IAM418 – Physician and Podcaster Helps People Live the Best & Healthy Lives

Dr. Berry Pierre is founder of drberrypierre.com, CEO of Pierre Medical Consulting and a Board Certified Internist who host the weekly podcast the Lunch and Learn with Dr. Berry and the video series Empower Yourself For Better Health. As a physician, he realized that this passion was helping others live the best & healthy lives they could but understood that his one to one interactions with patients in the office wasn't going to be enough. Its why he stepped out the clinical walls to bring the masses the health information they need to live their best lives.

• CEO Hack: Understanding that it's not going to be perfect but you have to do it
• CEO Nugget: Ask for help sooner
• CEO Defined: The hardest worker in the company

Website: http://www.drberrypierre.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.om/drberrypierre
Twitter: https://twitter.com/drberrypierre
Instagram: https://instagram.com/drberrypierre
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drberrypierre/

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Transcription

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Intro 0:02

Do you want to learn effective ways to build relationships, generate sales, and grow your business from successful entrepreneurs, startups, and CEOs without listening to a long, long, long interview? If so, you've come to the right place. Gresham Harkless values your time and is ready to share with you precisely the information you're in search of. This is the I AM CEO Podcast.

Gresham Harkless 0:29

Hello, hello, hello, this is Gresh from the I AM CEO podcast and I have a very special guest on the show today. I have Dr. Berry Pierre of Pierre Medical Consulting. Dr. Berry, it's awesome to have you on the show.

Dr. Berry Pierre 0:39

First of all, thank you for having me.

Gresham Harkless 0:41

No problem. Thanks for being on the show. And looking forward to having you on. And I wanted to read a little bit more about Dr. Berry so you can hear about all the awesome things that he's doing. Dr. Berry Pierre is founder of drberrypierre.com, CEO of Pierre Medical Consulting and a Board Certified Internist who host the weekly podcast the Lunch and Learn with Dr. Berry and the video series Empower Yourself For Better Health. As a physician, he realized that this passion was helping others live the best & healthy lives they could but understood that his one-to-one interactions with patients in the office weren't going to be enough. It's why he stepped out of the clinical walls to bring the masses the health information they need to live their best lives. Dr. Berry, are you ready to speak to the I AM CEO Community?

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Dr. Berry Pierre 1:25

I love it. It's so fun. Every time I hear it. I'm like, wow, I guess I really do.

Gresham Harkless 1:31

It puts everything in light. When you can hear yourself, I hear all the awesome things you've been doing. So I wanted to kick everything off by hearing about what I call your CEO story and what led you to get started with your business.

Dr. Berry Pierre 1:42

So I think when I first started out, of course, as a physician, most of us have our career sit in line for us, right? You know, you go to school, you do what you need to do, and you become a doctor. And then it's there. But what I realized very quickly, and that I really think having a background in public health, as my spearhead that I realized I wasn't helping enough people. Even though I was taking care of my patients, my patients loved me they were doing well. I always used to feel like well, yes, I can take care of the person in front of me.

But what about their mom? What about their end? What about the person who doesn't have the opportunity to see me or doesn't have the ability to even come to the doctor's office? What am I actually doing, especially if my goal is wanting to care and save people? Like what am I actually doing for those people? And I think that was my big driving force that kind of spearheaded. I like to call it my side job. But it's something where I just talk to everybody, instead of really focusing on one person.

Gresham Harkless 2:39

Yeah, that makes perfect sense. And a lot of times, because there's all this technology that's out there, you can definitely get your message out to so many more people with all this technology and all these tools like podcasting and blogs, and websites and everything you can it's up 24/7 anybody can look at it anytime. So when you have a message when you can make an impact, that's truly

Dr. Berry Pierre 2:58

It's definitely I think, as a physician, really wanting to take care of as many people as we can. And we've got the ability now with social media and with the internet to do so. So I thought it was only right that I really kind of spearheaded and took it really to the next level.

Gresham Harkless 3:18

Yeah, absolutely. So I wanted to drill down a little bit deeper. Could you tell us how you're taking it to the next level and tell us exactly what you're doing to kind of support the clients you're working with?

