Business Spotlight with Deepak Arora from Wearable Technologies

Deepak Arora, CEO of Wearable Technologies (Wear-Tech), joins Coach Kory Dogs to discuss his remarkable journey and the innovative work of his startup. Deepak, an ex-IBM executive with a rich background in health IT and AI software, started Wear-Tech after a personal tragedy that profoundly influenced his life. The company focuses on enhancing caregiver support through real-time monitoring and insights for at-risk populations, particularly seniors. Deepak shares his transition from a successful career at IBM to launching Wear-Tech, driven by a mission to make a significant impact and prevent tragedies like the one his family endured.

In their conversation, Deepak also sheds light on his leadership style, which emphasizes emotional intelligence and servant leadership. He discusses the challenges and growth areas for Wear-Tech, highlighting the importance of building a strong team and effective delegation. Looking ahead, Deepak aims to expand Wear-Tech’s offerings and improve leadership skills. For those interested in learning more about Wear-Tech and its technology, Deepak invites them to visit their website or follow them on social media

Podcast Transcript

Kory Dogs: Hello, everyone. This is Coach Kory Dogs from ActionCOACH, and I’m excited to have Deepak Arora, CEO of the award-winning startup Wearable Technologies, Wear-Tech, with us today. Deepak is an ex-IBMer with 25 years of experience in health IT, AI software, and medical devices. He has led global-scale health offerings and has a deep understanding of implementing various software delivery models. 

With extensive knowledge of highly regulated industries, particularly those governed by FDA regulations, Deepak even holds a patent for an AI-enabled safety wearable device. He also has an MBA in healthcare leadership and a background in electronics and computer engineering. Wear-Tech is transforming caregiver support by providing real-time monitoring, insights, and tools to reduce preventable accidents and healthcare costs for at-risk populations. 

On a personal note, Deepak is a professional ping-pong player and loves cooking various cuisines. He enjoys watching sci-fi movies and listening to catchy Bollywood songs in his downtime. He’s also deeply proud of being called to a purpose, creating something unique and impactful in memory of his beloved daughter. So, with that, it’s my pleasure to welcome Deepak to the show today. Hello, Deepak!

Deepak Arora: Thanks a lot, Kory, for the introduction. I’m really happy to be on the show and share my experiences so far on this journey.

Kory: Okay, first question for you—tell us a little more about your personal story, your journey, where you were born, where you grew up, your family, that sort of thing.

Deepak: Sure. I was born and raised in New Delhi, India. I completed my education there, including my engineering degree. I started my career with a couple of companies before working with HCL Technologies and was eventually posted in Canada, near where Research In Motion was based. My first major project was with NCR Corporation, where I worked on check sorting machines and ATMs, handling the software backend. After a few years, I moved into the oil bitumen extraction sector in Canada, focusing on improving extraction performance, which could save companies millions of dollars. 

I also gained entrepreneurial experience by working with smaller companies before joining Merge Healthcare in Canada, which was later acquired by IBM. When IBM Watson Health acquired us, they moved us to the U.S., and I’ve been living in Wisconsin for the past nine years. I live in Hartland, Wisconsin, with my family. We’re blessed with two daughters; unfortunately, we lost our third child. My younger daughter is two and a half, and my older daughter is about to start her sophomore year. And yes, as you mentioned, I’m a professional ping-pong player and a sci-fi movie enthusiast.

Kory: Thanks for sharing that insight into your personal life. You’ve been in Milwaukee for nine years. When did you start Wear-Tech?

Deepak: After moving to Milwaukee, I was part of IBM’s team, working to integrate our software with IBM’s Watson Health. About four years ago, a personal tragedy struck our family—we lost our toddler daughter in a drowning incident near our home. That tragedy changed my perspective on life and became the impetus for starting Wear-Tech. About two years ago, after filing patents and raising initial funding, I left IBM to focus on Wear-Tech full-time. I even went back to school at the University of Milwaukee to get my MBA in healthcare leadership, which helped me enhance my business skills. Now, Wear-Tech is about to complete its second year.

Kory: That’s amazing, Deepak. I’m looking forward to learning more about your technology. But before we dive into that, let’s talk about leadership. What would you say is your leadership style?

Deepak: Through my journey at IBM and my time in MBA school, I’ve been exposed to various leadership styles. What resonates with me the most is emotional intelligence and servant leadership. I believe in transparency and supporting my team, which has allowed me to build strong, lasting relationships. Many of my team members from 20 years ago still want to work with me. I’ve seen that this leadership style creates a loyal and committed team, which is crucial, especially in a fast-paced environment like Wear-Tech.

Kory: Tell us more about Wear-Tech—who’s your target market, and how does it work?

Deepak: Wear-Tech started from a personal story, but as part of my MBA program, I participated in a market discovery process called I-Corps, led by the National Science Foundation. Initially, I thought our target market would be children under the age of five, but our research led us to pivot to the senior living market. The aging population is growing, and they face significant challenges, from cognitive decline to various health issues. Our technology can make a more substantial impact in this demographic. 

We’ve partnered with the state of Wisconsin, and Wear-Tech is now a preferred vendor in their Free Fall Wisconsin program, dementia care program, and Alzheimer’s research. We’re also looking to partner up with local senior living facilities, and we are seeing great results.

Kory: Would this technology also be applicable for someone living alone in their own home?

Deepak: Absolutely. Many older adults living independently use our technology for safety monitoring. Their children, who might live far away, find peace of mind knowing their parents are safe. While our primary market is institutions, individuals at home also benefit from our solutions.

Kory: It’s incredible how you’re using technology to help people. When did you realize you had the confidence to start this journey on your own?

