The Clinician Founder Podcast 🙋

CoachWithShub.com

Where Clinicians become Founders. Join Dr. Shubhendu Kulshreshtha as he interviews doctors and health professionals who’ve built impactful ventures—while staying true to their clinical roots. Building on the success of 24 episodes of Season 1 - The Medic Side-Hustles, we now focus in on Clinician Founders. From digital health startups to community-led initiatives, each episode dives into the how, why, and what now of building something beyond the bedside. For clinicians who want more than medicine—this is your podcast.

  1. Oct 27

    From Anaesthetics Trainee to Clinician Founder: Building Tools Doctors Need

    Become a clinician founder 👉 www.ClinicianFounder.com Dr. Shubhendu Kulshreshtha with Dr. Lasith Ranasinghe on nutrition, clinician founders, and building SYNC Dr. Lasith Ranasinghe, known as Laz, is an anaesthetics trainee in East London who is also building two long-running side projects outside his day job. In this episode, he shares how a nutrition passion project grew from clinical frustration, and how SYNC began as a simple rota problem before expanding into a broader tool for healthcare admin and financial stress. We cover what it means to be a clinician founder, why speaking to users early matters more than polishing in private, and how lived experience can shape products that healthcare workers actually want to use. The conversation also gets into AI, direct-to-consumer healthcare tools, and the tradeoffs of building while working a demanding clinical job. Timestamps:( 00:00) Introduction to the Clinician Founder Podcast and Laz’s background(01:07) Laz introduces his clinical role and side projects(02:41) The origin of SYNC and the rota problem it solves(05:58) What clinician founder means and why insider knowledge matters(09:24) Why failed projects and early user feedback shape better products(14:23) Testing a problem before building a product(15:22) The Phenomics LinkedIn post that validated the idea(16:43) What made the SYNC LinkedIn post work(19:49) How early users are being onboarded and what feedback looks like(22:11) Why payslip analysis was not enough on its own(25:49) How Laz balances SYNC, nutrition, and anaesthetics(28:34) Guardrails against burnout and overcommitting to a project(30:45) What needs to go right for SYNC to succeed(33:51) What Laz fears going wrong, and why there is no catastrophic worst case(37:28) Laz turns the questions back and asks about the AI agent idea(38:29) OpenClaw, NotebookLM, and the shift toward useful AI agents(40:29) The hypothesis behind agents for doctors(41:58) Validation, conversion, and rota management as the strongest use case(43:12) Why AI adoption in healthcare may lag behind other industries(44:27) AI, admin burden, and why clinicians want systems that simply work(45:27) The challenge of change management in healthcare(46:12) Why direct-to-consumer may be easier than B2B for this kind of tool(48:46) Where to find Laz online Laz's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lasith-ranasinghe/ Music licensed through Soundstripe.Code: HKOPEVYWPQC4J930

  2. Oct 20

    How a Dental Student Turned LinkedIn Writing Into a Business

    Become a Clinician Founder 👉 https://clinicianfounder.com/In this episode, Souad Menif, a dental student and founder of Medica Ink, shares her journey from failure to success, her approach to building a personal brand on LinkedIn, and her exciting new project: writing a book about overcoming academic failure. Discover practical insights on turning challenges into opportunities and the importance of authentic storytelling for clinician entrepreneurs.Chapters00:00 Introduction to the Clinician Founder Podcast01:07 Guest Introduction: Souad Menif01:50 Souad's Mission with Medica Ink02:13 What Does it Mean to Be a Clinician Founder?03:44 Souad's Journey from Failure to Founder05:14 The Power of Writing on LinkedIn06:10 Why Souad Chose LinkedIn for Building Her Brand08:44 Souad's Current Project: Writing a Book09:49 The Process of Writing and Publishing a Book11:09 Why Souad Wants to Write About Failure13:12 The Inspiration Behind the Book17:44 Current Status and Challenges of the Book20:41 Using AI and Tools for Writing21:32 Resources and Frameworks for Book Writing25:52 Promoting the Book and Engaging the Audience30:00 Adapting Content Based on Feedback33:16 Balancing Personal Projects and Business Goals36:19 Building Credibility and Proof of Work43:26 Reflections on Impact and Authenticity50:55 Final Thoughts and Next StepsSouad's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/souad-menif/Music licensed through Soundstripe.Code: LGDTFIA46IFWI8FT

