DGTL Voices with Ed Marx

Episode: Listen, Learn, Evolve, and Repeat (feat. Jay Modh)

Date: January 15, 2025

Overview

This episode of DGTL Voices features a candid conversation between host Ed Marx and Jay Modh, CEO of Intuitive Cloud and Intuitive VC. The discussion centers on digital transformation in healthcare, cross-industry innovation, the realities of leadership, and Jay Modh’s personal journey from Gujarat, India, to running a multi-vertical tech company. The episode is brimming with practical advice, leadership insights, and reflections on purpose, gratitude, and mentorship.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Personal Background and Philosophy

• Music and Mantra
  Jay shares his eclectic music tastes (Billy Joel, Freddie Mercury, A.R. Rahman, meditation and trance) and emphasizes living an "intuitive life":

  "Living a debt free life personally, emotionally, spiritually, and financially. Giving your best as if it is your last day and waking up to make a positive impact..."
  (01:49, Jay Modh)

• Core Principles
  • Listen, Learn, Evolve, Repeat: Jay’s guiding mantra both in work and life.
  • Focus on solutions, not problems.

2. Jay’s Journey

• Early Life
  Raised in Gujarat; moved to the US at 21 for graduate studies in network info systems and cybersecurity.
  • Family:
    Deeply values his wife’s partnership and his family’s guidance:

    "We are what we call seekers, not believers. We are in quest of figuring things out."
    (04:02, Jay Modh)

3. Founding and Growing Intuitive Cloud

• Business Genesis & Vision
  • Desire to solve problems at scale and build a company with impact beyond himself.

  "If it is a sandwich, I want to make it better. That was always the desire."
  (05:20, Jay Modh)

  • Intuitive Cloud started as a technology engineering firm, evolving to focus on business transformation.
• Industry Verticals
  • Healthcare & Life Sciences, Financial Services/Banking/Insurance, and Heavy Industries.
  • Core services: Cloud, cybersecurity, data, AI/ML, platform, and product engineering.

4. Healthcare vs. Other Industries

(08:06–09:30)

• Healthcare’s Digital Transformation
  • Historically behind financial services and ISVs in digital adoption, but poised for rapid advancement.

  "I think healthcare is going to grow multifold and... may catch up or surpass other industries."
  (08:25, Jay Modh)

• Drivers of Change
  • Leadership evolution (CIOs, CTOs, boards)
  • Focus on operational efficiency, patient care, AI, and cybersecurity
  • Enhanced collaboration between providers and life sciences

5. Top Priorities in Healthcare Innovation

(09:47–13:29)

• Clear Intent & Strategic Goal-Setting:
  • Avoid aimless transformation; set defined goalposts.
• Administrational Efficiency:
  • Reducing physician burnout, streamlining prior authorization, cutting administrative overhead.
• Leveraging AI for Clinical and Operational Gain:
  • Real use cases in radiology, cardiology, real-time surgery data for actionable insights.

  "We are... witnessing live surgeries and collecting data... to drive efficiency and accuracy in care."
  (12:32, Jay Modh)

• Collaboration Across Providers and Life Sciences:
  • Building integrated solutions for patient treatment.

6. Evolution of Intuitive Cloud’s Approach

(13:46–16:01)

• From Tech to Business Consulting:
  • Transition from mere implementation to addressing client business needs and involving clinicians in solution design.

  "We have evolved... from being a technology services company to become a business consulting company."
  (14:37, Jay Modh)

• Earning Customer Trust:
  • "Our customers are now speaking for us and introducing us to their peers..."
    (13:53, Jay Modh)
• Building Advisory Capacity:
  • Onboarding physicians and surgeons to better align with healthcare provider challenges.

7. Personal Career Choices & Learnings

(16:39–18:27)

• Choosing Engineering Over Medicine:
  • Family filled with doctors; Jay self-deprecatingly attributes journey to not being “as smart” as his medical relatives.
  • Attracted to scale and enterprise rather than individual practice.
• Support and Humility:
  • Credits his journey to a supportive community; not a believer in the “self-made” myth.

