I Was the Outlier at the Orthopreneurs Symposium

I was the outlier at the Orthopreneurs Symposium on September 4th and 5th

The symposium was held quite literally in the middle of nowhere…on a beautiful piece of property owned by Dr. Molli, who so graciously opened his home and property to host 65 of us.

There were brilliant surgeons, entrepreneurs, healthcare leaders, app designers, and venture capitalists in the room.

There was a bonfire. There was a band. Networking happened between speakers, over corn husks and around bonfires.

Memories were made. Friendships were born.

I was one of 14 speakers at the symposium. And I chose to go last.

I wanted to spend a couple of days listening, observing, and getting a feel for what this particular group might need. I was excited that I was able to present while sitting in  a leather chair at the front of the room. And when it was my turn, I asked them to close their eyes.

To breathe. To tune into their bodies. To pause. Then I told them a little about my own story.

About my background as a coach. About what brought me to this work. And about Dr. Molli, who asked me to do exactly this when I was at death’s door.

I talked about something I see again and again in entrepreneurs and leaders: We are people who take risks. We say yes. We build things that don’t yet exist. We push ourselves. We solve problems. We lead.

But sometimes, in the midst of all that doing, we lose touch with the person doing it.

So we explored the Wheel of Life—not to create another to-do list, but to pause and notice.

Where are you thriving? Where are you depleted? What have you been neglecting? What might be asking for your attention?

Several people shared their reflections and results. They asked thoughtful questions. There was vulnerability, curiosity, and the beginnings of some really meaningful conversations.

And as I looked around the room, I was struck by the caliber of people sitting there. Brilliant minds. Big ideas. Huge responsibilities.

But underneath all those titles and accomplishments were human beings.

Human beings with bodies, relationships, dreams, fears, and lives. Maybe being the outlier was exactly what this room needed.

Not another presentation. A pause. A breath. A moment to come back to ourselves.

Because perhaps the most important question for any entrepreneur or leader isn’t always: “What should I do next?”

Sometimes it’s simply: “How am I doing?”