BootstrapMD - Physician Entrepreneurs Podcast with Dr. Mike Woo-Ming

How can a physician grow without trading more hours for more revenue? In this in-person episode of Bootstrap MD, recorded at Dr. Mike Woo-Ming's Orange County clinic, he talks with Lucas Tyson, founder and CEO of Kodara, about turning clinical expertise into an AI-powered program that works around the clock.

Lucas shares his entrepreneurial journey, from freelancing on Upwork in college to building a digital marketing and course business that reached over $30 million in 2023. He is candid about what went wrong: growth that outpaced operations, unhappy customers, a federal lawsuit that was settled with refunds, and the arrival of ChatGPT, which changed demand for online courses. That collapse led him to build an AI version of himself for his consulting clients, which became Kodara.

Lucas explains how health and wellness practices use these AI programs for patient education, 24/7 voice and video conversations, proactive follow-ups, and marketing content. He also covers the setup process, which takes roughly three to five hours of the doctor's time, how a first version can be ready in about a week, how privacy and disclaimers are handled, and how a low-cost AI program can lead patients to one-on-one care. The central lesson: your expertise is already an asset, and the right tools can help you share it with more people without burning out.

Physicians will learn how AI can extend their expertise, what it takes to get started, and how to keep patient education clearly separate from medical advice.

Top 3 Actionable Takeaways:

• Turn Existing Knowledge Into a Scalable Asset: **You don't need to spend months recording a course. Your existing documents, training materials, and patient education content can become the foundation of an AI version of you, with most of the time investment up front and minimal maintenance afterward.
• Support Patients Between Visits: **Patients already ask AI tools health questions at all hours. A branded AI that follows up proactively, answers questions in your voice, and offers emotional reassurance can help patients while giving you a low-cost entry offer that may lead to one-on-one care.
• Scale Carefully and Set Clear Guardrails: **Selling more is not the same as delivering well. Lucas's experience shows the importance of operations that keep pace with growth, and any AI tool for patients should protect data, avoid medical advice, avoid collecting patient health information, and clearly disclose that it is AI.

About the Show:

Bootstrap MD is the ultimate podcast for physician entrepreneurs looking to escape traditional healthcare and control their financial futures. Hosted by Dr. Mike Woo-Ming, a successful physician, entrepreneur, and investor, the show delivers actionable insights on starting businesses, creating passive income, and navigating healthcare entrepreneurship. Featuring interviews with industry leaders, physicians, and experts in telemedicine and digital health, it's your guide to building a profitable, fulfilling career.

Tune in weekly at http://bootstrapmd.com

About the Host:

Dr. Mike Woo-Ming has over 20 years of experience as a physician entrepreneur. He's built and sold multiple seven-figure companies and now leads Executive Medical, a group of clinics specializing in age management and aesthetics. Through BootstrapMD, he mentors physicians in business, content creation, and autonomy.

Let's Connect: https://www.bootstrapmd.com

Want to start a podcast? Check out the Doctor Podcast Network!

Tags:

AI for doctors, AI avatar for physicians, physician entrepreneurship, healthcare entrepreneurship, Kodara, Lucas Tyson, AI patient education, scaling a medical practice, passive income for doctors, digital health, online courses for doctors, physician business ideas, leveraging your expertise, Bootstrap MD, Dr. Mike Woo-Ming.

 #HealthcareEntrepreneurship #DigitalHealth #PassiveIncome #DoctorsInBusiness

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This episode is sponsored by NURP

NURP helps busy physicians grow their wealth through AI-powered algorithmic trading designed for demanding careers. No day trading, no guesswork, and no constant market watching required. 

Ready to put your money to work? Visit start.nurp.com/doctors  to learn more. 

Trading involves risk, and results may vary. This is not financial advice.

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What are the best side hustles for physicians, and which ones can eventually replace their clinical income?

 In this episode of Bootstrap MD, Dr. Mike Woo -Ming ranks popular physician side gigs using a practical tier-list approach. He evaluates each opportunity based on earning potential, flexibility, startup costs, licensing requirements, risk, and whether it allows physicians to build an asset rather than simply exchange more hours for money.

