CMEPP’s new Relationship Executive for Western Canada started his career as a nurse. That clinical experience has informed Sean’s perspective on the healthcare challenges he’s seen in subsequent sales and marketing positions.
Sean was attracted to CMEPP’s value proposition of assisting hospitals in an area where they’re challenged to dedicate extra time and resources.
What were you doing before you joined CMEPP?
I trained as a nurse and worked as a nurse for about four or five years. Then I transitioned into medical sales and worked for various companies in sales and marketing. I always go back to the fact that I started my career as a clinician. This gives me a deep understanding of not only the challenges in healthcare, but some of the ways to uncover solutions within the system. That’s really been my motivation for staying within healthcare and building up a repertoire of skills so I can give back.
What motivated you to go into sales?
I grew up in a sales and entrepreneurial household. My father was a financial planner, my grandfather was a regional, VP for a fastener company and my sister owns a financial planning business. In my first sales job, I worked for KCI Medical – they were looking for clinicians who could educate nurses on the application of their therapies. So, my initial foray into medical sales was clinically-based and that’s what got me into the field.
Based on your experience in healthcare, what attracted you to CMEPP?
The not-for-profit element of CMEPP really spoke to me, and the fact that we’ve got a value proposition that says we assist hospitals in an area where they’re challenged to dedicate extra time and resources. It’s gratifying to know we’re focused on keeping their equipment in good running order and giving money back they can then reinvest in in different areas, whether it be new technologies or more staff. Being able to put new capital in place that can increase their throughput or capacity – that has real value.
You started out your life in Ontario and then ended up living out West. How did that come about?
The year after I graduated with my nursing diploma, nurses in Ontario were moving to being degree trained. I wanted to make sure I was competitive so took advantage of an opportunity to do a post-diploma degree program at University College of the Caribou in Kamloops, BC. That’s when I got my first taste of Western Canada – skiing and mountain biking and outdoor activity. I did return to Ontario for a number of years but made the decision to come back out here and have put down roots in the West.
What are you looking forward to in your CMEPP job?
I think the most interesting thing for me is going to be expanding my knowledge of the different healthcare delivery systems in the different regions. I’ve worked as a Clinician In both Ontario and British Columbia and held regional and national positions in healthcare sales and marketing. One of the amazing things about Canada is how each province is unique in the delivery of healthcare. I look forward to meeting different healthcare clients and understanding what their challenges are.
What do you like doing when you’re not working?
Well, I’ve got five kids and they keep me busy. They’re involved in sports, music, and different activities.. We all like to ski together and in the summer we go surfing. We have a cabin up the Sunshine Coast on a little island called Savary. It’s a bit of a trip to get there but there’s whale watching, fishing, and it’s got some of the warmest water in Canada in the summer.
