How to shift from “founder” to “CEO” in order to scale your business, with Dr. David Stern

So many company founders out there have found success because they’ve had a great idea, a particular skill set, and a willingness to put in the long hours. But those 3 characteristics are NOT how to scale a company. Instead, to become a successful CEO of a growing business, founders have to evolve what they do within that business — and this can be one of the toughest transitions for them to make. Letting go of job duties or responsibilities doesn’t come easy for these high-achievers.

 

Our latest guest, Dr. David Stern, MD, is someone who has gone through that transition himself. Stern is the Chief Executive Officer and Founder of Experity, a GTCR portfolio company and a leading software and services company providing integrated solutions to more than 50% of the U.S. urgent care market. 

 

Tune into the full conversation for more on David’s journey from doctor to business owner, how he’s evolved as a leader over the years, the pros and cons of mergers, and more. 

 

Here’s a Glimpse of What You’ll Learn: 

 

• More about what David’s company, Experity, does 

• How the introduction of electronic medical records inspired David to start his own business

• The value of firsthand experience in developing the product that would make up the core of David’s business

• How David morphed his job duties over the years, and how that helped scale the company

• Why founders are “scary” to investors

• What “drivers” are and the two conditions they have to meet 

• The potential benefits and risks of doing a merger between two competitors — and what made David’s so successful

• How David has transitioned his work habits so he can spend more time with his family 

• The routine David has with his daughter, and how that has made his personal life so much more meaningful 

• David’s book recommendations, especially for business owners looking to scale their companies without stretching themselves too thin or trying to do everything all at once

• The one habit that successful CEOs consistently maintain 

 

Resources Mentioned in This Episode: 

• Experity Health website

• David M. Stern, MD on LinkedIn

• David M. Stern, MD on Twitter

• “The Great Game of Business: The Only Sensible Way to Run a Company” by Jack Stack and Bo Burlingham

• “Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap and Others Don’t” by Jim Collins

• “The 4 Disciplines of Execution: Achieving Your Wildly Important Goals” by Chris McChesney

• “The ONE Thing: The Surprisingly Simple Truth About Extraordinary Results” by Gary Keller

• 40 Strategy

• Contact 40 Strategy

• Carl J. Cox on LinkedIn