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Life & Work with Julie Dye & Amy Shepherd

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Today we’d like to introduce you to Julie Dye & Amy Shepherd.

Hi ladies, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
We are both PR and marketing consultants for the medical device, biotech, and pharmaceutical industries. We crossed paths throughout our careers while living in Austin and always respected each other’s work. Shortly before the pandemic started, we reconnected at an industry event, after Amy and her family relocated back to Austin from the Boston area.

So we decided to collaborate on a project and quickly realized on a local level, there was a lot of action within the health tech arena but there weren’t many resources to support this growing community. There are a handful of organizations that meet a few times a year, but we saw an opportunity to bring even more people together by providing content and information. To start, we wrote a story for Medium about the changes in marketing as a result of COVID-19: https://medium.com/@amy.shepherd/9-ways-the-medical-device-industry-is-evolving-before-our-eyes-8e092d408bce

Following the article and its positive reception, as well as the continued need for crucial med tech content, the idea of the podcast came to light. We knew of a few med tech-related podcasts but none that were run by women. The, typically, male-dominated industry was in need of a fresh perspective and a woman’s viewpoint, and this concept resulted in “The Morning Fix by 510K Cafe” podcast first launched in September 2020.

We harnessed years of communications experience, ambition, and “can do” attitudes to start the podcast. So far, it has been incredibly rewarding and fun — we have interviewed top industry leaders, venture capitalists, physicians, and public health officials. This created an inspiring and “healthy” diversion during the pandemic year and beyond.

We effectively developed a new communication channel to amplify information about the med tech and healthcare sectors. And we did so at a time when people were isolated, kept apart, and looking for connections. To date, the podcast has received tons of support, positive reviews from many and the listenership is growing.

Additionally, with UT Dell Medical School and innovation blossoming in Austin for the medical and med tech industry, The Morning Fix by 510K Cafe serves as a PR tool for Austin in helping to put the city on the map for the industry. Bringing more awareness to the area as a med tech hub hopefully brings opportunities for more med tech, large healthcare organizations, and investment to the city. However, as much as the podcast is devoted to the local ecosphere, it truly is a national podcast with guests from Boston, San Francisco, Minneapolis, and beyond.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
When we decided to launch the podcast, there was a steep learning curve as it wasn’t anything either one of us had experience doing. The biggest challenge was figuring out the podcast technology – there is so much that goes into the production side of podcasting. Through research and conversations with experienced connections, we had to educate ourselves on the technology of podcasts and production resources.

From the beginning, we wanted to start a podcast but were unsure of how to execute it. We connected with Touchpoint Health, a resource for healthcare podcasters that would host, produce, and provide promotion and marketing to get The Morning Fix by 510K Cafe up and running. We are so grateful to this group for providing us with support because getting started was the biggest challenge. Finding a technical partner in the process was extremely helpful.

A few of these obstacles led to some early successes for the 510K Cafe team. We had many professional connections in the industry so providing content and connecting with quality guests whose messages would resonate with our audience was fairly easy. Additionally, one of our connections, a PR firm, offered top industry leaders as guests, which opened up our network even wider. A few of the podcast guests have included thought leaders from large organizations, including Johnson & Johnson and McKesson, and our podcast episodes have been included in their company’s PR campaigns – a big win!

We have also been able to leverage our experience hosting a podcast by being recognized now as members of the media. We’ve attended virtual trade shows, been a part of product launches, public health campaigns, and PR strategies for companies and organizations. This gratifying experience has come full circle for us since we have typically been the ones to pitch our clients, but now companies are pitching to us. We are excited to have the opportunity to share this project which benefits people and patients.

“We’re so pleased to create a platform that extends the messages most needed in our industry at this time,” says Amy.

“This experience of starting a podcast helped me get out of my comfort zone and try something that has been so rewarding professionally and personally,” says Julie.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
(Amy): Prior to my experience as a consultant, I worked for large medical device companies, including Abbott, Boston Scientific, Stryker. While at these organizations, I worked with consultants and loved the creative spirit they brought to the team. This provided the inspiration to go out on my own and start Artemis Communications, LLC (www.artemisprojects.com), a consulting firm that provides marketing and communications solutions for large and small med tech organizations. I also serve on the Board of Directors for the Texas Medical Device Alliance (TMDA), which provides support for the med tech industry in central Texas and beyond.

(Julie): Like Amy, I am also a marketing consultant in the medical technology industry, with my own boutique marketing and public relations agency, MarketingDx (www.marketingdx.com). I spent 10 years of her career in technology (tech PR), in Austin, during the “.com” heyday. While that was really fun and “sexy” at the time, it didn’t fuel my soul. I was able to try a new project working on a diabetes awareness event and that sold me on healthcare. I wanted to continue being able to help people, even in small ways, and to improve their health.

I built a career in Austin within healthcare, even when not a lot of opportunities were available, and because of that, I started Marketing Dx nine years ago. Working on medical innovations that directly improved patients’ lives is the reason I love being in this industry.

Is there a quality that you most attribute to your success?
(Amy): It’s my tenacity and work ethic. Both of these elements have sustained me most of my life and career. From my formative years to the present time, once I focus on something, I make it happen.

(Julie): Courage has been one of the most important factors in my success. I had the courage to make big decisions that didn’t always feel safe. Those decisions are also the reasons I am where I am today. From making a big move to starting a business (without a plan!), I ignored planning paralysis and had the courage to “just do it”. This courage to start a podcast not knowing how it was going to work has led me to great opportunities, including my partnership with Amy to start The Morning Fix by 510K Cafe.

Podcast episodes available for free on:

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Image Credits
Missy Sharpe

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