Founder & CEO @Eusoh | Colon & Rectal Surgeon | Treasurer @ Sinai
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Who are you and what do you do?
I’m a dually board-certified General and Colon and Rectal surgeon who is now founder and CEO of Eusoh.com, a universal loss-sharing platform that provides coverage via a community based peer-to-peer model.
1. What was the journey that brought you to your current role?
I founded Eusoh, having seen first hand the travails of patients in the US Health System. We must ask ourselves, why hasn’t a startup challenged the fundamentals of the insurance system? It’s happening across other industries but not insurance. Insuretech to date has made it prettier, or faster, or cooler, but the underpinnings are the same. A confusing, expensive, and bloated system that doesn’t serve people. We did it. Methodically. Quietly. Purposefully. And effectively. We went live in 2018, and our users are saving on average >50% against an insurance plan. It’s a unique platform implemented by an equally remarkable team – whose vision serves those that the current system has neglected.
2. How do you get things done?
Momentum is a very critical part of staying successful. I make a conscious choice to keep my days packed with activity specifically to keep my momentum going. I typically exercise around 5 am, 5-6 days a week, then transition to kids, work, and then to community boards. I sit on several boards and participate in outside organizations that keep my evenings filled. My days are typically 12-15 hours on the go, and this keeps up the momentum. I think maintaining momentum is an oft-neglected part of success, as it’s easier to keep going than to turn “on” repeatedly continuously.
Being proficient at organization is essential to maintain fluidity through your various tasks. I’m organized to just below the borderline of falling into OCD – not quite there, but veering close to it. But the organization is critical to handle complex tasks from multiple fronts, many of which are unrelated.
And I protect my weekends for sanity. I make a conscious decision on the weekends not to sit on a computer. I am aware of what is happening via my smartphone; if there is a critical task at hand, I’m available and ready. But by and large, my team knows that I decompress and spend high-quality time with the family to reset my mind and focus once the weekend comes.
3. Who are your role models and why?
Peter Thiel — There’s a lot to be learned by Thiel, and if you haven’t read any of his works, I’d highly recommend him. Thiel has a strong understanding of the human spirit and what drives people. His life is one of the challenges that he faced head-on.
President Coolidge — An oft-overlooked President, but he was a champion of humility and doing what’s right, against all odds.
My Father — Though unknowable to the public, my Father was a great human being who provided a correct model of how to live life.
4. What’s the one secret about your field or industry you wish everyone knew?
If you pay attention closely, you’ll notice that InsureTech, by and large, has not challenged the foundational structure of insurance. Most notable entrants have either made a process innovation that makes consumer interaction easier (i.e., they reduce friction) or focus on data processing via AI. But few are focused on reimagining the model from the ground up. Understand that the current insurance model was invented before the telephone existed – and its core principles have remained unchallenged. If there was ever an industry ripe for disruption, it’s the insurance industry.
5. What are your predictions for the industry for the next few years?
Most industries have transitioned their supply chains from a just-in-case (i.e., Warehousing of goods) to a just-in-time model. This transition in the supply chain has provided savings via increased efficiency and less waste. If you consider the insurance model, it is still in the just-in-case structure. We pay in funds, in the form of premiums, and they are all warehoused in one large fund. With the advances in digital payments and the ability to scale virtually, the industry is ripe to do what every other industry has already done, and that is to move to a just-in-time model of financing losses.
