The Project

smallTalk® is an award-winning technology startup focused on brain development through early language exposure.

The Background:

smallTalk was created to develop both medical and consumer products for infants, focused on early language development. Acquiring language is one of the major accomplishments of early childhood, playing a critical role in social and cognitive development. I joined the team as the third employee. The original plan was for my work to focus on a consumer hardware device, paired with an online learning community for parents seeking to expose their babies to a foreign language. In the past year, we have pivoted to solely focus on our medical device, targeted at helping infants overcome language deficiencies in the NICU environment.

My Role:

Currently acting as the Director of Product & Brand Strategy, I handle everything from user research, marketing, customer experience, and overall brand experience. Since our pivot, I have shifted away from a community focus and more toward customer experience. I am currently developing onboarding materials, mobile app experience, and customer success process for hospital care teams and parents interacting with the product.

Decisions:

In my five years at smallTalk, I have had to make decisions and adapt quickly. Going through a pivot has meant learning many new skills. For instance, I have had to delve into the world of HIPAA regulations and work within hospital departments and their processes. One recent decision I have spearheaded is to offer a starter package of the product directly via the website, in addition to the enterprise contract model we began offering at initial launch. I have become comfortable at managing projects through ambiguity and making adjustments as necessary.

Outcomes:

smallTalk has just launched sales of the initial product in the NICU space. I have conducted successful user testing and a product roadmap to get the product ready for the initial launch. I am now actively assisting in onboarding the first customers and gathering feedback to inform future product decisions.