MEET THE BUSINESS
October 2019
Zouheir Fares, D.O., FACOS – Founder
Dr. Zouheir Fares is the founder of Grand Blanc Surgical Specialist, a general surgery practice that provides a complete spectrum of general surgery procedures, focusing primarily on minimally invasive and robotic surgeries. Opening in 1988, the practice was first located in Flint, Michigan and later moved to Grand Blanc, Michigan. Because the thought of surgery puts many patients in a state of fear, Grand Blanc Surgical Specialist’s biggest goal is to provide the patient with a safe and welcoming environment.
Grand Blanc Surgical Specialist is committed to providing innovation and excellence in a safe, welcoming and professional environment. They also help train the surgeons of tomorrow, offering training and guidance to general surgery residents at the Allopathic and Osteopathic programs at Michigan State University.
Below are a few questions to help facilitate this interactive connection. At the end of the page you will have an opportunity to post your own questions for Dr. Fares.
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What inspired you to start this business?
My biggest inspiration to start my practice was that I wanted to become my own boss, and I was not willing to answer to anyone. At that time, I was told that this would be a suicide mission and encouraged to just sign with a hospital or practice. However, after witnessing several arguments between business partners during my residency, I was prepared to take that risk that many warned me about.
How did you become an entrepreneur? Can you tell us a bit about yourself?
I believe my drive to become an entrepreneur came after witnessing my father grow from a farmer in Lebanon to the sole owner of a retail store in Venezuela. It was his passion for a better life that motivated me to become an entrepreneur. While in medical school, I was drowning in debt, like any other medical student. However, unlike my peers, I spent my free time doing what I could to help alleviate that financial burden. From mowing lawns to painting sheds, I did whatever I could between my studies and training, to make it through.
Please discuss a moment or turning point in your life that led you to your career path:
I don’t believe it was a moment or turning point. As stated earlier, I had witnessed the continuous fighting between business partners, and physicians and the bureaucracy of the hospital administration and did not want to set myself up for the same problems. I also had a child on the way and knew it was the only way to get ahead.
Please discuss a role model that motivated you or mentor you had that helped guide you:
After accepting a residency program at Michigan State University’s program in Flint, Michigan, I knew I was up for several challenges. I had only spent a few months in Michigan when I was lucky enough to be introduced to Dr. Nadeem Hether, a fellow Druze Osteopathic physician who took me under his wing. Although we practiced two different fields of medicine, he was able to guide me through the hardship of medicine and also provide me with the support system I was unable to have near.
Do you recall any specific challenges you encountered and overcame? How did you overcome that and what advice would you give others in your situation?
Generally speaking, business owners constantly encounter challenges on a daily. The thing with my business is that it is reliant upon referrals from primary care physicians. As a fairly new general surgeon, most veteran family doctors were not willing to take a risk and refer their patients to me. There were days in the beginning where I had only 4-5 patients in the entire day. With my first child on the way, I took it upon myself to learn how to court these doctors and in the end, gain their trust to care for their patients.
As an entrepreneur, what is it that motivates and drives you?
What motivates me is knowing that I have my own independence. As an entrepreneur in medicine, I have the freedom to create my own schedule, to take as many vacations as I please, and to choose my own path in medicine.
What would you say are the key elements for starting and running a successful business?
In my experience, it takes hard work, commitment, and a little bit of failure to start and run a successful business. I also believe it requires a good support system to do so. I was quite blessed to have my wife, Nina, sacrifice her career as a fashion designer, to help me start and run my practice. At the start of my practice, Nina was the receptionist, medical biller, and office manager, all at once.
Where do you see your business in the next 10 years?
Medicine is constantly changing, and with that, my medical practice has followed suit. A few years ago, we noticed that there were a number of patients requiring adequate wound care. Most of our patients, affected by the Flint Water Crisis, came to us with unusual wounds. As a result, we expanded our practice to offer comprehensive wound care for traumatic ulcers and post-surgical wounds. Additionally, in the past year, we have made a few additions to the practice, with a new general surgeon joining our mission to provide caring, individualized experience to our patients. In the next 10 years, I hope to see my practice expand even more to better serve the growing needs of our community while adapting to the constant changes of medicine today.
What advice would you give to other entrepreneurs who are starting out?
Don’t be afraid. Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there. Don’t be afraid to fail. Don’t be afraid of competition. Fear will only cause your business to fail. It is also critical to be honest with yourself and to hold yourself accountable for your actions.
Tell us a little bit about your hobbies outside of your field:
In the past, one of my favorite activities was playing racquetball. I used to leave the hospital and join colleagues on the court. When I have some time away from medicine, you’ll most likely find me spending time with my family, traveling, and enjoying a nice meal and a glass of wine. My most enjoyable thing to do is to go with my children and their families to a nice restaurant.
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