Dr. Berry Pierre 3:26

Sure. When I first started out, I was just blogging. It was something that I started doing as a medical student where I would just blog, I do a weekly blog, and I'm just talking about life habits as a medical student, and it grew as a medical resident and even grew as an attending. And once I started getting traction, and I started realising a lot of people like reading the blog, I would get a lot of people say, Hey, man, I love reading it. But can you do, right, because I like watching the video as well, too. And at that time, YouTube really started blowing up.

So I actually started this, my Lunch and Learn series, where every Tuesday and Thursday out actually during my lunch break, because again, as a physician, you don't get that much time, but you got to focus on it.

During my lunch break, I would actually focus on different health topics that I knew my patients had questions about. But a lot of times, they never had the time to really ask the doctor, which was unfortunate, right? You get 15 minutes, and then you're out of the room. So I would spend an hour sometimes an hour and a half just having live sessions talking to whoever was on at this time I was using Facebook, and whoever was on to really try to drive home that message. And then it's spirit on to like people say, Hey, I love the audio. I love the video. Can I get an audio version as well too? So then I was like, Okay, I guess I gotta do a podcast as well because they'd be like, I love watching video, but sometimes I don't have the time. Right?

And again, like you said, patients are busy, they're working, their life is just happening, right? So I don't have the time maybe watch a video or watch you live. Is there any way I can make a video or audio aspect of it? And of course, I can tell you I was scared. Right again. I love technology, but I didn't realize Oh Got a podcast. Yes, and you want to hear. And then that's really how the podcast came about. Through all of these channels, the blogging the video through the podcasting, I'm able to work with clients who do consultations, personal on one, one with many group consultations as well. To really help get everyone's health enlightened is really my goal, at the end of the day is trying to make health cool. I want to make it cool to be healthy. Because I just haven't really yet.

Gresham Harkless 5:29

Yeah, well, I definitely think that the saying goes health is your wealth. Health, the greatest health is wealth, I think the greatest wealth is health got it backward. At the same time, it's something that's where we may not be cool is definitely super important. So it's great to hear that you have so many different ways to build your own media company and brand around, being able to touch people in so many different ways that you can read information. If you can't read information, then you can watch a video, if you can't watch a video, then you can listen to it via podcast. So getting all those touch points.

Dr. Berry Pierre 5:57

A lot of times, for us, sometimes we have to eliminate the excuses. I'm pretty sure you know, the competent. So if someone says Oh, I can't get a chance to read it, well, hey, I got a video up. I don't have time to watch. Hey, I got to like stop it.

Gresham Harkless 6:09

Exactly, exactly. Excuses are tools with the confidence to build bridges to nowhere, My name isn't. So yes, I've heard that with it once or twice. So I wanted to ask you for what I call your secret sauce. And it could be for you or your organization. But what do you feel kind of sets you apart or makes you unique?

Dr. Berry Pierre 6:24

I think one of the biggest things, especially as a physician, and even a minor, honestly, when I champion all the time, as a minority physician, a lot of times people don't see people who look like me, talking about health, and really talking about how important it is. So once they see, wow, this is a black physician who is confident who's talking about health, and really gets a joy and passion and making sure you're healthy, right? That's really the goal, right? I want to make sure you're healthy and I again sometimes can't sleep, right, and my patients aren't doing well. And they see that passion in me. And that's what separates me from a lot of my colleagues, because a lot of my colleagues, again, I love them, right?

But a lot of times they're just doing it because they have to do it. And I generally want to do it. Like I said, as a physician, if I don't blog if I don't do a video if I don't do a podcast, I'm still a physician, but I wouldn't be complete in my mind. I'm not a complete physician if I'm not doing all of those things, because I can't possibly be helping someone who may be in a different state, even a different country. Right? If my goal really is to try to promote this health. So I think that's what's been really helping me separate this apart because they see a brother who actually loves doing what he does gets excited. I'm getting hyped.

Now, I'm getting excited about talking about health in many different ways. And especially because I'm 35 years old. I know, this is the age usually my 25 to 35-year-olds, I call these superhuman folks, right? Because we don't really, health is really not important to us, as it should, a lot of our parents, start experiencing these health-related problems, but I'm trying to make it that it's 25 and 35 years old is like I gotta get my wellness exam. I gotta make sure my blood work is correct. Because I don't want to be 35 I don't want to be 40 dealing with 60-year-old problems, right?

