Today we’d like to introduce you to Derrick Miles.
Hi Derrick, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I spent the first major part of my career achieving success in the traditional healthcare world. I was a young, ambitious executive, eventually becoming a CEO at a specialty hospital at the age of 31 and holding high-level operational roles at major systems like Advocate Healthcare, UHS and WakeMed . I earned my Master’s degrees from the top program in health administration and achieved the FACHE certification. By most measures, I had reached the pinnacle of a corporate healthcare career.
However, despite that success, I felt a deep frustration. I saw innovation happening everywhere—in logistics, retail, and tech—but our critical healthcare industry was years behind. I wanted to move beyond simply managing existing systems; I wanted to own and create a new one that prioritized the patient experience. This desire, fueled by a commitment to build generational wealth for my family, drove me to make a huge pivot: I left corporate America to become an entrepreneur.
The transition was far from easy. Initially, I faced failures and discouragement—a very humbling experience after being a highly recruited executive. This low point ultimately led to the founding principle of our company: encouragement. The “Cour” in CourMed is short for encouragement, which is what I needed most at that time, and what I realized every patient needed, too.
In 2018, I launched CourMed. It started as an enterprise software company providing a superior, on-demand medical courier service—essentially, the “Uber Eats” for prescriptions and healthcare products. I leveraged my deep executive relationships to build key partnerships early on.
Then, the pandemic hit, forcing the entire industry to rapidly innovate. Our breakthrough moment came from an unconventional request: a high-net-worth CEO, stuck abroad with COVID-19, needed a nurse to fly in with a treatment. He was willing to pay a premium for that level of concierge care. That single event completely reframed our mission. I realized there was a massive, unmet need among private clients—individuals, families, and family offices—who demanded premium, discreet, and ultra-convenient health and wellness solutions delivered to their location.
The market validation for this pivot was overwhelming. We realized the true potential was in integrating wealth and wellness, not just logistics. I was proud to secure a partnership where Morgan Stanley became the first bulge bracket bank to offer our platform to their 750,000 private clients. Many other major financial institutions quickly followed suit, recognizing the immense value we added to their relationships with high-net-worth individuals.
This demand from the financial sector became so significant that I was subsequently sponsored to secure financial services licenses to formally establish a wealth and wellness advisory practice for high net worth individuals in gateway cities across America.
We pivoted and evolved CourMed into a Private Client Health and Wellness Platform. Today, we integrate high-end health services—from advanced testing and nutritional infusions to provider house calls—powered by our technology. My combined expertise in both healthcare operations and financial services has allowed us to position wellness as a key asset, directly linking the preservation of healthspan to the preservation of wealth. Our journey is about continuous innovation, and it’s driven by our commitment to deliver an unparalleled level of experiences to our clients.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
My journey to where I am today has been anything but smooth; in fact, it began with a devastating personal low point.
After dedicating 15 years to my corporate career and rising to executive levels in healthcare, I made a massive pivot to become an entrepreneur. I walked away from a sought-after career, expecting quick success, but instead, I experienced failure for the very first time—a humbling experience that stripped away the trappings of my corporate life. This struggle grew so intense that I reached a point of despair where I contemplated suicide. It was three timely phone calls offering simple words of encouragement that saved my life, a moment that became the founding principle of my company.
When I launched CourMed in 2018, I faced fierce industry resistance; hospitals, doctors, and nurses all insisted that a concierge medical delivery service “wouldn’t work.” Then, as we began to scale, we were hit by a major external financial crisis: the failure of Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) dried up a significant portion of our venture capital. This forced us to execute a critical pivot away from traditional VC funding, leading us to secure capital directly from family offices to sustain our growth.
Despite these struggles, my commitment to innovation paid off. We found massive validation when Morgan Stanley became the first bulge bracket bank to offer our platform to their 750,000 private clients, demonstrating the clear demand for our unique approach.
