Meet Dana Lewis

Today we’d like to introduce you to Dana Lewis.

Dana, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I never saw my self in sales… My undergraduate degree is in business with a minor in French and emphasis in Accounting, so I thought I might find a career in International Business. After undergrad, I did what many graduates do and aspired to wait tables in Vail, CO. I met my future husband there and we ended up in Phoenix, AZ when we decided it was time to grow up and get “real jobs”. I had a job as a Business Coordinator for a Phoenix based company and was bored out of my mind.

Through a casual conversation with someone at one of my husband’s work events, I mentioned regretting never having gone to medical school and he asked me if I had ever thought of medical sales? Little did I know that twenty years later, I would buy his company from him. The course of my career would involve a few large companies, including Smiths Medical and Stryker, but I found the perfect fit in Independent Representation Contracting where we get to choose what companies we represent. This freedom allows us to select products and technologies that are truly unique and offer advantages that impact clinical practice and patient outcomes.

The extreme irony is that some of our portfolios focus on Neonatal products/technologies for premature babies. In 2003, we had our first son Carter two months early at 32-weeks. He spent three weeks in the NICU and we are very fortunate that he is a healthy, intelligent, incredible 16-year old. We then had another son Blake 4 weeks early; he too is athletic, talented and full of spirit.

Because of experience with premature birth, we have become long-time supporters for the March of Dimes. Over the 15 years that we’ve been fundraising for the Arizona March of Dimes Chapter, we have raised over $5oK. We hold events including bake sales, raffles, parties and a progressive home-show in our neighborhood. I also have been selling “Wine Snob” items, such as shirts, hats, journals, frames and glasses, for about 12 years with the proceeds going to our March of Dimes fundraising efforts. Our family served as the March of Dimes Ambassador Family for Arizona this 2019 fundraising year.

I never saw myself in sales…I guess sometimes the life we are given is meant to tie our efforts with our experiences so we can truly have a meaningful impact on the things that are dear to us.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
From a business standpoint, there have been some typical challenges. Hiring the right individuals for the team who can excel at both sales and clinical knowledge can be difficult. We also have to ensure we partner with the right manufacturers that maintain high quality products & technologies along with excellent customer support to ensure we can take good care of our hospitals.

I believe with obstacles and challenges in general, whether it be personal or professional, it’s critical to try and focus on the aspects that you can control or impact; don’t waste energy on things that are out of your control.

We’d love to hear more about your business.
Through Performance Medical, I have four sales professionals and myself who represent ten medical manufacturers; we work with hospitals in up to nine western states for these companies. It is extremely rewarding to be involved in positively impacting patient care, whether it be through developing new protocols for infant respiration with Neonatologists or assisting with the design and installation of a patient headwall.

What were you like growing up?
Growing up, I always kept very busy. In my younger years, I was involved in many clubs and activities. Then in college, I continued with clubs and philanthropies plus worked up to three jobs at a time. Adulthood has been no different! As a wife and the mother of two teenage boys, we love to travel and stay active. For my creative outlet, I spend some of my time on my Wine Snob business with all of the proceeds going towards our March of Dimes fundraising efforts. And, of course, Performance Medical keeps me occupied professionally.

Pricing:

• Wine Snob Shirts $25
• Set of 4 Wine Snob Go Vino Glasses $25

Contact Info:

• Email: DANA@PERFORMMED1.COM

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