Why Culture, Not Tech, Is Blocking Your Growth with Varsha Chaugai

What if the biggest blocker to your product’s success isn’t the tech—but the fear-filled culture it’s stepping into?That’s exactly what Varsha Chaugai discovered while building Evoke Health, a platform designed to digitize and streamline communication between long-term care facilities and families. Despite building the platform in just five months, the real challenge wasn’t technical—it was cultural.In this episode, we uncover how founders can navigate the invisible resistance of guilt, shame, and outdated manual systems that dominate long-term care. You’ll learn why transparency is often misunderstood as a threat, and how shifting the narrative to collaboration creates space for innovation to thrive.Because sometimes, the hardest code to rewrite is the one in people’s minds.
In this episode, you’ll learn:🔑Why long-term care is decades behind in communication tech—and what it costs🔑How fear of being punished stifles transparency and adoption🔑The surprising activation rate that beat out acute and primary care sectors🔑What made 70% of families onboard within a week of rollout🔑How Varsha’s team reframed transparency as a trust builder, not a liability🔑Why culture change must be a deliberate part of your GTM strategy
Episode Timeline: 00:00:00 - Fear-driven culture is silently killing adoption in long-term care00:01:05 - Varsha Chougai from Evoke Health00:03:14 - Guilt, regulations, and manual communication in LTC00:06:26 - Patient portals as collaborative care tools00:08:41 - Shifting culture, not just selling software00:12:19 - Future vision for predictive and educational tools00:15:58 - Fear of punishment in long-term care00:18:41 - Balancing openness with over-information00:22:44 - How have you dealt with product resistance?00:25:58 - What’s next for Evoke Health’s platform00:28:03 - Breaking silos and achieving interoperability00:30:26 - Varsha’s 3 magic wishes for the company00:34:00 - Collaboration and belief create industry change00:36:43 - Key takeaway: transparency builds trust00:38:27 - Leadership drives successful rollout00:38:54 - Culture change must be intentional
📣 Get In the SpotlightAre you a founder with a proven solution and paying users?Apply to pitch your startup in front of investors and decision-makers on HealthTechShowdown.com.Submit a short, under 200-word, explanation of your solution and why it belongs in front of the people who matter most.—------------------------------------------------
Resources MentionedHealthTech Showdown (HealthTechShowdown.com): We will find the ideal investors and enterprise leaders for you to pitch to on our virtual gameshow-style event.
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