As part of our ‘Female Leaders: Inspiring Together’ series, we interviewed Mary-Pierre Waiss – Founder & Board Member at Precision Image Analysis – about what inspired her to start a career in medical devices and why she feels it can be challenging for female entrepreneurs to get investment.

 

Thank you for taking part in this campaign. To start with, please can you tell us a bit about your current position and the company you work for?

I am the founder and board member of a company called Precision Image Analysis, which often goes by the abbreviation PIA. We have created a solution to help radiologists and cardiologists with the analysis of their MRI and CT images. We’re using a cloud-based solution to create economic benefits and improve standardization.

 

What inspired you to initially start a career in medical devices or the medical industry?

Early in my career, I had the good fortune to spend time with some of the pioneers in diagnostic ultrasound. I live in the Seattle area and there was quite a bit of research being done at the University of Washington in diagnostic ultrasound and some very important technology came out of the university that became the foundation for the field of ultrasound. I think watching that and seeing how that happened inspired me to want to do the same and to find new ways to use technology to help improve health care through innovation.

 

What barriers, if any, have you encountered during your career growth and success as a female leader?

So I have a personal bias on this. I don’t care for the concept of ‘barriers’ for female leaders specifically. I think all leaders encounter barriers of different kinds and there are different barriers that we encounter throughout our careers. Everyone has some form of barriers and it’s how we deal with them that differentiates us as individuals.

 

How do you manage your work-life balance in general?

“I have always made my family and my friends a priority. I think it’s just a matter for me to conscientiously carve out time for my family and do everything I can to avoid business interfering with the time that I’ve blocked out.”

I have always made my family and my friends a priority. I think it’s just a matter for me to conscientiously carve out time for my family and do everything I can to avoid business interfering with the time that I’ve blocked out.

 

What would you say is an accomplishment that you’re most proud of?

I would say my greatest accomplishment overall is not professional, but personal: my children. They have grown into caring fine adults and I’m very proud of them. Specifically looking at professional accomplishments though, I think the one I am most proud of is remaining true to my core beliefs throughout my career.

 

Do you ever suffer from self-doubt, and if so, how do you tend to manage that?

Yes, I have experienced self-doubt. I think everyone experiences self-doubt at some time in their career and I think it’s a good thing because we’re not right all the time. If you are experiencing some self-doubt, it may be a good time to be reflective. When I experience self-doubt, I try to make it productive and I take a walk, be reflective and talk with people whose counsel I reflect.

 

What are the main challenges for women in your industry?

“As entrepreneurs, we are often dependent on investors – whether it’s VCs or angel investors – for funds to start companies, and I think most of those cheque writers still tend to be men… I think it’s difficult in many cases for male cheque writers to see themselves and what they know in startups that are led by women.”

It is hard to define what my industry is. I’ve been in health care, but I’m also an innovator and I use technology to innovate in health care. It is hard to decide if I work in technology, health care or innovation. I think it’s a combination of all three and I think the challenges are different in each of those industries. I think in health care many of the challenges for women have been overcome, including the perceptions of women in health care, and the barriers for women going to medical school have essentially been removed. But in technology and innovation, while I don’t like to use the word barriers, I think there are challenges that women face. As entrepreneurs, we are often dependent on investors – whether it’s VCs or angel investors – for funds to start companies, and I think most of those cheque writers still tend to be men. As an investor myself, I think I can understand this because I tend to invest in those companies that I both understand and can relate to. I think it’s difficult in many cases for male cheque writers to see themselves and what they know in startups that are led by women. The challenge is to give those cheque writers the opportunity to see the characteristics for success in the startups that these women are running and make them see that it’s not gender-based, it’s talent. They need to see beyond gender and find other characteristics that are relatable and that they’ve identified as success factors in their own past and careers.

 

What’s the best advice you have received?

You know, I’ve had so much good advice, I’ve been really fortunate to have had many mentors, but I think the one that resonates the most is to be kind. Kindness is not weakness and I think that’s something that we all need to think. One can be strong and kind.

 

What women have inspired you the most in your career?

The risk takers inspire me and that is both women and men. The individuals who are willing to break through societies, their boundaries and preconceptions to achieve their goals.

 

What do you think we should do to encourage more women into the industry?

One way is by setting an example and showing young women that it is possible for them to break through those barriers, raise funds and start companies. Technology doesn’t have to be scary. I think one of the things I’m trying to do at this stage in my career is find ways to encourage young women early on in life. I am trying to engage women in STEM programs and show that math and science are for everyone. I think it starts early and providing those opportunities and encouragement is important and so is setting an example.

 

Our ‘Female Leaders: Inspiring Together’ series is running throughout March with the aim of inspiring and supporting women to become future leaders in their respective industries. Follow us on LinkedIn to join the conversation and hear the insightful stories of our featured female leaders.