Meghana Rajadhyaksha

Do it right the first time.

 

Meghana Rajadhyaksha spent more than a decade working in the healthcare industry as a medical device sales and marketing professionals in New York City. She is a business and political-science graduate of the University of Michigan who spent much of her professional career in medical device and pharmaceutical sales and marketing, during which she put in long days and traveled extensively throughout the nation. In this period, Meghana Rajadhyaksha received a number of promotions and served in a variety of roles, including specialty sales work in the operating room.

Now based in Miami, FL, she has taken on the role as Chief Marketing Officer at The Miami Spine Institute. The Miami Spine Institute specializes in Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery, where the physicians use the latest technology and innovation to perform the least invasive procedure possible with the most effective and safe results. She is also involved with a number of additional charitable and community organizations in the Miami area, as well as being a devoted wife and mother of two children.

Where did the idea for your company come from?

Miami Spine Institute, as the name would suggest is based out of Miami, FL. However, we do have an office in Fort Lauderdale as well. We wanted to create an Institute that focuses solely on pathology of the Spine. We wanted to be able to offer options for care including Physical Therapy, Pain Management, and Spine Surgery. Over time, our practice has evolved into a Minimally Invasive Spine practice.

What does your typical day look like and how do you make it productive?

A typical day includes coordinating marketing events, creating and distributing marketing materials, and following up with physicians and referral sources. I also assist in the management of the practice.

How do you bring ideas to life?

We try to bring our ideas to life with interaction. Patient education is paramount. We organize seminars for patients as well as referral sources in order to educate and produce continuity of care.

What’s one trend that excites you?

I think Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery is evolving rapidly. Historically, Spine Surgery has had a negative reputation. We have all heard someone say “don’t have spine surgery”. However, people are living longer, they want to be more active in their old age and spinal pathology can be debilitating. Minimally invasive Spine Surgery allows us to decompress nerves and restore normal spinal anatomy without significant tissue disruption. That means less anesthesia, less blood loss, less morbidity, less infections, and a faster recovery. We have seen excellent results with these procedures. Spine Surgery is no longer taboo.

What is one habit of yours that makes you more productive as an entrepreneur?

Try to go to bed as early as I can, usually around 9 o’clock. I then get up at 5am in the morning and start my day. I love being awake early in the morning because it’s quiet and peaceful. I will usually start with the morning workout or yoga, and then a quick shower. This wakes me up and gets me ready to start the day. I can usually do some paperwork, respond to emails, and plan my day before driving my kids to school.

What advice would you give your younger self?

I would tell all younger people that they should spend more time with their parents. No one will love you like your parents. Sometimes they just want to know if you’re okay. And when were younger we don’t realize how smart they really are. I would also tell my younger self to listen to my parents. At times when I thought they were wrong they usually were not.

Tell us something that’s true that almost nobody agrees with you on.

That most people think the future of the world will be defined by globalization, but the reality is that technology matters more. Because resources in our world are scarce, globalization without technology is unfeasible.

As an entrepreneur, what is the one thing you do over and over and recommend everyone else do?

Always check your work. Whenever I complete a project, I always go back and review it to make sure that nothing has been omitted and that all details are accurate. And then, I go over it again.

What is one strategy that has helped you grow your business?

Compassion. We believe that if we care and try to do the right thing, everything else will work out. When putting it into the perspective of our medical practice, the most important thing is to pick the right treatment plan for the right person.

What is one failure you had as an entrepreneur, and how did you overcome it?

Hiring the wrong people. You are only as good as your support staff. No one wants to hire the wrong person for a job, not only because they will need a replacement sooner than they would like but also because making a bad hire drains energy and can cost our business in a number of ways.

What is one business idea that you’re willing to give away to our readers?

Currently, at the Miami Spine Institute, we focus on mainly treatment of spinal pathology. Patients come to us when they have a problem. We are developing a preventative medicine type approach to spine health. This is an all-encompassing maintenance program including diet, exercise, and supplements to help prevent spinal problems in the future.

What is the best $100 you recently spent? What and why?

I took my kids to dinner and bowling. I love spending quality time and playing games with them. I’m trying to enjoy my time with them as much as possible as they are growing up very fast. It pains me to think about them leaving for college.

What is one piece of software or a web service that helps you be productive?

I would have to say our EMR (electronic medical records). It allows us to access and archive medical records. It allows us to also send patient notes and orders to referring physicians or treatment facilities. This is invaluable as it is extremely efficient and can be done from anywhere.

What is the one book that you recommend our community should read and why?

“Atlas Shrugged” by Ayn Rand. The book was written in 1957 and the lessons I learned are still applicable today.

What is your favorite quote?

Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage.
-Lao Tzu

Key Learnings:

• Family always comes first
• Do it right the first time
• Patient care above all else