Ep 22: Stop Ignoring Your Dream with Dr. Reyna Trevino

Join us for part 1 of Dr. Reyna Trevino’s courageous dream to reality journey.

This is the story of a humble pediatrician who also became an inventor, patent holder, and entrepreneur of her own brand and company, Rose Medical Innovations.

Dr. Trevino shares:

• How a simple observation while working as a pediatric hospitalist led to a novel design that came to her in a dream.
  
  
  
• The feedback she initially received on her idea and the amount of time that elapsed before she acted on her idea.
  
  
  
• How she got a spot on stage to pitch her design to a top business school contest, and won!
  
  
  
• Why she not only patented her design, but also created a company and brand that reflects her values and mission.
  
  

Tune in to hear part 1 of her captivating journey…

Resources for Dr. Reyna Trevino:

Dr. Roses' Baby Nasal Aspirator  is anticipated to be available on the market in January 2022! 

Company Website, sign up to be notified when product is out https://drrosesbaby.com


Doctor Roses Baby on Tik Tok  https://www.tiktok.com/@doctorrosesbaby/


Doctor Roses Baby on Instagram https://Instagram.com/doctorrosesbaby/



Dare to Dream Physician Resources:

Dare to Dream Physician, Life Planning for Physicians https://daretodreamphysician.com

Dare to Dream Physician on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/daretodreamphysician/

 
 @DreamPhysician on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/dreamphysician/

Transcript

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Note this document may have human or computer-generated errors in transcription. Refer to the audio file for the actual conversation.

SPEAKERS

Dr. Gray, Host, Dr. Reyna Trevino, Guest

Dr. Gray, Host  00:00

This is the Dare To Dream Physician Podcast. I'm your host, Dr. Weili Gray. Many physicians today are feeling overwhelmed and unfulfilled living a busy life based on someone else's terms and expectations. My mission is to help physicians figure out what they really want out of life, and how to make their dream life come true sooner than they ever imagined. My fellow physicians, your time to live, your only life is now become a Dare To Dream Physician. Great things are going to happen. Make sure you hit subscribe and share this podcast with another physician you care about. 

Dr. Gray, Host  00:48

Welcome back to another episode of the Dare To Dream Physician Podcast. I am so excited to introduce our guest for the show today. Her name is Dr. Reyna Trevino. She works hard as a pediatrician during most of the week, and also wears another hat as an inventor and entrepreneur. She is the founder and CEO of her company Rose Medical Innovations. She invented and patented Dr. Roses Healthy Noses, a brilliantly designed nasal aspirator for newborns and babies. And it's currently in the final stages of manufacturing and expect it to become available on the market in January 2022. When I first met Dr. Reyna, I was struck by her humble and kind demeanor. What is even more amazing is the incredible story that is behind this woman, and the story that is still unfolding. Whether you may be secretly dreaming of designing a product that will improve people's lives. Or you're just curious about what possibilities are out there for doctors. These next two episodes are for you. Welcome. Welcome to the show. Dr. Reyna.

Dr. Reyna Trevino, Guest  01:59

Thank you, thank you for inviting me. I was very excited to do this podcast with you.

Dr. Gray, Host  02:05

Oh, I'm so excited to have you because what you have been pursuing in the last five years or so, I think is something that's very foreign to most physicians. I would love to just hear about your whole journey. But first, can you tell us a little bit about yourself? I know that you're a pediatrician and you practice full time. But tell me more. You know, where are you from? And how did you grow up? How'd you decide to be a pediatrician?

Dr. Reyna Trevino, Guest  02:29

Yes, yes. So I live in Naperville, Illinois. So this is my town for the last 20 years now. But I actually grew up in Bismarck, North Dakota. And so I I lived a interesting childhood, going to friends' farms, and hanging out with cows and riding horses and no one would ever guess that that's me because I like to dress up and look a bit sophisticated when I go out versus like the cow girl. But it's the best memories. And my father is a pediatric neurologist, and he still practices for the University here in Illinois. And so he's someone that I really looked up to as a child. And actually he discouraged me to be a doctor because he said, Well, this is a lot of work. And you know, there's easier ways. But of course, being strong headed, I didn't listen, I just wanted to be a doctor much more. And so I pursued that. And then just becoming a pediatrician. I did a lot of research and retina research with sheep eyes and at the university. And so medical school came and my third year rotation in optho came. And to my disappointment, it was not something I wanted to do anymore. And so I felt a bit lost, my thought as going through these clinicals I did my pediatric rotation. I never babysat kids when growing up. And so but what I noticed is when I would do my notes, the little kids would come up to me and asked me to play with them or sit on my lap and it just seemed to be really interesting that they weren't doing that with the other medical students and so honestly became a pediatrician because the kids asked me to be one.

