Joel Selzer, Co-Founder and CEO, ArcheMedX
What are you innovating on right now?
We launched ArcheMedX last year to transform the way clinicians learn online. ArcheMedX provides an e-learning platform that enables healthcare organizations, such as the University of Virginia School of Medicine and the New Jersey Academy of Family Physicians, to dramatically increase and accelerate improvement in learning, competency, and performance among healthcare professionals, which results in the delivery of better patient care and significant reductions in healthcare expense.
What inspired you to follow an entrepreneurial path?
I left IBM (after building a new consulting practice) to pursue my MBA at Darden with the express purpose of pursuing my own venture upon graduation. While at Darden, I was very fortunate to lead the Entrepreneurs Club where I met with countless entrepreneurs and innovators before starting my first venture with two of my classmates. In the years since Darden I have enjoyed the thrill of building and running three healthcare technology companies.
Tell us what you learned from your biggest failure.
I have learned from many failures over the years with the most painful lessons tied to revenue and cash, so my lessons are simple…find the fastest path to sustainable revenue and remember that you will always need more money than you think.
How does Charlottesville as a place support or fuel your innovations?
Having built and run two prior companies in and around the Washington, DC metro area, Charlottesville provides a welcome breath of fresh air…and I mean that quite literally. Being surrounded by all that Charlottesville offers has enabled our team to escape the distractions of the big city and to focus on building a great product and company while finding more time for what’s most important in life, namely our families.
What would you change or keep the same in Charlottesville?
As much as I love living and working here, Charlottesville has a few challenges to scaling a high growth technology venture…namely, a limited pool of talented software engineers, a lack of flexible office space downtown, and a sometimes difficult to find group of investors.
What is your biggest need right now to advance your innovation?
That’s an easy one; we need to hire more talented software engineers.
What is the view from your office like on a typical day?
Our offices are located in the Glass Building downtown, and I have a terrific view of Carter Mountain and the trees lining Garrett Street from the floor to ceiling windows…. although I would enjoy the view even more without the recent construction outside.
