This Doctor Hit Rock Bottom After Selling Her Company But Turned It All Around — Here's How She Did It. A physician-turned-entrepreneur reveals her prescription for five key ingredients to sustainable success.
Key Takeaways
- Dr. Denise Brown has collected her entrepreneurial lessons in a new book.
- She calls for ditching the work-balance myth and taking a more holistic approach
- Investing in personal well-being and family relationships while pursuing professional goals is essential
Denise Brown, MD, hit an all-time low after selling her company, Fident Health, in October 2023.
Despite what should have been a triumphant moment, Dr. Brown found herself disconnected from her family and friends, suffering from back pain and an ulcer. She soon realized she had violated the principles that guided her successful 30-year career.
But rather than wallowing in despair, Dr. Brown used this experience as a wake-up call, codifying the unconventional wisdom that had previously guided her journey from Stanford-trained physician to venture capitalist and healthcare entrepreneur. The end result is contained in her soon-to-be-released book, The Fairy God Doctor's Guide to the Good Life: A Prescription for the Working Woman.
Here are five key lessons from Dr. Brown on how to build a sustainable and fulfilling career.
Reject the work-life balance myth
While many professionals struggle with "work-life balance," Dr. Brown advocates for a more holistic approach. "Balance implies a zero-sum mentality," she explains. "Instead of trying to achieve perfect equilibrium, think of yourself as a circus performer spinning multiple plates or juggling various balls." This perspective shift allows for a more dynamic and realistic approach to managing multiple priorities simultaneously.
Manage your priorities
Dr. Brown developed a powerful framework for decision-making: the "glass balls versus rubber balls" concept.
"We have some balls that are made out of glass, and we have some balls that are made out of rubber," she explains. "If you let the rubber balls bounce, you can pick them back up again." The key is identifying which priorities are truly essential (glass balls) and which can temporarily bounce without catastrophic consequences. For Dr. Brown, her children were always glass balls, while maintaining a spotless house was a rubber ball that could bounce when needed.
Challenge status quo career paths
Dr. Brown's career path is a testament to the power of forging your own path. After completing her medical residency at Stanford, she decided to follow her husband to Vanderbilt, later returning to the Bay Area on her own terms. "I was just kind of willing to not get hung up on the sort of what the normal ladder was," she says. This flexibility allowed her to practice clinical medicine for 15 years while remaining open to new opportunities, eventually leading to her successful transition into venture capital.
Don't be afraid to ask for help
One of Dr. Brown's core principles is the power of simply asking for what you need. "We make so many assumptions that create unnecessary stress," she notes. Whether it's requesting a meeting time change to accommodate childcare or having frank conversations with family about attendance at events, Dr. Brown advocates for open dialogue. "Most of the time, you just automatically make these assumptions, but we can all interact like people," she says, recalling a conversation with her then-12-year-old son about missing a football game.
Build your runway
Perhaps Dr. Brown's most important lesson is the concept of "building your runway"—creating a sustainable foundation for long-term success. This means consistently investing in personal well-being and family relationships while pursuing professional goals. "You can do it all and have it all simultaneously," she argues, "if you have just a slightly different mentality on what that actually means."
The consequences of neglecting these principles became painfully clear to Dr. Brown during the sale of her company Fident. Despite the professional achievement, she found herself "at the bottom of the well," dealing with physical ailments and feeling disconnected from her support system. It took 18 months to recover, but this experience crystallized her understanding of how crucial these principles are for sustained success.
Today, Dr. Brown shares these insights through executive mentorship and venture capital advising, helping others create more fulfilling careers. Her approach resonates particularly with women navigating the complexities of career advancement and family life, though her principles really apply to anyone seeking to build a more intentional professional path.
