Steve Shoemaker MD

As far back as Steve can remember, he has always possessed a burning desire to learn about the deepest mysteries of life and science, especially people and chemistry.Becoming an MD was a natural path to his dreams.

After studying chemistry at Stanford University, he attended the UCLA School of Medicine. He trained first in Internal Medicine and later specialized in Pulmonary Disease. He later joined the medical school faculty. As he immersed himself in teaching, he became deeply aware of the amount of discipline that is required to gain new knowledge and skills. His position provided him with many opportunities to mentor others, as well as access to physicians who had been where he wanted to be.

While still in academia, he was part of a small, select group of top students who caught the attention of one of his professors-who was not only an MD, but also an entrepreneur. After Steve’s residency and initial practice as a pulmonary physician, he was approached to join his professor and the others in a biopharmaceutical venture. Steve chose to take the huge step and leave the world of healing, where he loved listening, healing patients, guiding family members through life-threatening medical problems and mentoring young students awakening to the wonders of modern science. He entered the entrepreneurial world of medicine and immediately experienced the complex problems that leaders and executives constantly face. Subsequently, he has participated in the launch and growth of multiple biopharmaceutical start-up companies. It is these very challenges that continue to make his journey meaningful and exciting.

In the past 25 years, Steve has worked with start-up companies including biopharmaceuticals, medical communications and health information technology. As part of the senior management team, he helped two biopharmaceutical companies go public. He also helped develop, commercialize and navigate several novel therapeutic products through complex regulatory approval processes in the US and Europe. The most successful of which generated over $600 million per year in revenue before its patent expired.

Steve has learned many lessons from the start-up companies he’s worked with. He has worked in companies that started with 5 employees and grew to over 250, before difficult times required cuts of nearly one third; he has faced tough decisions over using personal finances to cover company payrolls; and has guided companies to manage “growing pains”, while ensuring that missions and core values are well defined and followed.

Steve feels, “One key to success in business, is the ability to solve complex problems, and a key step in this process is to keep an open mind. This involves becoming a good watcher, focusing on listening, seeing and being aware of our emotions. We need to accept what is without judgments and be willing to consider new solutions”.

Steve’s vision is to share his experience and skills with others so that they may use them on their own path to achieve both inner and outer abundance. Steve’s passion with VIM is based on a very simple premise – what you give, you grow from. He feels that working with leaders in the States and around the globe, will provide him with a great opportunity to be creative and learn new things.