💪Girl dad 🛋️Psychologist 🌅I pulled back from a prestigious (but overworked) clinical path to design a 6-figure career around my family 🤝🏾I help therapists build and make money from their online courses and podcasts

I didn’t come from a family of entrepreneurs or business owners.
I thought I’d spend my life doing therapy work.

But in 2015, a snowstorm changed everything.

The power went out. Roads froze over.
I had to cancel 21 therapy sessions in one week.

We were saving for our first home.
And just like that, my income was gone.

That week I asked myself:

👉 What kind of business really supports the life I want?

A few months later, I started the Selling the Couch podcast.
It didn’t blow up overnight. But step by step, it grew into:
	•	🎙 One of the top 0.5% podcasts in the world
	•	🌍 1.82M+ downloads in 100+ countries
	•	💛 A quiet community of thoughtful therapists and founders

Then life shifted again.
Our daughter was born 8 weeks early.
The sound of NICU machines is something I’ll never forget.

That season taught me this:
It’s not just what you build.
It’s how you build—and who you become while building.

⸻

Now I help others create businesses that fit their lives:

✅ 245+ therapists launched podcasts ($344,000+ in course sales)
✅ 50+ founders built courses inside my mastermind ($300,000+ earned)
✅ I’ve shaped my own business around hiking, deep work, church, golf, and unhurried time with loved ones.

Here’s the truth:
Good work doesn’t always speak for itself.
People need to see it.

But you don’t have to hustle or burn out to be seen.

If you’re a therapist, quiet founder, parent, or leader who wants to grow without losing yourself—I’d love to connect.

🟡 I share stories and lessons on slow growth each week
🟡 Follow for simple, calm business ideas
🟡 My DMs are open

And if you want to go deeper—

I write The Quiet Builder:
A paid newsletter for thoughtful builders.
$97/year. Two soulful issues a month.
It’s for people who want to grow slow—but strong—even in uncertain times.

👉 sellingthecouch.com/quietbuilder

Because that snowstorm taught me one thing:

A business worth building protects your life.
It doesn’t swallow it.

Melvin Varghese, PhD

🍁 𝗔𝗻 𝗘𝗮𝗿𝗹𝘆 𝗧𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗸𝘀𝗴𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗡𝗼𝘁𝗲

Hi friends —
I’ll be stepping away from social for the rest of the week, but before I go, I wanted to say a quiet, heartfelt thank you.

If you’re here in the U.S., I hope this season brings you:
🌿 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝘁
🥧 𝗚𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝗼𝗱
🫶 𝗧𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲

And wherever you are in the world —
thank you for being part of this little corner of the internet for Quiet Builders...
where we value depth over noise and steady growth over spectacle.

⸻

🌱 𝗔 𝗦𝗵𝗶𝗳𝘁 𝗜’𝘃𝗲 𝗠𝗮𝗱𝗲 (𝗠𝗮𝘆𝗯𝗲 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗛𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗧𝗼𝗼)

Over the past two years, I’ve started to move many of my online connections into real-life conversations.
📞 Phone calls
🤝 Sometimes longer collaborations.
💬 Sometimes simply human connection.

If we’ve had a call this year, thank you.
These moments matter more than metrics.

⸻

📣 𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗜 𝗥𝗲𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗻… 𝗔 𝗙𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗽 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗽𝗶𝘀𝘁𝘀

We’re hosting a new, free workshop:

🧠 How to AI-Proof Your Online Course Idea
📅 Wednesday, December 10
🔗 https://lnkd.in/edPNSaqu

It’s for therapists who are:
→ Building their first course
→ Revisiting something they’ve already created
→ Or trying to future-proof their income stream without hustle

I’ll be sharing:
🧩 What I’ve learned from working with 50+ therapist course creators
🧠 How to think strategically about content and longevity
💡 What actually works in this shifting economy

⸻

🍂 𝗨𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗹 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗻…

Wishing you a warm, grounded Thanksgiving.

Let’s keep building slow, meaningful things —
Together. Quietly. 🙂

Melvin Varghese PhD

💪 Girl dad + Psychologist + New Golfer ⛳ Helping therapists & quiet builders grow calm, strong businesses ✍🏽 Sharing slow growth lessons since 2015

No alternative text description for this image

You don’t have to launch like that again.

Even if it worked.
Even if it made you money.
Even if people said it looked successful.

