Ep 23: Following a Founder's Heart with Dr. Reyna Trevino

Join us for the second half of Dr. Reyna Trevino’s amazing  dream to reality journey.

Dr. Trevino is a humble and courageous pediatrician who also became an inventor, patent holder, and entrepreneur of her own brand and company, Rose Medical Innovations, all while maintaining and juggling her priority of being a mom. 

Listen as Dr. Trevino shares:

• Her incredible experience in the start-up business world of incubators with other very successful inventors and entrepreneurs.

• Why she believes that anyone, despite the barriers they may see, can take their ideas and make their dreams become reality.

• Her heart’s wise counsel for others who may have dreams but have been hesitant to take  the first step.

• How her company and brand reflect her love for whom she is creating her products.

And many more insights to learn and get inspired from…

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

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 two episodes are for you. If you have not listened to part one of this interview Episode 22, Stop Ignoring Your Dream, make sure you add that to your playlists after you finish listening to this one. Dr. Trevino describes how she literally had a dream in her sleep that led her to a product idea, and how she finally decided to pursue that dream after letting it sit for five years in her Sketchbook. In today's episode we're picking up from when Dr. Reyna shares how she won the pitch at a University of Chicago Business School contest. She then had to make a decision, does she want to sell her idea and hand it off to a big established corporation? Or did she want to continue investing in her idea, investing in our products and investing in its future?

Dr. Reyna Trevino, Guest  02:46

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. All of it 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 my eyes until there was actually parents that were buying it. And so then that would increase its value.

Dr. Gray, Host  04:07

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 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  04:29

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 incubators when.. 

Dr. Gray, Host  05:03

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  05:09

Well that'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 us 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  06:40

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  07:22

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 Tella Doc and just different pharmaceutical startups that are on the rise. You see them as little seedlings until you see them rise. And just the IPOs companies on on the stock market is impressive,

Dr. Gray, Host  08:06

Right. And it all, it all starts in a place like an incubator right? Where people like yourself dreams up 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 Livango or the next Tella Doc. That's so amazing.

Dr. Reyna Trevino, Guest  08:25

It is it's very cool. Both they're doing them this amazing growth and helping so many people with their products. And so I have to say there's a good heart behind that. 

Dr. Gray, Host  08:38

Yeah, I'm curious about that your first time. So you got accepted into these incubators. What did that feel like when you first started sitting at these meetings?

Dr. Reyna Trevino, Guest  08:48

I think it was that naive. Maybe if I knew more about them ahead of time, I would have been more nervous. It is interesting looking around. A lot of the members of the incubator, a lot of them are pretty young, out of college, they eat, sleep, their company, They're their 24-7 wearing just their hoodies, just like what you can imagine the Facebook founder would wear, just a roomful of them in their jeans, Dreamers. And so I felt a little older. But it was okay. It was fine. It was fun. It felt exciting. Yeah. That's more around these young talent.

Dr. Gray, Host  09:27

Yeah, that's so true. Because if you look at the ages of CEOs of high growth companies, I think most physicians, even later early career physicians or mid career physicians, you know, we're actually much older than them. It's just that we spent the first 10 plus years of our adult lives studying to be doctors and training to be doctors, whereas most other people have already invented something, founded a company and done all these other things that we didn't realize existed.

Dr. Reyna Trevino, Guest  09:57

Mm hmm. That's true. They ave their experience of building companies, losing companies building and losing again, going through the trial and errors till finally they make it big. So, it's and it's interesting when they say it's overnight success. These kids have been working on their project for years before you see it in the news, the overnight success, it really wasn't, it took time.  

Dr. Gray, Host  10:27

Hmmm. 

Dr. Reyna Trevino, Guest  10:28

And a lot of failures to get to that.

Dr. Gray, Host  10:31

Hmm. So I'm curious, how long have you been in these incubators for?

Dr. Reyna Trevino, Guest  10:36

It's been five years. 

Dr. Gray, Host  10:38

Wow.

Dr. Reyna Trevino, Guest  10:39

I have to say, because of my full time job, I can't have the luxury to access everything they offer, because it's during business hours. And so they tease me because there was a company that pitched along with me. Five years ago, the product is called Lulu. So they make the sulfate purator for wine, this chemist, and he's fairly young, we started together, and he worked 24 seven, he works so hard, he started the same time I did. So now, I believe his company's worth 100 million. And he's in Frontgate. And he's in many stores that you see and magazines and he is such a successful product. And he teases me, he's like bringing up what is going on with you? It's time for your spotlight. 

Dr. Gray, Host  11:02

Well, I love what you said, you're in this space, an incubator with people that are working very hard, that are dreamers like yourself, and, and after a lot of trials and a lot of failures. Some of them may make it quite big. And yet, they're all very supportive it sounds like there's a friendship and a camaraderie. I love that. And that's part of the vision I have with the Dare to Dream Physician community, I want physicians to support each other in whatever it is that they dream of. And I love that there are communities outside of medicine that are already doing this. And they're doing great things. I mean, you're in the room with people that are in $100 million or bigger type of businesses. And they're just normal people like you.

