Join us as we welcome our newest recruit to the epipole team – the multifaceted musical maestro, who also packs a punch, Wedney Saint-Victor!
Interview between our Head of Marketing Robert Turner (RT) and Wedney (April 2024)
RT: Welcome, Wedney – We’re thrilled to have you here!
Wedney: Thanks very much, excited to be here!
RT: OK, so, we’re all set and recording, let’s kick things off! So, first question: How did you first come across epipole?
Wedney: Ah, well, it’s a bit of a journey. I first heard about epipole through a recruiter, who said they knew of a company looking for a technically minded salesperson, and so they had thought of me! They sent me all the details and I have to say, from the moment I heard about the company and the product (RT: the award winning epiCam) I was intrigued! I mean, who wouldn’t be? We then arranged for me to meet with Greg Desderio (RT: Greg is our VP Sales and Business Development, US). And let me tell you, Greg’s got a gift for selling! I was already interested in the device, and the company, but hearing Greg talk about it would have closed me there and then if I was a customer!
RT: You can see why we have him leading the charge in the USA, he’s a great guy!
Wedney: He certainly is! I tell you what really blew me away too: it was meeting Sarah (RT: the incredible CEO of epipole). Straight away I was struck by her clear expertise when talking about the technology itself, and the manufacturing and care behind it all, and then what really sealed the deal for me was her genuine kindness and sincerity – her passion for the company (and the team) was palpable!
Before I knew what was happening, I found myself at the epipole stand at a trade show, giving a live demo of the product and talking to the potential customers alongside the team.
RT: Ha, talk about being thrown into the deep end! Sounds like quite the whirlwind! OK, speaking of the technology itself, what was your initial impression of the epiCam?
Wedney: Oh, it was love at first sight! When the recruiter mentioned that epipole makes a handheld retinal imaging device, I was half-expecting some clunky, unwieldy contraption like I’ve used before – the sort of thing that makes your arm ache after just a few hours of use – but the epiCam was a pleasant surprise. Lightweight, portable, and user-friendly – it was like a breath of fresh air. SO easy to setup and use too – just open the case, and you’re good to go!
RT: Agreed! As the Head of Marketing I’m hardly unbiased, but I absolutely love our product too – I think it’s miles ahead of anything else out there in terms of quality, performance, style and ease of use (RT: I make no apologies for being a fanboy of our product lol)
Wedney: Agreed – it really does stand out compared to what else is out there, and I know we can do great things with it, and help a lot of people too!
RT: Absolutely! And you’ve worked on the front lines, as it were, as a Tech in an optometry practice too if I remember correctly?
Wedney: That’s right – I’ve been lucky enough to experience ‘practice life’ first hand, which I think will be really useful when we’re going out to market – I understand the challenges these people face every day, I know what’s important to them, and I know what will make a positive difference to them and their patients – and honestly I think with the epiCam we have something really special that can do a whole lot of good to a lot of places.
RT: 100% agree! OK, that’s enough of being all grown up and professional, so let’s mix things up a little and get to know the ‘real’ Wedney – Now, the age-old debate: coffee or tea?
Wedney: Tea, without a doubt. Coffee tends to give me the jitters, and I prefer to start my day without feeling like I’ve got a squadron of hummingbirds in my stomach. A nice cup of tea after the gym sets the perfect tone for the day ahead.
RT: Ha, I’m sorry, but a world without coffee seems utterly alien to me (he says, drinking his fourth mug of the morning) but each to their own! OK, next up: If you could have any superhero power, what would it be?
Wedney: Powers of persuasion, hands down. Picture Professor X or Jean Grey ability to help change people’s thinking – I’d use it to lift people out of the mire of negativity and lead them towards brighter paths
RT: Sounds like you would be a world-famous therapist; helping people defeating their internal supervillains/demons with your powers! OK, and if you were any kind of animal, what would it be?
Wedney: A dog, no question. They’ve got life figured out, don’t they? Plus, who wouldn’t want to be treated like royalty every day?
RT: Absolutely! OK, final random one: give me a random fact about yourself that people would be surprised to find out
Wedney: OK, good question! I think I’d say it’s that I am somewhat musically inclined – I can play both the trumpet and the keyboard at least reasonably well.
RT: Oh wow! That is a great random fact! Love it! OK, so, looking ahead now, what are your aspirations for the next six months?
Wedney: Well, aside from conquering the sales world, I’m eager to see how the epiCam continues to evolve. With all the innovation happening, it’s bound to be an exciting ride.
RT: So, apart from your work at epipole, what else keeps you busy?
Wedney: Oh, you know, the usual – hitting the gym, dabbling in real estate, and indulging my passion for boxing. I like to keep things interesting!
RT: I apologies in advance for shamelessly using boxing puns when I publish this!
Wedney: He’s ‘ready to knock out the competition’, something like that?
RT: It’s genius – I love it! OK, so, ringside puns aside, where do you see yourself in about two years?
Wedney: Well, with the incredible talent and dedication I see around me, I can only imagine we’ll be soaring to new heights. I imagine us helping people all across America, and the World, with a range of optometric products like the epiCam – The future’s looking bright, my friend.
RT: I 100% agree! Well, Wedney this has been fun, thanks so much for taking the time to speak with me and help the wider team (and our audience!) learn a little more about you!
Wedney: Thanks for asking me, this has been fun!
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Wedney Saint-Victor joins the epipole team as a Business Development Manager, working under the amazing Greg Desderio in our US team. He can be reached via LinkedIn, or through our company ‘Contact Us’ page.