8. Leadership Advice for Aspiring Founders

(18:44–20:35)

• Know Yourself:
  • Assess if you’re a leader, innovator, executor, or individual contributor.

  "Being confused with your own strengths is not a good idea."
  (18:48, Jay Modh)

• Realities of the CEO Role:
  • "Being a CEO... all looks very sexy... but it is not easy."
  • Be ready for sacrifices and lean on your support network.
• Honest Intent and Resilience:
  • It’s about impact, not glamour; play to your strengths, and be true to your purpose.

9. Lessons Learned the Hard Way

(20:41–22:58)

• Letting Go and Empowering Others:
  • Early missteps in micromanaging and not trusting other leaders; led to losing valuable team members.

  "Give people space to lead. That is one thing that I've learned the hard way."
  (21:43, Jay Modh)

• Right Expertise Matters:
  • Delayed hiring of finance and legal leaders cost the business; now rectified.

10. Maintaining Balance and Recharging

(23:21–24:49)

• Support System:
  • Trusted business partners and family keep him grounded and energized.

  "They are my sort of voice of reason...they keep me away from just being, you know, 100% of the time in business mode."
  (23:23, Jay Modh)

• Impact as Motivation:
  • Making a positive difference gives him energy even during hard stretches.

11. Gratitude and Paying It Forward

(25:34–27:44)

• Importance of Thankfulness:
  • Jay urges listeners to acknowledge and thank those who support them.
  • Especial gratitude for mentors, family, colleagues (including Ed Marx’s role helping his daughter).
• Mentorship & Learning from Mistakes:
  • Encourages openly sharing failures to help guide the next generation.

  "Most people talk about successes. I like to talk about failures because there is a lot to learn."
  (26:36, Jay Modh)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "Living a debt free life personally, emotionally, spiritually and financially. Giving your best as if it is your last day and waking up to make positive impact to everybody's life around you..." (01:49, Jay Modh)
• "Listen, learn, evolve, and repeat." (02:08, Jay Modh)
• "If it is a sandwich, I want to make it better." (05:20, Jay Modh)
• "Healthcare is going to grow multifold and they may catch up or surpass other industries." (08:25, Jay Modh)
• "Our customers are now speaking for us and introducing us to their peers in the industry. So to me, that is something to be really proud of." (13:51, Jay Modh)
• "Being confused with your own strengths is not a good idea." (18:48, Jay Modh)
• "Give people space to lead. That is one thing that I've learned the hard way." (21:43, Jay Modh)
• "Pick up a phone, call them, thank them and be grateful. There is no better feeling than that for you and for them." (25:54, Jay Modh)
• "Most people talk about successes. I like to talk about failures because there is a lot to learn." (26:36, Jay Modh)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:01-03:00 – Jay’s journey, music, and personal mantra
• 05:07-06:28 – Intuitive Cloud’s foundation and scaling vision
• 08:06-09:30 – Digital transformation: healthcare vs. other verticals
• 09:47-13:29 – Healthcare priorities: efficiency, AI, collaboration
• 13:46-16:01 – Evolving into business consulting; earning trust
• 18:44-20:35 – Advice for aspiring leaders and CEOs
• 20:41-22:58 – Leadership lessons learned the hard way
• 23:21-24:49 – Recharging, balance, and staying energized
• 25:34-27:44 – Final reflections, gratitude, and paying it forward

Closing Thoughts

Jay Modh’s episode is rich with experience-derived wisdom, centered on evolving leadership, gratitude, honesty, and the relentless pursuit of scalable, positive impact. His perspective lifts the lid on both the promise and pitfalls of building a transformative business, especially in the complex and rapidly changing world of healthcare technology. The encouragement to learn from failure, nurture relationships, and continually "listen, learn, evolve, and repeat" makes this episode a compelling resource for digital leaders, entrepreneurs, and anyone looking to make an impact in healthcare or beyond.