Deepak: Honestly, the first five or six months after our personal tragedy were incredibly difficult. But the turning point came when I realized the broader impact this technology could have. With my background, and after gaining additional skills through my MBA, I felt equipped to lead this effort. The passion and motivation to prevent others from experiencing similar tragedies have been my driving force. Once I knew I had the skills and the right team, I felt confident in pursuing this journey.

Kory: Looking back on your career, is there anything you would do differently if you could start over?

Deepak: One thing I would have done differently is pursuing my master’s degree or higher education earlier, rather than waiting 20 years to go back to school.

Kory: Was it hard to return to school?

Deepak: It was much harder than I expected. It was fast-paced, and I was still working at IBM. I wasn’t just juggling a startup, but also education, and that same year, we were blessed with our daughter.

Kory: Wow, you must have hardly slept.

Deepak: Yeah, I had my daughter in one hand, a book in the other, and a startup in my mind. That’s probably the one thing I would have done differently—complete my education earlier.

Kory: But there’s a lesson there, right? You can always learn more, maybe you’re not ready today, but you will be tomorrow.

Deepak: Exactly. There’s always that balance. I still think it was the right decision at the time.

Kory: People have all kinds of beliefs and myths about company owners and presidents. You’re the founder and owner of Wear-Tech, doing amazing things with a huge impact. Are there any myths you want to debunk about what life is like as a business owner?

Deepak: One myth is that CEOs get all the help in the world and just look at reports all day while directing the company. The reality is, as a founder, you’re more hands-on than people realize. The luxury isn’t for you; it’s for the people you serve. You’re still building trust, transparency, and honesty within the team. The myth is that once you build a team, they handle everything, but in reality, you’re deeply involved in the day-to-day.

Kory: Great insight. Speaking of insights, with 25 years of experience, what advice would you share from your journey?

Deepak: Throughout my career, from intern to leadership, I’ve learned that if you’re working on something, you need to give it 110%. Either do it fully or don’t do it at all. Your heart, mind, and body must all be in sync if you want to see results. I’ve seen failures when my focus wasn’t fully aligned.

Kory: That’s not a recipe for long-term success. Like anything in life, the more you put in, the more you get out.

Deepak: Exactly. There’s a quote from the CEO of Alibaba that resonates with me. I can’t recall the exact words, but the theme is if you don’t have conviction, don’t start anything. If you have conviction, stay committed.

Kory: Great advice. Is there something new you want to learn, either professionally or personally?

Deepak: Personally, I’d like to get a bike—a sports bike to ride around in the summer. My wife isn’t keen on it, but it’s something I’m interested in.

Kory: And professionally?

Deepak: Professionally, I want to build on the foundation we’ve established. I focus on improving my leadership skills, especially in servant leadership. There have been instances where I’ve fallen short, so I aim to fine-tune my leadership approach to better adapt to different situations.

Kory: You’re a couple of years into your startup. Looking ahead to the next one to three years, what’s your number one area of growth?

Deepak: Our primary growth area is building the pipeline for our software offerings. Our hardware, like the wearables we’re already marketing, is just the entry point. The real growth will come from the backend stack we’re developing, which will provide valuable insights from the data we’re collecting. We hope to offer data-driven insights not just to organizations, but eventually to state and federal levels as well.

Kory: And what do you see as your biggest challenge?

Deepak: Aside from funding, we don’t have any major challenges. The technology is still new, so there have been some hiccups, but we’re where we wanted to be, maybe a bit delayed due to market conditions.

Kory: It takes time.

Deepak: Yes, it does, especially as a startup.

Kory: Before we wrap up, I’ve asked for advice several times, but many business owners think they have to do everything themselves, even with a team. What advice do you have for those trying to do it all on their own?

Deepak: It’s like wearing multiple hats. A good book I read during my MBA was It’s Your Ship. It’s about being both the captain and the janitor—you have to do the cleanup and steer the ship. Initially, doing it all yourself is fine, but as your team grows, it’s crucial to delegate. Delegation is key—know what tasks to delegate and who can handle them. It allows you to think more strategically instead of getting bogged down in details.

Kory: Thank you for that. Now, it’s time to give some shout-outs. Are there any mentors or people who have helped you along the way?

Deepak: Several people come to mind. One of the biggest influences was during my transition from Canada to the U.S. while I was with a Canadian company. Mike Dedrick, the CEO at the time (and I believe he still is), really helped me understand a different structure of leadership. He encouraged me to try new things, even if I failed, which motivated me to keep going. Another mentor was Rebecca, my last manager at IBM. She passed away shortly after I left, but she taught me a lot about team building and delegation. Her guidance has stuck with me.

Kory: How can someone learn more about Wear-Tech and your technology?

Deepak: We’re active on social media—LinkedIn is our primary platform, but we’re also on Facebook and Instagram. Our website, wear-tech.com, is open for beta signups, and we’re aiming to launch by the end of the year. We also have mahi.ai, named after my daughter, which is our AI engine that learns from your daily routine, similar to Siri or Alexa.

Kory: And that’s M-A-H-I?

Deepak: Yes, Mahi, like the fish. Mahi.ai or wear-tech.com—people can reach out and sign up through either site.

Kory: I know you’re into sci-fi movies, and before we started, we talked about your logo. Is that a nod to Iron Man?

Deepak: Sort of. The idea is to have it on the heart area of a shirt, like your mojo—it makes you feel protected.

Kory: That’s all for today. Thanks for sharing about Wear-Tech, and we’ll get this published and shared.

Deepak: Thanks for the opportunity, Kory. It’s great talking to a local business looking to make a mark.

Kory: Okay, thanks. Have a good day.

Deepak: Thanks, Kory. You too.