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Future Ear Radio

Future Ear Radio

By Dave Kemp

Discussing the business of hearing healthcare and how hearing professionals can succeed in a rapidly evolving landscape.

Guests of the show include experts with backgrounds in Audiology, Public Health, Consumer Audio, and Technology.

The goal of Future Ear Radio is to connect the trends converging around our ears. (FuturEar)
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122 - Jennifer Micacci, Au.D - Growing a Private Practice Audiology Clinic to 3 Locations

Future Ear RadioFeb 15, 2024

00:00
01:04:54
122 - Jennifer Micacci, Au.D - Growing a Private Practice Audiology Clinic to 3 Locations

122 - Jennifer Micacci, Au.D - Growing a Private Practice Audiology Clinic to 3 Locations

Guest: Jennifer Micacci, Au.D. - Owner of Best Life Hearing Center

Jennifer joins Dave on the podcast this week to discuss:

- Her backstory, how she ended up in Audiology, and her path to becoming a practice owner

- The noticeable leaps forward that hearing aid technology has taken in the past decade

- Some of the major differences between Jennifer's experience working inside an ENT office vs. her own private practice

- The rationale behind why she decided on her first location for Best Life Hearing and the considerations that went into expanding to three locations

- The challenges that come from scaling a practice and methods to hone new skills (i.e. cultivating leadership skills)

- The increasing impact managed care is having on Best Life and some ideas that Jennifer is using to help navigate this challenge (i.e. upskilling Audiology Assistants)

- Finding other business owners and entrepreneurs to collaborate with and learn from

- Emerging opportunities and additional revenue generators of the future

Feb 15, 202401:04:54
121 - Tish Gaffney, Au.D. - Career Advancement & Market Trends in Audiology

121 - Tish Gaffney, Au.D. - Career Advancement & Market Trends in Audiology

Guest: Tish Gaffney, Au.D. - Professor of Audiology at Nova Southeastern University & President Elect of the American Academy of Audiology

Tish joins Dave on the podcast this week to discuss:

- Her backstory, how she ended up in Audiology, and her path to becoming a professor at Nova Southeastern University

- Getting involved early in her career with various professional organizations, which she attributes as a major accelerant to her career's growth & establishing her professional network

- Her specialization in vestibular diagnostics and the growing interest in the vestibular side of Audiology among young professionals

- A brief overview of the trends happening in the nascent field of pediatric vestibular diagnostics

- The American Academy of Audiology's (AAA) goals in 2024 and then beyond during her tenure

- The intersection of Public Health and Audiology and how Hearing Professionals can "extend themselves" by imparting their institutional knowledge to allied medical professionals

Jan 23, 202401:05:27
120 - Dave Fabry, Ph.D. - An Optimistic Viewpoint on the Future of Hearing Healthcare

120 - Dave Fabry, Ph.D. - An Optimistic Viewpoint on the Future of Hearing Healthcare

Guest: Dave Fabry, Ph.D. - Chief Hearing Health Officer at Starkey


Dr. Fabry sits down with Dave this week to discuss:

- His start as an aspiring Veterinarian, which ultimately exposed him to Audiology (training Chinchillas to "perform" an audiogram)

- Dave's PhD, time at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, and Clinical Fellowship at The Mayo Clinic

- The ACHIEVE study and Dave's big takeaways as both a clinician and researcher

- The emerging use cases for biometric and acoustical data sets that are being captured and logged by Starkey's latest hearing aids

- The evolution from machine learning-based applications to deep neural-net based applications for hearing aids

- The case for why this is the most exciting time for Audiologists and Hearing Professionals broadly speaking, even with the existing and forthcoming challenges on the horizon

- Career advice and words of wisdom from Dr. Fabry

Jan 02, 202401:13:25
119 - Lindsey Koble, Au.D - Launching a Private Practice in 2023

119 - Lindsey Koble, Au.D - Launching a Private Practice in 2023

Guest: Lindsey Koble, Au.D. - Owner of Audiology Always

Lindsey joins Dave on the podcast this week to discuss:

- Her backstory and path toward launching a private practice Audiology clinic, Audiology Always, in 2023

- Lessons learned from externing at an ENT clinic and then working as a hearing aid field rep (Signia)

- The value of garnering generalized experience and specialty expertise

- The decision to launch her private practice and the preparation involved

- How to begin attracting patients - high-level strategies and day-to-day tactics

- The evolution of private practice Audiology in today's climate and how to navigate today's challenges/opportunities

- The importance of support staff and upskilling staff into handling more and more of the patient load

Nov 21, 202301:18:28
118 - Frank Wartinger, Au.D. - Building a Hearing Conservation Business from Scratch

118 - Frank Wartinger, Au.D. - Building a Hearing Conservation Business from Scratch

Guest: Frank Wartinger, Au.D. - Owner/Founder of Earmark Hearing Conservation

Frank joins Dave on the podcast this week to discuss: - Frank's backstory as a musician, experiencing tinnitus at an early age, and his eventual pursuit to become an Audiologist

- Obtaining his Au.D. from Salus Univerity and some of his mentors along the way

- Starting EarMark Hearing Conservation to provide hearing wellness for musicians in the form of healthcare, hearing protection and occupational safety

- The importance of educating the musician community on the importance of hearing health so that musicians serve as vocal advocates and ambassadors of hearing healthcare within the music scene

- Frank becoming a Course Director with the Council for Accreditation in Occupational Hearing Conservation (CAOHC)

- Extending the knowledge of hearing healthcare to allied medical professionals (i.e. occupational therapists) to dramatically expand the provision of hearing wellness

- The role that Frank's podcast, Talking Ears, has on his business

- Some of the highs and low, and learned experiences Frank's had over the first few years of his business

