Rising ICON #8: Rashmi Kandwal
What name do you prefer to be called?
Rashmi
What are your pronouns?
She/Her
Where did you grow up?
Dehradun (India)
What city are you currently based in?
Maple Grove, Minnesota
How do you typically introduce yourself to new people?
Hi, I am Rashmi, its nice to meet you.
What’s one thing you wish more people knew about you?
I prioritize being a mom. Me and my husband, we are raising two smart, funny and fiercely energetic boys. Balancing my roles as a mom, community leader, and consultant is a passion of mine. Depending on the context – whether it's chatting at my local mom's club, participating in a community meeting for HealthcareMN's growth, or donning my glasses for healthcare strategy planning with a focus on numbers and data– you might see different facets of who I am. Additionally, I am a huge fan of a well-crafted cup of latte. 😊
Who do you help?
I extend support to healthcare founders and the broader community engaged in health innovation. My focus is on fostering a collaborative community of passionate innovators and thinkers dedicated to advancing healthcare.
What are you building now?
Currently, I'm working on rebuilding HealthcareMN, a group aimed at propelling healthcare innovation by nurturing a community, facilitating connections, and educating innovators in Minnesota. Our initiatives include organizing workshops, meetups, pitch events, speaker panels, and more. Recognizing the pivotal role of connections in the success of entrepreneurial ecosystems, we are committed to providing a platform that fosters meaningful connections within the healthcare innovation space.
What were you building ten years ago today?
Ten years ago today, I was laying the foundation for my healthcare career in the US, transitioning from being a researcher, post PhD program to someone seeking to bridge the gap between my academic background and the corporate world. My focus was on building the necessary skills and knowledge to navigate both realms effectively.
What do you predict of yourself 10 years from now?
10 years is a long horizon, my aspiration is to see Healthcare MN evolve and expand its reach far beyond the borders of Minnesota and hoping to be make a meaningful impact in the realm of healthcare innovation.
What’s a fact or statistic you wish everyone knew about your industry?
Fun fact – Minnesota is a powerhouse of healthcare innovation –To name a few- Gravie, Bright health, Zipnosis, Sansoro Health, Flywheel Exchange, StemoniX, HabitAware – are recent growing startups that have garnered national recognition – they all started in MN.
Why do you believe the work you do matters?
Every Medtronic, Google and Mayo started with an idea and a vision. We at HealthcareMN are providing the steppingstones to such ideas, some of which will become the leaders in their industry. In our twelve years of existence, we have already provided nurturing environment, collaborative support and platform to grow ideas that are trailblazing the MN healthcare climate right now.
Who is your mentor and what is the best advice they’ve given you?
I have been very fortunate to have friends and mentors who have guided me at various times in my life and stages of my career. If I must exclusively name someone, I will name Mary MacCarthy. I have known her for several years now and the central messaging she constantly imparts and that I try to live by is, “Believe in yourself and you can do it”.
What piece of content about you or your company are you most proud of?
We redesigned the website (www.healthcare.mn) for HealthcareMN earlier this year and I am very proud of this piece of work in 2023.
Other than that, I am also very proud of my published work as a researcher focused of health-informatics.
What publication do you hope to appear in next?
All and any that can help us with HealthcareMN outreach. Star Tribune, MPR News, Minnespolis/St. Paul Business Journal – all are great places for us to connect with our community.
Who would you love to be interviewed by?
Melinda Gates, Sudha Murthy or Guy Raz: each brings a unique perspective and platform, getting a chance to engage in a conversation with them would be so fulfilling – Dream Big they said. 😊
If you had to give a TEDTalk tomorrow, what would the title be?
Be the change you wish to see!
What award would mean the most to win?
Any award that recognizes HealthcareMN’s efforts would be incredibly meaningful.
What makes zero sense to you?
Several things baffle me, including the maternity policy in US, low tolerance of many organizations towards working moms, perplexing immigration policies and the intricate US insurance system. On the professional etiquette front, ghosting someone on professional email communication makes zero sense to me.
What’s a word in your industry you hope gets re-evaluated?
Disruptive-innovation might need re–evaluation. I would rather vote for collaborative innovation. Looking at everything for it’s potential to be disruptive is unfair. Innovations need to be celebrated – Lets champion the case of sustainable innovation.
What game are you changing?
Connecting the missing dots in the healthcare innovation space in MN. My focus is on being the bridge that helps transform visionary ideas into tangible realities.
What’s the next thing you’re a part of that you want to invite more people to participate in?
Pitch Workshop and Event:
Join our upcoming workshop on ‘perfecting your elevator pitch’ scheduled for January 27th, followed by a pitch event in the spring. Stay tuned for announcements and details on our social channels.
Podcast Launch in 2024:
We're launching a podcast in 2024 that will showcase the work of healthcare innovators. We'd love to crowdsource suggestions for leaders you want to see featured next year.
Newsletter Relaunch:
Our newsletter, which reaches around 600 people, has been relaunched this year. If you're interested in following our journey and staying updated, be sure to sign up. Link below.
Where can we follow you online?
https://www.linkedin.com/in/rashmikandwal/
What’s one thing that makes every leader better?
Communication
Additional links:
Website: https://www.healthcare.mn/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/3077745/admin/feed/posts/
Meetup: https://www.meetup.com/healthcaremn/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/healthcaremn/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y%3D
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/3084048/
Newsletter sign-up: https://h-mn.us13.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=066cafacd985e69760edade56&id=ff53df4dac
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We’re grateful to each Rising ICON for their transformative work. Thank you, Rashmi, for sharing your story!
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“Every Medtronic, Google and Mayo started with an idea and a vision. We at HealthcareMN are providing the steppingstones to such ideas, some of which will become the leaders in their industry.”
Notice: It’s important for our readers to understand the origin of the interview content. The featured ICON contributed responses that were not edited from the original submission. All claims are made solely by the contributor and do not reflect the views of LAUREL or its partners. Thank you for supporting rising leaders. The future is bold.