Dr. Gray, Host  04:28

Oh, I love that you're a baby whisperer, a kid whisperer.

Dr. Reyna Trevino, Guest  04:33

Like the Pipe Piper. So I just went with what was natural and then with pediatrics because of my expereince with children just following me everywhere on rotation like presenting. And so it worked out well. I love being a pediatrician. 

Dr. Gray, Host  04:50

Yeah. And how long have you been practicing pediatrics.

Dr. Reyna Trevino, Guest  04:55

So 20 years now I had to think back but it's been 20 years. It's been interesting seeing the profession evolve and and it's still evolving, but I still love it just the same, the patients are they're just the best.

Dr. Gray, Host  05:09

Hmm. What's your favorite part about being a pediatrician?

Dr. Reyna Trevino, Guest  05:13

It's just following the growth and development of the children from birth. And since I've been practicing 20 years, some of my first ones they've graduated, they're sophomores and juniors in college. And some that I've met later in their life, they're now parents themselves and bring kids to me. And so it's really very rewarding to see these relationships and how much they, they just, they don't want to leave my practice. And so that they get to be too old for me. But they come back somehow with their own children. 

Dr. Gray, Host  05:55

Wow. So you were working hard and being pretty happy working as a pediatrician. And do you have kids of your own?

Dr. Reyna Trevino, Guest  06:06

Yes, I have three daughters. And I also remarried later in life, and my husband, he has two daughters. So all together, we have five plus our assorted pets.

Dr. Gray, Host  06:18

Tell me about Dr. Rose. How did this company come up?

Dr. Reyna Trevino, Guest  06:23

So it came up with an idea of my product. Then it came to the point where I had to find a name for a company so that legally I can protect my product. The name Rose comes from my first name Reyna. And then Olivia is the O, and Sofia is the S, and E is for Elise, my three daughters said this came about prior to meeting my husband otherwise, it would have thought of a different name to add the other girls and Simon, my husband. Rose suited me because Rose is my family. It's very personal. And I wanted to create products for my patients. And I see them as my family as that extension. And they added Dr. because these products are based on science and research and development innovation by just combine the two and came up with Dr. Rose. 

Dr. Gray, Host  07:22

So wonderful. I love that. How did you go from a busy pediatrician and a mom, and then having a brand idea.

Dr. Reyna Trevino, Guest  07:29

Actually, the idea came about 10 years ago, I was working inpatient, pediatrics, doing more hospitalist work on weekends, and then I was an outpatient physician. So I get to see both worlds. So I would attend deliveries. And I would use the little blue bulb aspirator to clean the newborns nose passages when the obstetrician would pass me the baby. And I would put them on the warmer and I would clean up their passages and but then what I found is I realized the bulb would go in the little cart, the little bed with the baby and back to the room. And the ball would go in the mom's diaper bag, a go home kit. And then including I realized, wow, is this the same ball that they used at the delivery and so there's no way of knowing if it's clean or not inside. It's not something you can open and, and clean. And also patients, the babies, toddlers, they hate the bulb, they see it they run away, or they tried to escape and it's just an unpleasant experience for them. And so it just it was like a gnawing feeling like well, why isn't there something better out there and there are products where you use your mouth and you can suck out the boogers with your mouth and be put the other end in the baby's nose. And so I know some houses are divided, the mom is happy to do that anything to help their baby, but dad doesn't want to do it because it's gross for him or ...

Dr. Gray, Host  09:15

That's so interesting.

Dr. Reyna Trevino, Guest  09:17

 ...day care provider provider.

Dr. Gray, Host  09:18

So so basically you were just observing what what you're using every day. And you realize that the the those blue bulbs which we've we've all seen and we've worked in the hospital and been in a delivery room, we've seen those blue bulbs that they used to suction the baby's nasal passages and started bothering you because you felt like this wasn't the best design. 

Dr. Reyna Trevino, Guest  09:39

Well I thought that something better could be done that was more hygienic, pleasant for the user, the mom and the baby, both focusing on the baby's comfort but still be effective. And so I actually had this idea that something should be done. I let this idea just ferment a little bit. But one night I had a dream. And being a 70s child, I played with these toys called weeble wobbles they're, they're egg shaped, and so they don't fall down is a commercial. And so they're weighted on the bottom. And I was dreaming that I was playing with these weeble wobbles. I was like, five years old, in my dream, but then it was interesting, it evolved into this shape. And my dream was really strange. I must have been really tired. And so I saw the shape of my bulb like, Oh, I could make a bulb that it balances. So it's tip stays up, and it doesn't touch the surface, like the blue bulb does. It just you put it down, the tip is on the surface, and you go pick it up to use it. And so you could pick up all kinds of things that way, including bacteria. And, and so it was very strange. So in the morning, like, I had this strange dream. So I wrote it, I journal every day. And so I drew the picture of the general shape in my little journal. But it sat in my book for a little bit. I didn't do much about it. Sometimes I would bring up the topic to other people. And they would just joke with me, Oh, that's a pipe dream. Why would you do that? That is a lot of work to make a product.