In our mastermind, one-course creator shared something raw:

“𝘐 𝘥𝘰𝘯’𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘰 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘐 𝘥𝘪𝘥 𝘭𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘭𝘢𝘶𝘯𝘤𝘩. 𝘐𝘵 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬𝘦𝘥... 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘪𝘵 𝘥𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘮𝘦.”

It’s easy to build strategies that check the boxes…

But miss your body’s wisdom.

Burnout isn’t always loud.
Sometimes it hides in polished slides and packed calendars.

Here’s your permission slip :

The next launch can feel aligned, calm, and gentle. You get to create it on your terms.

𝗟𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗠𝗼𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘆, 𝗜 𝘀𝗮𝘁 𝗱𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝗻 𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗶𝗹.
Not a newsletter.
Not a story.

Just a quiet announcement:

We’re opening enrollment for 𝙃𝙖𝙫𝙚𝙣 in Dec, a new community for therapists shifting from clinical work to online income.

No funnel.
No urgency countdown.
Just a Notion page and a simple “Join the interest list if it speaks to you.”

We’re taking 50 people max, including beta members.
As of this morning, 20 are already on the list.

Will all 20 join? Probably not.
But honestly, that wasn’t the most surprising part.

What surprised me was 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗶𝘁 𝗺𝗮𝗱𝗲 𝗺𝗲 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗹.

Encouraged.
Not just by the numbers.
But by what those numbers confirmed.

⸻

When I started Selling the Couch 10 years ago, wise mentors told me:

“𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗴𝘁𝗵 𝗼𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗶𝗹 𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁.”

I didn’t get it then.
But I do now.

93% of everything I’ve ever sold has come from email.
Not social media.
Not a Reel.
Not a carousel.
Not even a post like this one.

Podcast → email → product.
That’s been the path all along.

And it’s led to two products each crossing $400,000 in lifetime revenue —
proof that quiet trust can still build big things.

⸻

And now that I see it... I want to protect it.
To tend to it.

But I’m still unsure what “growth” looks like.
Everyone talks about viral lead magnets.
And maybe I’ll try one someday.
But when I download them, I rarely read them.
And when I see creators push one every week, something in me trusts them less.
It’s like watching someone yell “value!” instead of simply offering it.

⸻

Launching something new — even with past success — is still scary.
But this week reminded me of something I’ve quietly believed all along:

𝘛𝘳𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘴.
And slow can still scale — if it’s built on the right foundation.

Haven will grow slowly.
That’s by design.

Because I’m in a season of
→ Raising a daughter
→ Caring for aging parents
→ Practicing golf
→ Writing books
→ And building something that gives me space, too.

If that resonates, we’ll have more to share in the weeks ahead.

But for now, I just wanted to share that little Monday moment.

Sometimes the strongest signal isn’t a viral post.
It’s an email with no subject line gimmick.
And 20 people saying quietly:
“I’m interested.”

Every course starts with one small lesson.

It might not feel like much, but 1% progress beats 0% every time.

But there's something safe about staying in that 0%.

Each step you take gets you closer to your finished course.

Consistency compounds. Keep going—you’re building something valuable.

How are you moving 1% forward today?

Hi all. We’re opening up 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲 𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗼𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝘀𝗹𝗼𝘁𝘀 for the Selling the Couch podcast. 🎙️

Several of our long-time partners have already renewed, so we’re down to our 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹 TWO 𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 for the year.

If you run a company that serves mental health therapists and want to:

✅ Reach a highly engaged, values-aligned audience
✅ Build long-term trust through story-driven content
✅ Partner with a show that therapists have trusted for over a decade

— I’d love to explore a fit.

⸻

The STC Podcast is now in its 𝟭𝟭𝘁𝗵 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿:
🎧 400+ episodes
🌎 2 million downloads
📈 Ranked in the 𝘁𝗼𝗽 𝟬.𝟱% 𝗼𝗳 𝗽𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁𝘀 𝗴𝗹𝗼𝗯𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆

We’ve proudly partnered with companies like 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘄𝗮𝘆, 𝗔𝗹𝗺𝗮, 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗽𝘆𝗡𝗼𝘁𝗲𝘀, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗛𝘂𝘀𝗵𝗺𝗮𝗶𝗹, and would love to add yours to that list. 🙂
⸻

📌 You’ll find a link to our 2026 sponsorship sheet at the top of my profile.
🎥 I’ve also included a short behind-the-scenes video to show how we produce and promote sponsor content.