Dr. Gray, Host  11:11

Hmm. 

Dr. Reyna Trevino, Guest  11:14

So there's a lot of friendships there. And just everyone, "you can do this." It's like, well, I found my people, it's really fun.

Dr. Reyna Trevino, Guest  12:33

Yeah, but they really are. They're, they're killing it. They're doing wonderful things. And they just talk to me like I'm just their friend, and I am I am their friend. So if you support them as well. And so every week you hear about a big investment around their seed, investing the in the millions. And it's just now it seems normal to me, seeing these emails come through. I'm hoping then once I get that opportunity that I could be one of them. And so that I don't have to work on the product just one day at a time every Wednesday that I could work on it a little more often. 

Dr. Gray, Host  13:15

Yes.

Dr. Reyna Trevino, Guest  13:16

Grow it to what it should be.

Dr. Gray, Host  13:18

Yes. Well tell us about your vision for Dr. Rose. I want to hear more. 

Dr. Gray, Host  13:25

So for Dr. Rose's I anticipate to produce more products. And so Dr. Rose's, the bulb is under a category in my company called Dr. Roses Healthy Noses. And then the next line will be Dr. Roses Healthy Chompers. So those are like toothbrushes and teething rings and utensils and tongue cleaners for newborns and all kinds of different products they have under the brand, and then Dr. Rose's Healthy Development. Which is developmental products to help with developing minds of babies and toddlers to help enhance. And so the lines just continue. And because of I'm in this space that I'm in, which is very technology heavy, I hope to continue and perhaps make a platform for mothers with this technology and learning tools for Healthy Mind, Dr. Rose's Healthy Minds.

Dr. Gray, Host  14:32

That's wonderful. And tell me what what's at the heart of Dr. Rose and I know the name and it's reflective of your daughters, your family. But what makes you want to hold on to this company and continue to see it grow.

Dr. Reyna Trevino, Guest  14:47

So I like to see myself as a doctor that, and I know doctors care about their patients. I truly deeply care about just this generation of kids that are being born and just providing the best environment to take care of them the best that I can. And using these tools, also see these,  to give to nonprofit companies as well who can't afford products that I produce, but to also have a twist to help donate to just these nonprofit companies that I believe in, like the Ronald McDonald House, or to help promote research for brain cancer in children. And another one was to help companies that help for mental illness as well. So these are more of just a step this company, to donate down the road time and resources and to help these other nonprofit companies as well. 

Dr. Gray, Host  15:54

That's wonderful. So at the heart of your company, you really just want to help people to help this next generation. And as part of that, you see philanthropy at the heart of your mission. This is something that I've spoken to previous guests on the podcast about, which is the business doesn't have to be sleazy or dirty, which is kind of the old way I looked at business, but it can also be used as a force of good in the world. And that's exactly what you're doing, you know, you're going into business with with the heart, you know, you're not there to just collect a check. Because if you wanted to, you could just sell your idea, but you're you're taking the harder route and continuing with it with the founders heart to, to grow your product to grow product lines, and to really make an impact on the next generation.

Dr. Reyna Trevino, Guest  16:42

Absolutely, yeah. 

Dr. Reyna Trevino, Guest  16:44

Wow. Wow. So as we're talking and as you describe your journey in the last five in the last 10 years, and where you are now, with your friendships with where you are in your business. I'm curious if you could talk to yourself Reyna from 10 years ago, when you woke up, and you thought how I just this dream came to me, I'm going to sketch it down in my journal, what would you tell her?

Dr. Reyna Trevino, Guest  17:12

Oh to, to just start, the just not be afraid of your dreams, that you should go ahead and get started. The first step in pursuing that, that you may not have all the answers at the moment, but you will. And that to move forward, ask for help. That if you don't know, find someone who does know, and reach out and work with people until you get the answer. And so there's more than one way to approach things with out spending 1000s of dollars. There's ways there's other other ways to do it.

Dr. Gray, Host  17:58

Wonderful. And what do you tell your daughters, since you have learned so much in the last 10 years?

Dr. Reyna Trevino, Guest  18:06

Well, I do tell them that, think creatively. There's no such thing as a stupid idea or a dumb idea. Every idea is a good idea. Just write it down and then take a look at it. Maybe leave it for a day, not five years. And then pursue if you feel strong conviction, to not feel inferior that you can't do it. There's resources to help.

Dr. Gray, Host  18:36

And I'm just the other thing that I keep wondering as you're talking about your life in the last five years, you know, when you made the decision that you want to go for this and you're working four days a week, when you have one day a week to work on this. Did that just come naturally to you to balance this? Or was that a challenge?

