The Early Hires

Helen Tanner
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  • CAREERS
  • EVERY TWO WEEKS

Most clinicians who join early-stage healthcare startups are expected to operate in complex business environments they were never trained to navigate. The Early Hires equips clinician leaders for these pivotal roles through a community of shared experience and collective insight so they can lead with clarity, confidence, and thrive in healthcare startups. Hosted by clinician and healthcare leader, Helen Tanner. Learn more and join the conversation at The Early Hires website. 

Episodes

  1. 6 DAYS AGO

    Navigating Early and Mid-Stage Startups: Clinical Leadership Realities with Dr. Adam Perry

    Patient safety is job one. Everything else is negotiable. The Early Hires launches with Dr. Adam Perry — a geriatrician and ER physician who has helped build home-based and senior care models across early- and mid-stage healthcare companies. He has served as a Chief Medical Officer and Regional Medical Director, and he is now the founder of Health Span Partners. In this pilot episode, Dr. Perry breaks down what clinician leaders need to understand on day one: early-stage work is about protecting patient safety while learning how the business stays alive. Mid-stage work is different — more resources, more complexity, and harder decisions about what to standardize, refine, and scale. You will hear why clinicians must become interpreters between business and clinical teams, how to translate clinical risk into language executives actually act on, and the uncomfortable truth many clinicians miss: you are often the revenue engine — through your work, your NPI, and even your licensure. He also shares what to ask before you sign an offer, how to think about equity, and why “who owns the company” shapes everything. If you are considering a startup role — or already in the ambiguity of early clinical leadership — this episode is a practical reset on how to lead with clarity, protect patients, and stay aligned with reality. Welcome to The Early Hires. Must-Hear Insights and Key Moments In early-stage startups, clinician leaders are first and foremost advocates for patient safety — one of the few priorities that rarely requires translation to the business side.Dr. Perry recommends getting legal or accounting advice on equity offers because the structures vary dramaticallyMentioned in the episode: GUIDE Dementia Care ProgramHealthspan PartnersAmerican College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE)John Hartford FoundationGary and Mary West FoundationAbout Dr. Perry Dr. Adam Perry is a geriatrician and emergency medicine physician with over 20 years of experience building innovative care models for older adults. He has served as Chief Medical Officer and Regional Medical Director for early and mid-stage healthcare startups focused on home-based acute care, hospital at home, and primary care. A John Hartford Foundation fellow, Dr. Perry helped lead the geriatric emergency department movement nationwide. He is currently founder of Healthspan Partners, participating in the CMS Guide Dementia Care program, delivering home-based care to older adults with dementia across multiple states. Follow Dr. Adam Perry LinkedIn Follow The Early Hires LinkedIn Website Follow Helen Tanner LinkedIn Join The Early Hires Community Are you a clinician navigating startup life? The only way to access our private Slack community is by visiting www.theearlyhires.com. Head to the website to request access and join clinicians who are building, leading, and navigating the realities of early-stage healthcare companies. Share your challenges. Share your wins. Ask your questions. Start at www.theearlyhires.com. The conversation continues there.

    35 min

  2. TRAILER

    The Early Hires Podcast

    Hosted by Helen Tanner, MPH, PA-C, The Early Hires Podcast centers the voices of clinicians building healthcare startups from the inside. Helen brings years of clinical and executive experience, translating real-world challenges into thoughtful, grounded conversations. Each episode features clinicians and clinical leaders navigating early-stage companies, sharing honest stories about leadership pressure, evolving roles, business realities, and career decisions. Solo episodes offer reflection and perspective from lived experience, not theory. This podcast exists to normalize the complexity of early startup life for clinicians and to create connection through shared understanding. If you are building without a clear roadmap and wondering if your experience is normal, this space is for you. Follow The Early Hires LinkedIn Website Follow Helen Tanner LinkedIn Join The Early Hires Community Are you a clinician navigating startup life? The only way to access our private Slack community is by visiting www.theearlyhires.com. Head to the website to request access and join clinicians who are building, leading, and navigating the realities of early-stage healthcare companies. Share your challenges. Share your wins. Ask your questions. Start at www.theearlyhires.com. The conversation continues there.

    2 min

Trailer

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About

Most clinicians who join early-stage healthcare startups are expected to operate in complex business environments they were never trained to navigate. The Early Hires equips clinician leaders for these pivotal roles through a community of shared experience and collective insight so they can lead with clarity, confidence, and thrive in healthcare startups. Hosted by clinician and healthcare leader, Helen Tanner. Learn more and join the conversation at The Early Hires website. 

Information

  • Creator
    Helen Tanner
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    2
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The Early Hires Podcast
  • Show Website
    The Early Hires