What’s It Really Like To Work at a Startup?

What’s it really like to work at a startup?

Join Maine’s top startup leaders for an unfiltered, behind-the-scenes conversation about building a career in the startup world. This panel will dig into the real differences between startups and corporate jobs, from culture and pace to risk and reward. You’ll learn how to assess opportunities, understand equity and compensation, make sense of funding and runway, and hear which skills matter most in high-growth environments. Whether you’re startup-curious or ready to dive in, this is your chance to get practical insights and straight talk from the people shaping Maine’s startup ecosystem.

Meet the panelists:

• Emily Batt (moderator), Head of Strategy, Co-Star (Prev. Google, KAYAK, Pillar VC)
  • Emily has over 15 years experience in the startup ecosystem, as operator, founder, and VC. She began her career as an engineer, and after leading product teams at public companies like Google and Kayak, is excited to be back in the world of early-stage startups. She’s presently Head of Strategy at Co-Star, everyone’s favorite viral astrology app.
• Zoë Babian Klein, Head of Product, The Grand (Prev. Panorama Education, Osmo, Harvard Business School, Wonderschool, General Assembly)
  • Zoë is a product and operations leader with deep experience in building digital learning platforms and scaling mission-driven businesses. Over her career, she has helped grow startups that have raised millions from top venture firms like Andreessen Horowitz, General Catalyst, and 776. She began her career at General Assembly and Harvard Business School Online, shaping early digital education strategies, before leading product and operational teams at high-growth companies like Wonderschool, Osmo, and Panorama Education. Now as Head of Product at The Grand, Zoë oversees product, design, engineering, and operations, bringing creativity, joy, and structure to every new challenge.
• Stan Berkow, Head of Product, Loyal (Prev. IDEXX, Sense Health [Acquired])
  • Stan is a seasoned product leader with extensive expertise in the healthcare domain, spanning both startups and Fortune 500 companies. He launched his career as a founder at Sense Health, where he concentrated on leveraging digital technologies to support and engage underserved patient populations. After the company’s acquisition, he relocated to Maine and joined IDEXX, turning his attention to digital solutions in animal health, particularly in client engagement. Currently, he serves as the Head of Product at Loyal, a biotech startup focused on extending the healthy lifespan of dogs.
• Brittany Mailman, Head of People & Culture at MedRhythms (Prev. Grove Collaborative, PTC, Kepware, Mercer)
  • Brittany is the Head of People & Culture at MedRhythms Inc. and has been a people operations professional for over a decade. She has an extensive background in many functions of human resources at small startups and large, public companies. Brittany is driven by her passion for helping people thrive at work and has been fortunate enough to work with incredibly talented leaders and teams along the way, shaping her philosophy and style.
• Brian Bousquet-Smith, Head of Operations, MedRhythms (Prev. MITRE, Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, Kepware/PTC)
  • Brian has over 15 years of experience working for technology companies to solve complex problems. He began his career as an engineer, working across both software and hardware teams to build and troubleshoot sophisticated systems, including helping MedRhythms develop and launch its first product, InTandem. Over time, his passion for being an operator and team builder led him to expand his role beyond engineering. Today, Brian is Head of Operations at MedRhythms, where he leads company-wide initiatives across customer success, manufacturing, logistics, and IT.