Oct 31, 202301:09:59
117 - Mike Santucci, Au.D. - Sensaphonics: Safe, High Fidelity Audio for Loud Environments

117 - Mike Santucci, Au.D. - Sensaphonics: Safe, High Fidelity Audio for Loud Environments

Guest: Mike Santucci - Founder and Owner of Sensaphonics & ASI Audio


Special Co-Host: A.U. Bankaitis, Ph.D. - Vice President at Oaktree Products


Mike joins Dave & A.U. on the podcast this week to discuss:


- Mike's backstory into Audiology and the origin story of Sensaphonics


- Developing services and products for musicians to help them preserve their hearing while performing


- Building Sensaphonics' own earmold lab to ensure the highest level quality


- ASI Audio's flagship product, 3DME In-Ear Monitor System, and the profound experience it provides hearing impaired musicians


- Sensaphonics' new product, dB Check Pro - a sound level analyzer for musicians to use


- The state of music-based Audiology and Sensaphonics' Gold Circle program


- How to collectively address and communicate safe audio environments for musicians and fans


- The many signed guitars that Mike has donated to the American Academy of Audiology Foundation's Music & Hearing Research Grant Program (and the guitars that A.U. has purchased)

Oct 02, 202356:20
116 - Gabrielle Merchant, Au.D., Ph.D. - The Case for Wideband Tympanometry

116 - Gabrielle Merchant, Au.D., Ph.D. - The Case for Wideband Tympanometry

Guest: Gabby Merchant, Au.D., Ph.D. - Scientist II & Director of the Translational Auditory Physiology and Perception Laboratory at Boys Town National Research Hospital

Gabby joins Dave on the podcast this week to discuss:

- Her backstory, obtaining a joint Ph.D. from MIT & Harvard in Speech & Hearing Bioscience, and then acquiring her Au.D. from UMass Amherst

- The many mentors Gabby has had along the way, including Susan Voss and Jill de Villiers

- How and why she decided to leave her home in New England for Nebraska to join Boys Town National Research Hospital

- Her passion and work around wideband tympanometry

- The advantages that wideband tympanometry provides clinicians, especially within the pediatric population

- What it's like working inside a translational research lab and the many reasons that make Boys Town so special to Gabby

Aug 31, 202359:17
115 - Nell Rosenberg, SLP - Developing a Telehealth Service within Clarke Schools for Hearing and Speech

115 - Nell Rosenberg, SLP - Developing a Telehealth Service within Clarke Schools for Hearing and Speech

Guest: Nell Rosenberg, M.Ed., M.S., CCC-SLP, LSLS Cert. AVT - National Director of Teleservices

Nell joins Dave on the podcast this week to discuss:

- Her backstory, becoming a Speech Language Pathologist, and her path to joining Clarke Schools for Hearing and Speech

- The importance of parent & caregiver coaching for children 0-3 years old (shout out to Mama Hu Hears' "My Child has Hearing Loss - Now What?)

- Addressing the issue of the "zip code lottery" through teleservices

- The evolution of Clarke's "T-Visit" teleservices and the types of outcomes they're achieving vs. their in-person outcomes

- Clarke's goal of increasing collaboration with Pediatric Audiologists (referring children to Clarke's T-visit services), School systems, and parents to provide optimal care for children

__________________________________________________________

Follow Clarke on all of its social channels:


Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/clarkeschools/ (@clarkeschools)

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/clarkeschools/ (@Clarke Schools for Hearing and Speech)

Twitter: https://twitter.com/clarkeschools (@clarkeschools)

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/clarke-school-for-hearing-and-speech/mycompany/?viewAsMember=true

(@Clarke Schools for Hearing and Speech)

Aug 15, 202352:36
114 - Dani Rood, Au.D. - The Path to Becoming a Clinical Trainer in the World of Audiology

114 - Dani Rood, Au.D. - The Path to Becoming a Clinical Trainer in the World of Audiology

Guest: Dani Rood, Au.D. - Clinical Trainer at Signia

Dani joins Dave on the podcast this week to discuss:

  • Her backstory and journey toward becoming an Audiologist
  • Her time in Florida spent at Nova Southeastern, Joe Dimaggio Children's Hospital, and the VA
  • The value of diversifying her clinical experiences and work settings
  • Joining Signia as a Clinical Trainer and a "day in the life of Dr. Rood"
  • Empowering Clinicians with "what I wish I would have known when I was in clinic" type of information
  • Educating the next generation by working closely with students and recent graduates entering the workforce
Jul 24, 202351:51
113 - Amy Trusler, Au.D. & Kristopher Hewitt, H.I.S. - The Past, Present and Future of Pacific Audiology Group

113 - Amy Trusler, Au.D. & Kristopher Hewitt, H.I.S. - The Past, Present and Future of Pacific Audiology Group

Guests: Amy Trusler, Au.D. & Kristopher Hewitt, H.I.S. - Co-founders of Pacific Audiology Group

Amy & Kris join Dave on the podcast this week to discuss:

- How the two met, the origin story of Pacific Audiology Group, and the path the company is on

- Building an educational platform specific to Audiology with the goal of developing high-end content

- The learning modules built so far and which modules the company is focusing on next

- The methods of content production that the company has developed, including the use of a "RED" camera (same camera used to film the Hobbit!)

