How to Break the 147-Day Sales Cycle for Women-Led Startups

Author: Sabrina Runbeck, MPH, MHS, PA-C
Published: Wed 26 Feb 2025
Episode Link: https://SabrinaRunbeck.com

"I'm stuck in my 147th meeting with decision-makers who keep saying 'just one more'..."

Sound familiar? In this week's episode, I dive into the hidden barriers facing women-led healthcare innovations and why solutions that could save lives get trapped in procurement purgatory.

Episode Highlights:

The Hidden Barriers in Women's Health Innovation

Less than 3% of venture capital funding goes to women-owned businesses
Women-led companies generate 35% higher ROI and 12% higher revenue than male counterparts
Sabrina introduces the three Gatekeeper Myths from her TEDx talk that hold women founders back

The Mental Moat

How self-doubt affects even accomplished healthcare professionals
Why your unique perspective is actually your greatest strength
Success story: How reframing personal experience as expertise led to partnerships with three major health systems

The Perception Drawbridge

The perfectionism trap that high-achieving women often fall into
Why "doing it all yourself" leads to overwhelm and stalled growth
Practical approaches to strategic delegation, automation, and elimination of non-essential tasks

The City Watch

The shocking statistic: less than 2% of medical research funding goes to pregnancy, childbirth, and female reproductive health
How historical exclusion of women from clinical trials (pre-1993) continues to impact innovation today
Recent progress: Nearly $1 billion in new investments announced at the White House Conference on Women's Health Research

Building Your Breakthrough Strategy

Four proven approaches that successful women founders are using right now
How one founder cut her sales cycle from 147 days to just 45 days
The rise of FemTech and new opportunities across the women's health spectrum

The HealthTech Showdown Opportunity

Why Sabrina created this monthly virtual event specifically for healthcare innovators
What to expect at the March 27th event focused on women's health solutions
How to connect directly with health system leaders, investors, and successful founders

Resources Mentioned:

HealthTech Showdown (March 27th, 11am EST): Register at HealthTechShowdown.com
Sabrina's TEDx Talk "The 3% Problem: Why Women-Led Healthcare Innovation is So Hard": Watch at PulsePointPath.com/TEDx
"Funding Her Future" Interview Series: Watch on YouTube

Connect with Sabrina:

LinkedIn: Sabrina Runbeck
Website: PulsePointPath.com

This episode was recorded as part of Sabrina's ongoing commitment to supporting women founders in healthcare innovation. If you found this valuable, please share with a founder who needs to hear it.

Episode Timeline:

00:01:18 - Challenges in Healthcare Innovation

00:02:38 - Barriers for Women's Health Innovations

00:04:47 - Myth #1: The Mental Mode (Self-Doubt)

00:07:48 - Myth #2: The Perception Drawbridge

00:13:25 - Myth #3: The Citywatch (Systematic Challenges)

00:15:27 - Creating an Empowered Ecosystem

00:17:45 - Key Strategies for Founders Today

00:18:59 - HealthTech Showdown & Opportunities for Founders

00:20:32 - The Future of FemTech

00:24:39 - Conclusion & Next Steps

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