Steve Duddy went from J&J sales floors to CEO of multiple MedTech companies. He shares the leadership code that took 30 years to write.

In this insightful interview, Steve Duddy shares his extensive experience in the med device industry, leadership, startup growth, and strategic decision-making. Discover practical advice on team building, navigating challenges, and fostering innovation in a competitive landscape.

Guest: Steve Duddy — Founder & CEO, Duddy Executive Services | Former President & CEO, Corinth MedTech | Former CEO, NuvoLase | Director of Global Marketing, Cutera | Johnson & Johnson Ethicon | 3M

Connect with Steve:🔗 LinkedIn🌐 Website

About The Legacy Code:Every leader carries a code — lessons learned the hard way, decisions they wish someone had warned them about, moves that changed everything. The Legacy Code is where those conversations happen. Hosted by Teresa Ge, founder of Succedia Ventures and the Legacy Lounge community in San Francisco.

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Chapters

00:00 Choosing a Career Path in the Medical Industry

00:53 Lessons from COVID-19 and Industry Challenges

02:29 The Crew Team Analogy for Leadership

05:32 Assessing Team Strengths and Weaknesses

05:43 Hiring for Startup Environments

08:43 Setting Goals and Exit Strategies

11:03 Revenue Goals and Funding Strategies

12:26 Avoiding Common Leadership Pitfalls

15:39 Growing Companies in the AI Era

23:44 The Importance of Fast Moves in Business

25:31 Mentorship and Sharing Experience

30:05 Building Community and Knowledge Sharing

What does it actually take to build companies that last in the medical device world?

Steve Duddy has been on every side of that question. He started selling pharmaceuticals in New York City, cut his teeth at Johnson & Johnson's Ethicon division and 3M, and went on to serve as President and CEO of multiple MedTech startups — managing P&Ls exceeding $250M, guiding companies through FDA clearance, global commercialization, M&A, and capital raises. Most recently he led Corinth MedTech in commercializing the Veloxion System — the world's first single-use resectoscope — targeting a $2 billion global market.

Today, through Duddy Executive Services, Steve advises the next generation of MedTech and HealthTech founders and C-suite executives who are scaling fast and need someone who has genuinely been in the room.

In this episode of The Legacy Code, Steve shares the unfiltered leadership lessons that 30 years of wins and near-misses have taught him — including the story of a $28M IP lawsuit that a single decision could have prevented, why the hire that looks perfect on paper will freeze when things get hard, and the one mindset shift that separates leaders who build lasting companies from those who plateau.

This is the conversation happening in the rooms where the real decisions get made.

🎙️ The Legacy Code is hosted by Teresa Ge — founder, investor, and builder of the Legacy Lounge community in San Francisco. Every episode brings in operators, founders, and executives who share the code they carry — so you don't have to figure it out alone.