Kentrell Brown is a well-known medical doctor and orthopedic surgeon in Atlanta, Georgia. He operates his own private practice called Kentrell Orthopedics Center, where he offers several spine-related medical procedures for both adults and children. Some of these services include spine oncology, which deals with complex reconstructions, tumor resections, removing malignant and benign tumors, kyphoplasty, and other minimally invasive options. He also performs adult spine disease surgery with procedures such as managing beck and back pain, using disc replacements to manage degenerative disc disease, osteoporotic fracture management, dynamic stability maintenance through dynamic fixations, and other minimally invasive options.
Dr. Brown also conducts non-spine surgeries for adults and children, such as soft tissue and bone tumor treatment, reconstructions, and tumor resections. All these services mean that he is a busy person, and the fact that he runs his facility successfully is a testament of his managerial skills. Although he is a busy person, Dr. Brown makes sure to take time off to help other people who are in need. He is actively involved in charity and volunteer work in the country as well as around the world. For instance, he donates to medical charities and homeless welfare groups in Atlanta and other cities across the country.
He has donated thousands of dollars to help the less fortunate access expensive cancer treatment. When he cannot donate money, Dr. Brown offers his time and services for free. He has been to 20 countries in Africa, South America, and Southeast Asia to offer his orthopedic services to needy people for free. This kind of dedication and passion for volunteer work show that Dr. Brown is a person with a caring personality. His dedication to medical practice and philanthropy stems from his belief that people should focus not only on achieving financial success, but also on using their wealth and time to help others who are not as fortunate. His remarkable life has made him a role model for his 12-year old who wants to become a medical doctor when he grows up.
How did you get started in this business?
My interest in the medical field was fostered during my formative years while still in high school. I loved Biology and was intrigued to learn how the human body systems functioned. This curiosity, alongside my compassionate nature and a desire to help people led me to study medicine. I naturally found myself gravitating towards orthopedic surgery because my grandmother had suffered degenerative disk disease due to old age. I wanted to help alleviate her discomfort as well as many others like her. One of my mentors at the time also happened to be a skilled orthopedic surgeon. His skills and passion kind of rubbed off on me. Upon completing my medical fellowship, I felt confident that this was the area where I would be able to impact people’s lives while finding fulfillment at the same time.
How do you make money?
I make money by providing and charging fees for my medical expertise through consultancy and surgical services. I consult and conduct surgical operations on various conditions on managing neck and back pain, degenerative disk disease, and spinal oncology procedures. These include tumor management and complex reconstructions after tumor resections. Apart from adults, my client portfolio also includes children who I help manage fractures, bone, and soft tissue tumor management and reconstruction, among many other services. I also assist in managing oncology conditions that are not related to the spine. Clients’ health insurance policies mostly cover my fees.
How long did it take for you to become profitable?
It took me approximately two years to make any profits because I was relatively new in the field, and people tend to trust older and more experienced doctors. Although it took a while, it ended up being a worthy investment because the first few clients I had were quite impressed by my services. Their recommendations and positive reviews helped my practice take-off and grew to the next level. Over time I had regular clients who would bring in their families and friends.
When you were starting out, was there ever a time you doubted it would work? If so, how did you handle that?
I went through brief periods where I was a bit skeptical about my decision. However, I had anticipated such challenges and understood the risks involved before setting up. I remember going through 3 consecutive weeks without any clients, and I felt very discouraged. I managed to go through this challenging period by staying firmly grounded in my beliefs and my desire to make a difference. I stayed passionate and received overwhelming support from my mentor and my family.
How did you get your first customer?
My first client was referred to me by my former instructor while in medical school, a renowned orthopedic surgeon. The client had been suffering from degenerative disk disease and severe back pain. My mentor remembered how passionate I had been about helping patients manage these conditions and did not hesitate to recommend my services. Years later, my client and I have continued to stay in touch as my techniques significantly improved his life quality. He has continued to recommend my services to others seeking similar services.
What is one marketing strategy (other than referrals) that you’re using that works really well to generate new business?
The secret for me has been advertising on social platforms such as Facebook and Instagram. Because people are spending more time online now, I have capitalized on this, and I regularly pay to have my pages reach as many people as possible. The ads I have running on these sites have generated so much traffic to my official website, leading to inquiries and subsequent visits to the premises.
What is the toughest decision you’ve had to make in the last few months?
That would be uprooting my entire family from the place we had called home and had spent most of our lives. I decided to establish my practice in a place where I felt my services would be most needed. However, this was at the expense of my personal and social life. My wife and child took some time before settling in fully. I am happy that the decision has paid off, and I have even managed to get some of my family members to move here.
What do you think it is that makes you successful?
I believe it is a combination of my passion for serving and helping people and hard work and consistency. My values helped keep me grounded in the face of the challenges I have faced with the practice. Hard work and consistency have enabled me to provide satisfactory services to my patients.
What has been your most satisfying moment in business?
I was able to arrest a unique and concealed cancerous tumor in my 10-year-old patient. The patient repeatedly fell ill, and none of the tests were conclusive enough to make a diagnosis. With the parents’ support and permission, my team and I could prevent disease progression, and the patient made a full recovery. This reminded me why I had gotten into the medical field.
What does the future hold for your business? What are you most excited about?
The future looks very promising as the team has continued to grow and now serves more people. I am excited about partnering with our colleagues in low and middle-income counties and sharing with them some of the techniques we employ that have helped manage our patients. I also look forward to traveling to low-income countries to offer free services to those in need but cannot access healthcare services.
What business books have inspired you?
The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey is almost like my life manual. I feel like implementing the ideas in the book have helped me get to where I am.
What advice would you give to your younger self?
I would tell my younger self that failing is part of the process, but all the attempts after failing to get you closer to your dreams.
Are you willing to be a mentor? If so, how should someone contact you?
Not at this time.