The Importance of Medical Device Sales Experience, the Rocket Ship that was Acclarent, and How to Achieve Personal Growth as a Medtech Leader

Interview with Bill Facteau, CEO of Earlens

Bill Facteau joined Earlens Corporation as Chairman, President, and CEO in November of 2013. Most recently, he was the Vice Chairman of ExploraMed, a medical device incubator based on the West Coast and an Entrepreneur in Residence at New Enterprise Associates. Previously, Bill was at Johnson & Johnson from early 2010 through early 2012 as Worldwide President of their ENT Division. Facteau joined Johnson & Johnson via the $800M dollar acquisition of Acclarent where he served as President, CEO, and a member of the Board of Directors since the company’s formation in 2004.

Under Bill’s leadership, the Acclarent went from concept to acquisition in 5 ½ years, raised over $100M, created jobs for approximately 400 employees, grew revenues to $100M and became profitable. Prior to joining Acclarent, Bill was the General Manager of the Endovascular Division at Abbott Vascular where he served as a member of the executive team and created the entry strategy for Abbott to participate in the peripheral vascular space.

He joined Abbott Laboratories via the $683 million acquisition of Perclose, a vessel closure company, where he was Sales Director. From July 1993 to April 1998, Bill worked in a number of sales and sales management positions at United States Surgical Corporation, or otherwise known as US Surgical.

Interview Highlights with Bill Facteau

  • How Bill and his team celebrated after Acclarent was acquired by Johnson & Johnson.
  • Bill’s current role at Earlens, the technology they’ve developed, and how they intend to commercialize it.
  • What brought Bill into the medical device space with U.S. Surgical back in the early 1990’s.
  • How Bill’s medtech sales experience has impacted the rest of his career.
  • What medtech entrepreneurs can learn from Bill’s experience helping to build Acclarent from the ground floor.
  • Why Bill didn’t want to stay in venture capital after spending time at ExploraMed and NEA after J&J’s acquisition of Acclarent.
  • Mindshare and comfort zones: Bill’s advice on how to experience personal growth as a leader in medtech.
  • People, product, opportunity: what they mean to Bill as a medtech executive.
  • Bill’s thoughts on the regulatory and reimbursement environments and why he loves the direct-to-patient approach they are taking at Earlens.
  • Bill’s favorite business book, the CEO he admires most, and what he would tell his 25-year old self.
Guest
Download a copy of the interview transcript right here.
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Bill Facteau joined Earlens Corporation as Chairman, President, and CEO in November of 2013. Most recently, he was the Vice Chairman of ExploraMed, a medical device incubator based on the West Coast and an Entrepreneur in Residence at New Enterprise Associates. Previously, Bill was at Johnson & Johnson from early 2010 through early 2012 as Worldwide President of their ENT Division. Facteau joined Johnson & Johnson via the $800M dollar acquisition of Acclarent where he served as President, CEO, and a member of the Board of Directors since the company’s formation in 2004.

Under Bill’s leadership, the Acclarent went from concept to acquisition in 5 ½ years, raised over $100M, created jobs for approximately 400 employees, grew revenues to $100M and became profitable. Prior to joining Acclarent, Bill was the General Manager of the Endovascular Division at Abbott Vascular where he served as a member of the executive team and created the entry strategy for Abbott to participate in the peripheral vascular space.

He joined Abbott Laboratories via the $683 million acquisition of Perclose, a vessel closure company, where he was Sales Director. From July 1993 to April 1998, Bill worked in a number of sales and sales management positions at United States Surgical Corporation, or otherwise known as US Surgical.

Interview Highlights with Bill Facteau

  • How Bill and his team celebrated after Acclarent was acquired by Johnson & Johnson.
  • Bill’s current role at Earlens, the technology they’ve developed, and how they intend to commercialize it.
  • What brought Bill into the medical device space with U.S. Surgical back in the early 1990’s.
  • How Bill’s medtech sales experience has impacted the rest of his career.
  • What medtech entrepreneurs can learn from Bill’s experience helping to build Acclarent from the ground floor.
  • Why Bill didn’t want to stay in venture capital after spending time at ExploraMed and NEA after J&J’s acquisition of Acclarent.
  • Mindshare and comfort zones: Bill’s advice on how to experience personal growth as a leader in medtech.
  • People, product, opportunity: what they mean to Bill as a medtech executive.
  • Bill’s thoughts on the regulatory and reimbursement environments and why he loves the direct-to-patient approach they are taking at Earlens.
  • Bill’s favorite business book, the CEO he admires most, and what he would tell his 25-year old self.
Guest
Download a copy of the interview transcript right here.
Share:
Twitter
Facebook
LinkedIn
Email

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