In this episode of the Badass Leaders Podcast, Angela Gill Nelms sits down with Sam Smith, Co-Founder and CEO of Amissa Health, to unpack the massive gaps in women’s healthcare, the business opportunity behind menopause care, and the reality of building a startup in an industry most people still feel uncomfortable talking about.

Angela and Sam dive deep into the emotional reality of entrepreneurship, startup failure, fundraising as a female founder, healthcare innovation, AI in medicine, the hidden burden women carry in leadership, and why the future of healthcare depends on better data, better workflows, and better listening.

They also explore the business case for women’s health, why symptom tracking matters, how healthcare systems are failing both patients and clinicians, and what founders need to understand about resilience, timing, and learning through failure.

Learn More About Sam Smith:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amissa_inc/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samantha-c-smith52415/
• Website: www.amissa.com

Mentioned in this Episode:

• Seed the South: https://www.seedthesouth.com/
• Techstars AI Health Baltimore
• NIH (National Institutes of Health)
• Epic Systems
• Oura Ring
• Menopause Society certification (formerly NAMS)
• Women’s Health Access Matters (WHAM)

The discussion also tackles questions…

• Why is women’s health historically underfunded and overlooked?
• What are the most common symptoms of perimenopause and menopause?
• How can wearable data improve menopause care?
• Why do so many women struggle to get diagnosed during menopause?
• How does symptom tracking help doctors make better decisions?
• Why are healthcare startups so difficult to build?
• What do investors look for in healthcare startups?
• What is it really like to raise money as a female founder?
• How can AI and wearable technology improve healthcare outcomes?
• Why do so many startups fail even when the idea is strong?
• What lessons do entrepreneurs learn from failure?
• How do healthcare systems handle menopause care today?
• Why are women leaving the workforce during menopause?
• What makes a good founder or startup leader?
• How can founders protect their mental health during high-growth periods?
• Why is timing so important in startups and innovation?
• What role does data play in improving patient care?
• How can clinicians better support women navigating menopause?

Themes:

• Entrepreneurship & startup resilience
• Women’s health innovation
• Menopause & perimenopause care
• Healthcare technology & AI
• Wearable data & symptom tracking
• Startup failure & rebuilding
• Female founders & fundraising
• Leadership under pressure
• Healthcare system inefficiencies
• Founder mental health
• Product-market timing
• Data-driven healthcare
• Healthcare workflow innovation
• Building mission-driven companies
• The business opportunity in women’s health
• Leadership, motherhood, and ambition
• Healthcare accessibility & patient advocacy

Production

Produced by: The AGN Group

Host: Angela Gill Nelms

Producer: Katie Hart

Tagline: Be Brave. Be Badass.

Websites: www.theagngroup.com and www.AngelaGillNelms.com

About The AGN Group:

At The AGN Group, we believe every individual, team, and company can unlock their inner badass, one brave step at a time. www.TheAGNGroup.com.

Social Media Channels:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/badassleaderspodcast/

Twitter: https://x.com/BALeadersPod

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@baleaderspod

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/badass-leaders-podcast2

Want to be a Podcast Guest?

If you are interested in being a guest on the podcast, read more here: https://www.angelagillnelms.com/be-our-guest/