From medical surveys, chart reviews, telemedicine, and locums to real estate investing, coaching, buying a business, and content creation, Dr. Woo -Ming explains the benefits and limitations of each option. He highlights opportunities with the potential to create long-term wealth while emphasizing that the right choice depends on a physician’s specialty, available capital, schedule, goals, and desired lifestyle. The central lesson: the best side hustle may not be the one that pays fastest, but the one that helps you build something you own.

Physicians will learn how to compare side hustles, assess risks, evaluate income potential, and identify opportunities for building long-term wealth.

Top 3 Actionable Takeaways:

•  Choose a Side Hustle That Matches Your Goals: Before pursuing an opportunity, decide whether you need immediate extra income, greater schedule flexibility, or long-term wealth. Locums and telemedicine may provide additional earnings, while businesses and investments may offer opportunities to build assets over time.
• Evaluate More Than the Earning Potential: Consider startup costs, licensing, credentialing, malpractice exposure, time commitments, and income limitations. A side hustle with attractive pay may still carry substantial risks or leave you dependent on continuously trading your time for money.
• Build Assets and a Reputation for Long-Term Growth: Explore opportunities that can grow beyond your personal working hours. Dr. Woo -Ming highlights real estate, coaching, business ownership, and content creation as strong options because they can build assets, audiences, or systems that support additional opportunities.

About the Show:

Bootstrap MD is the ultimate podcast for physician entrepreneurs looking to escape traditional healthcare and control their financial futures. Hosted by Dr. Mike Woo-Ming, a successful physician, entrepreneur, and investor, the show delivers actionable insights on starting businesses, creating passive income, and navigating healthcare entrepreneurship. Featuring interviews with industry leaders, physicians, and experts in telemedicine and digital health, it’s your guide to building a profitable, fulfilling career.

Tune in weekly at http://bootstrapmd.com

 About the Host:

Dr. Mike Woo-Ming has over 20 years of experience as a physician entrepreneur. He’s built and sold multiple seven-figure companies and now leads Executive Medical, a group of clinics specializing in age management and aesthetics. Through BootstrapMD, he mentors physicians in business, content creation, and autonomy.

Let’s Connect: www.https://www.bootstrapmd.com 

Want to start a podcast? Check out the Doctor Podcast Network!

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This episode is sponsored by NURP

NURP helps busy physicians grow their wealth through AI-powered algorithmic trading designed for demanding careers. No day trading, no guesswork, and no constant market watching required. 

Ready to put your money to work? Visit start.nurp.com/doctors  to learn more. 

Trading involves risk, and results may vary. This is not financial advice.

__________________________________

What if the reason you're stuck isn't a lack of effort, but that you're solving the wrong problem? 

In this episode of Bootstrap MD, Dr. Mike Woo-Ming explains why physicians often jump to solutions before identifying their actual challenges. He introduces three areas to examine: numbers, marketing, and team, starting with one essential question: What is your goal?

Dr. Mike shares a practical framework for creating a focused 90-day plan, including choosing one meaningful metric, making one marketing decision, and delegating one responsibility. Through a physician practice example, he demonstrates how identifying the real bottleneck can prevent wasted spending, reduce unnecessary workload, and create a clearer path toward professional goals.

Listeners will learn how to identify the real problems holding back their practice or career, set measurable goals, track key numbers, evaluate marketing, improve delegation, and create a focused 90-day action plan.

Three Actionable Takeaways:

• Define one clear goal: Replace vague ambitions such as “grow” or “make more money” with a specific outcome you can measure and recognize when achieved.
• Track the right number and evaluate your marketing: Choose one metric that directly reflects progress toward your goal. Determine whether your marketing needs improvement, a change in direction, or a temporary pause.
• Delegate and focus on one bottleneck: Identify one responsibility someone else can own, or involve a trusted person in your career decision. Choose the biggest obstacle to address over the next 90 days and decide what you can stop doing.

About the Show:

Bootstrap MD is the ultimate podcast for physician entrepreneurs looking to escape traditional healthcare and control their financial futures. Hosted by Dr. Mike Woo-Ming, a successful physician, entrepreneur, and investor, the show delivers actionable insights on starting businesses, creating passive income, and navigating healthcare entrepreneurship. Featuring interviews with industry leaders, physicians, and experts in telemedicine and digital health, it’s your guide to building a profitable, fulfilling career.

