Welcoming Maven’s new SVP of Product, Jason Lee

Maven is building more than just a product—we’re rewriting an entire care model. The U.S. has the highest cost of care to start a family and the worst maternal health outcomes in the developed world. This landscape is a stark reminder that families need more support and that our current standard of care —which hasn’t been updated in nearly 100 years—is ripe for innovation. 

At Maven, we are solving big problems and that requires big leadership. When it came time to search for a Product leader earlier this year, we knew we needed someone with a strong product vision that would match our bold mission. We also wanted someone who has been in the trenches and navigated high-growth environments, with a proven track record of growing and nurturing successful teams. Today, we are thrilled to announce that we have found all of these qualities and more in Jason Lee, our new SVP of Product. Get to know him below.

1) Jason, welcome to the team! What excites you most about joining Maven?

Jason: There are very few companies that have a massive, meaningful mission, users who are raving fans of  their product (a client Net Promoter Score of 91 is tremendous), and a business that can actually bring that mission to life. I see Maven as being one of these rare companies. I’m excited by the foundations that the team has built across the business and product that will enable us to accomplish our world-changing mission and deliver the clinical and financial outcomes families, providers, plans and employers all want to see.

I’m also excited about the opportunity to work alongside the smart and passionate team members that make up Maven’s Product team. They have accomplished so much as a small but mighty crew over the last year — launching three entirely new products, developing new tools and services to meet the needs of women and families during the pandemic, all while adjusting to working virtually. I’m very grateful to have the opportunity to share this journey with them. 

2) You’ve spent the most recent chapter of your career leading product teams at healthcare startups. What are some of the principles of great healthcare products from your perspective?

Jason: Product in healthcare is as much about creating great product experiences as it is about enabling the people who provide patient care — the providers—to do their best work and operate at the top of their licenses. People are important in every business but patients build particularly meaningful experiences with their care providers on their health journey. I recently read one of our member stories and this quote struck me: “She never made me feel like I was nothing. She always boosted my confidence, and made me feel good about myself and my pregnancy. That woman saved me.” 

Trust is key to building successful products in healthcare. Great healthcare product teams are maniacal about the quality of experience, down to eliminating what seems like trivial bugs to ensure the best possible patient experience. Patients often seek care when they’re most vulnerable; ensuring they are consistently able to get what they need in these moments is a must.

3) You’ve also led teams and scaled products through periods of high growth. What are some of the most important lessons you’ve learned?

Jason: The most important lesson I’ve learned is to do fewer things, better. High growth at startups often results in teams growing reactively and at different paces. It's very typical for the business,  people,  and processes to scale ahead of product and technology. When this happens, there’s a natural tendency for product teams to get stuck in a vicious cycle of band-aiding across a broad surface area as business priorities balloon. 

As tempting as it is to provide support through quick fixes, every band-aid comes with not only the time to deploy the fix, but the cost of training teams on workarounds, maintenance when the band-aid inevitably breaks, and potential risks to patient experience.  

While the goal will be to provide product coverage across all business needs, building the team and systems to do this takes time. Until then, managing expectations and staying consistently aligned on where the Product team will invest and where the team will not is important to building a product that drives changes and a team that feels engaged, focused and not pulled in too many different directions

4) What kind of team do you want to build at Maven? 

Jason: I am excited to build a product organization that helps connect patient experience with the business, enabling us to drive the health outcomes we know are so important at scale.

In particular, I want to create safe spaces for deep dialogue across organizations. Health-tech brings together experts from different cultures and experiences with the healthcare system that are united by the goal of making an impact on patient lives. Developing a healthy respect for each others’ expertise while also being open to challenge is what drives innovation. 

5) Our mission at Maven is to change the health of the world—one woman, one family at a time. What does this mission mean to you?

Jason: It is important for me to work on products that I feel make an impact, and there are few things that could be more impactful than working in healthcare. With women making 80% of healthcare decisions, building a product that supports women through one of their most critical— and vulnerable—journeys is a privilege and one that truly excites me. And as the primary healthcare decision maker in households, the trust we build with women through these moments will have a lasting impact that extends beyond their personal journeys to their families. Maven is truly a unique opportunity to deliver a product that makes an impact across life stages and generations!

Maven is hiring! Check out our open roles on the Product team and company-wide by visiting https://www.mavenclinic.com/careers