“Sometimes my wife thinks something’s wrong with me,” Elvin says. “Even after a very busy day, when she asks me how work was, I tell her: Great!” As far as his typical workday goes, Elvin’s responsibilities are as diverse as they are demanding. Currently, he says, his time is mostly dedicated to bringing on board new distributors and negotiating contracts with different hospitals. But his role also extends to covering new cases in the OR, conducting trainings and product demos, making sales calls, and liaising with customers at local and national events. Elvin has worked for a startup before, and he says it is an environment that he thrives in. “I like wearing multiple hats,” he says. He also enjoys the flexibility that comes with the job and the fact that you get to be hands-on and can make decisions without having to go through many layers of approval.
At the same time, he is also aware of the challenges a small company faces: “With limited funds, you need to make every interaction count.” Another challenge that is more Bonebridge-specific: Convincing physicians to embrace simplicity. Personally, Elvin was immediately on board with Bonebridge’s “reducing complexity” concept: “I’m convinced that there’s a paradigm shift that needs to happen in orthopaedic trauma,” he says. “And part of what we’re doing is teaching surgeons that their skill is more than enough when provided the right implant – making them understand that they don’t need fifty implants, just the right implant.”
In terms of his career aspirations, a sales position in the medical device industry was not what Elvin originally envisioned for himself. Instead, he had always wanted to become a doctor. Elvin was born in Puerto Rico, and his family relocated to Texas when he was young. After graduating from high school, Elvin’s passion for music earned him a full scholarship at a Christian college in Texas, where he took up studies in business and youth ministry. In addition to his musical pursuits, college provided Elvin with opportunities for meaningful mission work: Annual trips took him to various destinations worldwide, where he engaged in outreach and volunteer activities. These experiences left a profound impact on Elvin, instilling a desire to integrate travel into his future career and shaping his perspective on life. “Being in places where people live so humbly makes you realize that money really isn’t everything,” Elvin says. “That has definitely stayed with me, especially as I’ve continued to climb the corporate ladder.”
After obtaining his Bachelor’s degree, Elvin started working in real estate to finance his ongoing premedical studies. During volunteer work at the Texas Heart Institute, he was first exposed to the world of sales: “I had the opportunity to watch an open-heart surgery, and I noticed these people in the OR who were educating and assisting the staff through the whole process – that definitely sparked my interest. That was the first time I learned about the role of a medical device rep.” Elvin evaluated different opportunities and started working for Synthes briefly afterwards, putting his education on hold. He later resumed his studies at the Saint James School of Medicine, but a family situation forced him to quit school and return to Texas.
Taking some time to recalibrate, Elvin briefly worked in the pharmaceutical sector, then landed a position with a start-up, which got him back in the medical device industry. After several years of success, the company was eventually acquired by Zimmer Biomet, where Elvin continued working as a Director of Commercial Sales. He then made a strategic transition into corporate accounts with a cardiovascular company based in Germany. “I wanted to gain some additional experience that would make me a more well-rounded candidate for future leadership.” After several years of service and Presidents clubs awards, he was laid off due to financial hardships left in the wake of COVID. Which was a blessing, Elvin claims in retrospect, since it made him realize he really wanted to get back into orthopaedic trauma. After looking at various opportunities, he was approached with the open position at Bonebridge. “As I started to learn more about the company, its history, it founders, and its ‘back to basics’ approach, something just clicked,” he says.
As for what is in store for Elvin in 2024 and beyond: Embracing and spending time with his loved ones is definitely one of his top priorities. Elvin and his family live in Katy, a small town in the Greater Houston area. His wife Lauren runs her own business: As “The Cheese Chica” she creates beautiful charcuterie boards that have earned her a sizeable following on social media and several appearances on local TV. Their seven-year-old daughter Eden – aptly nicknamed “The Cheese Chiquita” – shares her mother’s passion for food and regularly joins her in front of the camera. A few months ago, the family welcomed their son Archer into the family. With a newborn in their lives, Elvin admits with a shrug, the biggest challenge has been simply trying to find time to sleep. In the not-so distant future, Elvin will also be working towards getting an MBA to enhance his credentials and skill set. He hopes to visit Switzerland soon – as an avid snowboarder, hitting the slopes in Europe is on his bucket list. “It would be great to see where Bonebridge was founded – the birthplace of orthopaedic trauma,” Elvin says. “I’d love to see where it all started!”