Tune in weekly at http://bootstrapmd.com

 About the Host:

Dr. Mike Woo-Ming has over 20 years of experience as a physician entrepreneur. He’s built and sold multiple seven-figure companies and now leads Executive Medical, a group of clinics specializing in age management and aesthetics. Through BootstrapMD, he mentors physicians in business, content creation, and autonomy.

Let’s Connect: www.https://www.bootstrapmd.com 

Want to start a podcast? Check out the Doctor Podcast Network!

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This episode is sponsored by NURP

NURP helps busy physicians grow their wealth through AI-powered algorithmic trading designed for demanding careers. No day trading, no guesswork, and no constant market watching required. 

Ready to put your money to work? Visit start.nurp.com/doctors  to learn more. 

Trading involves risk, and results may vary. This is not financial advice.

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What if physicians could build businesses that give them more control over their time, income, and future?

In this episode of Bootstrap MD, Dr. Mike Woo-Ming sits with Dr. Eric Wright and Jenna Wright as they share their entrepreneurial journey, from launching Charleston Payroll in 2014 to selling the business in 2024. They explain how networking, trusted CPA relationships, recurring revenue, and planning for an eventual exit helped them grow the company while Eric continued working in emergency medicine.

The couple also discussed building a 1099 Tax Doctor, helping physicians understand self-employment, tax planning, and retirement options. They share lessons on delegating tasks, working together as spouses and business partners, learning from failure, and moving beyond trading time for money. 

Their advice: start with an idea, take action, and learn as you go.

Listeners will learn how physicians can build businesses, plan exits, improve tax awareness, delegate effectively, and create greater financial and personal freedom.

Top 3 Actionable Takeaways:

• Start before you feel completely ready. Eric and Jenna explain that entrepreneurship involves setbacks and uncertainty. Start with a practical idea, take action, and treat each experience as an opportunity to learn and improve.
• Delegate strategically. Understand the value of your time and identify tasks that someone else can handle. Delegating appropriate responsibilities can create more room for higher-value work, business development, and family life.
• Plan your business exit early. Even if you do not intend to sell soon, understand what a future buyer might value. Keep your business records organized and consider how client relationships, revenue, and operational systems affect its potential sale.

About the Show:

Bootstrap MD is the ultimate podcast for physician entrepreneurs looking to escape traditional healthcare and control their financial futures. Hosted by Dr. Mike Woo-Ming, a successful physician, entrepreneur, and investor, the show delivers actionable insights on starting businesses, creating passive income, and navigating healthcare entrepreneurship. Featuring interviews with industry leaders, physicians, and experts in telemedicine and digital health, it’s your guide to building a profitable, fulfilling career.

Tune in weekly at http://bootstrapmd.com

About the Guest:

Dr. Eric Wright and Jenna Wright are a husband-and-wife entrepreneur team. Eric is an emergency physician turned entrepreneur, while Jenna is an Emmy-nominated broadcast journalist turned business owner. Together, they built and sold Charleston Payroll in 2024 and now operate 1099 Tax Doctor, helping physicians navigate self-employment, tax planning, and related financial services.

Connect With the Guests

• Website: 1099taxdoctor.com
• Podcast: 1099 Tax Doctor podcast 

 About the Host:

Dr. Mike Woo-Ming has over 20 years of experience as a physician entrepreneur. He’s built and sold multiple seven-figure companies and now leads Executive Medical, a group of clinics specializing in age management and aesthetics. Through BootstrapMD, he mentors physicians in business, content creation, and autonomy.

Let’s Connect: www.https://www.bootstrapmd.com 

Want to start a podcast? Check out the Doctor Podcast Network!

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This episode is sponsored by NURP

NURP helps busy physicians grow their wealth through AI-powered algorithmic trading designed for demanding careers. No day trading, no guesswork, and no constant market watching required. 

Ready to put your money to work? Visit start.nurp.com/doctors  to learn more. 

Trading involves risk, and results may vary. This is not financial advice.