- The next phase of Pacific Audiology Group - democratizing content production for Audiologists through the company's new, "Learn On" program

- Catering to the booming creator economy within Audiology by enabling creators through Pacific Audiology's platform, tools and experience


Jun 21, 202356:21
112 - Mike Andreozzi - How I Built My Hearing Healthcare Business

112 - Mike Andreozzi - How I Built My Hearing Healthcare Business

Guest: Mike Andreozzi - Former CEO & Owner of Beltone New England; Current Beltone Brand Ambassador; President-Elect of the International Hearing Society


Mike joins Dave on the podcast this week to discuss:

- His backstory, growing up in the family business, and learning through osmosis


- Mike's time at Miracle Ear and the early days of hearing health franchising


- Optical supplier, Bausch & Lomb, purchase of Miracle Ear in the early 90's and the aftermath of the acquisition


- Mike joining Beltone in the early 2000's and scaling his New England franchise from 3 locations to 125 stores across 10 states


- The high value Mike placed on fostering a strong company culture and creating a sense of comradery amongst his team


- Identifying potential leaders within the staff and focusing on internal talent development

- Focusing on all the small details which, in aggregate, matter a lot when developing a five star patient experience


- Mike's thoughts on third-party insurance providers, OTC hearing aids, and where the industry is headed in the next 3-5 years

May 10, 202301:07:46
111 - Liz Fuemmeler, Au.D & Daniel Romero, Ph.D. - A Dose of Dizzy

111 - Liz Fuemmeler, Au.D & Daniel Romero, Ph.D. - A Dose of Dizzy

Guests:

Liz Fuemmeler, Au.D. - Clinical Product Manager - Balance @ Interacoustics; Podcast Host - A Dose of Dizzy

Daniel Romero, Ph.D. - Audiologist & Assistant Professor at Vanderbilt University Medical Center's Department of Hearing & Speech Sciences


Liz & Daniel join Dave on the podcast this week to discuss:

- How the Daniel & Liz met and the backstory of starting their podcast, A Dose of Dizzy

- A Dose of Dizzy's "accessible & digestible" podcast format, bridging the research & clinical gap, and catering to niche audiences ("100 true fans")

- The surging interest in Vestibular Audiology amongst the next generation of hearing professionals & the long-term viability that vestibular services provide Audiology clinics

- Takeaways from the 2023 American Balance Society conference held in February & some of the most exciting innovations taking place within Vestibular Audiology

- Podcasting as a way to connect with like-minded individuals from all around your niche/industry

Apr 17, 202354:46
110 - Lindsey Jorgensen, Ph.D. - Holistic Patient Care in Audiology

110 - Lindsey Jorgensen, Ph.D. - Holistic Patient Care in Audiology

Guest: Lindsey Jorgensen - Professor, Chair, and Clinic Director at University of South Dakota

Dr. Lindsey Jorgensen joins Dave on this week's episode of the Future Ear Radio podcast to discuss:

- Lindsey's backstory and motivation for pursuing Audiology and her time at The University of Pittsburgh obtaining her Au.D. and Ph.D.

- Lindsey's many hats that she wears as clinician, researcher, and professor at the University of South Dakota

- Lindsey's work with traumatic brain injuries and combat veterans

- The interplay between Neurology and Audiology, and Audiology's significance with regard to dementia

- Lindsey's speaking tour around the country about methods used by Hearing Professionals to verify and validate the performance of hearing aids

- How Audiologists can differentiate themselves within their market on the basis of holistic patient care

Apr 10, 202356:25
109 - Sarah McAlexander, Au.D. - Professional Development in Hearing Healthcare

109 - Sarah McAlexander, Au.D. - Professional Development in Hearing Healthcare

Guest: Sarah McAlexander, Au.D. - Pediatric Audiologist at Texas Hearing Institute

Dr. Sarah McAlexander joins Dave on this week's episode of the Future Ear Radio podcast to discuss:

- Sarah's backstory and motivation for pursuing her Audiology doctoral degree through Vanderbilt

- Sarah's immersion into the world of pediatric audiology and newborn hearing screenings

- Sarah's research around "loss-to-follow up rates" in newborn screenings that she presented at the Early Hearing Detection & Intervention (EHDI) conference

- Completing to Cochlear Implant Training course and seeking out ways to gain specialty expertise in all different areas of Audiology

- Building rapport and engaging with potential mentors and professional colleagues who you can collaborate with

- The realities of one's professional journey, moving from one job to another, and garnering a variety of experience along the way

Mar 23, 202350:53
108 - Nichole Kingham, Au.D. & Joe Furness - Audiology Academy

108 - Nichole Kingham, Au.D. & Joe Furness - Audiology Academy

Guests: Nichole Kingham, Au.D & Joe Furness - Founders of Audiology Academy 

Dr. Nichole Kingham and Joe Furness join Dave on this week's episode of the Future Ear Radio podcast to discuss:

- What Audiology Academy is and the backstory of how Nichole and Joe built the business and platform

- The first phase of the business and the initial learning module around Audiology Assistants

- The critical need for support roles within the hearing health setting, and the types of day-to-day tasks that can be delegated to support roles

- Phase two of Audiology Academy becoming a platform for other Audiologists and hearing professionals to layer their expert training modules on

- The types of courses available within Audiology Academy today and the types of modules that will be added soon


Mar 10, 202350:38
107 - Ali Vega, Au.D. - Private Practice Audiology, Serendipity, and Saying Yes

107 - Ali Vega, Au.D. - Private Practice Audiology, Serendipity, and Saying Yes

Guest: Ali Vega, Au.D. - Owner of Complete Hearing & Balance

Topic: Private Practice Audiology, Serendipity, and Saying Yes

Dr. Ali Vega joins Dave on this week's episode of the Future Ear Radio podcast to discuss: 

- Her backstory, motivation for pursuing Audiology, and experience owning a private practice in the Pacific Northwest

- Audiology's transition from a master's level degree to a doctoral level degree & Ali being in one of the first cohorts of doctoral-level Audiologists in 2001