Gresham Harkless 8:07

Yeah, and definitely makes perfect sense. It definitely sounds like it's your mission. And not yet not even just your passion, but your mission. And you're getting me hyped as well to just because I think anytime that you have a vision, you have a goal for what you want to do. And then you go out about doing it doesn't help but motivate everybody else in order to do that. So I definitely appreciate you sharing that with us. And of course, leading the charge as far as doing that. So I wanted to switch gears a little bit. And I want to ask you for what I call a CEO hack. So this could be an app, a book, or a habit that you have, but what's something that makes you more effective and efficient?

Dr. Berry Pierre 8:39

I think the biggest thing for me, especially as a CEO is fiscal I know you have a lot of business owners who do this, getting out my own way. And understanding that it's not going to be perfect, but you still have to do it. And this was something big as I can tell you my typing physicians are going crazy because when we grow up we're trained in the field that everything has to be 100% correct before you make a move. Right? because we know at the end of the day this is someone's life I'm dealing with but in business, you can't do that right? In business you got to go hey, yes we're not sending it away.

But you can't wait for it 100% Or you'll never go I know a lot of business folks that I have a lot of decision friends who follow me who want to do what I'm doing but because the lighting isn't like I'm in my car right now right so the lighting isn't correct they don't have a good backdrop all of these things here they won't do it at all. And I see the same trade with CEOs who gets stuck and it's usually stuck because they're trying to get that perfect opportunity and I'm pretty sure the perfect opportunity isn't gonna come you got to go and get it so get out your own way understanding that yes, you're gonna make some mistakes. But don't look for the perfect opportunity look for an opportunity that you will make perfect.

Gresham Harkless 9:51

I love it. I love it. Yeah, I always used to say don't have the perfect, don't let the perfect get in the way the possible because a lot of times we can make some stuff make things happen, but we don't do it because we don't take those actions. So how were you able just to ask a little bit more about it? How are you able to balance both of those because you still have that physician role where you do have to be perfect? And then at the same time, you have to be able to just have that. Let's just do it and see what happens when it comes to your blog and your podcasts and everything.

Dr. Berry Pierre 10:14

So I think, definitely I can tell you, it wasn't, right off the jump, right, it was definitely a work that I had to keep, like pinning down and hitting over the head and saying, hey, you need to do this. And I really just think about my patients, I was thinking about the people that I was trying to help and understand like, Hey, Berry, if you allow yourself not to do that podcast, if you allow yourself not to record that video, if you allow yourself not to write that blog, someone's not going to be helped, someone's not going to know about their blood pressure, they're not gonna know about their cholesterol, they're not going to know about their diabetes.

So I would take that personally, I will say, Okay, I can't be the reason why this person doesn't learn about their blood pressure or doesn't learn different tricks and hacks that he can get around and improve their quality of life. I can't be that reason, because I was waiting for some special, perfect opportunity. So sometimes, again, I do it all the time, when I'm doing my medical stuff in a hospital. Yes, I gotta be 100%. Correct. But I understand what I'm doing here, with the promotion and the education and the advocacy. Because as I like to call myself the number one advocate.

Gresham Harkless 11:21

So yeah, it makes perfect sense. Because a lot of times you have such a strong mission, and you become mission-driven rather than getting in the weeds, because I think sometimes again, you're trying to make things perfect trying to get in make sure the T's are crossed, and I's are audit, while there's a time and place for that, of course, you want to make sure that your Y is stronger than your how, and you figure out exactly what that is. And you drive forward on that. So I appreciate you for sharing that with us. And now I wanted to ask you for what I call a CEO nugget. And this is a word of wisdom or a piece of advice. Or if you could happen to be a time machine, what would you tell your younger business self?

Dr. Berry Pierre 11:57

Ask for help sooner. I think as a CEO, because a lot of especially when you're at your company, it's your baby, right? You want to try to do everything on your own. And I don't feel like my company grew more than what it is until I need help doing it. Like yes, I can post Yes, I can do these things. But like I need to get some team members to help me out. So don't be afraid to ask for help and support. That's one thing I would try to tell every CEO, do not be afraid to ask for help. Except again, you can't ask for it and accept it either. You have to accept that help as well, too because it will help your business and yourself to grow.

