Networking Unleashed: Building Profitable Connections. An Interview with Dr Mel Colon and Michael A Forman
Welcome to Networking Unleashed, Building Profitable Connections. I'm your host, Michael Foreman. How good do you have to be at what you do for people to literally travel miles just to see you? Today's guest tackles difficulty foot and ankle cases that others often can't, help patients and avoid major surgery, and has created a concierge house- house call model, a house call model unlike anything else in his specialty.
But this conversation is about much more than medicine. It's about trust, reputation, caring, referrals, and what happens when you have the courage to do things differently. Because the expertise may get people's attention, but how you treat people determines what they say about you when you're not in the room.
So put your f- so put your best foot forward. Yes, I had to say it, so let's get into it. I'd like to introduce to the podcast Dr. Mel Colon, and I have to, I have to come clean with you guys. I've become friends with Dr. Mel, and this is really gonna be quite a, an extra, ex- extra e- extra experience for me because I'm really dying to know what he does.
And even though he gave me the write-up, I'm gonna ask him all sorts of questions. But anyway, but Dr. Mel, how are you? Welcome to the podcast, and let me ask you a question. In the cliff notes, because I know this may take a long time, but give me the cliff notes of how you got where you are today. I drove from Brooklyn to here.
No, I'm just kidding. How I got here basically my brother is in the same field, a board-certified podiatrist just like myself. He's living now in Naples, so he moved from Atlanta down there, and basically I decided, s- I guess maybe 'cause his feet were bigger, I decided to follow in his footsteps and become a podiatrist.
And it's great because you remember the comedian, Michael, I think you're old enough to remember him. He's no longer here, but Rodney Dangerfield, and he said- He gets no respect ... he gets no respect. So the Rodney Dangerfield, the foot is the Rodney Dangerfield of the human body, it gets no respect.
It's a very unusual part of the body because, let's say you have pain in your face or your elbow and the doctor takes care of that, but you don't walk on your face or your elbow, you walk on your feet. So not only do we have to get rid of the pain and/ or the problem, but we also have to know that it's a weightbearing part of the body, and we have to do everything in our power and our creativity to have it not come back.
Of course, you don't walk on your face unless you had a little bit too much to drink, but that's a whole different conversation. Okay, so- Hey, you're funnier than me. I want a refund. What's that all about? Okay. Patients travel significant distances to see you. What do you believe makes someone trust a professional enough to go past dozens of other choices to reach that one person?
Because I specialize in difficult, unresolved foot, ankle, and lower leg problems that very often other physicians can't get done even though they're excellent doctors. They say practicing as a physician is a science, but it's also an art, creative and innovative. So what I do is very creative, very innovative very gentle.
I explain everything, and I treat every single patient like family, like they were king or queen of a country. I can't do it any other way. I grew up in Brooklyn, where we say, "Forget about it. Get out of here. What are you, nuts?" So I really deeply care about every single patient, and so it's worth it for them to come.
Actually, 88% of my patients come from the Atlanta Metro area, and the other 12% come from the other 49 states, and only about two people come in from another country. So far it's about two, average is about two people a year will fly in. So they're gonna get the results. The answer to your question is, maybe too long an answer, is that they're gonna get the results, and I'm gonna be gentle, and I'm gonna explain everything to them.
And I tend to call them after they leave, okay? And I want to make sure that they actually follow instructions so that they have the very, very best results. Now, I, I know a great many doctors, and I know probably even more specialists, and they all have a nice bedside manner. They always want you to think you're their, you're the most important person.
But you go the extra step. You talk to them before, you talk to them after, and then you talk to them way after just to see how they're doing. That, I think, is what's missing from the doctors of today. I totally agree. I don't talk to them so much before, because I meet them when they come in the office.
But since we started the new division where we do house calls, or we go to their hotel room.
Now, I remember your question very well. Do I talk to them before? I certainly talk to them during, and I talk to them after, which is unusual, but I like doing that. So I talk to them before if they're gonna have a house call. So that's when I talk to them as, before as well. Okay. Okay. Y- you describe what you do as a combination of skill and caring.