Dr. Reyna Trevino, Guest  18:56

Yes, I feel the challenge came with the time and wanting to work on it more on other nights too. But my girls always came first helping them to do their homework or making things, taking them to lessons. Sometimes I'll sit in the car during their lessons and I would work on my product, and I'll do that. But for the most part I would do flashcards with the other two children. While one was in the lesson and so it's definitely mom first. That, and I would stay up really late sometimes finishing charts. I would rush home and feed them do our lessons or whatever we were doing and then charts, maybe a little bit on the business, write in my journal and then bed, so I didn't sleep very much. But I was very motivated to continue keep pushing and some weeks I just didn't work on my business. There was just no time. But as the girls got older, and they were more independent and drive for themselves, and then I think then that's why I think the last five years it opened up the time now to focus more on this business.

Dr. Gray, Host  20:14

Hmm. I love that. I think that's really amazing because you are, you're actually in two worlds with workaholics, right, because physicians are whether we mean to do it or not, like you say, the charts often don't get finished. And then you have to do more of that even on your own time after work hours. And then in the startup world, it's probably even worse, it sounds like people are up 24-7.

Dr. Reyna Trevino, Guest  20:40

They're up all night, it's it's crazy, the the two worlds are workaholics. I think there's a passion. Well, I guess there could be a passion in the clinical world to help. But I feel the corporate side, it's taken over that passion, it's not so much an art form some days, it's just a cookie cutter.

Dr. Gray, Host  21:04

And especially with with charting, I mean, a lot of our charting isn't really for us or for the patient, it's for the insurance requirements, and that the enjoyable part is usually the encounter with the patients. And the charting part is the part that we rather not have to deal with. And I don't know if anyone's really passionate about charting.

Dr. Reyna Trevino, Guest  21:24

It's difficult to feel good about losing that time in charting, and making sure your Gosh, webinars are done for the corporation so that you get your vote in that you earned. And just and making sure you answer all the questions so that you get all the points so that the insurance company is happy, or the corporation satisfies just the guidelines for insurance companies to release money to the corporation. So the questions that we ask that are sometimes not appropriate, but we have to ask but because they're supposed to do to get reimbursement.

Dr. Gray, Host  22:11

The idea of this show is to inspire physicians to dare to dream and live their most fulfilled life. Do you have any advice or you know, any words of wisdom for our listeners?

Dr. Reyna Trevino, Guest  22:25

I would say yes, just to get started to think about those barriers that are holding you back. And ask yourself, Is it true that you really don't have time? It's that that you can make a little bit of time. Mine was a day a week. It could be a half hour here and there that you could just put on the calendar and just schedule yourself that little bit to get started with the process, to look for help, to find your crowd that supports you. Surround yourself with people who are dreaming as well. I think that connection with other human beings is really strong in helping you keep on track with your goals and finding communities that are like minded and learning from them.

Dr. Gray, Host  23:25

Yeah. Thank you so much for coming on the show. 

Dr. Reyna Trevino, Guest  23:28

Thank you. I'm very excited. This is wonderful.

Dr. Gray, Host  23:37

I am so grateful that Dr. Reyna Trevino took the time to share her journey with the Dare to Dream Physician Podcast. I hope her story inspired you to listen to your dreams to listen to yourself, and to not underestimate what a simple idea may lead to. She was so generous in sharing her experience and the lessons she learned along the way behind her company Dr. Rose's. You can find her baby nasal aspirator at drrosesbaby.com. D-r-r-o-s-e-s-b-a-b-y., drrosesbaby.com. She has been working really hard with the manufacturing process and the current anticipated date for her product to come on market is January 2022. So please put that on your calendar. There was a place on the bottom of our web page where you can subscribe to our mailing list so that you will be the first to know when her product comes out. Dr. Rose'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.  I took a look at the prototype of Dr. Rose's, baby Nasal Aspirator. It really is a game changer. It truly is a brilliant design. So my kids are now a little too old to need nasal aspirators. But I remember as a mom of a newborn, I was always looking for simple, easy to use, easy to clean, non toxic products. And looking at the design of Dr. Roses Nasal Aspirator, it checks off all those boxes. And really it goes to show that we as doctors have such valuable input on something as simple and commonplace as a nasal bulb from our experience in our clinical jobs, and with our clinical and scientific minds, we're really positioned to create the most innovative and valuable solutions, whether that's a medical product, or a new way of delivering healthcare. So please, don't underestimate your medical degree. Don't underestimate your experience, your expertise. And please, don't underestimate your dreams. Dare to dream. Keep on dreaming, and keep on believing. 

Dr. Gray, Host  26:21

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 unlimited 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 will give you that energy to pursue your dream life sooner than you ever imagined. See you next week.

SUMMARY KEYWORDS

incubator, product, dream, companies, physicians, people, life, nasal, rose, feel, charting, years, corporation, newborns, business, founder, idea, pursue, create, reyna