Growth Solutions: Lisa Earnhardt '96

Glenn Jeffers

Editor's note: In this new series, the Kellogg School spotlights members of the Kellogg community who have stimulated growth in their teams, organizations and markets.

A stunning 3,000 percent sales growth in the last three years. An IPO. Making Forbes’ list of “America’s Most Promising Companies.”

With those accolades, one could say that Lisa Earnhardt ’96 has had a pretty nice run since joining med-tech startup Intersect ENT as president and CEO.

Intersect ENT made its name with the Propel drug-releasing dissolvable implant, a small, mesh-ring stent that’s placed in the sinuses to treat patients with a inflammatory condition called chronic sinusitis.

Buoyed by positive trial results and initial commercial success, Propel allowed Intersect to raise $63 million during its IPO last July. Since then, the company has aggressively scaled its commercial efforts while developing a pipeline of less invasive, more cost effective products. The company has expanded from 12 to over 200 employees under Earnhardt’s leadership.

Earnhardt sat down and spoke with Kellogg about her post-IPO plans for Intersect, new ways of inspiring her growing team and the challenges of driving focus to achieve impactful goals.


Growing Intersect ENT post-IPO

Innovating an innovative company 

Advice on growing your company 

Read more in the Growth Solutions series:

• Madison Industries' CEO Larry Gies '92 shares his insights on growing organizations