From storytelling to strategic selling, young med/surg sales reps discuss the lessons, challenges and technologies shaping the future of healthcare sales.
Editor’s note: The first part of this series appeared in the August 2026 issue of Repertoire Magazine.
In part two of this roundtable discussion, five rising med/surg sales professionals share what they’ve learned early in their careers. From leveraging AI to work more efficiently to mastering the art of storytelling, they discuss the skills shaping the next generation of distributor sales representatives – and why, despite rapid advances in technology, success in healthcare sales still comes down to relationships and consistency.
Participating in the roundtable were:
- Luke Kuna, Territory Portfolio Manager, Midmark Corporation, Medical Division, South Carolina and Eastern North Carolina
- Elise Mancabelli, Field Sales Consultant, Henry Schein Medical, based in Boston, Massachusetts
- Matisyn Schaut, Field Sales Consultant, Henry Schein Medical, based in Saratoga Springs, New York
- Melissa Spero, Field Sales Consultant, Henry Schein Medical, based in Annapolis, Maryland
- Liam Rohlsson, Sales Representative, Global Medical Products and Distribution, Cardinal Health
What does communication look like in your role? How do you balance emails, texts, phone calls and in-person meetings?
Mancabelli: During the day, my focus is where I can provide the most value: face-to-face with customers in the field. Those in-person interactions are the foundation of our partnership. Phone calls serve as the bridge between those visits, keeping me responsive throughout the day.
I use my evenings in the home office to manage the administrative side of the business, such as deep-dive emails and planning. Balancing these channels is an exercise in intentionality; while the volume of incoming requests can be high, I evaluate the urgency and impact. Whether it’s pausing to resolve a critical request before entering a practice or prioritizing a face-to-face consultation over an inbox alert, my goal is to ensure that my communication style is aligned with the customer’s needs.
How has your background shaped the way you communicate and build trust with different types of customers?
Rohlsson: Growing up in Oakland, California, exposed me to a wide range of cultures, perspectives and communication styles from an early age. That diverse environment taught me to be adaptable and respectful in how I interact with others, and it made me comfortable building relationships with people from all backgrounds.
The clinicians and healthcare staff members I work with come from all over the world, and understanding cultural nuances, such as communication preferences, body language or boundaries can make a meaningful difference in how to build trust. Recognizing how someone prefers to interact and leading with that can go a long way towards strengthening a relationship.
For me, it’s about treating people with respect and maintaining a human-centered approach. Trust takes a long time to build and only a moment to lose, so being aware, intentional and culturally sensitive is something I take seriously in every interaction.
What’s the best piece of sales advice you’ve ever received?
Rohlsson: Early in my first sales role, a mentor reminded me that first impressions are everything. How I prepare, present myself and communicate in those first interactions with a customer or other stakeholder can shape the entire relationship. I work with highly educated and experienced professionals, so I need to show up ready to add value as part of my first impression. That means understanding my products, anticipating questions, and communicating clearly and concisely. But at the same time, it’s not just about jumping straight into business, it’s about building rapport. Taking a moment to connect on a personal level, reading the room and setting a positive tone can make a big difference in how the conversation unfolds.
Treating everyone with the same level of respect and attention is another piece of advice that has had a lasting impact. Whether I’m speaking with a physician, a nurse, a materials manager, or a member of the environmental services team, consistency matters. Not only is it the right thing to do, but in a hospital setting, relationships are interconnected in many ways.
What are your short-term and long-term goals?
Kuna: One of the biggest things I’m focused on developing is becoming a true strategic partner to my customers rather than simply being viewed as a vendor brought in to quote equipment a few weeks before the clinic opens. When projects reach that point and before we’re involved, I see it as an opportunity to reflect on how I could have engaged earlier and created more value throughout the planning process.
The conversations that create the greatest long-term impact usually happen much earlier, around workflow, room design, caregiver efficiency, patient accessibility and operational consistency. Those are the discussions where we can contribute in a meaningful way beyond the products themselves.
A big part of my focus has been positioning myself to have those higher-level conversations. That can mean discussing things many people overlook, like the placement of an exam chair, cabinetry layout, vitals capture or how room standardization affects caregiver movement throughout the day. When you can connect those details back to improving patient experience, supporting caregiver well-being, and creating efficiencies over time, customers begin to see you differently.
Ultimately, I’m trying to build relationships where Midmark is viewed as a trusted advisor in outpatient care design and workflow strategy, not just someone who shows up at the end of a project to push paper and coordinate a quote.
Mancabelli: Right now, I am dedicated to expanding my territory and supporting more practices, while ensuring that my established accounts continue to receive the same high level of personalized attention. My long-term vision is to drive consistent business growth by deepening the partnerships I’ve already cultivated, ultimately becoming an even more integral resource for the healthcare providers in my community.
Schaut: I am committed to the work I’m doing and the relationships I’m building. My goal is to continue evolving within my current territory, sharpening my expertise, and finding new ways to add value to my customers’ daily operations. I take a lot of pride in the progress I’ve made here, and my focus remains on fostering long-term loyalty and ensuring that our service continues to be a standard-setter for the practices I support.
Are there any skills you’re focused on developing this year?