- Recognizing serendipitous occasions and being willing to say "yes" to risk taking

- "Accidental" entrepreneurialism and the willingness to never stop learning

- Figuring out what aspects of your business that you want to own (i.e. Ali's love for Radio advertising), and outsourcing the rest to vetted partners

- Adding a balance offering by partnering with the American Institute of Balance 

- Ali's experience scaling her practice from one location to three 


Feb 27, 202357:58
106 - Rachel Magann Faivre, Au.D. - Entrepreneurism in Audiology

106 - Rachel Magann Faivre, Au.D. - Entrepreneurism in Audiology

Guest: Rachel Magann Faivre, Au.D. - Owner of Ash Audiology

Topic: Entrepreneurism in Audiology

Dr. Rachel Magann Faivre joins Dave on this week's episode of the Future Ear Radio podcast to discuss:

  • Her backstory, motivation for pursuing Audiology, and her professional journey thus far
  • Entrepreneurship and business planning in Audiology
  • Specific tips on how to actively network in your local community and grow your professional network
  • The importance of constantly getting out of your comfort zone in order to expand your comfort zone
  • Rachel's motivation for starting her own private practice, Ash Audiology
  • Why a mobile-first private practice was conducive to Rachel's lifestyle
  • How Rachel's business planning process worked with specific planning tactics
  • How she got her first patient and continues to grow her practice 
Feb 15, 202301:04:17
105 - Lori Zitelli, Au.D. - Maximizing the Audiologist's Reach & Impact

105 - Lori Zitelli, Au.D. - Maximizing the Audiologist's Reach & Impact

Guest: Lori Zitelli, Au.D. - Managing Audiologist at University Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC)

Topic: Maximizing the Audiologist's Reach & Impact

Dr. Lori Zitelli joins Dave on this week's episode of the Future Ear Radio podcast to discuss:

  • Lori's backstory, Pittsburgh roots and motivation for pursuing Audiology
  • Lori's mentor, Dr. Catherine Palmer, and the various projects that the two have developed together
  • Interventional Audiology and the benefits of "enlisting" other medical professionals to be advocates for hearing healthcare
  • Way to utilize non-custom amplification solutions and how these type of solutions can maximize the Audiologist's impact
  • Lori's passion for tinnitus, the ups-and-downs with treating patients with tinnitus, and helping to usher in the next cohort of Audiologists specializing in tinnitus therapy through the course she teaches at UPMC
  • How Lori is incorporating telehealth with her patients and how the pandemic has shifted her thinking of how telehealth can be used within Audiology
  • UPMC's upcoming plans revolving around mobile Audiology
Feb 02, 202355:51
104 - Brandi Smiley, Au.D. - Building a Mobile Audiology Clinic from Scratch

104 - Brandi Smiley, Au.D. - Building a Mobile Audiology Clinic from Scratch

Guest: Brandi Smiley, Au.D. - Owner of Onsite Mobile Audiology 

Topic: Building a Mobile Audiology Clinic from Scratch

Dr. Brandi Smiley joins Dave for this week's episode of the Future Ear Radio podcast to discuss:

  • Her backstory, motivation to become an Audiologist, and professional journey as an Audiologist
  • Her time working at the VA and within the Educational Audiology setting
  • The pandemic serving as the catalyst to starting her Mobile Audiology Clinic, Onsite Audiology
  • Why mobile Audiology? 
  • Creating a "Tiny Home" specifically designed to be a mobile clinic
  • Providing Audiological services to some of the most impoverished parts of Georgia
  • How she established her initial patient base and is expanding her business
  • The value to adding new services, such as APD therapy, to her offering
  • Giving back and being a mentor to the next generation


Jan 06, 202350:07
103 - Jason Leyendecker, Au.D. - Successfully Scaling an Audiology Private Practice

103 - Jason Leyendecker, Au.D. - Successfully Scaling an Audiology Private Practice

Guest: Jason Leyendecker, Au.D. - Owner of Audiology Concepts

Topic: Successfully Scaling an Audiology Private Practice

Dr. Jason Leyendecker joins Dave for this week's episode of the Future Ear Radio podcast to discuss:

  • His backstory and professional journey as an Audiologist
  • The decision to go into private practice
  • Taking over an existing private practice clinic and the challenges associated with it
  • Scaling a private practice to seven locations
  • Expanding into new services while scaling the practice to broaden the prospective patient pool
  • Focusing on leadership development and some of the specific tactics that Jason has used to become a better leader
  • The importance of hiring and retaining good workers and sharing some different ideas to be more successful in hiring
Dec 22, 202243:45
102 - Blake Cadwell - Soundly.com: Redesigning the Start of the Hearing Health Journey

102 - Blake Cadwell - Soundly.com: Redesigning the Start of the Hearing Health Journey

Guest: Blake Cadwell - Owner & Founder of www.Soundly.com

Topic: Redesigning the Start of the Hearing Health Journey 

Blake joins Dave this week on the podcast to discuss:

  • His backstory and personal experience wearing hearing aids
  • The motivation for creating www.soundly.com and the goal of the website
  • Widespread mask usage during the pandemic serving as a catalyst to people realizing how dependent they are on lip reading
  • The sheer pervasiveness of hearing loss and why it's not fully in the mainstream's zeitgeist 
  • The potential upside of consumers being exposed to hearing health functionality in their consumer earbuds 
  • The importance of the hearing health professional in the OTC era
  • Soundly.com's intention to be a starting point for consumers to research their potential options and do their diligence
Dec 15, 202259:06
101 - Kathleen Wallace, AuD - Building the Hearing Healthcare Practice of the Future

