“I try to face my fears, doing what can be done and letting go of the rest,” says Grace Park, co-founder and president of DocDoc, and member of the Robb Report Singapore Thought Leaders community
For Grace Park, DocDoc’s founding has always been rooted in a deeply personal experience, one that reflects the poignant incongruence between the cost and the quality of healthcare provided. After a routine test for her infant daughter turned into a diagnosis of a rare liver condition, Park and her husband, Cole Sirucek, sourced the globe for a pioneer of live liver transplants.
When they finally found one, they were shocked to discover that the actual cost for the procedure was drastically lower than what had been originally stated during the initial diagnosis. This was despite the surgeon being substantially more qualified and experienced. The importance of data transparency in empowering patients to make better, more informed healthcare decisions couldn’t be more starkly emphasised. Today, DocDoc stands proudly as the world’s first patient intelligence company, offering artificial intelligence-powered doctor discovery and telemedicine services on a singular platform. Boasting one of Asia’s most extensive and comprehensive networks of doctors, DocDoc utilises unique learning algorithms to sift through vast healthcare data and match each patient to a physician, optimising both end-to-end costs and outcomes throughout a patient’s healthcare journey.
Who do you look up to?
My parents immigrated from Korea to the United States to live the ‘American dream.’ They were a huge influence on me to seek purposeful work, instilling values of courage, perseverance, sacrifice and so much more.
What’s your attitude towards taking risks?
It’s often been said that “The greatest risk in life is not to take any risks at all.” Taking risks is one of the most important yet misunderstood concepts, varying based on a given scenario. For example, the amount of risk involved for a professional mountain climber to scale a difficult rock wall differs vastly compared to if a novice were to do the same. Astronomical risk usually arises from arrogance or a lack of situational awareness.
What is your greatest fear?
Unfortunately, many hyper successful people are motivated by fear. I try to face my fears, doing what can be done and letting go of the rest. Most of my achievements in life stem from a consistent willingness to try. John Wayne said it best when he defined courage as “being scared to death but saddling up anyways.”
What advice would you give to someone who’s already successful?
Don’t let the thing that made you ‘successful’ in the earlier half of your life be a cause of misery in the latter half. Even when you think you’re no longer valued, you still have a lot left to offer. Always remember that you’re so much more than what made you rich or famous in the first place.
Photography by Eugene Lee, Enfinite Studio
Hair & Makeup by Sophia and Victoria, Suburbs Studio
