We had the good fortune of connecting with Benish Lalani and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Benish, maybe we can start at the very start – the idea – how did you come up with the idea for your business?
I was working as an Oncology Nurse Practitioner for 1.5 years before I decided it was time to leave the bedside clinical setting entirely. I began looking for opportunities in pharmaceutical and biotech companies that needed the clinical insight and knowledge from medical professionals to build their product or services. That is how I came about my first job in industry as a clinical data manager. It was a learning curve because even though I had the clinical knowledge I did not have the corporate world knowledge or lingo nor was I used to the workflow of emails, client meetings and constant slack messages. Despite the differences, I was able to pick up on the industry life with the help of my managers and colleagues all while also sharing my clinical knowledge and experiences with them.

A few months into my new job, I began getting messages from old nurse colleagues wanting to know more about what I was doing for my career now, how I was able to work remote but still in a fundamentally clinical role which allowed me to continue using my clinical expertise. That is how the idea of Bedside to Boardroom, LLC came about. I knew if clinicians were aware and mentored about the opportunities that are available to them away from the bedside, many would not only succeed but excel in a role where they could continue their passion for healthcare without the burn out they were facing at the bedside. I wanted to take out the guessing and unknown about where clinicians should look to go in their career when the bedside was no longer aligning with their career or work/life balance goals.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
Bedside to Boardroom is a healthcare career coaching service that is not just limited to nurses or nurse practitioners. I work one on one with all kinds of clinical professionals to help guide them to find their niche. Sometimes it is just a matter of digging into what they are truly passionate about? whats the reason behind the change they are seeking? and what would be their ideal position, hours, compensation, etc? Then we set out to find them that ideal position or create a path for them to get to that position through continuing experiences or education.

A lot of my business has been word of mouth. Many nurses had remained at the bedside in the height of the pandemic due to the critical pay and travel pay that was being offered. Now that most of those high paying roles have leveled off, the nurses are tired, burnt out and ready to pivot. Past clients have been kind enough to share their experiences working with me with their fellow travel, contract or staff members who are also looking to make that change but have no idea where to begin even looking.

There are many options now with the access to social media for other coaching services. However, I strive to tailor my program to each individual client by providing my services as a one on one approach. I avoid the group teaching method because every person may come from a different background in healthcare or may have different career goals. I want to be sure my clients are getting a return on their investment when working with a career coach. Bedside to Boardroom programs are also set up to provide you with the tools so that you can continue to use them in the future even 5,10,15 years from now whenever you are looking to pivot again in your career journey!

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
The thing I love most about Atlanta is the different neighborhoods and activities that are always going on around the city. Since my first experiences of living in the city were down by Ponce City Market area, I would definitely recommend starting there. There are so many bars, restaurants and outdoor activities you can enjoy along the Beltline and even leading back into Piedmont Park and Midtown. If you are trying to stay a bit outside of the main city, the Battery is a great spot for food, drinks and outdoor fun! Whether you spend the evening at a Braves game or just grabbing a burger at Punch Bowl Social or an Espresso martini at Garden and Gun, there’s an option for every palate!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I want to give a shout out to my family and friends (both local here in Atlanta and in Texas) who have always supported me in any endeavor or crazy idea I have had. When I was leaving the bedside in November 2020, it was in the thick of the COVID-19 pandemic. Many people had been laid off and there was a lot of unknown in many industry jobs. Taking a leap from a stable clinic, healthcare provider job, into a start up, biotech, role was scary. My friends and family supported me in taking that leap since that was what I thought was the best decision for me at that time.

Once I took the leap, I knew within weeks it was the right decision. Within eight months of leaving the bedside I had started my healthcare career coaching business through Bedside to Boardroom, LLC mentoring and coaching other clinicians to find their niche and a more flexible and fulfilling role for themselves.

Lastly, I want to thank my clients who continue to amaze me in how much potential we all have as clinicians that we may not be given the opportunity to always share in our current roles. The conversations and ideas I hear from you all really make me excited for whats to come for the future of medicine and healthcare through innovation and technology. I also thank you all for continuing to support me by sharing my services by word of mouth or on social media so that I can continue to guide others to find a career that lets them reach their full potentials!

Website: bedsidetoboardroom.org

Instagram: @bedsidetoboardroom

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benish-lalani/

Image Credits
J.R. Negron and Madhuri Patel

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutAtlanta is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.