101 - Kathleen Wallace, AuD - Building the Hearing Healthcare Practice of the Future

Guest: Kathleen Wallace, AuD - Owner of Kathleen Wallace, AuD; Head of Provider Education at Tuned; Adjunct Professor at CUNY

Topic: Building the Hearing Healthcare Practice of the Future

Kathleen joins Dave for the return of the podcast to discuss her new private practice and the motivation to start it. The two discuss:

- Starting a private practice in 2022 and modern day considerations

- The maturation of Mobile Audiology and TeleAudiology

- Kathleen's time at CUNY and some of her key mentors and influences

- Online content creation, personal brand building and combatting imposter phenomenon

- Building an online "content" resume to attract in-person opportunities

- Using social media to effectively generate new business

Dec 05, 202201:08:11
100: Thank you and Cheers to the Next 100

100: Thank you and Cheers to the Next 100

For episode 100, Dave sits down with 15 past guests to get a sense of what's on each of their radars and what's exciting about their area of focus.

Guests:

  1. Andy Bellavia 
  2. Liz Fuemmeler, AuD
  3. Amyn Amlani, Ph.D.
  4. Angela Alexander, AuD
  5. Brian Taylor, AuD
  6. Ashley Hughes, AuD
  7. Brent Edwards, Ph.D.
  8. Kat Penno, AuD
  9. Bret Kinsella
  10. Natalie Phillips, AuD
  11. Geoff Cooling
  12. Ryan Kraudel
  13. Jill Davis, AuD
  14. Karl Strom
  15. Grace Sturdivant, AuD
Sep 02, 202205:15:01
099 - Madison Levine, BC-HIS - Endlessly Optimizing the Hearing Health Patient Experience

099 - Madison Levine, BC-HIS - Endlessly Optimizing the Hearing Health Patient Experience

Guest: Madison Levine, Founder & Owner of Levine Hearing; Board Certified Hearing Instrument Specialist (BC-HIS) Topic: Endlessly Optimizing the Hearing Health Patient Experience Madison joins Dave this week to share her story of launching and growing a thriving independent hearing health private practice. Madison details why she started her private practice, some of the major milestones across the first seven years, and how she has been increasingly upping the standard of care within her clinic.  The two discuss some of the key considerations when starting and growing a private practice, such as how to find your first patient, as well as how Madison is differentiating her practice in her market by leveraging new services and offerings.  As a BC-HIS, Madison shares her perspective of how Audiologists and Hearing Instrument Specialists can collaborate with one another to provide a strong collective offering to prospective patients. 
Aug 10, 202201:07:19
098 - Christina Coppola, AuD - Designing the American Institute of Balance's MatchMe Program

098 - Christina Coppola, AuD - Designing the American Institute of Balance's MatchMe Program

Guest: Christina Coppola, AuD - Vestibular Audiologist at the American Institute of Balance

Topic: Designing the American Institute of Balance's MatchMe Program

Christina joins Dave on the podcast this week to discuss her backstory, motivation for entering into Audiology, why she gravitated toward the vestibular side of the profession, her residency at the American Institute of Balance, and how she helped to design & implement AIB's new "MatchMe" Program where the AIB helps to train students in clinical vestibular audiology and connect students with AIB Centers of Specialty Care for the student's externship. 

The two discuss the advantages for young Audiologists entering the field to gain specialty experience and how the AIB is helping to foster and facilitate that experience. In addition, the two discuss why MatchMe is so advantageous for existing practices who might be interested in obtaining young talent that specializes in vestibular audiology and are unsure where to locate said talent.

Jul 21, 202244:04
097 - Nancy M. Williams - Creating Market Development in Hearing Healthcare
Jul 07, 202247:58
096 - Hearing the Call: Recapping a Life-Changing Humanitarian Trip to Jordan

096 - Hearing the Call: Recapping a Life-Changing Humanitarian Trip to Jordan

Guests: D'Anne Rudden, AuD; Susan Sheehy, AuD; Maura Chippendale, AuD; Yasmin Battat, AuD; Mary Thorpe, AuD

Topic: Hearing the Call: Recapping a Life-Changing Humanitarian Trip to Jordan

This week on the Future Ear Radio podcast, Dave sits down with five inspiring Audiologists to breakdown their recent mission trip to the country of Jordan, where these five women + a number of others provided hearing health services for some of the most underserved people in the world. 

During the episode, they discuss:

  • Expectations leading into the trip and post-trip takeaways
  • What the days were like and the direct impact they made on the refugees that they served
  • The efficacy that "putting a hand up, not out" has on combatting burn out
  • The surprising amount of collaboration across the AuDs that were there
  • Learning from the people they served and the culture that they were embedded in
  • Imparting knowledge on the students that they were working with, so as to create continuity with their mission
Jun 10, 202250:37
095 - AU Bankaitis, PhD - Imposter Phenomenon, The Samuel F. Lybarger Award, and Owning Your Success

095 - AU Bankaitis, PhD - Imposter Phenomenon, The Samuel F. Lybarger Award, and Owning Your Success

Guest: AU Bankaitis, PhD - Audiologist; Vice President, Oaktree Products

Topic: Imposter Phenomenon, The Samuel F. Lybarger Award, and Owning Your Success 

AU joins Dave on the podcast for the first in-person episode of the Future Ear Radio podcast. AU shares her Audiology career journey, some of the major influences on her career trajectory and milestones along the way, and her recent Samuel F. Lybarger award (awarded to an individual who has made important contributions to research, engineering, or other technological achievements within the field of audiology). 

Throughout the conversation, AU discusses her struggles with imposter phenomenon. She details what imposter phenomenon is, how she has worked through it using a variety of different methods, and the importance of owning her own success.