Dr. Gray, Host  11:31

Hmm. Did you tell other pediatricians? Who did you talk to? 

Dr. Reyna Trevino, Guest  11:36

I was divorced at the time. So I was meeting other people, and so I would run that idea, and they were non-medical. And so they just thought, Well, no, you don't need to to go through all that trouble. Why don't you want to still be a pediatrician? Or maybe you could stay home with the kids? And I'll provide everything? And why would you think to do something like that? It's a lot of money. It's too much, no, you might not sell or

Dr. Gray, Host  12:07

So you were just running these ideas by people you were dating at the time?

Dr. Reyna Trevino, Guest  12:11

Yeah, that was the responses I would get. 

Dr. Gray, Host  12:14

Wow, 

Dr. Reyna Trevino, Guest  12:15

I just would not bring, bring it up very often. And so I would put this past my partners, and they would be like, well, How are you gonna do that working, having really little kids, and then this idea, how are you going to do this?  The turning point was that after five years of hearing this, and working so hard, I really wanted to try to provide better for my children, spend time with, provide more so with my time, which was, so, I balanced. But it was a very fine balancing act, but I was able to not miss anything that they had sporting events or shows. I thought, I this is good for the future. Because this will help provide, it'll free me more time. And I can help more kids more babies, because I can only see them one at a time. This way, I can be a part of taking care of much many more babies than just one at a time. Then, so I thought this is this is good. I think that this needs to come out. And I'm going to work hard. And the way I'm going to do it is I'm just gonna do it one day at a time. And so five years ago, I took one day, every Wednesday, was working on this. I found a lawyer, and we had to file a provisional patent. Finally, five years after I drew it in my book, then interviewed three engineering firms and picked one, and develop five different prototypes. And each one were improvements because I would have big cohort groups. And I would test and get feedback and parents would give me their feedback. And then I would make improvements and then make another prototype and it went on until now. I'm happy with the one I have. It's the fifth one. It's been taking a little bit of money here and there but slowly. And so it got to the point also that I pitched for the very first time to the University of Chicago, the business school, because I didn't know how to move forward with marketing to see if it was a product that would sell. So I sent a blind email to these professors, I didn't know anyone. And each of them responded. It was so interesting. And they invited me to pitch a pitch contest and never pitched before. So I lived in front of these judges who there were tech companies there and other medical companies and I just had my little bulb, qnd I won. I had the most compelling pitch, apparently. And the prize was to have the business students guided by the professors, the economists create a marketing plan and an exiting strategy and make projections of income. It was such an amazing 10 weeks, It opened my eyes to just other talent outside of medicine. 

Dr. Gray, Host  15:30

Wow. Okay, let's backtrack a little, there's so many things along the way, I need to ask you about that you had a dream, literally a dream at night. And during your sleep, the dream help you come up with a product idea. So you sketched it in your diary, and then you let it sit there for maybe about five years, then you made the conscious decision to say, I'm going to invest in this idea. I'm going to invest myself, and I'm just trying to imagine this. I mean, you didn't know anybody who did this before.

Dr. Reyna Trevino, Guest  15:56

No, it was totally just out of thin air. I didn't know anyone who...

Dr. Gray, Host  16:02

You didn't know anybody who had made a product, but you knew to try to patent this, right, that when you said you were looking for a lawyer?

Dr. Reyna Trevino, Guest  16:09

Yes. So I thought, well, doctors always have malpractice insurance, I imagined this needs something. Plus, I worked for a very large corporation, as a physician, a physician. So I needed a way to separate that life from my second life that I was creating, and protect myself in the hard work that I was thinking I'm going to need to do. The lawyer thought, Well, are you sure you want to do this patent can cost up to $15,000? 

Dr. Gray, Host  16:44

Wow, 

Dr. Reyna Trevino, Guest  16:45

...making prototypes can range from $5000 to $20,000 each one. ..

Dr. Gray, Host  16:52

Wow. 

