From rural Tennessee to the top of Stryker, John Brown grew a $17M company into a $4.3B market leader, not with hype, but with discipline, culture, and calculated bets. Omar shares Brown’s most valuable leadership lessons and why they still matter today.
Episode Breakdown:
00:00 – The unlikely path of John Brown
00:54 – How this episode came to life
01:23 – Meeting Cy Johnson and researching Brown’s story
02:51 – Why Brown stands apart from other medtech CEOs
03:34 – His impact by the numbers 09:07 – Lesson 1: Decentralize or die
10:56 – Lesson 2: The 20% growth law 12:26 – Building a culture of performance
15:47 – Lesson 3: Invent it, make it, sell it 16:47 – Lesson 4: Culture is king 17:12 – Lesson 5: Hire smart, humble hustlers
18:26 – Lesson 6: Make bold bets at the right time
18:48 – The Howmedica acquisition and integration pause
20:07 – Final years and succession planning
20:52 – Lesson 7: Legacy equals culture plus succession
21:20 – Why Brown’s leadership still matters today
23:20 – Advice for the next generation
23:45 – Closing thoughts and sponsor mentions
Are you a medtech CEO in need of some marketing help attracting investors, growing sales pipeline, and more? Go to GrowMyMedtech.com to book time for a free analysis.
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