Jun 03, 202201:01:19
094 - Liz Fuemmeler, AuD - Vestibular Audiology, Specialization, and the Motivation to Never Stop Learning

094 - Liz Fuemmeler, AuD - Vestibular Audiology, Specialization, and the Motivation to Never Stop Learning

Guest: Liz Fuemmeler, AuD - Vestibular and Concussion Audiologist at Hearing and Balance Specialists of Kansas City; Co-host of "A Dose of Dizzy" Podcast

Topic: Vestibular Audiology, Specialization, and the Motivation to Never Stop Learning

Liz joins Dave on the podcast this week to discuss her work in vestibular audiology across the past few years after receiving her AuD. At Liz's clinic, she has helped to implement a concussion protocol and discusses this emerging new facet of science and Audiology's role within it. Liz shares the role that Audiologists play with regards to concussions, why Audiologists are uniquely positioned to help diagnose concussions, and how it helps to broaden the scope of Audiology.

In addition, Liz and Dave discuss the topic of personal brand building and the ways in which Liz has always challenged herself to grow professionally and the dividends that those efforts have paid. The two chat about podcasting, being a young professional in the Hearing Health industry, and the motivation to never stop pushing yourself to keep learning.

May 23, 202249:35
093 - Grace Sturdivant, AuD - OtoPro: A Fresh Take on the Business of Hearing Conservation

093 - Grace Sturdivant, AuD - OtoPro: A Fresh Take on the Business of Hearing Conservation

Guest: Grace Sturdivant - Audiologist and Founder of OtoPro Technologies

Topic: OtoPro: A Fresh Take on the Business of Hearing Conservation 

Grace joins Dave on the podcast this week to share the story of how she built her company, OtoPro Technologies, and the path she took to success.

OtoPro represents an innovative business model and brand built entirely around hearing conservation. As Grace describes, OtoPro is designed to provide individuals with custom hearing protection for all types of lifestyles ranging from hunting, construction, industrial work, motorcycling and so on.

The two discuss how her business model works, the network of hearing professionals that she uses to help facilitate the earmold impressions, her success building her brand, the rapid growth of OtoPro, and her upcoming appearance on Steve Rinella's Meat Eater podcast. 

May 06, 202201:00:45
092 - Michelle Hu, AuD - Building the "Mama Hu Hears" Brand

092 - Michelle Hu, AuD - Building the "Mama Hu Hears" Brand

Guest: Michelle Hu, AuD - Pediatric Audiologist and Founder of "Mama Hu Hears"

Topic: Building the "Mama Hu Hears" Brand 

Michelle joins Dave on the podcast this week to share her backstory and how she developed her popular, "Mama Hu Hears" online persona.

Michelle's Mama Hu Hears Instagram page has garnered roughly 10,000 followers, and serves as a medium for Michelle to communicate ways she navigates her own DHH journey, as well as a forum for her to impart wisdom as a hard of hearing mother and Pediatric Audiologist.

The two discuss using social media effectively to generate a more outsized impact, the most common questions and feedback that Michelle receives on her social channels, Michelle's experience of being fit with a cochlear implant 15 years ago, and some of her takeaways of life before and after her implant.

Apr 22, 202243:60
091 - Shadi Chakoutahi - A Recruiter's Perspective on the Current State of the Hearing Health Industry

091 - Shadi Chakoutahi - A Recruiter's Perspective on the Current State of the Hearing Health Industry

Guest: Shadi Chakoutahi - Founder of Staffing Proxy

Topic: A Recruiter's Perspective on the Current State of the Hearing Health Industry

Shadi joins Dave on the podcast this week to discuss the current labor market within the hearing health industry and some key insights that can be gleaned from her perspective. 

The two discuss the changing nature of employee expectations, which has been altered by the pandemic, as well as what it means to be an, "employer of choice." On the flip side, the two chat about the prospects within the industry for those entering into the hearing health labor force or moving from one industry job to another. 

Shadi shares her unique perspective as someone who frequently speaks with a wide variety of employers and prospective employees in every facet of the hearing health industry. In addition, Shadi shares some of the areas that concern her with the current state of the hearing health labor pool, as well as some reasons to be optimistic about the way that the hearing health industry is evolving. 

Mar 29, 202255:33
090 - Erik Sorenson - Understanding the Battle Being Waged Outside of the Hearing Health Clinic

090 - Erik Sorenson - Understanding the Battle Being Waged Outside of the Hearing Health Clinic

Guest: Erik Sorenson - Co-Founder of HearWorks

Title: Understanding the Battle Being Waged Outside of the Hearing Health Clinic

Erik joins Dave on the podcast this week to share his backstory of his days owning and operating an ad agency, the path that led him to the world of hearing health, the key learnings of owning seven brick & mortar clinics, and the genesis of how and why HearWorks was created.

The two discuss how today's hearing health patient journey begins outside of the clinic and talk through various patient acquisition and retention strategies that are becoming increasingly relevant in today's hearing health market.

Feb 23, 202259:10
089 - Amyn Amlani, PhD - Enhancing The Hearing Professional's Value Proposition
Feb 10, 202201:00:47
088 - Joe Sakumura, AuD - The Case for Becoming an American Institute of Balance Center of Specialty Care

088 - Joe Sakumura, AuD - The Case for Becoming an American Institute of Balance Center of Specialty Care

Guest: Joe Sakumura, AuD - Director of Centers of Specialty Care at The American Institute of Balance 

Topic: The Case for Becoming an American Institute of Balance Center of Specialty Care

Joe joins Dave on the podcast to kick off a new year of audio and hearing health-related discussions. During this conversation, Joe shares why he believes Audiologists should consider implementing a suite of vestibular service offerings into their clinic, and explains how The American Institute of Balance (AIB) can support Audiologists to implement, monetize and run their vestibular offering through AIB's Center of Specialty Care (CSC) program. 

