As an entrepreneur and leader, the journey of Michele Bolton, Founder & CEO of MY911 Inc., has been marked by resilience, passion, and a deep commitment to making a difference in the healthcare industry. Her unique perspective on leadership, success, and overcoming challenges offers valuable insights for aspiring businesswomen.
In this interview, Michele shares her thoughts on various aspects of her professional life, offering advice and inspiration for women looking to make their mark in the business world.
A Diverse Path to Entrepreneurship
Before founding MY911 Inc., Michele spent 25 years in the agricultural sector, working in a family farming entreprise along with 28 years in corporate finance during that same time. Being a life-long learner, she also obtained her Family Enterprise Advisor (FEA) designation, before leaving the financial industry.
Michele’s journey through these experiences has uniquely prepared her for entrepreneurship. “I’ve always loved the business world and have been very fortunate to gain many experiences along the way that have shaped my life, in preparing me to run MY911 Inc. I have a beautiful daughter, Amanda, who is also an entrepreneur and runs her own company with her husband, Jazz (Amanda Kopcic Photography & Videography), and I’m blessed to have two beautiful grandchildren (15 and 11 years of age respectively),” she shares.
A Multifaceted Definition of Success
For Michele, success is a multifaceted concept that encompasses her divine purpose in life as well as financial prosperity. “Success encompasses many factors for me. My number one definition of success has been discovering my divine purpose in life,” she observes. “Success also includes financial prosperity, a positive societal impact, and making a difference in the world that’s not only seen but felt.”
Michele sees the journey to understanding one’s purpose as a valuable gift. “While many people know what they want to do in life from a young age, I never had that advantage. I believe understanding why we’re here and stepping into our purpose is a precious gift. Discovering my purpose, choosing to rise and take on the challenges, remaining focused, disciplined, and steadfast along the way, while celebrating the milestones and accomplishments, makes the journey a memorable experience – this represents success in my eyes,” she reflects.
Navigating the Entrepreneurial Odyssey with MY911 Inc.
Michele’s journey leading MY911 Inc. has been a thrilling adventure, marked by numerous peaks and valleys familiar to many entrepreneurs. She feels incredibly fortunate for the unwavering support of her family, friends, and passionate individuals who believe wholeheartedly in MY911’s purpose and mission.
“The journey has been nothing short of amazing! There have been many highs and lows along the way, as you can imagine, that I’m sure many other entrepreneurs could attest to—it’s not a straight path. I’ve been very fortunate to have the support and encouragement of our members, family, and friends, and to meet incredible people along the way who absolutely love MY911® and wholeheartedly believe in the mission we’re unfolding. As one gentleman phrased, ‘MY911 Inc. has built a life raft that literally everyone can get on. What an incredible gift to the world!’” she shares.
Michele is especially grateful for the mentors who have generously shared their time and wisdom and for the dedicated team whose hard work and commitment bring her vision to life. She believes that building a cohesive team with shared values is crucial for maintaining a strong foundation and a unified vision.
“Notably, I’m extremely grateful for the mentors in my life, not only for their friendship but who have been so generous with their time, sharing their vast experience, and providing unwavering support when I seek guidance along the way. I’m also extremely grateful for the team that surrounds MY911 Inc., who all work incredibly hard to complete the important work for our members. Attracting individuals who share the same core values is paramount because when these align, the foundation is strong and we’re all working ‘as one unit’, toward the same goal and vision,” she notes.
Revolutionizing Healthcare Information Management
MY911® was born out of Michele’s personal healthcare challenges, igniting a passion for prioritizing the patient’s needs. The platform allows patients to have control over the medical information they wish to share, providing accessibility and convenience as their healthcare needs evolve. By streamlining medical communications and providing quick access to critical information, MY911 Inc. aims to enhance the overall patient experience.
“MY911® was created out of need and necessity, from my personal healthcare challenges and facing my own mortality at age 30. In this spirit, our goal is to keep the patient front of mind at all times, giving them full control over the information they wish to share, anytime, anywhere, as their healthcare needs change. We strive to help people save time and reduce patient forms through streamlined medical communications, by providing quick access to their critical medical information through written and smart technology. We want to improve the overall patient experience.”
Operationally, MY911 Inc. maintains a focus on simplicity and patient-centricity. Core values such as trust, integrity, confidentiality, and compassion guide all operations. The company is committed to providing awareness, peace of mind, and convenience in medical communications, embodying its ethos of being in the “medical communications business for people.”