In a business and networking, have we become so focused on demonstrating competence that we've underestimated the competitive ad- advantage of genuinely caring? Yeah I really am because I'm I'm very healthy, but occasionally I go see a doctor, and I can't believe how uncaring some physicians or nurses are, and I compliment them like crazy when they have a great personality because I love that, and I think it's, that's the way it should be.
It's the way I was raised, and that's the way I'm wired. Do you ever find, because I know you and I know you in the networking environment, and you're very bubbly, very outspoken, very humorous, and very smiley and everything. Do you ever run into those doctors that are so straight-laced that they just wanna just tell you what's wrong, tell you how they can fix you, and move on?
Yeah. I can't wait to get out of that office when that's happening. It, really, I just can't wait to get out the door. So when I go see a physician, which is not too often, 'cause I'm very healthy, but I do try to find out who do you think I could be comfortable with?
Who's got a good personality? Because I think people don't screen for that, but I think you should screen for that, and I don't mind if people screen for that with me because I pride myself in having that type of personality. Good. Good, and I agree. I agree 100%. You often see difficult cases after other approaches haven't worked.
When someone comes to you frustrated or skeptical, how do you rebuild trust before you ever begin treating the problem? I w- rebuild trust by being very complete, very comprehensive, very caring, okay? And actually doing what I say I'm gonna do. So I think that trust occurs that way because they're actually getting the kind of healthcare that every physician should offer.
Now, that goes without saying because with your whole concierge house call division, they have to first really trust you in order to allow you into their home. So it's it's a very interesting concept, and I- that's one area I didn't come up with myself. There's some very influential people here in Atlanta that asked me to come to their house, and I had never done that my whole career.
And then it s- it went so well that they sat me down and said, "You need to start this service." And I really didn't like the idea of having to go to someone's house, 'cause I'm a brutally honest person. So- ... but now I really like it. It's funny. I didn't know that it, that was gonna be a- another iteration of what I do, but I'm really glad that they sat me down, and I'm really glad.
It's a much needed service. And you have that for dermatology, family medicine, internal medicine, and psychiatry. So the five specialties are those four plus me, and there also are chiropractor. There's a chiropractor that I know that goes to people's houses as well. Yes. I think I know him also.
Your concierge house call model is very different from tr- traditional healthcare. What did you have to believe about yourself and your patients to have the courage to build something when there really wasn't a roadmap to follow? Three words confidence. And maybe if we want to add some more skill, and determination.
And just knowing what to do. I'm, I just, I know my field, so it's, ... W- really, it wasn't difficult at all, Michael. It was just a, a natural progression. With your personality and with your confidence level, because your confidence level is way above anybody's, because whether you know something or don't, you know it, right? And you're confident. And the other person will never believe that you don't know it, because you're all so confident in what you're talking about. But the your confidence level and your knowledge is so incredible that when you combine that with the confidence and the skill, it's a no-brainer to have people come in have you come into th- people's houses, and have them trust you.
It's an incredible thing. It really is. Thank you. Healthcare is becoming increasingly influenced by technology and AI. As medicine becomes more technologically sophisticated, could human connection actually become more valuable rather than less? I think you're 100% right. I think it's more valuable. I have to admit that I'm on AI maybe one to two hours every single day.
So I love AI, but I think you have to be careful with AI. That's not a person, and you ca- you have to double-check everything AI says. So I think the human connection and personality and charisma and charm and caring are still very important human traits. And I think even some of the most important people, like Bill Gates or Elon Musk, have said that AI will not totally replace a physician because AI can do a lot of healthcare, but they can't do all of it.
There's certain things that only human could do, unless that changes 20 years from now. But within the next five to 10 years you... for sure you need that human connection. I couldn't agree with you more. My take on AI with networking is, AI replaces a lot. You... I talk to people all over the world, and from this podcast, and it's incredible, but I can't, AI can't give me the emotional responses.