__________________________________

In an era when full-spectrum rural practice feels increasingly rare, Dr. Peter Crane is living it. Board-certified family physician, former county EMS medical director, and longtime chief of staff at a critical access hospital, he returned home to rural Idaho in 2011 and stepped into the clinic where he once received his own sports physicals, succeeding the very doctor who delivered him.

On this episode of Bootstrap MD, host Mike sits down with Dr. Crane to explore what full-spectrum care actually looks like day-to-day, the unique rewards and boundary challenges of practicing where everyone knows you, and the life-altering moment in 2022 when he discovered a large solitary fibrous tumor by reading his own CT report while working an ER shift. The subsequent radiation, major surgery, temporary paralysis, and ongoing treatment forced a profound shift: radical acceptance, loss of fear, deeper empathy for patients, and a renewed commitment to medicine.

Out of that experience came the Doctors Making a Difference podcast (now past 100 episodes), where Crane spotlights physicians doing meaningful work and pushes back against the prevailing narrative of burnout and despair. This conversation is equal parts inspiring origin story, candid patient journey, and call for physicians to claim their voice and stay in the profession.

Three Actionable Takeaways:

• Protect boundaries while staying present: In a small community, patients will approach you outside the clinic. Have a consistent, respectful way to redirect clinical questions so you can still be a member of the community without sacrificing personal time.
• Practice radical acceptance to reduce fear: Accepting the possibility of the worst outcome can free you from sweating the small stuff. Use that clarity to say “no” to nonsensical demands and “yes” with full energy to what truly serves patients and your own wellbeing.
• Create content that puts physicians back in the driver’s seat: Patients consume hours of health information daily from non-physician sources. Whether through a podcast, social posts, or occasional videos, share accurate, compassionate perspectives. You don’t need to be the world’s top expert, just one or two steps ahead of your audience.

About the Show:

Bootstrap MD is the ultimate podcast for physician entrepreneurs looking to escape traditional healthcare and control their financial futures. Hosted by Dr. Mike Woo-Ming, a successful physician, entrepreneur, and investor, the show delivers actionable insights on starting businesses, creating passive income, and navigating healthcare entrepreneurship. Featuring interviews with industry leaders, physicians, and experts in telemedicine and digital health, it’s your guide to building a profitable, fulfilling career.

Tune in weekly at http://bootstrapmd.com

About the Guest:

Dr. Peter Crane is a board-certified family physician practicing full-spectrum rural medicine in Idaho since 2011. He took over the practice of the physician who delivered him, has served as county EMS medical director and hospital chief of staff, and continues ER and obstetric work alongside clinic care. After surviving a rare large solitary fibrous tumor, he launched the Doctors Making a Difference podcast (Doctor Podcast Network), where he highlights physicians doing meaningful work in and beyond medicine. He also contributes content related to solitary fibrous tumor awareness.

Website: doctorsmakingadifference.com
Podcast: Doctors Making A Difference

 About the Host:

Dr. Mike Woo-Ming has over 20 years of experience as a physician entrepreneur. He’s built and sold multiple seven-figure companies and now leads Executive Medical, a group of clinics specializing in age management and aesthetics. Through BootstrapMD, he mentors physicians in business, content creation, and autonomy.

Let’s Connect: www.https://www.bootstrapmd.com 

Want to start a podcast? Check out the Doctor Podcast Network!

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This episode is sponsored by NURP

NURP helps busy physicians grow their wealth through AI-powered algorithmic trading designed for demanding careers. No day trading, no guesswork, and no constant market watching required. 

Ready to put your money to work? Visit start.nurp.com/doctors  to learn more. 

Trading involves risk, and results may vary. This is not financial advice.

—----------------------------

What would make a doctor walk away from pathology residency just one year from finishing?

In this inspiring episode of BootstrapMD, host Dr. Mike Woo-Ming welcomes Jackie Dallas: physician by training, actress by passion, and women’s health advocate. She explains how she treated acting as a business rather than waiting to be discovered, leveraged her real medical background to book early roles, and navigated early typecasting as an Asian actress. Listeners hear the story behind her breakout role in Stranger Things Season 1 and her recurring role in the Netflix hit The Hunting Wives.

Jackie also discusses her return to medicine through advocacy, launching HerHealth101.com to educate women about underdiagnosed pelvic floor conditions, self-advocacy in short appointments, and the ongoing underfunding of women’s health research.

