From Caregiver to CEO: David Theobald's Nurse-Led Organization

Today, I’m joined by David Theobald, DNP, MS, RN, NE-BC , CEO, and founder of Davin Healthcare Workforce Solutions Davin Healthcare is a nurse-founded and employee-owned healthcare workforce technology company on a mission to elevate the nursing profession.?

Kimberly: David, your company is nurse-founded and employee-owned. Why is that so important to you?

David: I think the journey of becoming a nurse entrepreneur started with a passion for helping people and caring for others. The ability to…understand what patients need, from care to outcomes and experiences, really helps elevate us as an organization. We share that throughout our company, mission, and values, but also with our clients and anybody that we touch. It's really coming from that compassionate and caring mindset.?

Kimberly: You have gone from a motorcycle accident survivor to a nurse and eventually founded and currently lead your organization. Tell us a little bit more about what inspired you.

David: My background of caring for others really started at a young age. I was helping both grandmothers; one had a cancer diagnosis, and I remember my parents asking me if I could stay the summer because they both had to go back to work. I was 11 years old, and it really gave me a new experience of being a caregiver. I was brought up in an environment where you care for your elders and are committed to helping others.?

Fast forward, I didn't think I was going to be a nurse. I thought I'd go into a forest ranger. I was very interested in being outdoors and hiking, but I was in a motorcycle accident. It changed my perception. I was involved where I was able to see healthcare firsthand from the emergency room to rehabilitation. I really saw the commitment to nursing and healthcare and it changed my mindset.?

I think it was my biology teacher in my program who knew my story. He said I might want to think about going into nursing. There's a huge need. There's not a lot of men in nursing. Historically, there has only been a 9% to 10% representation of men in the healthcare field, and we need all kinds of diversity within nursing and healthcare. He really talked to me and mentored me. Dr. Parade was his name, and at that time, I switched my major, and the rest is history.

Kimberly: I found your open discussion about nurse leaders being underrepresented within the news and media really interesting. In your opinion, what are the first steps to take to change this?

David: You know, within the world, we're the largest profession across the globe. There are 3.2 million nurses in the United States alone, but we are the largest voice collectively within healthcare. So we have a reason to be at the table. I think when you leave us out of the discussion, it creates a vacancy for how we…improve the health of our populations. When we have the opportunity to share our voices as nurses, it really helps represent the conversation from a different perspective. A lot of organizations are seeing that and are now asking nurses to be on the board of directors or asking them to be part of the conversation, even legislation. More nurses are being involved in public policy and running as senators. I'm excited to say that nurses are increasingly involved in those conversations.

We have the highest per capita spending for healthcare expenditures and the least amount of favorable outcomes compared to three other nations across the globe. That's unacceptable. We can't spend more money on supporting patient outcomes and not have accountability for our legislation and our politicians. We also have healthcare professionals like nurses and physicians and other disciplines at that table who can make those educated decisions on what policies make sense. It's not about what's good for the economy; it's about what's good for the people. When you have healthier populations, it's better for the economy. So I feel like it's an economically wise decision to include nurses and different clinicians at the table when it comes to decisions that impact healthcare.

Kimberly: How are you as a company staying innovative and adapting to the changing landscape? And what role is your leadership playing in fostering this innovation right now?

David: One of the biggest things that we've done as an organization is changing our structure to an ESOP, an employee stock ownership program. Being innovative really helps get those key stakeholders to the table along with collaboration, longevity, retention, and also a great retirement. Historically, Americans aren't prepared for retirement. 29% of Americans are not saving for retirement, so they're relying on social security and other means. Creating a structure where we're looking after employees is a great vehicle to bring innovation and help plan for retirement…to have peace of mind. Not everybody wants to work for an organization for 20 years and get the gold watch. That's a thing of the past. We're proud to say that we're the only nurse-founded and employee-owned MSP-managed service provider in the United States.?

Kimberly: It seems that you are a very transparent leader. Are there any other key leadership principles or values that have guided you over your career?

David: The connection, the collaboration, and true transformational leadership are about leaders, not about titles. It's really about trusting your employees to really take projects to be inspirational, innovative, and creative, and you can't do that with a top-down leadership organization. You have to have innovation at the forefront, and the ability to do that is really just creating a caring culture that recognizes but also celebrates what ideas and creativity each team member brings to the table. I don't care if you started two weeks ago or you've been there 20 years; every idea is appreciated, and everybody has a voice. I'm always accessible, and I would say all of our leaders are the same way. They want to hear those ideas. They want to connect with their team members, and they value their thoughts and opinions. Sometimes, the feedback isn't always great. Sometimes we have to change things. To be able to tell your CEO or your CFO or your operations director that something is not working right that's the kind of culture you want. Because you want people to help fix things. You don't want to just keep doing what the status quo is doing because the status quo doesn't move the needle.

Kimberly: How has being a vocal leader helped you over the years? How do you put all of your content together, and how have you created your process over the years?

David: Find areas for learning. Never stop learning. For me, that's been a big area where I learn new things from others and surround myself with a lot of people smarter than myself. I feel like that is a key attribute of a smart leader: you know your limitations and find people who…can do things that you can't. That has been a really great opportunity for me to find and surround myself with the right people…whether it's marketing, finance, account management, you name it. We were always trying to recruit folks who bring a different level of thinking to the table. Make sure you hire smart and find people who are not just intelligent and creative. Also, attitude, I'd say, is equally as important. Find people who really truly care about your mission, your vision, and what you're trying to create.?

Kimberly: Do you have any advice for CEOs who haven't been so vocal yet but want to have more of a public presence online and in person?

David: You need to really stand up for what you believe in, but you have to do it artfully, creatively, and positively. Treat people with kindness and respect. Find things that are innovative, creative, and caring solutions for humanity. I think those are the types of podcasts you want to be on. Those are the types of publications; those are the things you want to post on. So when you're getting yourself out there, always…put your best foot forward. Don't get sucked into the negatives. Try to find the path of good and stick to that. Start small and then grow yourself. LinkedIn is a great channel. I've connected with a lot of folks… who are growing their business and influence, and I think that's certainly a good place to start.?

Listen to the full episode here.

Subscribe to The Executive Room's newsletter, and don’t miss out on future episodes.