKRs across departments: https://pingboard.com/blog/how-to-set-up-consistent-okrs-across-departments-okr-template/
Mind The Product’s — How to build high performing product management teams: https://www.mindtheproduct.com/how-do-you-build-a-successful-product-team/
A guide for helping candidates evaluate start-ups before they join the company: https://humaninterest.com/learn/articles/33-questions-help-evaluate-startup-job-offer/
How to build flexible product roadmaps: https://www.chameleon.io/blog/product-roadmaps
Smita’s favorite methodology — Lean Start-up Methodology: https://theleanstartup.com/principles
The importance of 1 on 1s — a comprehensive guide to 1 on 1 meetings: https://www.small-improvements.com/resources/1-on-1-meetings/
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