I credit this period of failure and the ultimate power of encouragement with driving my company’s success, enabling us to become the Private Client Health and Wellness Platform that now delivers an unparalleled level of service to discerning private clients.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I serve as an Advisor to Private Clients and Family Offices, helping them shift their focus from the singular pursuit of net worth to the pursuit of healthspan—the years lived in optimal, functional health. I ensure every strategic financial move and physiological investment is aligned toward the ultimate goal of guaranteeing clients retain the vitality and cognitive function necessary to fully enjoy the legacy they have built.
What I Specialize In
My specialization lies in bridging the deep-seated knowledge of two distinct, high-stakes industries:
Healthcare Executive Acumen: My background includes becoming a CEO of a specialty hospital on the campus of an academic medical center (AMC) at age 31. This experience gave me intimate knowledge of healthcare delivery, operational efficiency, and the systemic factors that genuinely drive health outcomes. I apply this innovative, outcomes-focused philosophy to the private client health and wellness space, leading to major collaborations with bulge bracket banks, family offices, and affluent communities.
Financial Professional Discipline: My financial licenses and advisory practice provide me with an understanding of the complex planning gaps the affluent face. I specialize in advanced financial strategies like tax harvesting through Separately Managed Accounts (SMAs) and optimizing accounts for superior tax efficiency.
What Sets Me Apart
What sets me apart is my unique dual perspective and the ability to speak the language of both high-level financial strategy and clinical outcomes.
I saw a growing disconnect in the high net worth community: despite achieving extraordinary financial success (north of $2M in investable assets), an underlying anxiety persisted—the fear of a long life lived without the energy to enjoy it. I was uniquely positioned to observe that for those who had eliminated financial insecurity, health became the final, unconquered frontier of fulfillment.
What I Am Most Proud Of
I am most proud of fundamentally redefining what success means for the world’s most successful people. I catalyzed a paradigm shift where the new metric of ultimate satisfaction is no longer the size of one’s portfolio, but the health-happiness correlation—ensuring clients live their healthiest, most fulfilling lives to match their financial wealth.
Any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general?
My best advice—which reflects what worked for me in building CourMed and establishing relationships with major financial institutions serving private clients—is to shift your focus entirely from finding a mentor to becoming a magnet for mentors.
Here is the approach I advocate for general networking and attracting powerful mentors:
1. Stop Seeking, Start Creating Value
Most people approach networking by asking, “What can this person do for me?” The most successful people approach it by asking, “What unique value can I bring to this relationship right now?”
Have an Idea or a Thesis: Don’t ask a top professional for 30 minutes of their time just to pick their brain. Instead, approach them with a well-formed idea, a potential solution, or a unique insight into their business or industry. For example, if you see a gap in how they serve private clients, write a short, sharp paper on how your idea could solve it.
Innovate Now, Not Later: Mentors and valuable connections are drawn to competence and execution. I found that when I was actively building, pivoting, and demonstrating real revenue growth with CourMed, my potential partners (like the teams at bulge bracket banks) and advisors paid attention. Your current work should be your best networking tool.
2. Define the Problem You Solve
Mentors are extremely busy problem-solvers. They don’t need another person to manage; they need someone who can help them solve a problem or realize a new opportunity.
Focus on the Pain Point: Clearly articulate the specific challenge your idea addresses. In my case, I showed major financial institutions that I could solve the problem of integrating wealth and wellness for their UHNW clients—a problem they knew existed but couldn’t solve internally. That value proposition attracts engagement.
Show Proof of Concept: Even small, initial successes prove you are an executor, not just a dreamer. When you present proof of concept, people with resources suddenly become interested in helping you scale it.
3. Mentors Show Up When You’re Moving
What has worked well for me is recognizing that the best mentors are not found through cold emails asking, “Will you be my mentor?” They emerge organically.
When you are intensely focused on adding value, innovating, and solving a meaningful problem, high-caliber individuals—the true mentors—will naturally be drawn to your orbit. They will want to be associated with your momentum. You will find that the people you most admire start calling you because they see a reflection of their own drive and vision in your work. Your consistent output and unique ideas become your currency and your most powerful networking asset.
Image Credits
CourMed, Inc.