Dr. Reyna Trevino, Guest  16:53

...to pay for engineers, you want to do a market analysis to see that it's going to pay off. And so he suggested also that I seek some help in doing an analysis of the market. That's well, where am I going to find one? So I thought well the best in Chicago is either University of Chicago or or Northwestern. So it ultimately was the University of Chicago, which apparently they're the number one business school in the US now, this year, and I'm just so impressed that I was invited.

Dr. Gray, Host  17:30

Yeah, well, you weren't just invited. I mean, you cold call them in a way right? Cold email them?

Dr. Reyna Trevino, Guest  17:36

In theory, but I had nothing to lose. They did not, they didn't know me. So. 

Dr. Gray, Host  17:42

Yeah. And okay, so you emailed them, and introduced yourself, and pitch your idea over email, and then they invited you to come to this contest? 

Dr. Reyna Trevino, Guest  17:52

Yes. 

Dr. Gray, Host  17:53

What then? What did you do to prepare? It sounds like you didn't have any mentors at the time. So how did you know what to do?

Dr. Reyna Trevino, Guest  17:59

So I looked up, it's funny Google, and I know patients use it to Google their diagnosis, but I used it to look up how to do a proper pitch, and my husband, so I, at the time, then I got remarried. And he worked in tech companies. So he used to give pitches as well. So he guided me. And so together, we made a slide deck.

Dr. Gray, Host  18:27

So it was like Shark Tank. But now on TV.

Dr. Reyna Trevino, Guest  18:30

Yes, it was like Shark Tank. It was.

Dr. Gray, Host  18:34

 Wow. And you just got up there by yourself

Dr. Reyna Trevino, Guest  18:36

Up there. I was nervous. It was like I have to do this, I have no choice. I have to do this. I don't want to spend money and waste it, I need to get this market analysis done. It has to be done. So I, I just pitched, and I pretended that I was just talking to a parent explaining why I am making this product, why I feel like it's important.

Dr. Gray, Host  19:04

And love how you thought, Wait a minute, who is this product for this product is for moms, babies, and I'm an expert in that and now here you are pitching in front of a business school. And you won.

Dr. Reyna Trevino, Guest  19:18

Yes, yeah, it was interesting because the room was mostly male dominated, but it seemed to strike a chord with them. So they came back to say, absolutely, this is very marketable. It's, it would be extremely profitable. That but then at the end, they said, Well, I think they made an assumption that I would want to continue being a full time pediatrician. So then they came with the conclusion that yes, this is an amazing product. You can definitely retire to the beach with this. And, so that but they said well, I think you could, you could license this product to Johnson and Johnson, or Geico or these large infant companies, and let them do the heavy lifting, and you just collect the check and relax and continue working as a pediatrician. But I didn't really agree I wanted to make a company of it. And so like, Wait a sec, I don't want to sell it off too fast.  

Dr. Gray, Host  20:27

hmm

Dr. Reyna Trevino, Guest  20:29

So, there's other things to be done. And so, but it was good. An important part of it is that it was marketable, that it was profitable, and so, that it was worthwhile to proceed, 

Dr. Gray, Host  20:41

Yes 

Dr. Reyna Trevino, Guest  20:43

To change the application on the patent application to not provisional, but to go ahead and push forward. 

Dr. Gray, Host  20:51

Yes. 

Dr. Gray, Host  20:52

titled in the patent.

Dr. Gray, Host  20:54

So I'm curious, it sounded like you had a reaction when the business school people told you Yep, just go sit on the beach, or keep working full time as a pediatrician and, and just collect the check, you had a reaction to that. It sound like that didn't sit well with you, tell me more about that?

Dr. Reyna Trevino, Guest  21:09

Well, I was thinking that companies would maybe license the product, but not sell it at the level that I would like, because once they have a hold of it, sometimes they don't have to use the license, they might not sell it in the stores as you think they would. And so I wasn't very trusting of the process of licensing just yet. Until I developed a market myself where it was being sold. And then, then I would feel more comfortable maybe to license but but I just feel like it's my baby, I don't want to give my baby away to someone else right now. And maybe create other things, too, to go with it. So that's why I felt a little protective of my product. So it was just a gut instinct that it's too soon to do that, to just give the drawings to someone, and then they do with the license, it's maybe not as valuable as well. I thought in  eyes until there was actually parents that were buying it. And so then that would increase its value.

Dr. Gray, Host  22:30

Hmm. You have a founders heart, you know, you, you don't want to just create a drawing and then just hand it off, you really want to be part of the story of Dr. Rose and this bulb that you invented you you want to share it with mothers and parents, and you want to also market it in a way that you feel matches what you have to offer.

