Jiří Koleňák: My name is Jiří Koleňák and welcome to the Úspěšní (Successful) podcast, where we explore the principles and habits that drive my guests to succeed. My guest today is Jiří Pecina. Jirka has been an entrepreneur since he was 13 years old. In 2016, he shifted his focus to telemedicine and healthcare digitalization. He founded Medihub, the company behind the telemedicine application Medi, serves as First Vice Chairman of the Alliance for Telemedicine, Healthcare Digitalization, and Social Services, and teaches at several universities to promote telemedicine across the Czech Republic. His goal is to provide doctors with technologies that streamline administrative work so they can spend more time with patients, making modern healthcare accessible to everyone, anywhere, at any time. Hi Jirko, welcome to the podcast.
Jiří Pecina: Hi Jirko, thanks for having me.
Jiří Koleňák: Jirko, what brought you the greatest joy in recent days?
Jiří Pecina: As a recent transplant to Prague, saving time on the Brno-Prague commute allowed me to spend the weekend with my son fishing at the Slapy Reservoir while my daughter competed in her race. My son caught five fish and my daughter won gold—a pretty fantastic weekend!
Jiří Koleňák: That sounds wonderful! Anything on the professional side that pleased you?
Jiří Pecina: Last week I flew to Mexico—a 24-hour journey each way—to launch our Medi Diabetes program in Córdoba, a small town of 150,000 in one of Mexico's poorest regions with extremely high diabetes rates. In partnership with a major Swiss corporation and the Mexican government, we launched Medi for the poorest residents. We sat in the historical building where Mexico signed its independence from Spain, presenting this program before visiting the first 200 patients in poverty-stricken neighborhoods. Critics often claim telemedicine doesn't work for older or low-income populations, but in poor Mexican neighborhoods, everyone owns a smartphone. The government realizes that curbing diabetes—which affects 25% of the population—saves far more money than the program costs. While domestic adoption in the Czech Republic can be bogged down by local bureaucracy, markets like Mexico and Slovakia focus purely on quality—and that’s why they chose Medi.
Jiří Koleňák: That sounds incredible. How did your entrepreneurial journey begin?
Jiří Pecina: Growing up in the 1990s, my mother—a nurse—played a game at the end of every month called "whatever the fridge offers," serving meals like bread with canned sardines. I realized it wasn't a creative culinary game; healthcare salaries hadn't kept pace with skyrocketing inflation, and we simply lacked money for food. So, a friend and I opened a bicycle repair shop in our apartment building's shared storage room. When neighbors complained, I transitioned to importing cars from abroad. I had a public telephone booth outside my bedroom window that I used as my business line. Looking older than my age helped, so customers trusted 14-year-old me to handle car imports.
Jiří Koleňák: What were the biggest challenges back then, besides monitoring the phone booth?
Jiří Pecina: The hardest challenge when earning significant money at 15 or 16 is avoiding becoming an arrogant idiot. I came dangerously close, but going through a personal reset at 17 brought me back down to earth. I wanted a normal teenage life. Good friends pushed me to complete my university degrees, lose 40 kilograms, and prioritize self-care. That transformation led me to meet my wife. Money never impressed her, and without her, Medi wouldn't exist—she is a brilliant mind who leads software development at Medi.
Jiří Koleňák: What is it like running a business alongside family?
Jiří Pecina: It's fantastic. People assume couples run out of things to say after decades together, but we've been together for 30 years and constantly share ideas both personally and professionally. I wouldn't trade it for anything. I don't understand men who earn money while leaving their wives entirely isolated with household labor without shared ownership. We divide responsibilities seamlessly—my wife leads development, and I handle sales.
Jiří Koleňák: What role do technological innovations play in your business strategy?
Jiří Pecina: I get bored quickly when business stagnates. In previous ventures, I always exited early. Medi is different—it's my long-term passion project and legacy. Rapid advancements in healthcare technology and AI keep me engaged. AI won't eliminate top lawyers, accountants, or advisors, but it will replace low-level, repetitive administrative tasks. Embracing technology is vital for survival.
Jiří Koleňák: How do you view continuous education for experienced entrepreneurs?
Jiří Pecina: Rapid technological shifts widen the gap between those who continually educate themselves and those who stagnate. I strongly encourage entrepreneurs in their 30s or 40s to pursue executive education or MBAs. Even after a decade in business, you quickly realize how much you still don't know. Sitting alongside ambitious peers and world-class lecturers completely reshapes your perspective.
Jiří Koleňák: What technological breakthrough do you consider a major game-changer alongside AI?
Jiří Pecina: Quantum computing. We developed a proprietary AI model called Bioscan that measures vital signs—like blood pressure and glucose levels—via a optical camera feed. While AI processes data rapidly once programmed, quantum computing will multiply processing power exponentially, allowing real-time complex diagnostic synthesis that currently takes massive server clusters.
Jiří Koleňák: What prevents established organizations from adopting innovations quickly?
Jiří Pecina: Executive ego and a refusal to acknowledge knowledge gaps. When managers prioritize ego over adaptability, innovation stalls. Exceptional customer service—like Rohlík’s automated return process—requires acknowledging mistakes, adopting new tools, and putting user needs first. If leadership assumes customers are wrong, innovation dies.
