Hustle Tales
Current Location:
Kampala, Uganda
Current gig(s):
Managing Director, The Medical Concierge Group
Current computer(s):
Apple MacBook Pro 13”
Current mobile device(s):
iPhone 6Plus. Samsung Galaxy Tablet.
One word that best describes how you work:
Thorough!
How did you end up at your current gig?
Medical School was an eye opener to the challenges of healthcare in Uganda and low resource countries. At the time, I was on track targeting Neurosurgery. I made a choice along that journey to, rather than be an excellent Surgeon in a broken system, be the architect that designs a better system for every other Doctor that comes after me. The evolution of many primordial ideas led to the founding of The Medical Concierge Group (TMCG).
TMCG’s vision is to deliver innovative healthcare solutions that significantly improve health outcomes and set benchmarks for accessible, affordable and quality health care. At the moment, this comprises medical call centres, home-based clinical care and healthcare enterprise software solutions.
In our road map are exciting prospects in new-age health insurance, clinical care coordination, big data analytics, machine learning and Artificial Intelligence linked to IBM’s Watson.
Are there any career decisions/life choices/failures that were fundamental in making you the person you are now, doing what you are doing now?
Three perhaps, which are more like inflexions than anything else.
Reading Ben Carson’s ‘Think Big’ at 12 years old got me on the medical track.
Reading Robert Kiyosaki’s ‘Cashflow Quadrants’ and my time in a Network Marketing company selling nutritional supplements got me on an entrepreneurial track.
Contributing to passion projects that turned into award-winning Health IT projects got me on the Health IT Innovation track.
And now, the completion of two masters degrees in ICT Architecture and an MBA in Healthcare Management have got me to a unique intersection mix of Healthcare, Technology and Business.
Is your startup able to fully support you or do you have side gigs to sustain you as it grows? Any stories of some of the struggles/sacrifices you’ve had to make to see this dream come to life?
Yes it does. It’s my death ground.
Most of the struggles have been of those you create in your mind. The struggles against laziness, fear of failure and sloppiness.
The evidence of the sacrifices lie around me every day. The obsession to succeed consumes my time and sorts my relationships.
What apps/software/tools can’t you live without?
Google and its family of products particularly Gmail, Google Drive and GChat.
What’s your workspace like?
We are currently upgrading this from what was a carefully space-managed mix of call agent workstations, servers and a brainstorming round table to a contemporary work-lounge open space design for creativity, productivity and play.
What’s your best time-saving trick/life hack?
Get the best people on your team any way you legally can, sell them the vision and urgency, earn their trust, commitment, loyalty and focus them on what they do best.
How big is the team of people you work with and what’s your formula for managing them?
14 people. My formula is to be exemplary. Don’t ask of them what you can’t ask of yourself. That way, you earn the right to lead and they’ll be inspired to follow through.
What’s your favorite to-do list manager?
Quite Basic. Apple’s Notes.
Besides your phone and computer, what gadget can’t you live without and why?
I recently got the Apple Watch and it is quickly rising up to that status of a gadget I may not live without.
Its screen is the closest to me of them all. Quick glances and swipes give me instant access to my schedule, all my notifications across key apps helping me prioritize incoming traffic such as emails, chats, calls, messages etc without taking my phone out of my pocket at every vibration.
And it reminds how much more I need to keep physically active.
What everyday thing are you better at than most?
Thinking my day and business through during the morning shower.
How do you strike a balance between work, family, friends and other social obligations?
Balance is elusive, mythical, probably not even a personal recommendation. Different seasons of one’s life call for different ratios. My current season prioritises work, friends, family, others, in that order. I’m sure that was once friends… and may at some point in the future will be family, friends, work… One just ought to be mindful of the season, deliver on what’s important then and move on to the next.
How do you recharge?
A mix of me-time, music, a book, a fine meal in a lounge-style space.
What do you listen to while you work?
This can either be mellow R’n’B, Neo-Soul, on one day and deep Hip-Hop/Rap on another.
What are you currently reading?
The Founder’s Dilemmas: Anticipating and Avoiding the Pitfalls That Can Sink a Startup by Noam Wasserman
What usually leads you to buy a book? Books you’ve read recently that have impacted on you deeply? What kind of impact did they have?
The phase I find myself in especially when I am looking for insights to drive strategy and execution be it personal or in business.
Recent Book. Elon Musk By Ashlee Vance. Whatever drives a man to start and compete in industries as traditional as the motor, space and energy industries from scratch to build a successful billion dollar business empire must be examined, very closely. Elon has delivered the world’s most admired electric car, the most efficient off-grid power storage and has launched and landed a rocket back to earth in one piece. Elon’s goal to lead the human race to colonise another planet for the sake of the race’s own survival is not just superhuman but it inspires one to question and test their own limits and reach as far as one can, should, must.
Are you more of an introvert or an extrovert?
More of an introvert. Flashes of extroversion.
What’s your sleep routine like?
In bed between 11 and Midnight. Up between 5 and 6 am. Normally, 5- 7 hrs of sleep depending on the week day and schedule.
Any mentors/role models that you are working with/have inspired you and what lessons have you managed to learn from them?
Most of my mentors, I have met through books. There are only two ways we can change who we are. That is through what we read and who we meet.
The learnings are many but ultimately to pursue your best version of yourself, relentlessly!
What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?
Know Thyself ~ Socrates
Who would you like to see answer these same questions?
Elijah Kitaka
Is there anything else you’d like to add?
Thank you for the moment this has accorded me to #KnowThyself.
If you have any additional questions for Davis, feel free to drop them in the comment section below. He will try and answer those he can. Click here to read other Hustle Tales
******
The Hustle Tales (adapted from LifeHackers, How I Work series) asks people that are doing epic things how they go through their daily routines to make sure whatever is needed to get the job accomplished is done. If you are interested in doing one these interviews or know someone you think should do one, inbox us with the details and we’ll see if we can make it happen.
