Ep: 33 From the Mines to MedTech CEO

Ep: 33 From the Mines to MedTech CEO

* Andrew Mullen’s story is built on work ethic, curiosity, and a mindset that refuses to stay still. Growing up in a coal mining community, value was simple: you worked hard or you didn’t matter. That environment shaped his early drive, but not his destination. From the mines to the Royal Navy, and eventually into MedTech, his path wasn’t planned, it was taken one opportunity at a time.  The defining moment came later. Standing in a chaotic radiotherapy department, surrounded by patients waiting for life-changing treatment, he realised something fundamental: Fixing the machine wasn’t enough. That moment shifted everything. From being a technically strong engineer, to someone focused on improving systems, scaling impact, and ultimately helping more people.  From there, Andrew deliberately pushed himself beyond his comfort zone, learning the commercial, operational, and leadership sides of the industry. Along the way, imposter syndrome was constant, but so was the decision to keep showing up anyway. Now, as a multi-time CEO, his edge isn’t just technical knowledge, it’s perspective. Staying calm, seeing the bigger picture, and understanding how all the pieces fit together. The core message is simple: Your background shapes you, but it doesn’t define you. What matters is how you respond, how you learn, and whether you’re willing to step into things before you feel ready.

Episode 32: Taking ownership, with Paul Fletcher-Dyer

Paul Fletcher-Dyer didn’t plan a career in medtech, he found it by following what felt natural. From early lab work to global QA/RA leadership, his path has been shaped by one defining lesson. Early in his career, Paul experienced a moment where he did everything right, but still carried the blame for a failed outcome. It knocked his confidence for over a year and forced him to rethink how he works. That experience now underpins everything he does. He leads with ownership, open conversations, and a clear belief that bottling things up is where problems start.  Today, operating in the fast-moving world of AI in healthcare, Paul sees the same theme playing out at scale: rapid innovation, slow regulation, and the need for people who can take responsibility in the grey areas. This episode is about resilience, accountability, and saying things out loud before they build up.

Episode 31: Navigating self-doubt and earning your place – Andrew Rogers

In this episode of Beyond the Device, Andrew Rogers shares a career shaped less by certainty and more by resilience.   From struggling at school and “winging it” into his first role, to building a 30+ year career in QA/RA, Andrew opens up about a constant undercurrent of imposter syndrome and self-doubt. Despite this, it’s that very mindset that’s driven him to work harder and consistently deliver. This episode covers: * Non-linear career paths and finding your way without a clear plan * Turning self-doubt into a driver rather than a blocker * The importance of environment, support, and perspective A grounded reminder that you don’t need complete confidence to build a successful career, just the willingness to keep going and do your best. “Don’t limit yourself to what you think in your head… you can do more than that.”

Episode 30: If you can't avoid it, enjoy it. – Lucy Jung

Lucy Jung’s story is one of reflection, resilience, and purpose.   Growing up across South Korea and China, she was exposed early to different cultures, ways of thinking, and a core principle that would stay with her, focus on value, not just outcomes.   Creativity led her into design engineering, and eventually into medtech, where she saw an opportunity to combine problem-solving with real human impact.   But the defining shift came in her early twenties.   After being diagnosed with a brain tumour and facing major surgery, Lucy experienced life from the other side, not as a designer or researcher, but as a patient.   That moment forced reflection. On what actually matters. On how fragile things can be. And on the gap between research and real-world impact, where even a 1% improvement in daily life can mean everything.   It also built resilience.   Through uncertainty, recovery, and ongoing health challenges, Lucy developed a mindset grounded in perspective, focusing on what can be controlled, finding moments of lightness even in difficult situations, captured in a simple idea she still lives by: “If you cant' avoid it, enjoy it.”   And from that came clarity of purpose.   What began as a university project in Parkinson’s became something much bigger, a commitment to take meaningful ideas out of academia and into people’s lives. Not just chasing breakthrough innovation, but improving the day-to-day reality for those living with long-term conditions.   In this episode, we explore: * How reflection helps you stay aligned with what actually matters * Why resilience is built through perspective, not just endurance * How becoming a patient reshaped Lucy’s direction entirely * The responsibility of building in healthcare, and why value must come first * And how small, human-centred improvements can have life-changing impact   A conversation that challenges you to slow down, reflect, and build something that genuinely matters.

Episode 29: The Courage to Start Again, with Kiran Kang

Kiran’s journey into regulatory leadership isn’t a straight line. It’s shaped by curiosity, resilience, and one particularly defining period where everything slowed down.She didn’t grow up around science or the industry. Her interest came from wanting to understand how things work, from the human body to the medicines her grandmother relied on. That curiosity led her into biomedical science, then into lab-based roles, and eventually into positions where she began to overlap with quality and problem solving.But the moment that really changed things came years later.During COVID, Kiran stepped away from her career to raise her two young children. At the same time, she was dealing with depression and a genuine loss of identity. Work had been a big part of how she saw herself, and without it, she had to confront that shift head on.What stands out is how openly she talks about that period. The counselling, the self-reflection, and the ongoing effort to understand herself better. Not as a one-off fix, but as something she continues to invest in. It’s an honest reminder that these moments aren’t always visible from the outside, but they shape how people show up afterwards.Instead of rushing back, she used that time to rebuild. She studied, developed her understanding of quality, and slowly put the foundations in place for what came next.Then an opportunity came through someone she had worked with before. A startup role in Quality & Regulatory. A clear step up, and one that came with uncertainty.She took it anyway.That decision became the inflection point. It accelerated her learning, gave her the space to grow, and ultimately set the direction for her career.Today, she’s operating at a senior level, drawn to environments where she can have real impact, whether that’s building in startups, improving patient pathways, or contributing to how regulation evolves.Looking back, it’s not just the career moves that matter. It’s the willingness to face difficult periods honestly, and then still choose to move forward.If you’re going through a period where things feel uncertain, whether that’s in your career or personally, you’re not the only one. And if you’re waiting until everything feels clear before making your next move, that moment might not come.Sometimes the next step comes while you’re still figuring things out.