With full in-house audio + video editing, your message reaches:
→ Podcast listeners
→ YouTube viewers
→ 𝟯,𝟰𝟬𝟬+ 𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗶𝗹 𝘀𝘂𝗯𝘀𝗰𝗿𝗶𝗯𝗲𝗿𝘀

If you’re interested, please 𝘀𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝗺𝗲 𝗮 𝗗𝗠 with the subject line:
👉 𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗼𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽

Let’s create something meaningful together. <3

There’s a kind of exhaustion that has nothing to do with how full your calendar is.

I recently experienced this with our most recent mastermind launch. 

You can have every email scheduled.
Every launch piece in place.

And still feel like you’re moving through molasses.

It’s not the logistics.
It’s the emotional weight behind the scenes.

An argument at home.
A parenting moment that wrecked you.
A deep fatigue you can’t name.

These are the parts of business no one teaches us to plan for.

But they’re the very things that impact our capacity to show up.

Grace has to be part of the business model.

Especially when life is happening behind the content.

🔥 I’ve been thinking a lot about a phrase lately:
𝗤𝘂𝗶𝗲𝘁 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝗲.

It’s how I’d describe so many of us building things quietly —
Not for show.
Not for scale-at-all-costs.
But for meaning, health, and longevity.

Not the burn-it-down kind of fire.
The kiln kind.
Steady, intentional, high heat that reshapes things permanently.

⸻

This mindset has been quietly shaping everything I build.

🧱 Earlier this year, I launched the 𝗤𝘂𝗶𝗲𝘁 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗻𝗲𝘄𝘀𝗹𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿 — a $97/year letter for people building long-game, life-first businesses.

We’re now at 59 paying members with ~80% open rates per issue.
Not huge revenue.
But huge signal.

It tells me Quiet Builders are out there.
People who crave stillness, not spin.
Depth, not dopamine.

https://lnkd.in/ekm_yFtG
⸻

Next year, I’ll be rolling out something new:
𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗤𝘂𝗶𝗲𝘁 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗰𝗵.

It’s a private, 1-day golf experience for high-performing people in high-pressure roles —
surgeons, investors, operators, pilots, founders —
who need their 𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗺 𝘁𝗼 𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗱 when the stakes are real.

We use 𝗴𝗼𝗹𝗳 𝗮𝘀 𝗮 𝗱𝗶𝗮𝗴𝗻𝗼𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝘁𝗼𝗼𝗹,
𝗯𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘀𝗽𝗼𝘁𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝘀𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺,
and 𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗲𝘁 𝗵𝗼𝘀𝗽𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 to create one of the most personalized executive coaching days available.

⸻

Quiet fire isn’t fast.
But it compounds.
And what it builds tends to last.

For years, I tried to squeeze more in.

More productivity.
More hours.
More blocks on the calendar.

Because that’s what we’re taught, right?

Maximize every minute.
Fill every open slot.
Push to the edge.

But somewhere along the way, I realized something I didn’t expect:

𝗖𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀𝗻’𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗵𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗹𝗲.
𝗜𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗴𝗶𝗻.

The space between.

Today—after nearly a decade of trial and error—I work a rhythm that finally honors my brain and my body.

🕘 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. – Deep work
🥾 12:30 to 1:45 p.m. – Daily hike in the woods
😴 2 p.m.-3:30 p.m. Power nap + school pickup
🎨 3:30 to 5 p.m. – Creative time

I work Monday through Thursday.
And I build margin into every day.

𝗡𝗼𝘁 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗮𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗜’𝗺 𝗹𝗮𝘇𝘆.
𝗕𝘂𝘁 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗮𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗜 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝗰𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗹𝘆, 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝘄𝗲𝗹𝗹, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗮 𝘀𝗼𝘂𝗹 𝗹𝗲𝗳𝘁 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗜 𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲.

If you’ve been burning the candle at both ends—
consider this your permission to leave some space.

🟡 This week’s podcast unpacks this idea in more depth: https://lnkd.in/e-nM3qu3

Excited to announce a new partnership with the Kartra team! 🎉

Honestly, if you told me 9 years ago that I’d have opportunities like this, I wouldn’t have believed it.

Kartra has been the backbone of Selling The Couch, and I can’t imagine running STC without it.

Here’s what it powers for us:
📧 Our email list
🎓 Online courses
📊 Surveys
🎥 Video hosting
...and more things I’m probably forgetting!

The Kartra team has been incredible to work with, and they’ve hooked us up with a special deal for the STC community.

If you’re a therapist or business owner looking for an all-in-one platform, it’s worth checking out.

