Mike Wesolowski, PhD has more than a decade of experience leading highly performing teams in science, innovation, and technology development. He is an entrepreneur, multidisciplinary researcher, and a passionate advocate of the concept of using “tech for good.”
Mike is the co-founder and CEO of Luxsonic Technologies where he leads a growing team of healthcare experts, medical professionals, and software developers that share a common mission: to improve global access to healthcare through immersive technology. Luxsonic empowers the healthcare industry by providing immersive tools that improve medical education, hands-on training, and virtual healthcare delivery. In 2020, Luxsonic was named one of the Top 20 most innovative early-stage companies in Canada by the Canadian Innovation Exchange.
In addition to leading Luxsonic, Mike is a multidisciplinary scientist and enthusiastic mentor. He received his doctorate in Physics from the University of Waterloo and holds an Adjunct Professorship in Medical Imaging at the University of Saskatchewan. He has co-authored more than 35 academic publications in fields ranging from astrophysics to radiology. His current research focuses on the development, evaluation, and integration of innovative technologies in medical imaging.
What are the most important qualities for a successful leader?
“There are three qualities that I think are extremely important for successful leaders; strategic thinking, service, and sacrifice. A large part of my job as CEO is to set the strategy and direction Luxsonic, in consultation with my team. Successful leaders have to be able take in data from multiple sources, process that data, and then think strategically about their company. The tricky part is to then put that strategy into action!
The success of your company depends on the success of your team and their ability to implement the strategy you’ve developed. I think it’s critical that leaders recognize that a large part of their role is to serve the needs of the team, empowering them to succeed. I’m a big believer in leading by example. If you expect your team to make sacrifices for the good of the business, then you had better be the first person in line to make those sacrifices.”
What one thing makes you most proud?
“I’m extremely proud of the team at Luxsonic. We’ve assembled an amazingly skilled group of professionals, that work very well together, even though they’re distributed all across North America. All of the credit for our success goes to them.”
What is one decision you wish you didn’t make?
“Every decision, good or bad, has led me to this point, and I’m very grateful to be where I am! Instead of wishing you could go back and change a decision, I think it’s more important that you learn from all of your decisions and try not to repeat the bad ones. If I didn’t make mistakes, I wouldn’t learn, and I wouldn’t improve as a leader. Cherish those mistakes as opportunities for growth.”
From Someone Who Knows
“Every successful entrepreneurial leader has the ability to solve big problems. Mike Wesolowski is no exception here. Mike and his Luxsonic team are enabling global access to healthcare using immersive technology. Luxsonic’s mission is ambitious, but with a visionary leader like Mike, in conjunction with the world-class team he has assembled, I like their odds.”
– Jeff Barnes, president, CA Healthcare
Original interview by Industry West Staff.