I’ve always made it a habit to truly listen to what others have to say and I feel that has paid off for me and my business.
Dr. Shah began his education at the Ohio State University and then continued to medical school at The Ohio State University College of Medicine. Afterward, he pursued his residency in Internal Medicine in Boston, MA and then completed his allergy fellowship at the prestigious Scripps Clinic and University of California- San Diego. He trained under experts in allergic disease, food allergies, and severe asthma. Currently, he serves as the owner and allergist at Premier Allergy in Columbus, Ohio.
In addition to founding the allergy department at the Chalmers P Wylie Veterans Outpatient center, Dr. Shah also serves as a medical advisor to the My Food Allergy support group, is a fellow of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology and was recently named a Healthcare Hero for his work in advancing research for those with severe food allergies.
Where did the idea for Premier Allergy come from?
My parents were entrepreneurs but my passion was always medicine. I always had an interest in allergy and asthma related issues because I had those problems growing up as did many of my friends. When I learned about the innovative treatments in allergy/asthma care such as rush immunotherapy or food immunotherapy, I wanted to provide those services in central Ohio, where I grew up. So in 2010, my wife and I moved back to Columbus and opened the practice.
What does your typical day look like and how do you make it productive?
I spend the majority of my time focusing on clinical research, teaching and business development. I continue to enjoy spending time with medical students and residents who rotate thru our practice and am currently also a professor at Ohio University Medical School. The rest of my day is split brainstorming ideas in clinical research and business development. My goal is to provide cutting-edge allergy and asthma care to not just Central Ohio- I want Premier Allergy to be able to help patients across the country one day.
How do you bring ideas to life?
I actually have about 20 ideas a day. I can’t take credit for bringing them to life though that would have to be my team. I bring them my ideas and they basically weed through them getting rid of the ones that are too complicated, too expensive or just simply don’t make sense. After they do that we are basically left with one (laughs) and they help bring that to fruition.
What’s one trend that really excites you?
I love how involved people are in their day to day health. It is probably due to the simplicity of researching the web but having a patient that is knowledgeable about the situation makes it a true team effort between myself, the nurses and the patients.
What is one habit of yours that makes you more productive as an entrepreneur?
I would say listening to all forms of ideas and putting those ideas to work. I truly enjoy the opinions of everyone from senior level and janitorial alike. I’ve always made it a habit to truly listen to what others have to say and I feel that has paid off for me and my business.
What was the worst job you ever had and what did you learn from it?
I can’t say I have ever really had a bad job. My parents taught me to always give 110% so no matter what I was doing, whether it was serving coffee or making calls to Alumni I always put my all into it and found a way to make it fun.
As an entrepreneur, what is the one thing you do over and over and recommend everyone else do?
I always make it a point to talk to other professionals, to learn as much as I can and stay on top of any new developments that may help my business. There is never a downside to meeting new people and asking questions. I recommend that to anyone. That is how you learn and how you grow both personally and professionally.
What is one failure you had as an entrepreneur, and how did you overcome it?
I am a micromanager. Early on I always felt the need to control the way things went. Eventually, I realized that I wasn’t allowing people to rise to their fullest potential. I learned to step back and trust people more which in turn allowed the business to grow even more.
What is one business idea that you’re willing to give away to our readers?
I always thought it would be a great idea to have a catering business that offered healthy food to people waiting for a connecting flight at the airport. They would be able to place an order anytime of the day and when they have their layover someone would meet them at their gate with their food.
What is the best $100 you recently spent? What and why?
I recently took my kids to the Air and Space Museum in Washington DC. I didn’t know if they would be bored because they are 4 and 5 years old but to see that wide-eyed look of excitement on their faces, that made the ticket and souvenir prices more than worth it.
What software and web services do you use? What do you love about them?
At Premier Allergy, we are focused on using technology to make our patients experience better. We are completely paperless- all of our medical records are electronic. Further, many of our patients use a patient portal for accessing their medical information or even paying their bills. We have iPads in every room so patients can learn about their allergy testing and educate themselves about their diseases while waiting. Currently, we are in the process of developing an app so patients can track their allergy shot schedule.
What people have influenced your thinking and might be of interest to others?
Simon Sinek who is a wonderful motivational speaker. I suggest people read his book Leaders Eat Last
Connect:
Premier Allergy on Twitter: @PremierAllergy
Premier Allergy on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G_OF8sakKJ8
Mario Schulzke is the Founder of ideamensch, which he started a decade ago to learn from entrepreneurs and give them a platform for their ideas.