➡️ sellingthecouch.com/kartra

P.S. For full transparency, this is an affiliate link. I only recommend products I’ve personally used or whose teams I trust to stand behind STC’s mission and my name. 😊

I remember the first time I thought about starting a podcast.

Before I ever hit record, there was a deeper fear running the show:

“What if I share my voice... and people judge it?”

I didn’t have a "radio voice."
I stumbled over my words.
I worried I’d say something wrong—or worse, not say anything worth hearing.

But here’s what I learned:

Visibility feels scary because it 𝘪𝘴 vulnerable.

And if you’ve been trained to stay small or quiet, stepping up can feel unnatural.

But your lived experience has power.

And someone is waiting to hear your perspective in your voice—not a polished version.

If you’re a therapist thinking about podcasting but holding back because of fear, I created something that might help:

🎙️ From Therapist to Thought Leader: Why Podcasting Could Be Your Next Big Move

It’s a free workshop that covers how to start a podcast grounded in purpose—not performance. 🙂

You can find it at the top of my profile or at:
https://lnkd.in/eXCZAmhb

Ortho Nigeria International (a.k.a The O.N.I. Clinic)

CEO & Founder

RevelAi Health

Advisor

XSITE Capital Investment

CEO, Co-Founder

ROM Technologies Inc

Advisor 

Helium Health

MDaaS Global

Johns Hopkins Hospital

Associate Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery

Director, Global Orthopaedics at Johns Hopkins

Director, Johns Hopkins Adult Reconstructive Hip and Knee Surgery Fellowship

Chair, Johns Hopkins Orthopedic Surgery Diversity Council

Assistant Professor, Orthopedic Adult Reconstructive Surgeon

Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center

Medical Director, Orthopaedics at Johns Hopkins Bayview

Jefferson Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University

Assistant Clinical Professor

Einstein Medical Center Philadelphia

Orthopaedic Surgeon

I’m an experienced academic orthopedic surgeon specializing in the reconstruction of the adult hip and knee.

Known for optimizing clinical outcomes, leveraging technology to address orthopedic challenges, improving diversity in orthopedic surgery, and expanding sustainable delivery of quality orthopedic surgery in lower to middle-income countries.

Also interested in angel Investing and real estate.

But here’s how it all started:

26 years ago: 

I moved by myself to the US for college and started odd jobs almost immediately: pizza maker, dishwasher, office messenger. 

A few highlights:

- 12+ years as an Academic Joint Replacement Surgeon

- Fellow of the American Orthopaedic Association, American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons

- Baltimore Magazine “Top Doctor” Joint Replacement 2019-2022

- 50+ publications in orthopedic surgery (17 in 2023 alone)

- Serving everyone from world leaders to the homeless. 

- Founder/Director, Global Orthopaedics at Johns Hopkins

- CEO and Co-founder of XSITE Capital Investment (Co-Founders: Leslie Awasom, Tenny Tolofari)

- $217M in AUM, investors returns ~30%.

- Raised $30M, and completed $60M of transactions all in a span of 3 months.

- Angel Investor  (Portfolio Highlights: Helium Health, Akido, Magic Fund, Chronus Health, MDAAS Global, ROM Tech)

- Working with many great partners, thought leaders and professionals.

- Co-founded a non-profit, Operation Stand Walk Run to serve patients in Nigeria.

Today:

On my way to an even bigger mission.

- In 2024, I returned to Nigeria to help improve access to musculoskeletal care in this part of the world.

Follow my journey & let’s grow together!

If you'd like to know more about our real estate investment or mentorship opportunities at XSITE Capital, feel free to send a DM to my partners, Leslie Awasom and Tenny Tolofari.

Julius Kunle Oni, M.D. FAOA

13 years into my career as a surgeon, and I still get nervous before every surgery.

Every. Single. One.

Not the kind of nervousness that makes you doubt your skills. It's different. It's the weight of knowing that in a few minutes, I'm going to cut into another human being who's trusting me with their mobility, their quality of life, their future.

That weight has never gotten lighter. If anything, it's gotten heavier.

Because 13 years in, I understand more deeply what's at stake. I've seen what happens when things go perfectly. And I've learned from the times they didn't.

The nervousness isn't my enemy anymore. It's my reminder.

A reminder that this isn't routine even when it's my hundredth surgery of the year. A reminder that the person on that table isn't a case number. They're someone's mother, someone's father, someone who wants their life back.

