At BrilliantRead Media, it is our constant endeavour to bring meaningful and powerful stories from India and around the world to empower and motivate our growing community. As part of this, we invited Runam Mehta for an exclusive interview with us. She is an inspiring leader and the CEO of HealthCube. Let’s learn more about her incredible journey, background, and advice for our growing community!
Excerpts from our exclusive interview with Runam;
Could you please talk us through your background and your journey?
“Leading with vision, driving with purpose, and inspiring through example.”
Recognized for my unwavering commitment for driving expansion, I excel in spearheading transformative corporate endeavors and shaping organizational strategies to foster creativity and enduring development. My bold outlook has consistently demonstrated the ability to establish and nurture thriving businesses from their inception.
My proficiency in P&L management has significantly driven financial performance and unlocked lucrative revenue opportunities. Notable achievements include achieving a 15x growth in a key segment of the Indian health tech industry and securing record-setting orders of INR 10 Cr and INR 12 Cr for consecutive years.
As a reliable & growth-driven leader skilled in building and motivating cross-functional teams, I have played a key role in driving the success of diverse medical services and B2B channels, contributing 40% to total company revenue. Additionally, I have established and supervised a pioneering ergonomics setup that has catered to over 2000 customers within a span of 2 years.
My dedication to health and wellness extends beyond financial goals, as evidenced by the successful management of the prestigious Covid Home Isolation program and my unwavering advocacy for positive changes in work habits. As a respected business mentor, I have imparted invaluable industry insights and leadership skills to entrepreneurs and team members.
I am passionate about guiding businesses towards sustainable success and eagerly look forward to utilizing my expertise to drive impactful change and growth in the industry. My mantra is to constantly push boundaries, both personal and professional, and to never stop innovating.
How did you discover your passion?
Having been brought up in a Marwari family, business principles come naturally to me. At the time, I didn’t even register this as a change but as a natural progression – to go from being an individual contributor to building an offering based on my learnings of the industry.
My career has undergone transformative shifts, initially transitioning from a clinician to a business professional. The first change stemmed from recognizing an untapped opportunity and creating a market-centric product. Later, in Bangalore, I observed the underappreciation of physiotherapists and decided to disrupt the market.
After a year of exploration, I joined Portea, contributing to their mission of organizing home care services. Since then, my focus has been on building startups that solve problems and enhance health outcomes—a true reflection of my passion.
How do you manage to keep going despite the challenges? What drives you?
In the face of challenges, I find the determination to keep going by embracing three key principles. Firstly, I advocate for pushing boundaries, fostering a culture of relentless innovation in both thought and action.
Second, I apply ‘First Principle’ thinking, constantly questioning ‘why’ until I reach the core of a problem.
Lastly, I firmly believe in the philosophy of ‘Fail Fast,’ making swift decisions based on available information and remaining open to necessary course corrections. These principles, derived from my extensive startup experience, serve as the driving force behind my journey.
Who do you believe has been the biggest source of motivation in your daily life?
My Nani, who was a 10 std graduate but ran a successful business in her small town, employing local women – she created a cottage industry of sorts, providing livelihood to many families – and also balancing the needs for her 3 biological children, one adopted child and 8 grandchildren + her huge extended family, religious community and whatnot. She found a way to connect with people of all ages in unique ways and her ability to adapt with changing times was second to none. She was my first role model – of a woman who could have it all – family, friends, community, and a business.
What are some of the strategies that you believe have helped you grow as a person?
There are a few:
> Being mindful
> Always being resourceful
> Taking extreme ownership and responsibility for my actions
> Ability to take risks & venture into uncharted territories.
In your opinion, what are the keys to success?
I will say it straight that there are many factors but if you really have to have the key elements then to me these are the ones:
a) Continuous learning
b) Resilience
c) Self-reflection
d) Networking and mentorship
e) Adaptability
f) And finally, Luck
What advice would you give to our readers?
It’s important to show up. For your family, your team and yourself. The first step is to always, consistently, show up – no matter how difficult the day or the situation, get up and show up – the rest tends to work out. Running away from the hard stuff is an absolute no–no.
Learn to leverage people – advisors, friends, team, network everyone
Learn to identify the right lever, in life and in business
Prioritize – pick your battles
Last but not least, what about your journey makes it satisfying/exciting?
The most satisfying and exciting aspect of my journey lies in the dynamic and transformative nature of my career. With over 15 years of experience in building businesses and sales channels in the Indian healthcare industry, each milestone, challenge, and success has contributed to my growth.
From my entrepreneurial debut with Work Ergonomics to my impactful tenure at Portea Medical, the journey has been a continuous exploration of healthcare innovation.
Now, as the CEO of HealthCube, the excitement stems from the opportunity to lead and make a meaningful impact. Being a physiotherapist by profession, my commitment to pushing the boundaries of healthcare innovation remains unwavering.
The satisfaction comes from not just building successful ventures, but also from championing diversity and inclusion. In a world where these values are paramount, I take pride in being a trailblazer in women’s health, advocating for increased representation and driving transformative solutions.
The prospect of inspiring innovation, equity, and inclusion within HealthCube and across the broader healthcare landscape fuels my passion for making a positive difference.
BrilliantRead is committed to bringing stories from the startup ecosystem, stories that reshape our perspective, add value to our community and be a constant source of motivation not just for our community but also for the whole ecosystem of entrepreneurs and aspiring individuals.
Note: If you have a similar story to share with our audience and would like to be featured on our online magazine, then please write to us at [email protected], we will review your story and extend an invitation to feature if it is worth publishing.
