I'm a healthcare founder-operator. Most people call me Jono.

I own and operate two general practices in Melbourne — Emerald Medical Centre and Next Practice Prahran — and spend most of my working life thinking about the parts of healthcare patients rarely see: the people, systems, technology, commercial decisions and thousands of small details that determine whether a clinic actually works.

I originally trained as an occupational therapist, but over time I realised I was increasingly drawn to building the businesses around healthcare — creating environments where great clinicians can do great work and patients genuinely feel looked after.

That has gradually become the work I love most.

Running clinics

Emerald Medical Centre is a community general practice in the Dandenong Ranges; Next Practice Prahran is a modern inner-city practice. I don't think of them as just clinics. They're service platforms, teams and community assets, and each one only works when the patient experience, the people and the commercial model all hold up at the same time.

My work sits where those meet: recruiting and keeping good doctors, building systems that don't depend on one person's memory, and deciding what “good” should look like, then making it the standard.

Live events & production

Alongside healthcare, I still work in live event production and showcalling. Live events teach you that calm is a system, not a personality trait. If the preparation is right, nobody needs to shout. I bring that same discipline into the clinics.

How I lead

I care a lot about people, but I don't think caring means lowering the standard.

I'd rather coach than direct. I like people bringing me the issue, the options and what they think we should do. I value trust, clear communication and actually closing the loop when something has been agreed.

I'm still learning this part. Owning businesses has probably taught me more about myself than almost anything else I've done.

What I believe about healthcare businesses

• A clinic that only runs well when the owner is in the room isn't a business yet.
• Succession is a strategy, not an exit. The best time to plan it is while you still love the work.
• Good primary care takes time, and the funding model should support that rather than reward speed.
• AI gets interesting when it improves the whole system of care — not just when it saves a doctor thirty seconds writing a note.
• Profitability and good healthcare aren't opposing ideas. A financially healthy clinic has more capacity to invest in its people, its patients and what comes next.
• Patient experience, team culture and commercial sense aren't trade-offs. You need all three.

Read my insights or see what I build.