The two discuss all of the details of the AIB's CSC program, including the process of getting set up, as well as managing the day-to-day operations. Joe also shares some of the success stories that hearing practices are having post-CSC implementation and how including a robust and comprehensive vestibular offering is allowing Audiologists to differentiate their clinics and elevate their standing with allied medical professionals.

Jan 21, 202201:00:07
087 - Kane Simms - The State of Conversational AI Heading into 2022

087 - Kane Simms - The State of Conversational AI Heading into 2022

Guest: Kane Simms - Founder of VUX World

Topic: The State of Conversational AI Heading into 2022

For the last podcast of 2021, Kane Simms joins Dave to provide the listeners with an update on everything that's currently transpiring within the conversational AI space and where Kane believes the technology is moving toward in 2022. 

As Dave mentions at the beginning of the conversation, the reason that conversational AI is relevance to the world of hearing healthcare is because of the increasing feasibility of utilizing conversational AI with one's hearing device (hearing aids or hearables). So, it's important to stay up-to-date on the core technology and understand the current roadblocks that need to be navigated to make this all a reality.

Dec 29, 202101:06:39
086 - Jill Davis, AuD - Successfully Implementing Cognivue into a Private Practice

086 - Jill Davis, AuD - Successfully Implementing Cognivue into a Private Practice

Guest: Jill Davis, AuD - Doctor of Audiology and Owner of Victory Hearing & Balance

Topic: Successfully Implementing Cognivue into a Private Practice

Jill joins Dave on the podcast this week to share the backstory of why she decided to implement Cognivue's computerized cognitive screener in her Audiology clinic, and some of the major takeaways from the process of doing so. 

She describes the process of implementing the device, how she positions it within the patient's visit, the battery of other tests and evaluations that she pairs it with, and how she educates her patients on the results. As the two discuss, Jill is able to formulate a much more wholistic understanding of what the patient is experiencing and is able to tailor her treatment plans more appropriately. 

As Jill mentions, one of the biggest advantages that she's seen with implementing Cognivue into her clinic is that it has quite dramatically helped to increase her physician patient referrals. Considerably more patients are coming through Jill's doors via their primary care doctor's recommendation. 

As has been the theme on the podcast this year, Cognivue provides Audiologists with yet another unique way to differentiate and elevate their services to stand out from the competition.

Dec 21, 202153:15
085 - Paul Harkness - The 30 Year Hearing Industry Veteran
Dec 10, 202101:00:01
084 - Dawn Heiman, AuD - Differentiating via an Expansion of Audiological Services
Nov 23, 202101:04:37
083 - Jon Suen, AuD - Building a Bridge Between Audiology, Gerontology, Nursing and Public Health

083 - Jon Suen, AuD - Building a Bridge Between Audiology, Gerontology, Nursing and Public Health

Guest: Jon Suen, AuD - PhD Candidate at Johns Hopkins School of Nursing; Predcotoral Trainee at Johns Hopkins Cochlear Center for Hearing & Public Health

Topic: Building a Bridge Between Audiology, Gerontology, Nursing and Public Health

Jon joins the podcast this week to discuss his personal story of how he wound up at Johns Hopkins. Jon's story is a fascinating one, as it involves a winding path that includes passion for American Sign Language, Gallaudet University for his AuD, and a stint with The Peace Corps. Ultimately, Jon found his way to Johns Hopkins where he now is mentored by folks like Dr. Frank Lin and Jennifer Wenzel, PhD.

Jon's work focuses on the intersection between Audiology, Gerontology, Nursing and Public Health. As Jon and Dave discuss, the community-based approach to Audiology that Jon is studying and helping to define, provides for a unique, collaborative opportunity for Audiologists to work within a broader team of healthcare professionals. 

For example, Jon describes a potential for audiologists to work in multidisciplinary programs like CAPABLE, whose goal is to support older adults “aging-in-place.” The team is comprised of a Nurse, Occupational Therapist, and Handy Person (who helps with home modifications). An audiologist could contribute very meaningfully to such a team, though most are currently not yet trained to consider social determinants of health for older adults with hearing loss.

Jon and Dave discuss how community based approaches to Audiology may allow for more opportunities for the Audiologist to help train and impart their expertise on fellow health professionals & community-based team members, which might ultimately help to expand the influence and benefits of Audiology to the broader population.

Transcript: here

Nov 17, 202154:49
082 - Laurel Christensen, PhD - Charting the Past 30+ Years in Hearing Aid Innovation
Oct 22, 202158:35
081 - Dr. Elaine Saunders & Kat Penno - 10 Years of Pioneering Telehealth & Remote Audiology - What's Been Learned
Oct 15, 202135:19
080 - Nick Morgan-Jones - Sound Enhancing Wearables that Inspire People

080 - Nick Morgan-Jones - Sound Enhancing Wearables that Inspire People

Guest: Nick Morgan-Jones - Butterfly Audio

Topic: Sound Enhancing Wearables that Inspire People

Nick sits down with Dave on the podcast this week to discuss his passion project, Butterfly Audio, which is an attempt at totally reimagining "hearing aids." Nick, who was diagnosed with high-frequency hearing loss at 10 years old (now 28 years old), describes his own personal journey with hearing aids, which began with him deciding to abandon his prescribed hearing aids for the first 10 years of his diagnosis due to the social stigma associated with them.  

