Dr. Wayne Markman - Launching a Revolutionary Treatment for Parkinson

Dr. Wayne Markman is is the co-founder and CEO of SYMBYX Biome, an Australian medical technology company developing light (photobiomodulation) therapies and devices for previously intractable, chronic diseases. One of their first applications, the treatment of Parkinson's disease, has proved to be revolutionary both in its approach and results.

Wayne's story is unusual, because he dropped out of a successful career in investment banking in his mid-forties returned to school in his forties to go back to medical school to pursue his passion in neuroscience. And it was his love for science and research in that area that ultimately led him to found SYMBYX.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

[02:28] – Wayne and I have known each other for 30 years.

[03:58] - At 53, Wayne founded a business in Australia to commercialize laser therapy and medical lasers for Parkinson's disease.

[05:55] - Wayne went back to medical school at 43.

[08:24] - At the end of the day, Wayne's philosophy is you have to answer why you're here.

[09:40] - When you're in an area you love, all these possibilities can start to present themselves.

[11:47] - When somebody tells Wayne to go left, he goes right, just because it's not left.

[13:47] - Just because you are good at something doesn't mean you should do it.

[16:17] - If you are clock-watching, that's a big red flag.

[18:02] - The skill of being the mediator or the person who pulls it all together, that skill ultimately makes a difference between things happening and not happening.

[20:42] - Do what you love because then you will love what you do.

[24:10] - Wayne didn't have a vision of where he wanted to be, but he knew what he'd enjoyed doing.

[26:40] - If you are prepared to invest in anything, you take more out of it than the person who is not.

[29:04] -Wayne learned what not to do, and that's not a good basis for managing or setting your principles and philosophy of management.

[31:57] - Wayne is a massive fan of doing what you're good at and leaving what you're not good at to other people who are good at it.

[35:08] - Wayne gives people clear instructions and then leaves them, and they either swim or sink.

[36:01] - Wayne is deeply influenced by his experiences on competitive teams and lives and dies by the team.

[37:57] - Passion, energy, and obsessive focus on a goal are not enough in the longer term to run a business.

[39:16] - I ask Wayne to give us a non-science explanation of what he is trying to accomplish.

[43:56] - Why has there been no innovation in this medication?

[46:13] - The company has gone around the gatekeepers and directly to the consumer.

[50:18] - Wayne's company has been widely recognized as having a legitimate therapy for Parkinson's.

[51:02] - I ask Wayne if he has a passion or a hobby outside his work. And what impact has it had on his professional life?

[53:07] - Food for the body of food for the soul?

[53:28] - What is a business jargon or cliche that drives you crazy?

[55:32] - Thank you and closing remarks.

Contact Dino at: dino@al4ep.com

Websites

symbyxbiome.com

al4ep.com

Additional Dr Markman Links:

Dr. Markman

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/dr-wayne-markman-83a35720

Twitter: @markman_wayne

SYMBYX Biome

PDCare Laser: symbyxbiome.com/products/symbyx-pdcare-green

SYMBYX Research: symbyxbiome.com/pages/research-centre

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/symbyxbiome/

Instagram: @symbyx

Facebook: : facebook.com/symbyxbiome

Twitter: @SYMBYXbiome

Authentic Leadership For Everyday People / Dino Cattaneo

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Podcast Instagram – @al4edp

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Music

Susan Cattaneo: susancattaneo.bandcamp.com