The day I stop feeling that weight is the day I would stop operating.
Because comfort breeds complacency. And in surgery, complacency costs lives.

So yes, I still get nervous. And I hope I always do.

It means I still care enough to feel the responsibility of what I'm about to do.

What keeps you grounded in your work, even after years of experience?

Experienced Academic Orthopedic Surgeon | Entrepreneur | Investor

If you’ve ever walked into a room and felt like everyone there was smarter than you, you might want to watch this!

Do repost so this gets to someone who’s feeling out of place or struggling with imposter syndrome.

I sat down with The Afropolitan Podcast hosts Eche Emole and Chika Uwazie 🪞 to discuss why I left Johns Hopkins after 25 years in America to build Ortho Nigeria International (a.k.a The O.N.I. Clinic) in Lagos, and what I've learned in the process.

If you're building in Nigeria, considering a move back, or just curious about what it takes to create excellence at home, this one's for you.

Full episode linked below. I would love to hear your thoughts.

Co-Founder, Afropolitan | Architecting the world’s first digital nation for the African diaspora | Host of the Afropolitan Podcast | Media & Nation-Building Strategist | Storyteller of Sovereignty

$2 billion leaves Nigeria's shores every year.
Seeking healthcare.

Dr. Julius Kunle Oni, M.D. FAOA saw this and did what nobody expected—he left Johns Hopkins, sold his house, and moved back.

After 25 years operating in America.

Think about it.

Associate Professor at Johns Hopkins. Director of Joint Replacement Fellowship. Published author. The credentials that make Nigerian parents sleep well at night.

He gave it up to fix knees in Lagos.

"They said the village people called me back. They said I committed a crime. They said they fired me from Johns Hopkins."

None of it was true. What was true? Nigeria has 220 million people and less than 500 orthopedic surgeons. Traditional bone setters handle majority of the muscoskeletal cases in Nigeria. The complications fill hospitals. The failures board planes.

Julius asked himself at 80, would he regret trying and failing? Or never trying at all?

15 months later: 120 surgeries. 800 patients. First lateral unicompartmental knee replacement in Nigeria. Patients flying in from NHS wait lists, from Ghana, from Cameroon.

But Julius understands something deeper.

This isn't about one surgeon's return. It's about infrastructure.

While building his practice, he built Xsite Capital. Started with $35,000. Now managing $243 million in multi-family real estate. 70% of investors? Nigerian professionals who were told "Black people don't invest together."

They were wrong.

"If you create enough value for enough people, you'll never suffer."

Julius operates with Black Coffee playing. Same playlist whether it's a homeless patient or a president. Same protocol. Same precision. Because in that operating room, everyone's bones break the same.

His mother had end-stage knee arthritis in 2006. No one in Nigeria could fix it. That's when he switched from cardiovascular to orthopedic surgery. She never got her surgery. But 13 years later, he's fixed thousands of grandmothers' knees.

Purpose found him in loss.

The business case is clear: $2 billion in medical tourism. 450 million people in West Africa. Infrastructure waiting to be built.

The human case is clearer: Your parents aren't waiting for you to "make it." They're waiting for you.

Julius chose both. Built financial freedom first through real estate. Then came home to build what was missing.

Not brain drain. Brain gain.

Watch "The Anatomy of Legacy" with Dr. Julius Oni on the Afropolitan Podcast.

What infrastructure are you building while everyone else is just talking?

If this resonates with you, share with your network.

There's this tradition in real estate called a "brokers' dinner."

After you close a deal, the brokers who facilitated it take you out for food and drinks. You discuss the intricacies, future collaborations, what went right, what went wrong.

But here's what they don't tell you about brokers' dinners: The real conversations only happen AFTER the deal is closed.

During negotiations, everyone's professional. Measured. Careful with their words.

But over wine and good food, when the pressure's off and the deal is sealed? That's when you hear what they really thought.

Our last dinner was... revealing.
"We knew you were struggling," one broker admitted. We kept thinking, 'Are these guys ever going to close?'

Another chimed in: "Honestly, there were moments we thought about walking away."

But here's the beautiful part. They didn't walk away.

"Something about you felt different," they said. "Even when your numbers weren't moving, your character was consistent. We figured if you were lying, you'd have come up with better lies."

They could have protected themselves and moved to easier deals.
Instead, they chose to believe in people they'd never worked with before, based purely on the integrity they sensed in our conversations.

We had a rare commodity in business: trust earned under pressure.