She closes with practical advice for physicians curious about creative careers: start small, treat it like a business, and don’t quit your day job until you’ve tested the waters.

Three Actionable Takeaways:

• The sunk-cost fallacy keeps many physicians stuck; Jackie left with one year of residency remaining because she knew the path wasn’t right for her.
• Acting is a business, not magic:  Treat it like any other career; build credits, develop skills, get representation, and persist through rejection.
• Physicians have unique advantages in creative fields: (authenticity in medical roles, research skills, discipline). Jackie now channels that same training into women’s health education via HerHealth101.

About the Show:

Bootstrap MD is the ultimate podcast for physician entrepreneurs looking to escape traditional healthcare and control their financial futures. Hosted by Dr. Mike Woo-Ming, a successful physician, entrepreneur, and investor, the show delivers actionable insights on starting businesses, creating passive income, and navigating healthcare entrepreneurship. Featuring interviews with industry leaders, physicians, and experts in telemedicine and digital health, it’s your guide to building a profitable, fulfilling career.

Tune in weekly at http://bootstrapmd.com

About the Guest

Jackie Dallas is a SAG-AFTRA actress and former physician. She trained in surgery and pathology before leaving medicine to pursue acting full-time. Her credits include Stranger Things (Season 1), 13 Reasons Why, Magnum P.I., NCIS: Hawai’i, Criminal Minds, Fear the Walking Dead, and a recurring role as a political strategist in Netflix’s The Hunting Wives. She is the founder of HerHealth101, a platform dedicated to educating women about pelvic floor health and self-advocacy.

Connect with Jackie Dallas:

Website: https://www.jackiedallas.com
HerHealth101: https://herhealth101.com
Instagram: @jaxdallas
IMDb: imdb.me/jackiedallas

 About the Host:

Dr. Mike Woo-Ming has over 20 years of experience as a physician entrepreneur. He’s built and sold multiple seven-figure companies and now leads Executive Medical, a group of clinics specializing in age management and aesthetics. Through BootstrapMD, he mentors physicians in business, content creation, and autonomy.

Let’s Connect: www.https://www.bootstrapmd.com 

Want to start a podcast? Check out the Doctor Podcast Network!

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This episode is sponsored by NURP

NURP helps busy physicians grow their wealth through AI-powered algorithmic trading designed for demanding careers. No day trading, no guesswork, and no constant market watching required. 

Ready to put your money to work? Visit start.nurp.com/doctors  to learn more. 

Trading involves risk, and results may vary. This is not financial advice.

__________________________________

What happens when AI transforms not only how physicians practice medicine, but also how they build their careers?

Join Dr. Mike Woo-Ming as he welcomes Dr. Rusha Modi In this episode of Bootstrap MD. Dr. Modi discusses why he left traditional medicine and pursued a more personalized model focused on complex, multisystem health concerns, vitality, and major life transitions. He discusses how volume-driven healthcare can overlook patients whose needs extend beyond a single specialty, visit, diagnosis, or conventional treatment target.

The conversation then explores AI’s growing influence on healthcare, physician workflows, entrepreneurship, and patient engagement. Dr. Modi encourages physicians to understand their economic value, diversify income, learn practical AI tools, map their workflows, and take an active role in technology implementation rather than allowing changes to happen around them.

Three Actionable Takeaways:

• Understand Your Value: Physicians should understand their economic and professional value rather than assuming self-advocacy conflicts with patient advocacy. Know what your work contributes, negotiate thoughtfully, and avoid allowing healthcare systems to undervalue your expertise.
• Learn to Use AI: You do not need to become a programmer to benefit from AI. Start with practical tasks such as scheduling and administrative work, learn where the technology succeeds or fails, and gradually explore how it can improve your clinical workflow.
• Lead the Transition: Physicians should not remain passive as AI transforms healthcare. Map your clinical and administrative workflows, identify tasks likely to be automated, develop expertise that adds human value, and participate in decisions about how technology is implemented.