Rohlsson: Right now, I’m focused on deepening both my technical knowledge and my situational awareness. It’s not just about understanding products; it’s about knowing when and how to apply that knowledge effectively. In areas like surgical gloves, for example, I’m working to fully understand the nuances, such as material differences, clinical preferences, and best practices, so I can speak confidently with experienced clinicians.
I’m also continuing to refine my time management and prioritization skills. Balancing current responsibilities while identifying future opportunities is key to long-term success in this role, especially given how long sales cycles can be.
Another major focus is consistency. In sales, it’s easy to have strong periods followed by slower ones, but my goal is to maintain steady, reliable performance over time. That means staying disciplined, continuing to build relationships and always looking ahead.
Long term, I’m also interested in leadership. I’ve really enjoyed managing and mentoring others in the past, and I see that as a potential next step in my career. For now, I’m focused on building the foundation that will allow me to succeed at a high level and sustain that success over time.
Spero: My primary focus is deepening my product knowledge. Our product portfolio is vast, so I am being intentional about mastering specific areas, particularly the laboratory side of the business. I want to move past simply discussing reimbursement and clinical workflows; I want to truly understand the nuances so I can provide deeper consultative value. It’s a complex area, but it’s a critical part of the conversation, and I’m committed to building that expertise to better serve our customers.
Mancabelli: I am focused on AI and data-driven agility. As the industry evolves, the ability to synthesize information quickly is a major advantage. I’ve been using AI to bridge the gap in my data analysis to help with complex formulas and to surface patterns in my sales metrics that I might have otherwise overlooked. By sharpening these analytical skills, I can pivot from being reactive to highly proactive, identifying opportunities to support customers.
Kuna: One of the biggest skills I’m actively trying to develop right now is becoming a better storyteller. Someone who can truly captivate an audience and create an emotional connection rather than simply present information.
Storytelling is something I’ve gained an even greater appreciation for recently. At our commercial summit earlier this year, we had a guest speaker who helped write Toy Story, and hearing him talk about storytelling was incredibly impactful because it connected so directly to what we do in healthcare sales.
It’s relatively easy to learn product specifications and become highly knowledgeable about how equipment functions. But what really separates people in this industry is the ability to tell a story that builds trust, creates emotional connection, demonstrates compassion and helps customers see the deeper “why” behind what you’re trying to accomplish.
That’s also one reason I don’t believe technology or AI will ever fully replace the human side of this profession. AI can absolutely help us become more efficient and informed, but genuine storytelling, emotional intelligence, and human connection are still incredibly powerful and uniquely human skills. I truly believe the best story wins, and that’s something I’m constantly trying to improve every single day.
Schaut: I am focused on refining my perseverance and consistency. It’s easy to get discouraged when a partnership doesn’t materialize immediately, but I’ve learned that trust isn’t built in a single visit; it’s built through repeated, reliable presence. My goal is to be the most consistent partner in a customer’s orbit.
How are you using digital tools, data, or even AI?
Kuna: I use AI and digital tools every day as a way to operate more efficiently and stay proactive within my territory. One of the biggest ways I leverage it is for prospecting and identifying new opportunities, whether that’s tracking healthcare expansion projects, researching health system activity, or staying informed on industry trends that could impact my accounts.
I’ve also made great use of automated alerts and keyword tracking so I can keep a pulse on healthcare news, construction activity, leadership changes and other developments happening within my territory and surrounding markets. Having access to that information quickly helps me prepare more strategically and have more informed conversations with customers.
Internally, I’ve found AI to be an incredibly valuable support tool as well. I use it to help organize ideas, refine communication, think through challenges from different angles and improve how I prepare for meetings and presentations.
That said, while technology can absolutely help us operate more effectively and efficiently, I don’t believe it can replace the human side of this profession. At the end of the day, this business is still built on trust, relationships, emotional intelligence and judgment –
and those are things that can only come from genuine human interaction and experience in the field.
Mancabelli: My approach is to be proactive rather than reactive, and data is the engine behind that. I rely on AI-driven analytics to identify emerging market trends, which allows me to anticipate my customers’ needs before they even ask. When it comes to managing those relationships, I use Salesforce. It allows me to maintain a high-level view of my pipeline and document my interactions, ensuring that I’m always prepared.
Schaut: I use our internal digital tools daily to identify where we are gaining momentum and where we need to refine our strategy. To manage that volume of data, I’ve been integrating AI, specifically to distill complex information into actionable insights. For example, I can export data from our systems and use AI to generate clear, concise summaries that make tracking performance much more efficient. I also use AI to elevate my communications, transforming detailed product specifications into compelling, customer-focused messages. It allows me to spend less time on administration and more time on the meaningful work of engaging with our partners.
Key Takeaways
- Strong relationships still drive sales success. Trust is built through consistent, respectful communication, cultural awareness and meaningful face-to-face interactions — not technology alone.
- Top-performing reps think like strategic advisors. The most successful salespeople engage customers early, focusing on workflow, outcomes and long-term value instead of simply quoting products.
- AI is making reps more efficient, not replacing them. Young sales professionals are using AI to analyze data, identify opportunities, streamline communication and better prepare for customer conversations.
- Continuous learning creates long-term growth. From mastering storytelling and product expertise to improving consistency, time management and leadership skills, these reps see ongoing development as essential to success.