According to Nick, the problem that young people with hearing loss face is a market that largely caters to older adults. Everything from the advertising to the ways in which the products are described (hearing aids) are tailored toward folks with age-related hearing adults. As a result, young people are forced to treat their hearing losses with devices that have inherent connotations with old age. 

Nick believes that the design of the devices have almost uniformly followed suit with progressively becoming smaller and smaller. Why do hearing aids need to be "invisible?" Yes, some users want discreet devices, and that market is already being served with a variety of offerings, but as the two discuss, there are a variety of advantages to making devices clearly visible, and utilizing novel form factors and device positioning. 

As a designer by trade, Nick is designing, prototyping and attempting to build his own custom, "sound enhancing wearables," (again, note the change in language used) that he personally would feel inspired to use. As he notes, he's going to need help, so if his message resonates, his door is open and he welcomes you to connect with him.

Twitter: @ButterflyAudio_

LinkedIn: Nick Morgan-Jones

Transcript: here

Sep 24, 202157:49
079 - Carl Robinson - Rumble Studio: Creating Better Audio Production Tools
Sep 10, 202156:29
078 - Brad Stewart, AuD - AuDflow: Leveling Up the Hearing Care Experience
Aug 12, 202155:48
077 - Angela Alexander, AuD - The Journey to Presenting at TEDx about Auditory Processing Disorder

077 - Angela Alexander, AuD - The Journey to Presenting at TEDx about Auditory Processing Disorder

Guest: Angela Alexander, AuD - Owner of Auditory Processing Network and APDsupport.com

Topic: The Journey to Presenting about Auditory Processing Disorder at TEDx

Angela joins Dave on the podcast this week to share her journey of preparing for and ultimately presenting at TedX around Auditory Processing Disorder (APD). Angela describes how she landed the opportunity, the ups and downs that went along with preparing, the watershed moment that led to her piecing her talk together, and how everything culminated together to present a killer presentation. 

Angela's Audiology passion revolves around APD, and during this conversation, she shares the key points that she communicated through her talk and why APD is such an important facet to the future of Audiology. 

Jul 29, 202145:12
076 - Andy Bellavia - A New Era in Hearing Loss Solutions
Jul 15, 202101:08:14
075 - Brian Taylor, AuD - The Upside of Hearing Solution Optionality

075 - Brian Taylor, AuD - The Upside of Hearing Solution Optionality

Guest: Brian Taylor, AuD - Director of Clinical Content Development at Signia

Topic: The Upside of the Increasing Amount of Hearing Solution Optionality

Brian joins Dave this week on the podcast to continue the recent string of conversations based around the evolving hearing health landscape. The two discuss where devices like Signia's Active hearing aids fit into the market, which look like earbuds but function as hearing aids. In addition, the two discuss how we're moving toward a future where it will be harder and harder to distinguish between hearing aids and hearables, which may ultimately play a significant role in the reduction of stigma.


Jun 25, 202101:04:05
074 - Geoff Cooling & Kim Cavitt, AuD - How Hearing Professionals Can Thrive in an Expanding Market

074 - Geoff Cooling & Kim Cavitt, AuD - How Hearing Professionals Can Thrive in an Expanding Market

Guests: Dr. Kim Cavitt, Owner of Audiology Resources; Geoff Cooling, Co-Founder and Editor of Hearing Aid Know

Topic: How Hearing Professionals Can Thrive in an Expanding Hearing Health Market

Kim and Geoff join Dave on the podcast this week to continue the discussions had on the podcast recently about the accelerating pace of change occurring in the hearing health market. The three discuss all the recent announcements (Bose's hearing aid, Jabra's hearing aid, Sonova + Sennheiser, Jacoti + Qualcomm, & Apple's "Conversation Boost") and discuss how hearing professionals can insert themselves properly into the burgeoning mild-moderate side of the market. 

As Kim describes, the key might ultimately revolve around the idea of serving as a "navigator" on the patients' hearing aid journey, which might ultimately not include device sales, but rather compensation through services. Therefore, the three discuss how professionals will need to alter their revenue models and service delivery models in order to participate in this portion of the market.

Jun 11, 202156:12
073 - Carolina Milanesi - Google + Samsung + Fitbit = A True Apple Watch Competitor?

073 - Carolina Milanesi - Google + Samsung + Fitbit = A True Apple Watch Competitor?

Guest: Carolina Milanesi - President & Principal Analyst at Creative Strategies; Founder of Heart of Tech

Topic: Google + Samsung + Fitbit = A True Apple Watch Competitor?

Carolina joins Dave this week on the podcast to discuss the news coming out of Google's I/O developer conference that Samsung and Google will be merging their smartwatch platforms (Samsung's Tizen and Google's Wear OS) into a unified smartwatch platform, Wear. As the two discuss, when you factor in Google's acquisition of Fitbit in January of 2021, what we're really seeing now is essentially Google, Samsung and Fitbit banding together and pooling their resources to combat Apple's dominance of the smartwatch sector.

Google provides it's operating system, first party applications (i.e. Maps & YouTube Music), and Google Assistant, while Samsung provides its core competence - excellent hardware manufacturing and device proliferation, and Fitbit brings the unique use cases built around Fitness and health.

As Carolina describes, this trio of companies unified together in a cohesive offering might finally offer a truly compelling Android smartwatch option that has the potential to scale and compete head-to-head with the Apple Watch. As the two discuss, the Android ecosystem desperately needs adequate peripheral devices to complement the android handsets, as Apple's ecosystem continues to deepen its moat and switching costs via its wearables and services.

Finally, the two talk through the broader implications of these moves, especially as it relates to the future of all wearable devices, including hearables and AR glasses, and the unique preventative health use cases that wearables continue to migrate toward.

Transcript: here

May 27, 202149:02