Azeez Abiodun, MD is a leading Nigerian-American physician. Combining his education, international non-profit projects, and leadership position in Internal Medicine has provided Abiodun with the skills to treat patients superiorly every day.
Abiodun’s prestigious career began in Lagos, Nigeria where he received his primary education. He attended Herbert Macaulay primary school, St. Finbarr’s College, and Federal School of Arts and Sciences. He immediately was interested in medicine. To pursue his medical career, Abiodun attended the University of Jos and UNILORIN where he studied botany and medicine, and finally received his MBBS at the University of Ilorin.
After finishing his professional education and internship, he accepted a job offer from the Namibian government. He also worked as a medical officer in Windhoek Central Hospital, Nigeria, and briefly in South Africa.
Today, Abiodun lives in Maryland with his wife and three children. In his spare time, he enjoys watching movies with his family and is a dedicated fan of the Redskins.
Where did the idea to start your own business come from?
While in Residency training, I noticed the majority of the doctors come in early at about 7am and stay in the hospital until late at night with barely anytime left for family. I always felt setting up my own practice would give me the flexibility of arranging my own time, so as to have time for family and having a good work-life balance dictated by me.
What does your typical day look like and how do you make it productive?
I start by doing a 15-20 minute workout before setting out to the clinic. When I arrive at work, I review the schedule for the day with my staff and identify priorities that need to be taken care of for that day. Then I start seeing clients till later in the day.
I try to get home by dinner time to eat with my family and help my kids with their school work.
How do you bring ideas to life?
I generate most of my ideas when I am faced with a challenging situation. What I do is find ways of making the idea practical by discussing with like-minded fellows in my field of expertise.
What’s one trend that really excites you?
I’m excited about DNA/Genome based medicine which basically tailors your medical treatment based on your DNA genome – instead of the “one size fits all” model that is currently practiced.
What is one habit of yours that makes you more productive as an entrepreneur?
I rarely do business based on sentiments.
What is one strategy that has helped you grow your business? Please explain how.
Being sincere, dedicated, and empathetic has really been a growth vehicle as every satisfied client refers friends and family.
What is one failure you had as an entrepreneur, and how did you overcome it?
While in Nigeria, I got convinced by a friend to import clothes from the Far East to sell, but the clothes arrived and we found out they were very unsuitable for the hot humid weather. We subsequently had to sell them to a factory that makes school bags at a loss.
Lesson: Never engage in a business you’re not familiar with!
What software and web services do you use? What do you love about them?
Google news is very informative. I call it the University of Google!
What is the one book that you recommend our community should read and why?
Rich Dad, Poor Dad. It teaches you basic money management.
What people have influenced your thinking and might be of interest to others?
Nelson Mandela…his spirit of forgiveness resonates with me.
Connect:
Azeez Abiodun on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/AzeezAbiodunMD