The Future Is Now: Mark Beeston of Vioguard On How Their Technological Innovation Will Shake Up How We Sanitize
Given the current state of the world amid the Covid-19 pandemic, Vioguard products and UV-C technology overall are key to helping businesses ensure the safety of their staff and customers to further enforce health guidelines which will enable a smoother and faster economic recovery. The pandemic has shifted the way we perceive hygiene and safety and will continue to alter how we engage with each other and businesses moving forward. We hope that through the implementation of UV technology, we can help prevent further spread and ultimately lower our odds of a second wave or the spread of other viruses looking ahead.
As a part of our series about cutting edge technological breakthroughs, I had the pleasure of interviewing Mark Beeston. He joined Vioguard in June 2017 as Vice President of Sales and Marketing. Prior to Vioguard, Beeston lead a sales team for Option Care in the post-acute business sector. He spent six years in various sales leadership roles from Regional Sales Director to Director of Strategic Solutions at Hill-Rom Company. Prior to joining Hill-Rom, he served as a Regional Sales Director for the Hospital Products unit for Hospira Worldwide (formerly Abbott Labs). During his 13-year tenure at Hospira/Abbott he filled several diverse roles such as Senior Engineer in new product development, Sales Executive, Contract Marketing and District Sales Manager. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Manufacturing Engineering from Brigham Young University.
Thank you so much for doing this with us! Can you tell us a story about what brought you to this specific career path?
I started my initial career in biomedial engineering and product development and always wanted to have the experience of working with the end user. Because of this, I chose to cross the bridge over to sales to start off in healthcare. I found it quite rewarding to provide services to healthcare workers across the country. After working with a few different companies doing capital and pharma, Vioguard reached out to see how they could introduce their technology into the healthcare space. I was brought on to take Vioguard products into the healthcare space, which ultimately provided tremendous value in the industry.
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began your career?
One day calling on the pharmacy in a large medical center, I noticed a large jar on the counter, much like a pickle jar! I thought it strange and took a little closer look only to find the inside of the jar moving! I pulled back and asked the pharmacist what the heck was in the jar? He chuckled and obviously thought…”rookie” and told me they were maggots! I asked why maggots in a hospital pharmacy and he taught me the procedure of using medical grade maggots to help take care of wound care patients. I thought there are always things to learn within healthcare. One of the reasons I have enjoyed my career.
Can you tell us about the “Bleeding edge” technological breakthroughs that you are working on? How do you think that will help people?
We have the only FDA approved product, the Defender, that uses UV-C technology to disinfect keyboards. We use the same patented technology in our other products like the Cubby and Cubby+, which clean items like phones, keys, tablets or anything that fits in the device. The objects run through a 60 second cycle with UV light hitting the surface area of whatever is inside, reaching 360 degrees and obliterating all pathogens, breaking down the DNA and killing it. Unlike typical disinfectants like wipes and sprays that can take between 2 and 12 minutes to effectively disinfect, Vioguard’s UV technology can do it in under 60 seconds. This will not only eliminate any form of human error but is also a more sustainable way to protect people from harmful viruses like COVID-19.
How do you think this might change the world?
Given the current state of the world amid the Covid-19 pandemic, Vioguard products and UV-C technology overall are key to helping businesses ensure the safety of their staff and customers to further enforce health guidelines which will enable a smoother and faster economic recovery. The pandemic has shifted the way we perceive hygiene and safety and will continue to alter how we engage with each other and businesses moving forward. We hope that through the implementation of UV technology, we can help prevent further spread and ultimately lower our odds of a second wave or the spread of other viruses looking ahead.
At the beginning of the pandemic, we saw a huge increase in disinfectant wipes and chemicals being used in households and businesses to help combat the spread. Disinfectant wipes are not compostable and are thrown away after just one use. Because of the synthetic fibers, wipes do not break down and represent a large portion of non-biodegradable waste in landfills. By implementing technologies to help combat the spread of pathogens, businesses can drastically help reduce the amount of waste and the negative environmental impact the wipes have.
What do you need to lead this technology to widespread adoption?
UV-C technology has been used throughout the medical industry as an effective disinfectant method for years. Since Covid-19, we’ve seen an immense uptick in other businesses adopting UV-C technology in industries including hospitality and retail amongst many others. Businesses are under a huge amount of pressure to adopt new ways to ensure they are meeting hygiene guidelines as states attempt to re-open. At Vioguard, we are looking to further educate consumers and businesses about the positive impact of UV-C technology. From environmental impacts to reduced operational costs, UV technology is gaining great traction across the globe and helping combat the spread of pathogens. For example, new devices like UV escalator handrail sanitizers are already being implemented in public places. We will be seeing the adoption of UV light technology more and more as we enter our new normal, especially as the products become accessible to businesses of all sizes.
What have you been doing to publicize this idea? Have you been using any innovative marketing strategies?
We have a team focusing on connecting with the media and targeting audiences where implementing Vioguard UVC would be most effective. More recently, we’ve begun leveraging broadcast television advertising to help reach our target markets more quickly and efficiently. We also understand that word of mouth is a powerful tool when it comes to gaining publicity and the quality of Vioguard products have been igniting great conversations that have led to many units being sold.
None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?
My mentor was a senior director at Hospira (Life Sciences company). He steered me in the direction towards management and helping people to reach their professional goals. My mentor was able to communicate and lay things out in a way that really helped me understand, and he made sure I was taking this path for the right reasons. He always told me — “make sure you go in the direction for the right reasons and evaluate those reasons.”
How have you used your success to bring goodness to the world?
At Vioguard, we are eager to continue educating consumers about the pathogens they carry with them on their cell phones constantly. People touch their phones roughly 2,600 times a day, and 40–60% of viruses and bacteria transfer on contact. Because Vioguard kills 99.99% of all bacteria on small items such as cell phones, we have the opportunity to greatly reduce the spread of illness. UVC is a green technology. Cleaning items like disposable chemical wipes have a negative impact on the environment, as thousands end up in landfills every day. We provide a safer, environmentally friendly alternative that will make an impact for generations to come.
What are your “5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Started” and why. (Please share a story or example for each.)
- It is important to remember that you will most likely will not end up in the career that you got your degree in. I got my college degree in engineering, while now I am well into a fulfilling career in healthcare/life sciences sales and marketing.
- Social experience and networking will add more value than yor actual degree. I wish someone had told me to focus a large amount of efforts on networking and building relationships that last.
- Learn how to think critically and question information — whether it be in a work setting, personal setting or the absorption of information.
- Listen to advice of all people, prioritize the important information and forget all the rest.
- It is important to take all information that you hear or read with a grain of salt. We are constantly consuming information from all sources, such as media, social media, news, etc. and it is important to think critically and skeptically and research the information you receive.
You are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. 🙂
The world would be a much better place if we treated everyone the way that we ourselves would like to be treated. It is important to treat everyone with respect and compassion no matter the circumstance.
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?
“Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result.”
How can our readers follow you on social media?
Thank you so much for joining us. This was very inspirational.
The Future Is Now: Mark Beeston of Vioguard On How Their Technological Innovation Will Shake Up How was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.