It takes all the emotion out of the answer. It can give me, technologically, it can give me the answer what I'm asking, but it removes all the emotion, all the tact, all the body language, all everything that you need to network. When you and I go on Thursday nights and we go to network with people, you're networking.
You're talking to people, and you're happy, and you're doing this. AI can't do that. AI doesn't replace you. It would take four computers to, to replace you because you bring so much to the table. But there's so much emotional constraints, not constraints, but there's so much of emotion that AI can't possibly replace it.
And I always say that AI is great because I too am, and I am on AI almost two hours a day, but it can't replace me speaking, me going out and speaking to an audience because it, I need to pick up the vibe of the room. I need to pick up the vibe of the people, and you can't get that through a, a screen I so agree.
I think that's so spot on Thank you. Thank you. Okay. You say the foot is one of the most neglected and misunderstood parts of the body. Do you see a parallel in leadership that the problems we ignore because they seem small often becau- bec- all right, let me start that again. Do you see a parallel in leadership that the problem we ignore because they seem small often become the problems that eventually stop us from moving forward?
I think if you think about it, the foot is a kind of a strange, weird part of the body for a lot of people. They're embarrassed about their foot. The foot's covered up by socks and shoes, okay? And I think people just... There's no contest. There isn't another part of the body that is more misunderstood, misdiagnosed, or mistreated part of the body.
People should take care of their feet, 'cause think about it. If you can't, if you don't have good feet, how are you gonna work full-time or even part-time? How are you gonna, how are you gonna do exercise or sports or dance? So how are you gonna have a quality of life? That's right. So people neglect their feet.
It's amazing to me, absolutely amazing to me, how people can neglect their feet. They'll go to the dentist, which of course I understand. Everybody sees your smile, and you need your teeth to chew and eat your food, but you really ne- and you go to the den- the dentists are amazing with marketing, 'cause, they tell you to come twice a year or at least once a year.
But people don't go to a foot doctor, to a podiatrist, maybe even their whole life. So they should go to, they should go to a podiatrist maybe at least every two years, but they don't. That's good to know, because I'll have to make an appointment because I haven't gone in about five years, but that's a different story.
Okay. Referrals in healthcare carry enormous responsibility because someone is essentially putting their reputation behind a recommendation. What has to happen before you truly, be- before you've truly earned someone's referral? As far as you mean how do I need to c- relate to that physician or that person that's sending me someone else?
Is that what you mean? For ... If I referred somebody, okay- ... now I'm putting my reputation behind- That's it ... that referral. So what has to happen before you've truly earned someone's referral? How can I, how can you earn my- Well- ... expert- for a referral? I don't know if I'm gonna answer it prop- the way you want it answered, but for example, recently, I have 55 plus communities, people 55 years old and above that live in, maybe in a, a community of a h- 500 homes or whatever, and they've been inviting me to give a talk.
I normally talk for about seven minutes, 'cause I don't like to have I don't like to have a boring talk. I'm v- what I talk about is very, dynamic. And then I will a- have a question and answer period, and then if they want me to examine their feet and give them some kind of idea what's going on, I could do that.
So that, that is one way of earning trust. And there's many other ways, but basically, I just meet a lot of people. I have 30,000 people on LinkedIn 30,000. So I practically have lived on LinkedIn. And I know hundreds and thousands of other people. People, and they, and people just hear about it.
They hear about it. They, had a great result. For example, I had somebody just sent me a patient someone I think you met at the networking event. He's a chiropractor in Buckhead, and he sent me a patient with gout. So he had a, like a really red and hot and swollen and very painful big toe joint, the bunion joint.
And he came to me, and I administered s- a nerve, some nerve blocks, which flushes out the uric crystals from that joint and put him on some natural supplements as well to help it, for keep it from coming back. And he's now, he said to me, "My mother has a different problem. It sounds like she needs the same kind of treatment.
And could I fly you to Jacksonville?" I said, "Yes, you can fly me to Jacksonville. I will go." So right now, he's in Jacksonville talking to his mother, and he may be coming back with her. So I don't know. I gain trust in many different ways. No I have-- Of everything you just answered, I have a hard time believing that you just spoke for seven minutes.