When brokers are willing to stake their reputation on your character before your track record proves itself, you know you're building something special.

Repost to inspire someone. Happy Monday everyone!

Last Wednesday, I joined a panel in Abuja to discuss ways to strengthen our healthcare system and encourage medical tourism. The conversations were thoughtful, practical, and genuinely inspiring.

As someone who recently returned to contribute to medical care in Nigeria, it was meaningful to share my perspective on advancing orthopedic and surgical care, improving patient trust, fostering innovation locally, and ultimately enhancing the quality of life for Nigerians. 

The level of commitment in the room gives me great optimism for the progress we’ll see in the years ahead.

I’m honored to have contributed to these discussions and look forward to seeing how these initiatives transform healthcare delivery in Nigeria.

Mrs. Evarista Aliu had severe osteoarthritis in both knees.

And this line from her testimonial is something we shouldn’t take lightly: "I had always done everything surgical or medical in the UK."

Always.

When you think about it, she's not alone. There are countless Nigerians like her - in need of medical care, and with the means to seek care abroad. And for years, that's been the logical choice. The safer bet. And when you really think about it, they're not to blame.

For decades, our healthcare system hasn't given people enough reason to stay. The infrastructure gaps, the inconsistent standards, the stories of avoidable complications - they're real. The skepticism is earned.

So when Mrs. Aliu said she "didn't need to think about going to the UK again" after her first consultation, it shows what is possible.

She had her first surgery on May 16th. Second surgery on July 18th. Six and a half weeks after her second surgery, she was walking unaided. No crutches. No walker.

"My experience has been extraordinary," she said. "And because of my progress, a lot of people have indicated interest in having their surgeries done in Nigeria."

That last part is what keeps me going.

It's on us to build the kind of institutions that make staying the obvious choice, not the risky one.

It's on us to deliver care so excellent that "I always did everything abroad" becomes "I don't need to anymore."

That's what we hope to accomplish every day at Ortho Nigeria International (a.k.a The O.N.I. Clinic). Not just treating patients. But rebuilding trust in what Nigerian healthcare can be.

What standard have you raised in your field that changed how people think about what's possible?

He barely spoke during our entire XSITE Africa meetup.

Just sat quietly while we discussed investment strategies and market opportunities.

But I could tell he was listening intently, processing everything we shared.
It turns out he was someone who'd been through multiple investment cycles and knew exactly what questions to ask.

After the session, he pulled me aside with some piercing questions that only someone with deep expertise could pose.

I answered as best I could, explaining our thesis and approach.

Then he said something phenomenal: 'You're on the right path. Keep doing what you're doing. Let's talk about how we can collaborate.'

Getting validation like that from someone so experienced reminded me why these conversations matter.

You're always wondering: Are people understanding our motives? Does our investment thesis make sense? Are we explaining it clearly?

His response confirmed that yes, people get it. They understand what we're building.

It's only a matter of time.

But only if we stay disciplined, consistent, and laser-focused.

What validation have you received that confirmed you were on the right track?

♻️ Repost if you've had a similar moment

Big announcement.

We have put our third deal of the year, The Park at Arlington, under contract.

When we started XSITE Capital Investment in 2019, Tenny Tolofari, Leslie Awasom, CRNA, and I had a clear vision: create access to institutional-grade real estate for working professionals while providing quality housing for families.

This year alone, we've acquired The Rise and Grove Parkview. Now, The Park at Arlington will be joining our portfolio.

Every deal we do is about two things: passive income and tax advantages for our investors, and quality housing for families who need it.

We are going live on Thursday to walk through the numbers, the strategy, and the opportunity.

Join us here: https://lnkd.in/e4EpW9FE

To everyone who's been part of this journey, thank you. To those considering joining us, this is your moment.

See you Thursday.

Let this be your reminder: the right information can lift you, and you can find it by building the right relationships.

Shout-out to Babajide Ogunseinde MD, FAAOS; your advice came at the right time.

Repost this so it gets to someone who needs to remember that the right information coming from the right connections can make their dreams possible.

Tag one person in the comment section who has given you the right information at the right time and say thank you. I will start!

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Julius Kunle Oni, M.D. FAOA

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The Battle

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Julius Kunle Oni, M.D. FAOA

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Performance Score.css-goub6s{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:500;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);display:block;margin-top:var(--chakra-space-1);}Melvin Varghese, PhD's LinkedIn Performance

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