In this debut episode of the MGMA Early Careerist podcast, host Melinda Mastel speaks with Shay Eskew, Vice President of Sales at Kodiak Solutions, Ironman athlete, and burn survivor. Shay shares his remarkable journey from a childhood accident that changed his life, to building a career in healthcare, writing a bestselling book, and embracing challenges in athletics and leadership. Tune in for insights on resilience, risk-taking, building community, and finding purpose—plus practical advice for early careerists navigating their own paths.

8 Key Moments:

• 00:00 – Introduction & Meet Shay Askew
• 01:10 – Shay’s Unplanned Path into Healthcare
• 03:10 – Childhood Accident & Burn Survivor Story
• 05:15 – Recovery, Shriners Hospital, and Finding Purpose
• 10:00 – Sharing His Story: Speaking, Rotary, and Writing a Book
• 16:00 – Embracing Challenges: Ironman, Global Adventures, and Mindset
• 25:00 – Leadership, Mentorship, and Advice for Early Careerists
• 34:00 – Book Recommendations, Final Advice, and How to Connect with Shay

Resources:

• MGMA for Early Careerists (resources)
• Melinda Mastel (MGMA resource groups)
• Shay Eskew (website)
• Shay Eskew (LinkedIn)
• Book: What the Fire Ignited by Shay Eskew (Barnes & Noble)
• Book: Endurance: Shackleton’s Incredible Voyage by Alfred Lansing (Amazon)
• Shriners Hospitals for Children (Official Site)
• Rotary International (Official Site)
• The Human Performance Project – Illinois Chapter
• The Human Performance Project – Bird’s Eye View Project

Additional Resources:

• MGMA Playbooks
• MGMA Events
• MGMA Consulting
• MGMA DataDive
• MGMA Stat
• MGMA Podcasts

Email us at [email protected] if you would like to appear on an episode. If you have a question about your practice that you would like us to answer, send an email to [email protected]. Don't forget to subscribe to our network wherever you get your podcasts.