“Operations are laser-focused and designed to “keep things simple” and to always keep the patient experience front of mind – this is our North Star,” Michele declares. “With this in mind, we believe in maintaining strong core values of compliance, trust, integrity, compassion, respect, and accountability. These core values are the pillars that formulate the foundation of the organization and are the guiding principles for all decisions made within the company.”
MY911’s mission is to empower patients, help them advocate for their own health and well-being, and to be the trusted leader and #1 choice in Mobile Healthcare Information Management. “At the heart, we’re in the ‘medical communications business for people’, working to provide awareness, peace of mind, and convenience for all, to the best of our ability,” Michele remarks.
Under her leadership, MY911 Inc. is dedicated to empowering patients and revolutionizing healthcare information management. The company’s mission is to be the #1 trusted leader in Mobile Healthcare Information Management, enabling patients to advocate for their health and well-being effectively.
Empowering Leadership and Impactful Influence
Michele acknowledges the challenges of navigating leadership as a woman while emphasizing the importance of remaining strong, confident, and graceful. She believes that leadership is inherently challenging, regardless of gender, and highlights the significance of building trust and authentic relationships over time.
“Like many female leaders, I believe we’ve each experienced our own challenges in this area; however, I also believe it’s possible to remain strong and confident while maintaining our grace and dignity. Regardless of gender, I believe leadership can be challenging for anyone, at any level, in any industry. Trust is earned, and building strong, meaningful connections and relationships takes time. I believe it’s important to stay true to yourself and to remain respectful and authentic in all interactions with others to thrive,” she elaborates.
Michele finds inspiration in hearing others’ stories, recognizing the value of listening, and learning from unique experiences. “I enjoy people, hearing their stories, and learning about who they are, what drives and inspires them, and how they arrived to where they are now…it’s interesting. Everyone is unique, and it’s amazing what you can learn, when you stop, stay present in the moment, and simply listen.”
Michele advocates for leading by example, demonstrating integrity, accountability, and responsibility through actions rather than words. She believes in the power of personal example to teach important values. “To make an influential impact on the next generation, I believe it’s important to lead by example, teaching them with your own actions, which helps them understand the importance of integrity, accountability, and responsibility. Everyone learns differently; however, I’m a firm believer that actions do speak louder than words,” she insists.
Michele’s leadership style is characterized by curiosity, self-discipline, and an optimistic outlook, refusing to accept “no” as a definitive answer. She takes pride in bringing her vision for MY911® to fruition, viewing it as a significant achievement in her leadership journey. Michele considers her greatest achievement as a leader to be her commitment to leading by example, maintaining curiosity, and demonstrating a strong work ethic.
Michele takes pride in the evolution of MY911®, recognizing that bringing her vision to the market was a far greater challenge than anticipated. She embodies the essence of leadership through resilience, determination, and unwavering dedication, and believes that her greatest achievement as a leader is leading by example, staying curious, and having a strong self-discipline and work ethic.
“I am an optimist and do not take ‘no’ for an answer very easily. I always look for the best in others and the silver lining in situations by working through, around, over, and under challenges to find the answer while keeping my eyes on the goal. For me, where there’s a will, there is always a way. ‘No’ is simply not an option. Additionally, bringing what I thought was a ‘simple idea’ and vision of MY911® to the market was a much larger challenge than I ever imagined, so I am very proud of this achievement and how it’s evolved,” she reflects.
Navigating Roadblocks: Lessons in Perseverance
Michele acknowledges that sometimes, she has been her own roadblock on her professional journey, and emphasizes the importance of trusting the process, being patient with divine timing, and accepting that everything happens for a reason. “I think at times we can be our own roadblock. Learning to get out of our own way, trust the process, be patient with divine timing, knowing everything happens for a reason, is a mindset that I’ve learned to embrace (although not always easy!),” she says.
Despite her inclination toward immediate results, Michele has learned to embrace the mindset that great things often take more time than expected. “I like to see immediate results; however, sometimes, great things just take a little more time than we expect, and not everything is within our control,” she admits. “I’m a life-long learner, and the experience of creating and growing this company is very humbling, and a continuous learning process.”
Charting a Future Course for MY911®
Michele envisions MY911® as a beacon of security and empowerment in the healthcare journey, where individuals have control over their medical information and can access it easily. She dreams of a future where emergency response is seamless, efficient, and accessible to all.