About the Show:

Bootstrap MD is the ultimate podcast for physician entrepreneurs looking to escape traditional healthcare and control their financial futures. Hosted by Dr. Mike Woo-Ming, a successful physician, entrepreneur, and investor, the show delivers actionable insights on starting businesses, creating passive income, and navigating healthcare entrepreneurship. Featuring interviews with industry leaders, physicians, and experts in telemedicine and digital health, it’s your guide to building a profitable, fulfilling career.

Tune in weekly at http://bootstrapmd.com

About the Guest:

Dr. Rusha Modi is a board-certified gastroenterologist and hepatologist trained at Brown, Harvard, Cedars-Sinai, UCLA, and USC. He has held academic and health-tech roles and focuses on physician entrepreneurship, consumer biology, AI in healthcare, and performance medicine. He is also developing Volta, a premium virtual concierge practice for life transitions.

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rusha-modi 
• Substack: https://tomorrowlist.substack.com 

 About the Host:

Dr. Mike Woo-Ming has over 20 years of experience as a physician entrepreneur. He’s built and sold multiple seven-figure companies and now leads Executive Medical, a group of clinics specializing in age management and aesthetics. Through BootstrapMD, he mentors physicians in business, content creation, and autonomy.

Let’s Connect: www.https://www.bootstrapmd.com 

Want to start a podcast? Check out the Doctor Podcast Network!

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This episode is sponsored by NURP

NURP helps busy physicians grow their wealth through AI-powered algorithmic trading designed for demanding careers. No day trading, no guesswork, and no constant market watching required. 

Ready to put your money to work? Visit start.nurp.com/doctors  to learn more. 

Trading involves risk, and results may vary. This is not financial advice.

__________________________________

Is your medical practice a true business, or just a high-paying job that depends entirely on you?

In this episode of BootstrapMD, Dr. Mike Woo-Ming sits with Dr. Jean -Raphael Schneider as he explains how his entrepreneurial journey began in 2006 and how his mother, who had an MBA and a background in supply chain and logistics at Hewlett Packard, introduced him to lean methodology. By applying principles such as standardized processes, eliminating waste, and defining value from the patient's perspective, Dr. Schneider built systems that improved both efficiency and patient care.

The conversation explores how physicians can move from being self-employed to actually owning a business. It also highlights the risks of operational inefficiencies and inadequate financial safeguards. Dr. Raphael recounts experiencing cyber fraud involving a major financial transaction and explains how the experience led him to develop formal procedures for large payments. He emphasizes that physicians should proactively create systems rather than waiting for problems to occur. Today, Dr. Schneider is focused on helping other physicians build scalable and sellable practices through his program, Transform Your Medical Practice into a Scalable and Sellable Asset, and his book, The Physician's Freedom Formula.

Three Actionable Takeaways:

• Build Systems Before You Need Them: Don't wait for problems to appear before creating processes. Document your clinical and administrative workflows from the beginning and continuously improve them. Systems can standardize care, make onboarding easier, reduce errors, and allow the practice to operate more effectively without everything depending on the owner.
• Turn Physician Time Into High-Value Work: One of the biggest sources of waste in a medical practice is having highly trained physicians spend their time on tasks that could be delegated, automated, or prepared by staff. Look for opportunities to have team members handle administrative work, prepare patient information, and organize records so physicians can focus on clinical decisions and patient care.
• Build Your Practice as an Asset: If your practice depends entirely on you, you may own a job rather than a business. Develop multiple providers, ancillary services, and reliable systems that generate value even when you're not personally present. Building these pillars can create greater flexibility today and potentially increase the value of the practice when you're ready for an exit.

About the Show:

Bootstrap MD is the ultimate podcast for physician entrepreneurs looking to escape traditional healthcare and control their financial futures. Hosted by Dr. Mike Woo-Ming, a successful physician, entrepreneur, and investor, the show delivers actionable insights on starting businesses, creating passive income, and navigating healthcare entrepreneurship. Featuring interviews with industry leaders, physicians, and experts in telemedicine and digital health, it’s your guide to building a profitable, fulfilling career.

Tune in weekly at http://bootstrapmd.com

About the Guest:

Dr. Jean -Raphael Schneider, is a practicing neurologist, entrepreneur, author, and physician coach. He began his private practice journey in 2006 and built a multi-provider neurology practice using lean methodology and standardized systems. His practice eventually grew to four doctors, two nurse practitioners, and ancillary services including research and infusion services before he sold the business.