Dr. Reyna Trevino, Guest  22:52

Yes, absolutely. And I feel like I'm entwined with this bulb because of the brand. So then with this brand, it's a reflection of me and what this bulb stands for. So it's proven to be an amazing blend of the product with my brand in that I was able to be accepted into medical incubators when I go pitch. So I've been accepted into three different incubator when...

Dr. Gray, Host  23:26

So let's backtrack a little bit because I don't know if all our listeners know what an incubator is. Can you explain that? 

Dr. Reyna Trevino, Guest  23:32

Oh, it's true, I wasn't sure what that was either. So it's it's a place. It's like a collaboration with very large companies, and little startup companies that have ideas, or they have like a product or technology platform that where the larger companies can assist by giving mentorship. And so there's different people in a incubator like a medical one, for  example, there will be scientists, and developers and engineers and these companies too that  have experience in distribution of product. Or maybe they'd like to invest in your product, they're watching it and they may invest. And it helps with connections too. Universities are involved in these incubators also to help a seedling companies grow. They give ideas using their resources. And so you usually pay a membership to be in this incubator, but it's such a low amount for all the access to all the resources. Normally you have to pitch and be invited. They want to focus on ideas that they feel are going to take off and give them notoriety.

Dr. Gray, Host  25:03

Wow. Okay, so in an incubator is basically a place where brilliant minds and people with resources and tools come together and where new ideas are born. So you may come, like you said, as a seedling, and other people who may have the bigger companies may have more resources will then give you mentorship. And sounds like such a fascinating, exciting place to be. That's amazing that you went from a full time practicing pediatrician and because you took the chance and took the risk. And now here you are, you're in several incubators where you're in the room with people who are creating the next generation products

Dr. Reyna Trevino, Guest  25:44

It is sometimes I have to pinch myself, for example, earlier this year, the founder of Livongo. He's here in Chicago, and he's been working on Livongo for a few years, it's been interesting to see that growth in front of your very eyes, that there's a real person behind this, I get to meet him, to meet people with Teladoc and just different pharmaceutical startups that are on the rise. You see them as little seedlings until you see them rise. And just see IPOs companies on on the stock market is impressive.

Dr. Gray, Host  26:29

It's right, and it all it all starts in a place like an incubator right where people like yourself dreams have an idea and pursues that dream and takes the chance to pitch that dream. And to keep pitching it before you know it. This can be the next Livongo or the next Teladoc that's so amazing.

Dr. Gray, Host  26:54

Wow, I am blown away by the first part of Dr. Reyna story, how she recognized she had a dream then how her dream emerged, and all the obstacles that she overcame along the way. Stay tuned for the second half of her interview next week where she continues to share how her dream unfolded and where she sees this dream heading. You can find Dr. Reyna's innovative brilliantly designed easy to use nasal aspirator at drosesbaby.com,  d r r o s e s b a b y  drosebaby.com. She has been working really hard with the manufacturing process and the current anticipated date for her product to come and market is January 2022. So please put that on your calendar. There is a place on the bottom of our webpage where you can subscribe to our mailing list so that you will be the first to know when her product comes out. Dr. Roses's baby nasal aspirator will be such a great addition to any baby registry. So if you or your friends are expecting a baby, please keep this product in mind. Dr. Reyna is also very active on Instagram and Tiktok. She shares lots of wonderful baby tips, and lots of great tips in general. As a pediatrician, I leave those links in the show notes as well make sure you also subscribe to her follow her. In the meantime, Dare To Dream Physicians, please keep dreaming. Don't let others or yourself squash your dreams. Look at that little seedling and imagine what can come from one little seedling. Could that seedling grow into a full sized tree? And could that one tree eventually lead to an entire forest? 

Dr. Gray, Host  28:38

Thanks for listening. Make sure you hit subscribe so you don't miss another episode. If you liked this episode, please share it with a friend and give us a five star review so we can help more physicians dare to dream and create their most abundant lives. There's also exciting news at the Dare To Dream Physician. For those of you who wish to get clarity on your own why and get energized as you explore, envision and create your dream life, I'm so excited to announce that I'm taking on a limited number of one-on- one clients for life planning. To get the complete details and sign up for an exploration meeting, go to my website, daretodreamphysician.com.  I really look forward to working with you. And it would be such an honor and privilege for me to be able to help you create your life plan. I truly believe that life planning will transform your life. And we'll give you that energy to pursue your dream life sooner than you ever imagined. See you next week.

SUMMARY KEYWORDS

dream, pediatrician, product, pitch, bulb, incubator, life, baby, people, companies, reyna, years, create, thought, physician, working, pediatrics, teladoc, physicians, rose