“My vision for MY911® is for people to feel empowered in their healthcare journey, by having control over the medical information they wish to share, and having it quickly and easily accessible by their side. I envision a future where emergency response is seamless, efficient, and available to everyone, and MY911 Inc. aspires to redefine the paradigm of emergency assistance and consistency when it comes to medical communications, during routine appointments or in an emergency,” Michele clarifies.
MY911 Inc. aims to redefine emergency assistance and consistency in medical communications, setting a new standard for value-based care. Michele’s vision includes patients being actively involved in their care process using MY911’s innovative information management system, thereby saving time and resources for healthcare professionals and first responders.
“We envision a new standard in value-based care for patients that allows them to be part of the process, using our self-directed, innovative information management system, while saving precious time and resources for not only patients and caregivers, but for healthcare professionals and first responders everywhere!” Michele explains.
To stay ahead of the growing competition, Michele immerses herself in reading and watching new trends in healthcare to see where things are headed. “Listening to people, staying curious, asking questions about various healthcare experiences, and learning where the pain points are, naturally brings me into the creative process of finding solutions that bridge the gap,” she observes.
A Visionary Leader and Disruptor in Healthcare
For Michele, there is no such thing as a “regular day” at MY911 Inc. She likens her entrepreneurial journey to farming, where each day presents unique circumstances, challenges, excitement, and opportunities.
“Similar to farming, as an entrepreneur with MY911 Inc., the work day is not 9 to 5. Each day brings its own set of unique circumstances, challenges, excitement, and opportunities,” Michele notes. “One thing that is consistent; however, is my morning routine of working out and journaling. I believe it’s important to document things I’m most grateful for each day and to put my ‘Health First’, which includes my physical, spiritual, and emotional wellbeing. Having a stable morning routine allows me to set the tone for the day ahead – it’s my ‘me’ time.”
When asked to define herself in one word, Michele finds it challenging, as she’s been called a “Disruptor” and a “Visionary” in the healthcare field. While she embraces both labels as a badge of honor, she ultimately chooses “Grateful” as her defining word.
Harmonizing Life and Work
Michele emphasizes the importance of taking things in stride and maintaining a solid morning routine to balance her personal and professional life. She credits her strong self-discipline and the inspiring mission of MY911 Inc. for keeping her motivated. “I’ve learned to take things in stride more often. Having a solid and consistent morning routine is key. I have a very natural, strong self-discipline. MY911 Inc. actually pulls me – it’s not the other way around…the dream/mission/vision of what we’re creating and unfolding is so inspiring, it’s exciting to deliver!” she asserts.
The meaningful work of MY911 Inc. serves as a natural source of motivation for Michele, who deeply connects with the mission on a personal level and feels pulled by the dream, mission, and vision of the company, finding excitement in delivering its services. Knowing that she’s making a positive impact on others’ lives and hearing their stories of how MY911 Inc. has benefited them is both an honor and a privilege for her.
“MY911 Inc. is important work that I take seriously, and it naturally motivates me to do the best we can for our members. Having been patient more times than I like to admit, this is a very personal mission for me. Knowing I’m making a positive difference in the lives of others, seeing and hearing the stories of how it’s benefiting them – to serve in this capacity is an honor and a privilege!” she articulates.
In terms of her personal goals as a businesswoman, Michele’s focus is on being the best version of herself each day and continuing to learn and grow both personally and professionally. “I always remain open to possibilities and opportunities that are presented, and I love spontaneity!,” she declares. “When a door opens, I tend to walk through! There are many things I’d like to do; however, at this time, I’m working towards building MY911 Inc. and its mission by serving others. Our healthcare systems are struggling, and people are experiencing these challenges first hand…I strongly believe MY911 Inc. bridges the gap!”
Empowering Words for Women in Business
Michele’s message to aspiring businesswomen is to “Dream BIG, Carpe Diem! Never give up, remain tenacious, stay true to yourself, and remain authentically you. Live, laugh, and love, knowing your unique journey is a gift, our health is a gift, and we only live once!”
Conclusion
Michele Bolton’s story is one of determination, vision, and unwavering dedication. Her ability to navigate challenges with grace and to lead with authenticity serves as an inspiration to women in all stages of their entrepreneurial journey. As she continues to innovate and drive positive change in healthcare through MY911 Inc., Michele’s message to aspiring businesswomen is clear: dream big, stay true to yourself, and seize every opportunity that comes your way!