Today, Dr. Raphael helps physicians transform their medical practices into scalable and sellable assets. He is the author of The Physician's Freedom Formula and runs the program Transform Your Medical Practice into a Scalable and Sellable Asset, where he teaches physicians how to build systems, reduce waste, scale their practices, and create a sustainable exit strategy.

Book:  The Physician's Freedom Formula.

 About the Host:

Dr. Mike Woo-Ming has over 20 years of experience as a physician entrepreneur. He’s built and sold multiple seven-figure companies and now leads Executive Medical, a group of clinics specializing in age management and aesthetics. Through BootstrapMD, he mentors physicians in business, content creation, and autonomy.

Let’s Connect: www.https://www.bootstrapmd.com 

Want to start a podcast? Check out the Doctor Podcast Network!

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This episode is sponsored by NURP

NURP helps busy physicians grow their wealth through AI-powered algorithmic trading designed for demanding careers. No day trading, no guesswork, and no constant market watching required. 

Ready to put your money to work? Visit start.nurp.com/doctors  to learn more. 

Trading involves risk, and results may vary. This is not financial advice.

__________________________________

Are you building financial freedom, or sacrificing your life trying to reach it?

In this episode of BootstrapMD, Dr. Mike Woo-Ming welcomes Dr. Michael Hersh, as he shares his journey through burnout, his pursuit of financial independence, and the realization that simply reaching a financial finish line would not solve the deeper challenges he was experiencing. 

The conversation explores why physicians can be hesitant to seek coaching, including the culture of independence, stigma around asking for help, and concerns about being taken advantage of. Michael explains how coaching helped him challenge deeply held beliefs, establish boundaries, schedule meaningful breaks during his clinical day, and become more present with his family. He also discusses how he shifted his perspective on the FIRE movement, continuing to save and invest while reducing the urgency to reach financial independence at the expense of his current life.

He explains that many doctors come to coaching because their families are receiving the "leftovers" of their energy after demanding clinical work. The conversation also covers career transitions, physician entrepreneurship, podcasting, and how the Doctor Podcast Network has helped him make Better Physician Life more sustainable. Michael encourages physicians to recognize their transferable skills and explore the many ways they can use their expertise beyond traditional clinical practice.

Three Actionable Takeaways:

• Identify What You Can Control: Physicians often feel powerless when working within complex healthcare systems, but there are usually areas where they can influence their experience. Identify the things you can change, such as your schedule, boundaries, routines, and daily habits, while learning to let go of circumstances that are outside your control.
• Stop Giving Your Family the Leftovers: After giving patients and healthcare organizations your energy all day, it can be easy to arrive home with little patience or emotional bandwidth remaining. Create intentional boundaries between work and home, schedule breaks during the workday, and develop routines that help you become more present with the people who matter most.
• Build a Life Beyond Clinical Medicine: Your identity and value as a physician do not have to depend entirely on clinical work. Explore your transferable skills, interests, leadership abilities, business opportunities, or entrepreneurial pursuits. You may not need to leave medicine completely; developing meaningful interests outside clinical practice can make your career more sustainable.

About the Show:

Bootstrap MD is the ultimate podcast for physician entrepreneurs looking to escape traditional healthcare and control their financial futures. Hosted by Dr. Mike Woo-Ming, a successful physician, entrepreneur, and investor, the show delivers actionable insights on starting businesses, creating passive income, and navigating healthcare entrepreneurship. Featuring interviews with industry leaders, physicians, and experts in telemedicine and digital health, it’s your guide to building a profitable, fulfilling career. 

Tune in weekly at  http://bootstrapmd.com 

About the Guest:

Dr. Michael Hersh is a practicing gastroenterologist outside of Chicago and the founder of Better Physician Life Coaching. After experiencing burnout and realizing that financial independence alone would not solve the challenges he was facing, Michael discovered physician coaching and transformed his approach to work, family, and career. He now coaches physicians who feel trapped, overwhelmed, or uncertain about their professional direction.

Michael also hosts the Better Physician Life podcast, where he explores the challenges physicians face and shares strategies for creating more sustainable and fulfilling careers.

