In this episode of Business & Brews, Matt Pierce sits down with John Bowman, founder and CEO of Sure Med, to explore the realities of building a company from the ground up. John shares lessons from early failures, the importance of preparation, and what it takes to scale a business through constant pivots.

They also dive into the evolving overdose epidemic and how SureMed is working to equip physicians with better data and tools to make safer decisions for patients.

• John’s early journey: military, boxing, and entering healthcare
• Lessons learned from his first business and why preparation matters
• The shift from “winging it” to operating with discipline and strategy
• The role of mentorship and surrounding yourself with the right people
• Navigating years of pivots to find product-market fit
• Scaling challenges: growing fast without losing focus
• Understanding the overdose epidemic beyond prescription opioids
• How SureMed helps physicians make more informed, lower-risk decisions
• Building a mission-driven business rooted in purpose and faith

• Preparation creates confidence and better decision-making
• There is no single path to building a successful company
• Growth often looks like chaos — constant pivots are part of the process
• The people and inputs you surround yourself with matter deeply
• You have to survive long enough to figure out what works, then scale it
• Solving meaningful problems requires both persistence and adaptability