The Truth About Physician Entrepreneurship with Dad, Doctor and Entrepreneur (FT. Dr. Mark Royer)
Building Balance, Business, and a Life You Love: Lessons from My Conversation with Dr. Mark Royer – Host Insights from Interesting MD
By Dr. Rob Beck, Host of Interesting MD
At Interesting MD, I’m always looking for ways to bring fresh inspiration to physicians and healthcare professionals who want more out of life—inside and outside of clinical practice. In my latest episode, I sat down with Dr. Mark Royer, an ENT surgeon, entrepreneur, and podcast host who’s walked the walk when it comes to reimagining what it means to be a doctor in today’s world. Our conversation was one of those that stuck with me, and I’ve decided to distill the best of his insights (and the lessons I’ve learned) into this blog post, so you can benefit whether you’re a listener, fellow creative, or someone who stumbled across this post while searching for answers.
Consider this your roadmap if you’re itching to improve your quality of life, think about starting your own business, or just want to be reminded that there’s more to medicine than endless call shifts.
The Double-Physician Household: How Family Anchors Ambition
Dr. Royer and his wife Allison are both practicing ENT surgeons, raising their children in southern Indiana. Like my family, the Royers have chosen to work together and to make career moves with family in mind. One of the key points that resonated with me is just how transformative true family support can be—especially when life throws curveballs.
If you’re a physician parenting with limited support nearby, trust me, you’re not alone. Mark spoke candidly about the hustle of managing call (sometimes Q2, Q3 schedules!) and the difference it made to finally settle somewhere with help on hand. Having his in-laws eager to pitch in made starting a practice, launching businesses, and just living day-to-day life easier, while giving their children lasting bonds with relatives.
The big takeaway here? Don’t take family support for granted, and don’t underestimate the value it can add—not just to your happiness, but to your career flexibility and ambitions.
From Frustration to Innovation: When Waiting Room Time Built an MBA
Let’s get real: Physicians are experts at adapting on the fly. Dr. Royer took what for most is “wasted time”—waiting for cases to turn over in the OR—and turned it into an opportunity to earn his MBA. As he described, he’d read coursework, do modules, and dictate between cases. He did what so many of us are tempted by: tried to make dead time matter.
Like many, Mark didn’t start out with a background in business, billing, or entrepreneurship. He learned by doing—supplementing with resources from the White Coat Investor and books like Rich Dad, Poor Dad. The key is that you don’t necessarily need the fancy extra degree to succeed in business as a doctor; it’s about using the discipline, analytical skills, and capacity to learn that got you through med school.
Even I blush sometimes at how little I knew about finance and entrepreneurship when I started. The message for fellow MDs? Leverage what frustrates you. Use downtime wisely. And don’t assume you “need” an MBA or CPA to learn business basics (though having a trusted attorney doesn’t hurt!).
Specialty Locums – Filling a Gap, Creating Value
The heart of Dr. Royer’s business journey is his company, Specialty Locums, which was started to help hospitals and physicians navigate those dreaded call gaps in employed practices. As he described, he saw the inefficiency of massive locum agencies (“middlemen of middlemen”)—charging the hospital a premium, paying the doctors less than they deserved, and leaving everyone burnt out.
His solution? A physician-run, lean locums agency focusing on specialty call coverage. By narrowing overhead (organic growth, little to no recruiter spend), using networks, and emphasizing quality, they kept rates competitive and care standards high. The result was something as simple as “paying doctors more while charging hospitals less,” and it resonated.
What I love here is how it shows the direct benefit of thinking like an entrepreneur: Spot an inefficiency everyone complains about, do your research (SWOT analysis!), iterate slowly, and build something better.
How to Start a Physician Side Hustle—From the Ground Up
During our chat, Dr. Royer was unflinching about the realities of launching a business:
Start lean. Bootstrap. Don’t outsource everything at the start—do it yourself until you hit a true barrier.
Be wary of private equity and outside investors. Autonomy is priceless, especially in healthcare.
Keep fixed costs low and spend only where it’s necessary (pain points like editing, taxes, or compliance).
Network like crazy—most physician entrepreneurs will chat and share advice, pro bono.
Don’t fall for the “Instagram Success Trap.” For every Bezos-style rags-to-riches story, there are hundreds of tales of lost investment and dashed hopes.
I’ve seen countless colleagues pour time and money into side businesses that went nowhere—not because the ideas were bad, but because they ignored these foundational tips.
A physician’s entrepreneurial journey isn’t just about revenue. It’s about building autonomy, improving your daily life, and finding meaning. Run toward opportunity, not away from burnout!
Locuming: The Ultimate Flexibility and the Secret to Physician Autonomy
I’m passionate about locum tenens work—not just as a path to income, but as a way to stretch your wings. Whether it’s covering a maternity leave while juggling a new city (like my move to Victoria) or practicing medicine one week a month so you can travel or spend time with family, locuming is an ace up your sleeve.
Dr. Royer’s agency opened doors for doctors ready to reclaim their quality of life: more control over call, opportunities for travel, even ways to keep your skills sharp during non-compete periods or military obligations.
Take Dr. Gopi Shah, for example (who inspired this episode). She lived with her family in Paris, flying into the U.S. for periodic locums shifts, keeping her skills up and her life balanced. Locums literally made her dream feasible.
My advice: If you feel trapped by your current practice, investigate locums. It could be the start of your reinvention.
Beyond Medicine: Wakeboarding, Traveling, and Finding Joy At Home
On the lighter side… Dr. Royer and I traded stories about adult-onset wakeboarding wipeouts, boat upgrades, and the therapeutic power of tubing. Behind all the business talk is a shared commitment to living fully—carving out time for family, travel, and adventure.
We swap travel hacks and stories about jet lag and gelato. The lesson rings truer every year: The “work hard, play hard” mentality isn’t just a cliché—it’s essential for preventing burnout and building the life you actually want.
So whether it’s chasing the perfect wave or flying halfway across the globe for a three-day Taj Mahal adventure, don’t wait for retirement to start living. Find joy now.
Final Thoughts & How to Connect
If you’re a physician or healthcare professional at a crossroads, take heart! There are ways to find balance, build a business, and change your own narrative. Start small. Use your network. Value autonomy and focus on what truly improves your quality of life.
If this post resonated, check out the full podcast episode, catch up with us on social, or get in touch directly. Got a side project or burning idea? I’d love to hear about it—and maybe even feature you on Interesting MD.
Stay interesting! — Dr. Rob Beck
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Check out Dr. Royer’s agency:
Specialty Locums – Personalized locums coverage
Instagram: @specialtylocums