'Cause that's the only part, because- no ... you don't get around, you don't get around to the subject for seven minutes. That's what I'm saying. I'll tell you what. I think you met someone on the I won't mention her name publicly, but she's one of the people that comes to that networking, and she's so funny.
So I'll s- she's in the world of financial advisor. So we are- Okay ... gonna start we're gonna do a an improv off-the-cuff comedy routine, and we're gonna g- we're gonna audition to be i- in comedy clubs and also networking events. That sounds great. You tell me where you are, and I will come see you regardless, okay?
Thank you. So there's what you ... You'll have my support. Your goal is often to prevent major surgery rather than simply perform another proce- procedure. What has practicing medicine taught you about putting someone's best interests ahead of what's easiest, most conventional, or even potentially more profitable?
Since I'm a brutally honest person and candid person, I will tell you that when I was recruited into the clinic that I'm in Sewanee, which is a five-star, 7,000 square foot clinic the owner asked me, she said, "Dr. Colon, I know you do bone surgery, I know you do all different type of sophisticated surgery as a board-certified foot and leg surgeon, but coming into my clinic, if indeed you agree to come in and close your other office and just come in can you stop doing that surgery, and can you change your philosophy to more that you can prevent people from having surgery?"
I said, "That's beautiful. Let's do it." It was perfect timing for my life. It was much closer to where I lived, so I saved a long, journey to my office, and now I do. Exactly. That's a very good question, Michael, because I save people from having surgery, okay? And I do that by using creative forms of treatment like a therapeutic sympathetic nerve block, which I could explain better when people come in.
And it basically, it's it breaks the pain cycle, the soreness, the tenderness, the inflammation. It increases the blood flow permanently to that part of the body, to the foot or ankle or lower leg, and it's dramatic. It's absolutely dramatic. So that's why, getting back to an earlier question you have, you had about why people would travel, yes, they would travel, because if I save them from having surgery, it's a no-brainer.
Why wouldn't you want that? And also, why would you wanna stay with the pain? And why would you wanna not ha- be able to work or do sports or dance? So that's my answer. Absolutely. Absolutely correct, and it was so nice to hear that there is somebody putting- Putting the patient ahead of the profit.
And listen, I think you're the only one that I've spoke to that actually came out and said it. And you ... Now look, I know you, I know your practice, and I know you do it. It- you don't just talk about it, you do it. Everything you say, you do, and that's another major factor when it comes to trusting the doctor.
That's- So that's for you. Thank you. When someone becomes known for solving problems other professionals can solve, ego can easily enter into the picture. How do you maintain confidence in your expertise while comp- keeping the hum- humility to continue listening and learning? That's an excellent question, and here is what I think w- might be an excellent, honest answer.
Overconfidence or being narcissistic or having too big an ego or you can't get your hat on your head because your head's so big is ugly. That's why. It's ugly. It's not right. It's not the way we're supposed to be, okay? So I'm confident, but not overconfident. I'm not an egotist, okay? And I never have been, and I
It's just, I'm just the way I was raised, basically, and, and just the kind ... It goes back to the confidence, but not overconfidence. Absolutely. And, coming from the Bronx, Brooklyn, and everything else, I'm ... I was 30 miles north of New York City. I grew up in Rockland County. There's Rockland and Westchester Counties, and I came, I grew up in, in Rockland County.
I, so I know exactly your feeling of what you've been doing. So let's ... I wanna bring this podcast full circle. If we remove the number of patients you've treated, the revenue you've generated, and the professional recognition you've received, how would you personally measure whether you had a successful career?
Because of the results. And you should offline, when we're not on the podcast I could bring you people. They have laws for confidentiality for patients, HIPAA laws, okay? But I could bring you people who would waive their HIPAA, they could sign a form, and they could tell you what I did for them, because those results make me feel really good.
