How did Judy Faulkner build Epic Systems into one of the largest healthcare software companies in the world—without venture capital or Silicon Valley influence?
In this episode, we break down the extraordinary founder story of Judy Faulkner, CEO and founder of Epic Systems, the dominant electronic health records (EHR) platform used by leading hospitals worldwide. This podcast explores how Epic grew into a multi-billion-dollar healthcare technology company by rejecting VC funding, prioritizing long-term thinking, and maintaining founder-led control.
You’ll learn how Judy Faulkner’s leadership philosophy, product-first mindset, and disciplined approach to scaling allowed Epic Systems to outperform competitors in health tech, enterprise software, and medical software markets—while remaining privately owned.
This episode is essential listening for startup founders, SaaS operators, healthcare technology professionals, investors, and accelerators interested in alternative startup models, sustainable growth, and founder-led companies.
In this episode, we cover:
Judy Faulkner’s founder journey and leadership style
How Epic Systems became a healthcare software leader
Why Epic rejected Silicon Valley and venture capital
Scaling enterprise SaaS without external funding
Lessons for founders building durable, profitable companies
🎧 If you’re interested in startup podcasts, founder stories, SaaS growth, healthcare IT, electronic health records, or Epic Systems, this episode offers a powerful and practical case study.
Episode 1 - Flawless UI - an Investor Red Flag
I’m Sarah Sterling, and I’m joined by my co-host, Alex Mercer. Together, we’re peeling back the layers of the startup world to reveal what truly drives investment decisions.
In this episode, we’re tackling a seductive trap that catches countless founders and even seasoned product teams: "Polishing the Turret." We’ve all seen it—the pitch deck with stunning UI, the app that explodes with beautiful confetti, and the frictionless onboarding that feels like magic. But what happens when that flawless exterior is hiding a business with zero market demand?
Alex and I dissect a recent pitch that had everything going for it visually—museum-quality design, buttery smooth interactions—yet failed to secure a single dollar of funding. We explore why technical elegance often masquerades as viability, and why the most valuable signal for an investor isn’t a slick app, but an ugly spreadsheet proving customers are desperate for a solution.
If you’re a founder agonizing over pixel-perfect buttons, or an investor trying to spot the difference between a real business and a "pretty trap," this conversation is for you. We’re going beyond the pitch deck to discuss:
Why viability always trumps feasibility.
How to build a "de-risked hypothesis" before writing a line of code.
The counter-intuitive power of the Concierge MVP (and why doing things manually is your secret weapon).
So, stop coding, step away from Figma, and join us as we uncover why the ugliest evidence is often the most beautiful thing an investor can see. Let’s dive in.