Shai Gold

Steven “Shai” Gold is a force in the international healthcare arena. From generating hundreds of million of dollars in revenues for Jackson Memorial to inventing unique services in the DR. In “One Take” Shai gives us a unique perspective at the key to a successful career.

Defining Moment: As a 21-year-old, Israeli non-commission officer in a special-forces unit, we were in an incursion across enemy lines when we were notified at 3:00 a.m. that we stepped into an unmarked minefield. We were told to find a rock and sit or stand on the rock until we were evacuated. So that the defining moment: you’re very scared, you think about what’s important and you think about the nonsense that you never want to repeat again. It made me a very pragmatic man.

What changed that you would have never expected to change? The internet changed the service industry forever. Before, we were the ones with the “pixie dust” –information—but now everyone has access to the “pixie dust”. Information is key in the service industry and now everyone has access to it.

How do you cope? Every day I wake up and think “how do I make a better, more cost-efficient mousetrap?” The service industry is about relationship and values. Emotional intelligence is what allows me to navigate all these changes while focused on building the better mousetrap.

About today – As we become a more utilitarian society, what we are missing are the connections that emotional intelligence brings to the table. That’s what I bring. Emotional intelligence is what helps me remain relevant and adapt.

What will change this year? I am building two things for the Canadians and Americans who can’t afford to retire in the U.S. but who still want to retain the degree of service to which they are accustomed:

• First – deliver concierge medicine – urgent care at home
• Second – a well-managed operation with American style service, call it concierge retirement.

In both cases, we take available skill sets and wrap them around the envelope of service.

One word of advice to CEOs who are hiring and interviewing someone: As a turn-around expert, I will guarantee any HR Director or CEO that hiring people over 60 will shave off 10 – 15% of their operational costs.

Hiring gray hair matters in value, judgement and efficiency. We’ve made the mistakes and are better prepared because of that.