  3. Jul 29

    Evidence Based Marketing

    Clinician Founder Community - now LIVE: https://clinicianfounder.com/membership/ Summary In this episode, Dr. Shubhendu Kulshreshtha interviews Tiarnan McKeever about his journey from medical student to healthcare marketing entrepreneur. They explore leadership, decision-making, marketing strategies, and the importance of authentic communication for clinicians building businesses. Sound bites "Leadership is about bringing a vision to life." "Who you become in entrepreneurship matters most." "Trust signals are essential in marketing." Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Dr. Shubhendu Kulshreshtha and guest Tiarnan McKeever 01:19 Tiarnan's work in healthcare marketing and business to doctor 02:09 What it means to be a founder and leadership journey 03:12 Shifting from innovation to people-centric leadership 04:25 Leadership as bringing a vision to life 06:41 Recommended reading: Beyond Two Point Oh by Jim Collins 07:39 Data-driven marketing and evidence-based strategies 08:57 The role of logic, creativity, and decision-making in marketing 10:34 The origin story of Key Catalyst and social media marketing 12:22 Building traction with doctors and social media marketing 13:36 The importance of branding and marketing in healthcare 14:35 Deciding to go all-in on healthcare marketing 16:09 Identity shifts from medical student to entrepreneur 24:23 Who you become in entrepreneurship and leadership 27:32 Applying coaching skills to clinical leadership 29:58 Leadership, confidence, and decision-making in clinical and business settings 34:30 Understanding communication styles and team dynamics 36:47 Using strengths and self-awareness for effective leadership 38:41 Reflecting on personal growth and leadership development 39:05 Marketing and messaging strategies for clinicians 43:34 Cold vs warm traffic in marketing and audience targeting 45:56 Trust signals and case studies in marketing 48:19 The psychology of buyer decision-making 52:24 Evidence-based marketing for clinicians and healthcare businesses 54:18 The power of writing and authority in marketing 56:52 Final thoughts and how to connect with Tiarnan Tiarnan's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tiarn%C3%A1nmckeever/ Music licensed through Soundstripe. Code: VOPCOFYKPTTF7FBJ, DMVJXRWVOW70768H, GSMLVYX3DGDWYA39

  4. Jul 21

    Showcasing your expertise as a Clinician Founder

    Membership 👉 https://clinicianfounder.com/membership/ In this episode as we explore how Rachel Williams, a former nurse turned international communication coach for doctors, leverages her unique background to help clinicians elevate their English skills, improve patient interaction, and build impactful online presences, especially via newsletters and social media. Rachel Williams - https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachelwilliams-medicalenglishconsultant Rachel’s newsletter - The Digital Clinic (available via LinkedIn profile) This episode reminds us that the impact of your clinical experience isn’t limited to patient care—it's a foundation for creating educational content, coaching, and community-building that can transform your career and your influence. Start small, stay authentic, and leverage your strengths to make a meaningful difference. (0:00) - Intro and episode overview (1:15) - Rachel’s background in nursing and transition into communication coaching (3:11)- The spark for helping clinicians with English (5:10) - Impact seen through individual career growth (6:39) - Cultural versus language barriers in medical communication (8:23) - Systemic and cultural challenges in healthcare communication (11:11) - Challenges of marketing and online presence (12:19) - The resignation letter that launched her online career (13:30) - Overcoming imposter syndrome and fear of sharing online (15:35) - Building credibility through social media and newsletters (22:51) - Newsletter strategies and content tips (29:42) - Simplifying content creation with micro-newsletters (37:49) - Using voice notes and AI for capturing ideas (41:09) - Rachel’s health journey and insights into healthcare communication (50:37) - The nuances of doctor-patient communication across cultures (54:29) - The importance of honest and clear communication from clinicians Music licensed through Soundstripe.Code: L7VPQXDGS0OUCDK7

  5. Jul 14

    How speed kills founder work w/ Dr. Farnaaz Sharief MBE

    Register for early access to the Clinician Founder Community: https://clinicianfounder.com/membership/ Links mentioned in the podcast: For career changes: https://farnaazsharief.com/beyond For using DISC insights to influence: https://farnaazsharief.com/disc Summary In this episode, Dr. Shubhendu Kulshreshtha interviews Dr. Farnaaz Sharief MB, a GP, executive coach, and resilience trainer, about the true meaning of resilience for clinicians, creating impact beyond medicine, and building a sustainable, impactful career. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Dr. Farnaaz Sharief and her background 01:26 Exploring the true meaning of resilience for clinicians 02:04 Resilience beyond recovery: functioning under stress 03:55 Thriving vs. resilience: what’s the opposite? 04:38 The importance of self-care and recognizing stress 05:21 Farnaaz’s journey from exhaustion to impact 10:22 The most meaningful moments in her work 12:31 The impact of her community programs 13:37 Transitioning into a founder role 15:42 The importance of agency and control 16:09 Lessons from building a business sustainably 19:14 Her current services and niche focus 21:29 Balancing multiple ideas and focus areas 24:21 The importance of slow, deliberate development 27:26 Focusing on one priority: ADHD or menopause 28:14 Tracking progress and metrics 31:17 Learning from challenges and feedback 33:11 Using clinical skills in the founder space 36:29 Innate skills and continuous learning 39:33 The impact of authentic connection 43:02 The role of resilience in organizational change 46:19 Managing stress and change in healthcare 50:55 The power of resilience and dealing with bad days 52:27 Lessons from challenging times 54:00 Future plans and how to connect with Farnaaz Music licensed through Soundstripe. Code: IR7LA3TSLKRHL1FC

About

Where Clinicians become Founders. Join Dr. Shubhendu Kulshreshtha as he interviews doctors and health professionals who’ve built impactful ventures—while staying true to their clinical roots. Building on the success of 24 episodes of Season 1 - The Medic Side-Hustles, we now focus in on Clinician Founders. From digital health startups to community-led initiatives, each episode dives into the how, why, and what now of building something beyond the bedside. For clinicians who want more than medicine—this is your podcast.