No Operating Manual
Claim This Podcastby Erin O'Brien
Podcast Overview
<p><b>No Operating Manual</b> is a podcast about building healthcare companies when there’s no clear path and no one tells you what comes next.</p><p>Each episode features candid conversations with founders and operators working at the earliest stages, where decisions are made with incomplete information and roles are undefined. The focus is on the real work: what you learn, what you have to unlearn, and what it actually takes to make healthcare companies function in the real world.</p>
Language
🇺🇲
Publishing Since
1/21/2026
1 verified contact email on file for No Operating Manual
Pitch yourself as a guest, propose sponsorships, or reach out directly to the host.
Recent Episodes
June 29, 2026
The Gap Between Prescribed and Taken | Tamar Sapir from Synchronyx
<p>Tamar Sapir never planned to start a company. As a biochemist, clinical professor, and author of 80+ published papers, her instinct was always to ask questions — not build startups. But the more she studied medication non-adherence, the more she realized no one was solving it in a meaningful way.</p><p>So she did.</p><p>In this episode, Tamar walks us through Synchronyx — a platform that turns any medication package into a smart, connected experience using battery-free smart labels. Patients tap their phone, log their dose, and get reminders and support along the way. Care teams get real-time alerts when something goes wrong.</p><p>We get into why patients really stop taking their medications — and why it's far more systemic than personal. We talk about the 97% compliance rate Synchronx has achieved, what drives it, and why most drop-offs happen in the first month when no one is watching.</p><p>Tamar also opens up about what she had to unlearn as a scientist turned CEO — including her biggest challenge: letting go of perfectionism and making fast decisions with incomplete information.</p><p>Five years in, over a million doses tracked, and 40+ health system and pharmacy partners.</p>
June 15, 2026
The Other 364 Days: How Seth Merritt Is Rebuilding Chronic Care from the Outside In
<p>Most chronic disease patients see their doctor for 15 minutes, once or twice a year. Seth Merritt, co-founder and CEO of <b>Welby Health</b>, thinks that's absurd. And he's building the infrastructure to fill the other 364 days.</p><p>In this episode of <i>No Operating Manual</i>, Erin O'Brien sits down with Seth to talk about a truly unlikely origin story: college dropout, aspiring rock musician, healthcare executive, and now startup founder trying to fix part of the American healthcare system.</p><p>Seth shares how a $50 Facebook ad campaign became proof of concept, why founders should never hand off sales too early, and what he had to <i>unlearn</i> after years inside large health plans before he could build something new. He walks us through the Welby model, a "clinical operating layer" that embeds virtual care teams directly inside physician practices, and explains why the biggest bottleneck in chronic care isn't technology. It's people.</p><p>You'll also hear Seth's candid take on the hard lessons of hiring for startups (hint: corporate success doesn't always translate), why he believes the healthcare system can't fix itself from the inside.</p><p></p><p><b>In this episode:</b></p><ul><li>Why value-based care often just "shuffles money around" without fixing anything</li><li>How Seth validated his idea with $50 in ads before writing a business plan</li><li>The "pod" model that makes Welby feel like part of the practice</li><li>Why AI triage is about getting the <i>right</i> patient to the <i>right</i> human at the <i>right</i> time</li><li>What Seth's boss told him that changed the trajectory of his career</li></ul>
June 7, 2026
Why Has to Be Greater Than How: Hafeezah Muhammad on Building Backpack Healthcare
<p>When Hafeezah Muhammad's son experienced a mental health crisis and she couldn't find care because he was on Medicaid, she didn't just navigate the system — she decided to rebuild it. In this episode, Hafeezah shares how she left a senior executive career to found Backpack Healthcare, a multi-state pediatric mental health clinic that serves children and families who are too often left behind. She opens up about the steep learning curve of going from corporate leader to solo founder, how she's using AI to reduce clinician burnout (not replace therapists), and why she believes the first billion-dollar Medicaid business hasn't been built yet, but will be. A candid conversation about mission-driven entrepreneurship.</p>
19 total episodes available
Deep-dive analytics for No Operating Manual
Frequently asked questions
Have a different question and can't find the answer you're looking for? Reach out to our support team by sending us an email and we'll get back to you as soon as we can.
- What is No Operating Manual?
<p><b>No Operating Manual</b> is a podcast about building healthcare companies when there’s no clear path and no one tells you what comes next.</p><p>Each episode features candid conversations with founders and operators working at the earliest stages, where decisions are made with incomplete information and roles are undefined. The focus is on the real work: what you learn, what you have to unlearn, and what it actually takes to make healthcare companies function in the real world.</p> - How often does this podcast release new episodes?
This podcast updates daily.
- Where can I listen to this podcast?
This podcast is available on 4 platforms including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more. You can also use the RSS feed directly.
- Does this podcast accept guests?
Yes, this podcast regularly features guests.
Legal Disclaimer
Pod Engine is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or officially connected with any of the podcasts displayed on this platform. We operate independently as a podcast discovery and analytics service.
All podcast artwork, thumbnails, and content displayed on this page are the property of their respective owners and are protected by applicable copyright laws. This includes, but is not limited to, podcast cover art, episode artwork, show descriptions, episode titles, transcripts, audio snippets, and any other content originating from the podcast creators or their licensors.
We display this content under fair use principles and/or implied license for the purpose of podcast discovery, information, and commentary. We make no claim of ownership over any podcast content, artwork, or related materials shown on this platform. All trademarks, service marks, and trade names are the property of their respective owners.
While we strive to ensure all content usage is properly authorized, if you are a rights holder and believe your content is being used inappropriately or without proper authorization, please contact us immediately at hey@podengine.ai for prompt review and appropriate action, which may include content removal or proper attribution.
By accessing and using this platform, you acknowledge and agree to respect all applicable copyright laws and intellectual property rights of content owners. Any unauthorized reproduction, distribution, or commercial use of the content displayed on this platform is strictly prohibited.