Ben Texter

What does being an honoree of the Outstanding Alumni in Healthcare campaign mean to you?

It's such a privilege to be honored since Pepperdine has so many gifted and talented alumni. I'm grateful to be part of an alumni community that shares both a drive for personal excellence as well as a shared sense of purpose to help others. Ultimately, healthcare is about helping people live their best lives so they can do the things they love by taking care of their health.

Describe your road to success.

Success is a journey, not a destination. And, like many others, my professional journey has been a bumpy one. I didn't start my career in digital health. I actually started my career working for a startup that imported electric cars from China. We were the first company to import a street-legal Chinese vehicle that was allowed on US roads. It was a wild ride (pun intended). While that path didn't ultimately pan out for me, I learned that I love working in complex, highly-regulated industries. It keeps my mind stimulated. And I learned to love risk taking and embraced my own entrepreneurial spirit during my days working at the electric car company. Resilience and optimism are critical traits for navigating the bumpy road to success.

Who has helped you achieve success in your career?

My mom and dad have been so supportive of all of the risks I've taken. And they always have my back. My uncle was also an inspiration for me. He started one of the largest publicly-traded hospital corporations in America without a college degree. He's had a big impact on my life.

Describe a lesson you've learned from a challenging time in your career or life.

While my dad was dying, I learned that humor can get me through the toughest and most challenging times. I now use humor intentionally to get me through hard times both professionally and personally. I have a really dark sense of humor, so I'll leave out any jokes that come to mind.

How do you prepare for a busy day?

I usually make a to-do list for the next day the night before, and deliberately schedule my working time around my meetings when I can't be disturbed. I also exercise most days and I eat a very consistently healthy diet. I know, boring! But it's actually important to preserving both my health and sanity.

What's next for you?

Who knows?