Gresham Harkless 12:40

Yeah, absolutely. I always say success is a team sport. So you have to make sure that you have the right team in place. And you have to be able to ask for something because very rarely will you get something unless you ask for it. And then when you get that, yes, you got to make sure that you're accepted into you're not pushing that person away when they're trying to help you because sometimes we want to do that because we will be our superhuman selves sometimes and try to tap into that. So now I want to ask you my absolute favorite question, which is the definition of what it means to be a CEO. And we're hoping to have different quote-unquote CEOs on the show. So Dr. Berry, what does being a CEO mean to you?

Dr. Berry Pierre 13:10

I think being a CEO means that you're going to be the hardest worker in your company, you're gonna have you who will always outpower your work ethic, right? Because once you have your why, and you know why you're doing these things, right? The work won't even be considered working will be something that you just love to do. But if you have to be the number one worker, I think a lot of CEO is getting in trouble, right? Especially when we start asking for help getting help, we expect other people to do most of the work and you have to be the hardest worker from day one from the beginning. Because not only are you supporting your mission, but you're supporting the people who have to support your mission.

Gresham Harkless 13:48

Yeah, absolutely. And I think a lot of times you have to have that perspective. And you shouldn't ask of anybody, something you won't do yourself. So if you're not willing to put in that hard work, then don't expect somebody else to put in that hard work. So they will take on your leadership. So I think that's an incredible perspective. Incredible definition. Dr. Berry, I appreciate you. I appreciate your time even more, I wanted to pass you the mic so to speak, just to see if there's anything additional you want to let our readers and listeners know and then of course, how best they can get a hold of you subscribe to your podcast, read your blog and see all the awesome things you're doing.

Dr. Berry Pierre 14:19

Perfect for me. So I think especially as a CEO who's still in the mix, right? Still working to get better. Understanding that a community like this, right, where you have CEOs from different industries that don't think that because I'm in that house, I can't help you because you're in your marketing or you're in a bit like understanding that a lot of us are in the same business. A lot of us will have the same traits that will make our businesses better, but we just have to listen.

So I love these opportunities. I love a show like this because it brings us together because a lot of times this is a lonely road. He will tell you this, but this is a lonely road that we need to be less trapped it because it's less traveled, we need that support. So I love this opportunity to talk to others and make sure we're all doing the same thing because that's our goal. Our goal is to help each other out and help the world.

Gresham Harkless 15:11

Yeah, absolutely. Because we all have our mission. So you want to make sure that you're in line with doing that.

Dr. Berry Pierre 15:16

And if those want to follow me again, as a CEO hack, I am Dr. Berry Pierre. So my website is actually Drberrypierre.com. You can find me on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. I think I'm on snap at any social media site. I'm at Dr. Berry Pierre. Again, if I can give a nugget, make sure you like to lock down your user name for it everywhere you go. So that'd be a little extra as well, too. But again, I frequent Instagram, I frequent Twitter, and I love answering questions. I have a Facebook group as well. To get this going. Go to the website, Northamerica.com. You'll see to hop on a. I love sending out the information I talked about in the podcast, I talked about health-related topics. Because again, we're getting old one way or the other, you might as well get old and healthy while you're doing.

Gresham Harkless 16:04

Absolutely and just like you said, one of those CEO nuggets is making sure that you're easily found. So one of the ways you can do that is to make sure you have the same handle. But to make things even easier. I'll make sure to have the links in the show notes as well so that everybody can just click through and follow up with you everywhere. But Dr. Berry appreciates your time. Appreciate your mission and I hope you have a phenomenal day.

Outro 16:22

Thank you for listening to the I AM CEO Podcast powered by Blue 16 Media. Tune in next time and visit us at iamceo.co I AM CEO is not just a phrase, it's a community. Be sure to follow us on social media and subscribe to our podcast on iTunes Google Play and everywhere you listen to podcasts, SUBSCRIBE, and leave us a five-star rating grab CEO gear at www.ceogear.co. This has been the I AM CEO Podcast with Gresham Harkless. Thank you for listening.

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