Beata Drzazga created the largest Polish company, specializing in providing long-term care for patients. She has gained recognition in the United States as an extraordinary entrepreneur and visionary. Today she tells us how she overcame challenges and achieved success, and how she inspires others to entrepreneurship.
You have decided to follow a difficult path in the health industry, which is closely connected with human suffering and requires hard work. I would like to ask what motivated you to take on this challenge and what changes you have brought to patient care?
From an early age, I dreamed of working in a hospital. After many years of study and effort, I managed to fulfill this dream. Unfortunately, working at the hospital turned out to be different than I expected. I noticed that some patients were treated by the medical staff in a way that made me sad. Although I also met there wonderful people dedicated to their work, full of empathy and ready to help, unfortunately, there were also people who did not show the right attitude to patients. Besides, the salary at the hospital was so low that I could not provide a decent life for my children. I was often put in difficult situations, having to decide whether to provide for their basic needs or allow them to indulge themselves. As a result, I made the decision to change my career path. I decided to leave my current job at the hospital and invest in my dream. I rented one room and founded BetaMed, where I was able to devote all my heart and commitment to patient care and pursue my passions.
Does the name BetaMed S.A. come from your first name? And also, did you plan to provide full long-term care from the beginning, or did you come to it through development?
The company name BetaMed S.A. actually refers to my name. At first, I focused exclusively on ozone therapy. Then, I decided to participate in the National Health Fund (NHF) competition to start a long-term care business. As the company grew, I began to hire more employees who remain with me to this day. Our growing staff has proven to be significant – we started with 200 people, and now the number has exceeded 3,200, operating 91 branches in 11 provinces. During these years, I also built my own clinic, for which I took a private loan of 60 million, Today, I am proud to say that we are the largest long-term care company in Poland.
What was the reaction of the environment to the fact of taking a loan of 60 million?
My decision caused admiration among many friends who recognized my courage. During my stay in Silicon Valley, Janusz Bryzek, a Polish scientist, called me a Visionary. It’s an apt term, because I’m not just building something new, I’m also creating completely new things that didn’t exist before. I see now that I am indeed a Visionary. I believe that entrepreneurship is not just a profession, but a state of mind. It is the ability to manage, organize and be creative, regardless of the industry. That’s why I run several companies, including real estate in Miami and BetaMed International in Las Vegas. My interest in fashion emerged spontaneously when I started traveling for business and did not find time to shop for clothes. So I decided to set up a clothing store, becoming its most important customer. Looking for a catchy name, I browsed the Polish-Italian dictionary and came across “scheggia,” which means “splinter” in Italian. This is how the DONO DA SCHEGGIA brand was created, which literally translates as “Gift from the Splinter.” I began to import original creations to Poland, which aroused great interest. I regularly held meetings with clients, and their enthusiasm encouraged me to organize fashion shows in international locations such as Dubai, Paris and Milan.
Has your creativity already reached its limits in terms of more business, or are new ideas still emerging to inspire further development?
I still have no shortage of creativity, and more ideas appear in my head. Recently, I have been particularly fascinated by new technologies, and attending international conferences in this field has been inspiring. In the near future, I would like to direct my activities in the direction related to new technologies that have the potential to make life much easier, especially for those in need of medical support. I am glad that my dreams and efforts have contributed to the creation of a great company BetaMed SA and allowed me to achieve successes abroad, such as in the United States.Mentioning successes, I am proud not only of my professional achievements, but also of the fact that I have remained true to my values and principles. I still maintain a close relationship with a friend from elementary school and many other acquaintances. Values such as respect for others, humility and empathy are extremely important to me and I carefully pass them on to my wonderful children. I am full of gratitude for the opportunity to influence their development and see them become exceptional people because of it.
How do you motivate yourself and others?
As an entrepreneur, he believes that the best motivation comes from intrinsic determination, supported by self-discipline and commitment to achieving goals. In business, self-reliance and courage in decision-making are key, because as entrepreneurs, we do not receive guidance from a boss – we are responsible for our own actions. To successfully achieve business goals, self-confidence, perseverance and maximum use of resources such as time, money and knowledge are crucial. Passion in the work you do promotes staying engaged and achieving success. A well-organized structure of projects and tasks can help increase productivity, and available time management applications can make this task easier. It is worth appreciating your achievements and maintaining a work-life balance, which allows for greater satisfaction and productivity. Sometimes it’s useful to distance yourself from the day-to-day affairs and look at the company from a new perspective, for example, by going to a different place, which can bring new ideas and prevent professional burnout. Properly managing yourself and your team, as well as taking care of your own well-being, translates into success and effectiveness in business.
As a business mentor, what are you most eager to share with entrepreneurs who seek support and inspiration from you?
I am often asked about the biggest challenges to achieving goals. Paradoxically, it is the need for consistency and rigor that can cause frustration and unpleasant experiences of failure. Therefore, it is important to set goals that are realistic and achievable. On the other hand, the implementation of most projects in business involves risk and the need for courage. It is worth being resourceful, responsible and courageous, but at the same time consider the possible consequences and avoid unjustified risks. In business, cooperation and concern for employees and business partners also play a key role. We often achieve goals with the support of other individuals and teams.
Source: Manager Report