HealthTech Industry Expert Fred Sheffield: Five Systems Underdog Companies Need For Growth
“Health tech Davids want predictable and sustainable growth, and to do so, they need to slay the Goliaths of their industry,” says Fred Sheffield, author of HealthTech Giant Slayer: What CEO’s Need To Know To Defeat Their Goliaths (2025, Indie Books International).
Sheffield has a 25-year successful track record of transforming sales and marketing organizations into multimillion-dollar revenue producers, introducing structure, discipline, and process rigor, critical in leading teams to win against much larger, well-funded competitors.
“Health tech organizations exist with the mission to serve and treat patients and their families with sensitivity and compassion as a top priority, rather than with a pure profit motive, as with many other businesses,” states Sheffield. As a result, this requires a very different approach and a very different hiring profile for a go-to-market team.
In a CB Insights study of 111 failed start-ups, 14 percent failed because they didn’t have the right team in place. Another 19 percent had a flawed business model, which is an example of lacking predictable internal processes.
“In the David and Goliath story, not only is there the daily preparation of mastering the slingshot, but there is also the requirement of picking the right stone,” Sheffield states.
The book details five systems underdog companies need for growth.
Process. A process isn’t just about repetition—it’s about building a predictable system that highlights what works and what needs fixing. The right system strengthens top performers, elevates others, and can turn overlooked talent into stars. Without it, tactics fall flat; with it, the why, who, and how for lasting growth are defined.
Pipeline. A strong prospect pipeline is essential for startups and scaleups—without it, there’s no revenue or growth. Many mistake a lead problem for a pipeline strategy problem, lacking clarity on what truly qualifies as an opportunity. Defining the market, ideal customers, and buying process creates focus and drives sustainable growth.
Predictability. Clear leading indicators and a defined buying process make forecasting reliable instead of guesswork. Documenting the process in a CRM (customer relationship management) system creates shared language for realistic “commit” and “best case” calls. With consistency, forecasting shifts from hope to a data-driven system.
Performance. Health tech companies often obsess over performance while overlooking the fundamental building blocks that drive success. Sustainable performance is the natural outcome created through the journey of having tightly aligned systems in place. The first three stones—process, pipeline, and predictability—are all leading indicators that determine whether the company is going to hit its performance and deliver ultimate shareholder value.
People. Hiring the right people is crucial—they must be coachable, gritty, and driven enough to thrive in a startup or scaleup environment. The best performers embrace the system, think like entrepreneurs, and attack challenges with confidence and toughness. They also need sophistication to balance structure with creativity, helping the company to stand out and win in the market.
Tightly managing the five systems will provide the company with the data it needs to address the financial equation of growth as to when and how to invest in the go-to-market team.
“Often, the decision to add account executives or invest in marketing is based on feel and not math,” Sheffield explains.
Sheffield believes that the path forward requires reclaiming valuable practices left behind during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The most significant casualty I’ve observed in organizations post-COVID is genuine human connection,” asserts Sheffield. “My experience consistently shows that on-site engagement and face-to-face value creation dramatically improve client decision-making processes.”
Interactive whiteboard sessions and in-person interactions allow subtle emotional cues to be read, maintain focus without digital distractions, and facilitate authentic conversations that are impossible to replicate through screens. Despite this, the go-to-teams need to improve their engagement through virtual meetings.
Sheffield says, “One of the greatest challenges has always been to integrate sales and marketing.”
The access to external data through AI for the marketing team on competition, SEO (search engine optimization), and intent, coupled with internally generated data from the buying process, will force the integration to drive an effective AI strategy.
Sheffield lives in Charlotte, North Carolina, with his wife and two Maltese pups.
About Indie Books International
Indie Books International serves as an independent publishing alternative for experts and authorities to help create impact and influence.
Henry DeVries
Indie Books International
email us here
Legal Disclaimer:
EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