Jiří Koleňák: How should companies address outdated management mentalities?
Jiří Pecina: You cannot build modern solutions with an outdated mindset. CEOs must stay adaptable or make room for agile, forward-thinking talent—typically in the 27 to 35 age bracket. Executive education acts as a mirror, helping seasoned leaders stay hungry for new knowledge and keep pace with market shifts.
Jiří Koleňák: What specific solutions does Medi bring to modern healthcare?
Jiří Pecina: Medi connects patients with primary care or emergency doctors remotely in under two minutes through a virtual triage system. In South Bohemia and across Slovakia (via major insurers like VšZP and Dôvera), Medi offloads non-critical cases from hospital emergency rooms. A patient suffering from mild gastroenteritis can consult a physician remotely, receive an e-prescription within minutes, and avoid sitting in an ER waiting room next to trauma patients. Furthermore, in chronic disease management and palliative care—such as our work with the Masaryk Memorial Cancer Institute—automated remote monitoring handles routine paperwork, freeing doctors and nurses to provide meaningful personal care.
Jiří Koleňák: How global is Medi's expansion strategy?
Jiří Pecina: Entirely global. We focused on markets with unified regulations and languages: the European Union and Latin America. We operate across 12 countries, expanding soon to a 13th. Rather than chasing complex European grant subsidies, we focus on scalable commercial partnerships. The State of Florida recently offered $50 million in incentives if we establish US operations there, which offers strategic access to Latin America.
Jiří Koleňák: You once famously claimed you would never use LinkedIn. What changed?
Jiří Pecina: I used to view LinkedIn as another unnecessary social platform like Facebook. However, after my PR advisor convinced me to set up a profile, I realized how wrong I was. LinkedIn opened massive international networks—I'm flying to Iowa and Miami specifically because of connections made on the platform. Changing your mind when presented with clear evidence isn't weakness; it's essential for growth.
Jiří Koleňák: What foundational values guide Medi's development?
Jiří Pecina: Simplicity and human-centric care. We build tools that eliminate useless paperwork so nurses can offer comfort and doctors can focus on accurate diagnoses. Medi requires just three clicks to connect with a physician. We innovate independently rather than copying competitors or government initiatives.
Jiří Koleňák: How did you handle the commercial launch of Medi given the market skepticism?
Jiří Pecina: We spent four years self-funding development before landing our first paying customer in year five. Critics repeatedly told us telemedicine wouldn't work. Being told something is impossible is the ultimate motivation for me. Today, we manage high volume—handling hundreds of virtual consultations weekly in South Bohemia alone and covering millions of insured lives across Slovakia.
Jiří Koleňák: Have you ever faced a moment in your career where you wanted to walk away from business entirely?
Jiří Koleňák: Yes, during the 2008 financial crisis. I owned the second-largest auto center network in the Czech Republic. Due to the post-Lehman Brothers global credit freeze and sudden market panic, our primary lenders abruptly canceled all credit lines overnight. I went to work at 9:00 AM as a wealthy business owner and walked home at noon carrying 160 million CZK in debt. I had to sell my house and personal assets. Overwhelmed, I briefly considered quitting business entirely to live a quiet life driving a trolleybus.
Jiří Koleňák: How long did that low point last, and how did you recover?
Jiří Pecina: The despair lasted one afternoon. I realized I couldn't abandon my family or give up. We successfully executed a restructuring and exit, but it took eight years to regain the confidence needed to lead a major venture again. Facing extreme failure taught me humility, resilience, and the importance of pursuing business out of genuine passion rather than pure financial gain.
Jiří Koleňák: What advice would you give entrepreneurs facing major setbacks?
Jiří Pecina: Yesterday's bad news is quickly forgotten. Most people aren't dwelling on your mistakes as much as you are. If you are starting out, work inside a structured corporation first to learn operational processes before launching your own venture. Pursue business because you love the problem you are solving—never purely for money.
Jiří Koleňák: How do you continuously develop your skills and recharge?
Jiří Pecina: I listen to audiobooks like Walter Isaacson's biography of Elon Musk or books on Amazon's corporate culture. I enrolled in executive courses at Harvard Medical School to learn directly from global healthcare leaders. To recharge, I do steep incline walking on a treadmill three mornings a week, go deep-sea fishing with my son, and support my daughter's equestrian competitions.
Jiří Koleňák: Where do you see the future of business and AI over the next decade?
Jiří Pecina: Capital will consolidate around major global platforms, making organic scaling challenging without strategic positioning. Simultaneously, AI automation will replace repetitive labor to such an extent that societies will inevitably transition toward expanded social safety nets or universal basic income, leaving human workers to focus on creative, high-value, and empathetic pursuits.
Jiří Koleňák: What is your final piece of advice for current and future entrepreneurs?
Jiří Koleňák: Focus exclusively on work you are passionate about, gain corporate experience to master systems, and commit to lifelong education. Surround yourself with people who challenge you to keep growing.
Jiří Koleňák: Jiří Pecina, thank you very much for joining us and sharing your story.
Jiří Pecina: Thank you, Jirko, it was a real pleasure!
Jiří Koleňák: To our viewers, thank you for watching, and see you next time with more inspiring guests!