• Website: betterphysicianlife.com
• Podcast: Better Physician Life
• Free Resource:  betterphysicianlife.com/commutereset 

 About the Host:

Dr. Mike Woo-Ming has over 20 years of experience as a physician entrepreneur. He’s built and sold multiple seven-figure companies and now leads Executive Medical, a group of clinics specializing in age management and aesthetics. Through BootstrapMD, he mentors physicians in business, content creation, and autonomy.

Let’s Connect: www.https://www.bootstrapmd.com 

Want to start a podcast? Check out the Doctor Podcast Network!

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This episode is sponsored by NURP

NURP helps busy physicians grow their wealth through AI-powered algorithmic trading designed for demanding careers. No day trading, no guesswork, and no constant market watching required. 

Ready to put your money to work? Visit start.nurp.com/doctors  to learn more. 

Trading involves risk, and results may vary. This is not financial advice.

__________________________________

Are you building a sustainable telemedicine career—or simply collecting more state licenses?

In this episode of BootstrapMD, Dr. Mike Woo-Ming welcomes Dr. Leo Damasco and Phoebe Gutierrez, to discuss their podcasting journey and the evolving telemedicine landscape. They explain how their partnership developed, why abandoning rigid scripts transformed their show, and how joining the Doctor Podcast Network helped them focus on meaningful conversations, research, guests, and sustainable content creation.

The conversation then explores telemedicine’s transition from its COVID-era boom into a more mature and competitive industry. Leo and Phoebe discuss shrinking physician leverage, increasing regulation, market consolidation, private equity involvement, and the shift toward smaller, focused practice models. They encourage physicians to think strategically about licensing, business ownership, leadership opportunities, diversification, and developing expertise beyond clinical care.

They also explain how physicians can evaluate telemedicine companies and identify potential warning signs before joining. They emphasize asking questions, understanding regulatory responsibilities, participating in leadership, and protecting professional judgment. Rather than avoiding telemedicine, physicians should enter thoughtfully, build valuable skills, diversify when appropriate, and position themselves as knowledgeable contributors rather than interchangeable providers.

Three Actionable Takeaways:

• Build Beyond Your Clinical Credentials: Having multiple state licenses can open doors, but licenses alone may no longer differentiate physicians in a competitive telemedicine market. Develop complementary expertise in compliance, operations, leadership, business development, technology, or practice management. The more problems you can intelligently solve, the more valuable you become to telemedicine organizations and potential practice partners.
• Investigate Before Joining a Telemedicine Company: Before accepting a telemedicine role, ask detailed questions about state requirements, physician responsibilities, clinical workflows, technology, prescribing practices, leadership expectations, and how patient information is handled. If a company discourages questions or describes your role as completely passive, pause and investigate further. Your professional license deserves careful protection.
• Diversify Strategically, Not Automatically: Having several telemedicine employers can provide protection against company instability, but working across too many platforms can dilute your attention and prevent meaningful expertise. Early diversification can help you learn the industry and discover what works. Over time, consider concentrating on organizations where you can contribute substantially, earn well, and build lasting value.

About the Show:

Bootstrap MD is the ultimate podcast for physician entrepreneurs looking to escape traditional healthcare and control their financial futures. Hosted by Dr. Mike Woo-Ming, a successful physician, entrepreneur, and investor, the show delivers actionable insights on starting businesses, creating passive income, and navigating healthcare entrepreneurship. Featuring interviews with industry leaders, physicians, and experts in telemedicine and digital health, it’s your guide to building a profitable, fulfilling career. 

Tune in weekly at  http://bootstrapmd.com

About the Guests:

Dr. Leo Damasco – Pediatrician and emergency medicine doctor turned telemedicine advocate, helping physicians transition to digital health.

Phoebe Gutierrez – Former state regulator turned telehealth executive, specializing in compliance and sustainable virtual care models.

They both host Telemedicine Talks Podcast, where they explore healthcare innovation, physician entrepreneurship, regulatory challenges, and practical strategies for building sustainable careers in telemedicine.

• Website: Telemedicinetalks.com
• Podcast: Telemedicine Talks
• Connect with Phoebe Gutierrez:
  https://www.linkedIn.com/in/pkgutierrez/ 
  [email protected] (mailto:[email protected])

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