The pivot to entrepreneurship is frightening — especially for physicians who generally don’t learn business as part of their medical training. Positioning Dr. Kothari in a marketplace of specialists is critical to the success of her practice. There are plenty of agencies that help physicians put up a website, optimize it for search, and generate traffic. But those approaches all ignore the most critical element — the relationship a patient feels to their physician. In oncology, that relationship is borderline sacred.

When the day for the shoot arrived, I quickly realized that filming Dr. Kothari in her office would do her no favors. In the middle of the shoot, we proposed a pivot — came back with a strategy to film offsite. We secured a sewing studio, paid for it out of pocket, and invested in showing Rajul — the human who happens to practice medicine. A voiceover gave her the chance to speak without the pressure of a camera in front of her, giving the prospective patient a chance to feel the warmth, kindness, and sharp medical mind for themselves.