Aspiring AI Consultant seeking advice & connections in Healthcare to get started

I’m an aspiring entrepreneur with a background in software engineering with 3 years of experience consulting for a medical device OEM. I’ve recently decided to venture out and start my own AI consultancy/integration services business, with an initial focus on non-clinical use cases in healthcare (e.g., workflow automation, predictive analytics, etc.).

So far, I’ve done my research and have identified a few good potential use-cases, but I’m currently stuck because:

1. I don’t have any direct connections with people who work in a healthcare setting.
2. I’m unsure about the best next steps to validate my ideas and move forward.

I’m reaching out here to seek guidance on how to proceed. Specifically:

• Are there any healthcare professionals here who could share insights into day-to-day challenges and workflows in non-clinical settings?
• What are the biggest operational pain points you face that could potentially benefit from automation or AI solutions? (Forget about the AI part—just think about tools or capabilities that could make your life easier.)
• If you’ve been in a similar position starting a business, how did you connect with potential clients or validate your ideas?

I’d also love to hear from anyone who has tried offering AI consultancy or similar services, especially in healthcare.

This is a genuine attempt to learn and grow, and I’m open to any advice, feedback, or even collaborations. If you’re in healthcare or know someone who might be able to help, I’d be incredibly grateful if you could point me in the right direction.