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Lisa, Founder & CEO at Jevan Consulting, LLC: Advize Career Interview
Lisa's journey from a long-term care background to Founder & CEO of Jevan Consulting, LLC is a testament to the power of a diverse skill set and a passion for healthcare.
Armed with an MBA from Arizona State and over 30 years of experience, initially as a CPA turned COO with a billion-dollar budget at Scripps Health, Lisa now oversees both operational improvements for hospitals and health systems and advises healthcare startups on go-to-market strategies.
A typical day involves strategic meetings with healthcare company CEOs, helping them plan for short-term to long-term goals, and ensuring teams have the resources they need.
Communication, organization, and vision are key skills, allowing one to support their team and navigate the inherent stress and bureaucracy of the healthcare industry.
A deeply rewarding role allows for leveraging expertise to help others fulfill their visions, especially when improving patients' lives.
Breaking into the field is possible with entry-level positions like administrative fellowships and roles in finance or project management, but a willingness to embrace calculated risks, confront difficult conversations, and learn from colleagues proves invaluable.
Ultimately, by learning finance and developing strong teamwork skills, and realizing that they can succeed in areas where they are not the expert in a group, success is attainable in healthcare.
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Lisa Risser
Founder & CEO
Jevan Consulting, LLC
University of Washington
Arizona State University (ASU) - W. P. Carey
Business Management & Admin
Healthcare
Consulting
Honors Student, Took Out Loans, Worked 20+ Hours in School
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Career Path of a Founder and CEO at Jevan Consulting, LLC
Lisa's career path includes an MBA from Arizona State and over 30 years in healthcare, initially in long-term care but primarily in hospitals and health systems, holding roles such as CFO, COO, and SVP at Scripps Health with oversight of a billion-dollar budget across multiple ancillary areas, leading to branching out to found "consulting and advisory business."
Main Responsibilities of a Founder and CEO at Jevan Consulting
As Founder & CEO of Jevan Consulting, Lisa is responsible for the "oversight" of both the consulting and advisory sides of the business, where they offer operational improvements for hospitals and health systems and assist healthcare startups with go-to-market strategies, ROI guidance, and revenue growth by connecting them with potential prospects. The role encompasses a broad spectrum of responsibilities, from advising on messaging to actively helping startups "grow their business".
A Day In The Life Of A Founder And CEO At Jevan Consulting
Lisa, Founder & CEO at Jevan Consulting, spends most of the day in meetings with healthcare company CEOs, helping them with strategies and ensuring that everything is organized and set up, because "lots of time in planning and organizational pieces and just making sure that everything's rolling the way that it needs to" is essential to their role. Focusing on short-term, mid-term, and long-term goals, and ensuring the team has all the resources needed to meet those goals, is also a key component of the CEO's day.
Most Important Skills for a Founder and CEO at Jevan Consulting
According to Lisa, Founder & CEO at Jevan Consulting, LLC, being a successful CEO requires "very good communication skills" to work with diverse individuals and support a team through feedback, and also necessitates organizational skills to understand team members' strengths and weaknesses, strategically building a well-rounded team where individual skills complement each other. Ultimately, vision and team support are key to accomplishing more collectively.
Favorite Parts of Being a Founder and CEO at Jevan Consulting
Lisa, as the Founder & CEO of Jevan Consulting, LLC, most enjoys leveraging expertise and years of experience to help multiple organizations and people "fulfill their vision and their goals." Ultimately, the most enjoyable aspect of the role is witnessing client growth and success through mentorship and advisory services.
Biggest Challenges Faced By A Founder And CEO At Jevan Consulting
As Founder & CEO of Jevan Consulting, Lisa's biggest challenge is effectively managing multiple responsibilities and ensuring everyone, including her team and clients, fulfills their obligations, which translates to "making sure that we're getting all the things done that we need to get done." This involves meticulously tracking tasks to prevent anything from being missed, essentially keeping "a lot of balls up in the air and just making sure [not letting] any of 'em drop."
Favorite Parts Of Working In The Healthcare Industry As A Founder And CEO
Lisa enjoys being in healthcare because "at its core it's about helping people," especially the most vulnerable, and finding ways to improve patients' lives is very fulfilling. To that end, Lisa focuses on working with healthcare startups that benefit both patients and providers, which allows Jevan Consulting, LLC to make a difference.
What Type Of Person Thrives In The Healthcare Industry According To A Founder And CEO At Jevan Consulting LLC
Lisa, Founder & CEO at Jevan Consulting, LLC, suggests that those who "care about other people" and are not solely motivated by financial gain tend to flourish in the healthcare industry, emphasizing the importance of being able to relate to individuals from diverse backgrounds and educational levels. Thriving also involves being a "really good team player," as healthcare inherently relies on teamwork and collaboration.
What A Founder And CEO At Jevan Consulting Wishes They Had Known Before Entering The Healthcare Industry
Lisa, Founder & CEO at Jevan Consulting, LLC, wishes someone had prepared them for the "very, very high" stress levels in healthcare, even in non-clinical roles like supply chain, and also for the "completely overwhelming" bureaucracy often found in large healthcare organizations, while balancing that with the potential for "very, very rewarding" experiences. Developing strong stress-management and navigation skills would have been invaluable.
Entry-Level Positions For Aspiring Healthcare Professionals
Lisa from Jevan Consulting suggests considering administrative fellowships, roles overseeing support service departments, or positions in finance, quality, or project management to break into the healthcare field; however, the key is to "take whatever entry level position you can get into" and focus on developing leadership and communication skills to leverage the numerous opportunities for growth and lateral moves within large healthcare organizations. A CPA background helped Lisa move from finance to operations, highlighting the value of diverse skill sets and internal networking for career advancement.
Significant Career Lesson From a Founder and CEO at Jevan Consulting
Lisa, a CPA turned hospital COO, found initial success by recognizing and leveraging unique skills; while surrounded by clinicians, Lisa realized that "nobody around the table expected [them] to understand the clinical aspects of healthcare," but could contribute valuable business, operational, and financial insights, leading to increased respect and confidence. Furthermore, Lisa's willingness to embrace calculated risks and confront difficult conversations proved instrumental in career advancement.
College Experiences That Helped a Founder and CEO at Jevan Consulting Succeed
Lisa believes the combination of a business degree with an accounting minor provided a beneficial knowledge base in finance, which is crucial for any organization, "especially as you move into leadership." Furthermore, the MBA program emphasized teamwork and learning from the diverse experiences of peers, which helped facilitate mutual growth and learning.
Career Advice From A Founder And CEO At Jevan Consulting LLC
Lisa found the most impactful experience at WP Carey to be the realization of the importance of teamwork and individual effort; witnessing a teammate not "pulling his weight" and subsequently being ostracized highlighted the long-term impact of being a dedicated team member and the lasting impression one makes on colleagues, which is applicable to Lisa's role as a CEO. This experience emphasized the power of collaboration, leveraging diverse skills, and ensuring everyone contributes their best to create a more powerful team.
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