Project Medtech

The episode introduces Merom's framework of five 'courage levels' for evaluating adoption and investment readiness, which is moderately useful. However, much of the conversation circles back to the same core concepts (fear as a blocker, the importance of recognizing unspoken hesitation, upskilling vs. product fit), with limited novel specifics. The EV charging example is illustrative but takes substantial time relative to new insight delivered. A B2B operator would extract the levels framework and the insight about value propositions needing to include user support, but would encounter repetition and abstraction that dilutes density.

“Level zero is I either I flat out say to you, I'm not interested. Level one is You're making me uncomfortable... Level two, it's interesting, but I'm waiting for the timing to be right... Level three, I'm actively learning... Level four, I see problems with this and I'm collaborating with you”

“if the value proposition is the it rather than the it plus the upskilling, plus the getting to be part of a user community that is reshaping the standard of care, plus being part of a patient advocacy... then you're not thinking through what is your level of care”

The 'courage framework' is positioned as novel but relies on repackaging psychological concepts (fear, trust, adoption readiness) within medtech contexts that are not particularly fresh. The comparison to sports psychology and Apple's Genius Bar model are useful analogies but well-trodden. The challenge to healthcare system analysis is mildly contrarian but underdeveloped. Most of the underlying concepts - the knowing-doing gap, user education as a lever, recognizing soft rejections - are established in innovation and sales literature.

“business psychologist is kind of like a sports psychologist in bringing out the best in people's thinking and decision making”

“if you're not reading that correctly, you're going to think that someone is with you and then you're going to find out that what you counted on them, um, it just, the transaction isn't what you thought it was”

Merom Klein is positioned as a business psychologist with 30+ years advising innovators and is currently a principal at Courage Growth Partners and an angel investor. He has relevant founder experience (his prior company) and works with medtech stakeholders. However, the transcript does not establish deep operating experience at scale in medtech specifically - no major company exits, no evidence of leading large teams through commercialization, no quantified exits. He operates in an advisory/coaching capacity rather than as a battle-tested operator. Comparable to a respected consultant but not a seasoned medtech executive.

“I'm a business psychologist by background... the focus of our work has been for God, 30 plus years on working with innovators. Working with innovators largely in therapeutics, devices, diagnostics”

“I was my last company and we didn't raise investor money, but I was the hotshot, know it all”

The episode is light on concrete data, named companies, and measurable outcomes. The EV charging anecdote is specific to Merom's personal purchase experience but is more illustrative than evidentiary. Reference to a 'screening meeting last week' with 10 pitches is vague (no company names, metrics, or outcomes). The surgical device sales rep example is introduced but not followed by specifics. Book recommendations are named but not deeply examined. No case studies, revenue figures, adoption timelines, or quantified success metrics are provided.

“So we bought an Easy... Well, we thought so... And then we started to have some difficulties with it”

“I just had this in a, uh, screening meeting last week, we saw, uh, 10 pitches. 10 people talked about a pathway to revenue”

Host Dwayne Duane asks clarifying follow-ups (e.g., 'break down these levels'), invites elaboration ('unpack that a little bit more'), and builds on Merom's points with relevant context (Midwest culture, EV adoption parallels, investor incentives). However, Dwayne rarely pushes back or challenges claims. When Merom critiques the healthcare system analysis, Dwayne accepts the reframe without probing further. Most exchanges are confirmatory ('right,' 'yeah,' 'makes total sense') rather than genuinely interrogative. The conversation feels collaborative but lacks the sharp critical edge expected at senior operator level.

“Um, maybe unpack that a little bit more. Ah, so you can't have courage without fear. Is this when you spend time with entrepreneurs, is are you are and you're trying to build courage, Are you trying to figure out what they're fearful of?”

“Marom, can you break down these levels that you're talking about here?”