That is something that, you know it, it's just amazing. It's an amazing feeling, okay? Just like maybe when an artist... And my wife is Korean, and she's an artist. She's, she does oil painting. So when she does that, and even when she sells the painting, it's not so much about making that money from the painting, it's about creating that, that work of art.
Same thing with me. It's the creating a better functionality for patients, a better life for patients. Remove the pain, or sometimes there's a cosmetic reason that they don't like the way their foot looks. For example, they have those really thick, ugly, fungal toenails, okay? I've come up with ways.
For example, eh, let's jump off fungal toenails for a second. The other one, another one with nails is ingrown toenails. What I did is I took the procedure that all podiatrists in the United States use, we all pretty much use the same procedure, and I've used the word creativity before. That's not just a science, but it's an art.
So what I did is I took that procedure. I m- I made about five or six modifications to the procedure. So instead of 88 to 100% success rate that podiatrists get, for me, it's 100% every single time. Never ever have I had an ingrown nail come back, because I modified it. So that is, and that gives me pleasure accomplishment.
It makes me feel good. So you're right, it's not just money. I think, it cannot be that you do healthcare just for money. That's not right That's the way it used to be. I don't know if it's so much the way it is anymore, but fortunately, there are people like you, Dr. Mel, that you're still out there doing it for the people instead of the profit.
You're... Go ahead. If I could correct one thing, because I know there may be other people watching this as time goes on, I think all the podiatrists are great. I don't want anyone watching this thinking that I say I'm better than them. No, not better. Different, creative, or whatever, but no.
And I don't say physicians do things just for money, so I want to make sure that is not an impression that anyone gets, okay? Okay. That was from my point of view, okay? Yeah. That, that's the difference. Dr. Mel, this was great. You're a great guest. Listen, if somebody wanted to get hold of you, either because they have a foot problem or they just want to say hi, what's the best way that they can get hold of you?
Okay. That is another thing. Most doctors never, ever put their mobile number on their business card. I do, okay? And I've never seen anyone, in all the years I've been doing this, a- abuse that. Nobody has. No one. So they could call me. The best time to call me and I invite you to call me, no problem for me best time to call me is between 1 and 8 PM Eastern Time.
Between 1 and 8, and that number is 678-522-2870. 678-522-2870. Call me between 1 and 8 PM, and that's especially important when it's a house call, but even if they're gonna come into the office in Suwanee, then they could call me. Fantastic. Here's today's takeaway. People don't go the extra mile for average.
They don't refer people they don't trust. When you're treating patients, leading a company, or building your network, your reputation is being created in every interaction. Be excellent in what you do. Care about the person in front of you. And remember, the most powerful networking often happens when you're not even in the room, when someone trusts you enough to put your name into the conversation.
If you enjoyed today's episode, like, follow, and subscribe to Networking Unleashed: Building Profitable Connections, and share this episode with someone who understands that relationships are built from one interaction at a time. I'm Michael Foreman, and remember, expertise gets you noticed. Caring gets you remembered.
Trust gets you referred. I'll see you on the next episode. Dr. Mel, thank you for coming on my podcast. You were a great guest. Thank you, sir.
That's a wrap, folks. A huge thank you to our guests for sharing such incredible insights today. And of course, a big shout-out to you, our amazing listeners, for tuning in and spending your time with us. If you're interested in my digital courses, being coached, or having me come and talk to your company, just go to MichaelAForman.com and fill out the request form.
Remember, networking isn't about being perfect. It's about being present. So take what you've learned today, get out there, and make some meaningful connections. If you've enjoyed this episode, please don't forget to subscribe. Leave us a review and share it with someone who could use a little networking inspiration.
Let's keep the conversation going. You can find me on Apple, Spotify, Pandora, YouTube, or my website, michaelaforman.com/podcast
Michael is a business networking expert specializing in enhancing professionals' networking and communication skills to drive profitability. As a leading authority in this field, he is highly sought after for his dynamic presentations and workshops. His extensive experience has consistently led to significant improvements in corporate profitability by empowering individuals and organizations to connect more effectively and efficiently.
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