NEW POD DROP: I sat down with Dr. Ramon Lizardo, ER doc turned 3-time operator turned investor, and former CEO of
@Tele911_.
Ramon shares his impressive journey: Getting into medical school on a single borrowed application he found in his backpack a month later. He left a $300K+ clinical job for $40K base and a $25K bonus, with debt. Then he built a company that turned Baltimore, Fort Worth, and San Francisco into cities where calling 911 puts a physician on your screen in 37 seconds. When the Key Bridge collapsed, the city called him at 3 a.m. and asked him to go live early.
We talk about the physician hierarchy, why nobody teaches doctors how money works, and the digital health profitability problem. Ramon also told me, on the record and before anyone else, where he's going next.
Ramon even suggested a working title for the episode: "Health Tech Physician-founder Can't Control His Children" (His 5-year-old and 8-year-old were negotiating a treaty in the next room the whole time.)
This is the best kind of episode. Genuine, honest, and one not to miss!
Full episode in post.
TIMESTAMPS
(00:01:47) Know your reports' kids' names
(00:05:08) One borrowed application, one doctor
(00:13:34) Nobody teaches doctors finance (deliberately)
(00:26:56) $300K clinical to $40K base
(00:36:16) Own the pipes, control the market
(00:37:45) He invented the rate card (seriously)
(00:53:22) A psychiatry skeptic changes his mind