"Why We Built the CEO Connect Bootcamp (And What Health Center Leaders Are Saying About It)"

EPISODE DESCRIPTION

In this episode of the Community Health Collective Podcast, Jill Steeley pulls back the curtain on the CEO Connect Bootcamp she co-leads with Steve Weinman. She shares the backstory behind why they built it, what it covers, and—most importantly—lets Bootcamp participants speak for themselves about what the program has meant for their health centers and their own confidence as leaders.

If you have ever felt like the health center CEO seat is the loneliest job in healthcare, this episode is for you.

WHAT YOU’LL HEAR IN THIS EPISODE

Jill’s backstory: taking over a health center in a nearly million-dollar deficit with 12 months to turn it around or close the doors
Why she believes profit is not the opposite of mission—it’s what makes the mission possible
How she and Steve Weinman built the Bootcamp around the exact support system she wished she’d had
Three real health center case studies: Diana, Paul, and Hannah, and the specific results they got
Audio clips from Bootcamp participants talking about what changed for them: resources, peer community, expert speakers, and the confidence to lead differently
The ROI question: what would it mean if the Bootcamp only did one thing for your health center?

KEY TAKEAWAYS

The Health Center Program was designed to support access, not to build financially sustainable organizations. Understanding that gap changes everything about your strategy.
The four levers for financial stability are interconnected: increase and diversify revenue, reduce costs, build a strong market presence, and deliver an exceptional patient experience. Pull one and the others get easier.
Investing in yourself as a leader is not separate from investing in your mission. Your health center cannot grow past where you are as a leader.
You do not have to figure this out alone. The peer community in the Bootcamp may be the most underappreciated part of the program—until you’re in it.

CASE STUDIES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

Diana

Came to the Bootcamp with a $1.2 million deficit and 68% grant dependency. Used the revenue diversification module to identify three untapped opportunities: her pharmacy program, commercial payer contracts she had never renegotiated, and employer relationships she had never pursued. Results:

18% commercial payer contract increase = $800,000 in additional annual revenue
$340,000 in new pharmacy revenue
850 new insured patients (approximately $1.5 million in optimized revenue)
Went from dreading board meetings to walking in with numbers she was proud of

Paul

COO dealing with a 38% patient turnover rate and 32% staff turnover. Used staffing optimization and patient engagement tools. Results:

Staff turnover reduced from 32% to 14%
No-show rate reduced to 12%
Patient retention rate improved to 68%
$1.8 million in added annual revenue

Hannah

CEO of an excellent health center with 63% uninsured rate and near-zero brand recognition. Known in her community as “the clinic for the poor.” Used outreach tools and employer engagement templates. Results:

Preferred primary care provider contracts with three major employers
Foundation launched using the fundraising readiness model, positioned for a capital campaign
$1.5–$2 million added to annual budget from employer relationships alone

ABOUT THE CEO CONNECT BOOTCAMP

The CEO Connect Bootcamp is a five-month program for health center CEOs and executive leadership teams. It covers five modules: increasing and diversifying revenue, operational excellence, building brand and market presence, exceptional patient experience, and future-proofing your health center. The program runs on Fridays, one hour per week, with everything recorded and accessible in a lifetime portal.

Across three cohorts, participants have collectively increased revenue by 17%, reduced costs by 20%, and improved patient retention by 26%.

PROGRAM RESULTS AT A GLANCE

30+ health centers served across three cohorts

17% average revenue increase across participating health centers

20% average cost reduction

26% improvement in patient retention

$5,000 investment with Case Study Discount (reg. $7,500)

EPISODE TIMESTAMPS

0:00 Introduction and episode overview

1:30 Jill’s backstory: the Google search, the 12-month ultimatum, and what year one actually felt like

7:00 Why she left her CEO position in 2023 and what came next

10:00 Meeting Steve Weinman and why their skills complement each other

13:30 The belief behind the Bootcamp: profit is not greed, it is oxygen

16:00 How the Bootcamp is designed differently from conferences and consulting engagements

19:00 Who the Bootcamp is for: new CEOs, seasoned CEOs, and the whole leadership team

22:30 Participant audio clips: on being new or experienced in the role

26:00 The four levers for financial stability: how they work and why they compound

29:00 Case study: Diana and the $800K payer contract conversation

34:00 Case study: Paul and the $1.8M turnaround on staff and patient retention

38:00 Case study: Hannah and going from invisible to preferred provider

42:00 Implementation kits: the bridge between information and action

46:00 Participant audio clips: on the resources and tools

50:00 Steve Weinman and the guest expert series

53:30 Participant audio clips: on the speakers

56:00 The peer community: why it’s the most underappreciated part

59:30 Participant audio clips: on the peer community and not feeling alone

63:00 Investing in yourself as a leader

66:00 The ROI question: if all it did was…

69:00 Cohort 4 announcement, webinar invite, and how to enroll

QUOTES FROM THIS EPISODE

"Profit is not greed. It is oxygen. No margin, no mission. We can’t serve anyone if our doors are closed." — Jill Steeley

"Absolutely. Even if you’re a seasoned CEO, I would a thousand percent advise anyone to take it because it’s very helpful. Very, very helpful, and I wish I would’ve done it sooner." — Bootcamp participant, Dr. K, Health Center CEO

"You’re able to let your hair down and really be open about the problems that you’re dealing with, which that environment is never really facilitated in those settings." — Bootcamp participant, Tariq, Health Center CEO

"I think it’s also very helpful to hear that you are not just dying on the vine alone." — Bootcamp participant, Health Center CEO

"It was a good return on investment for the knowledge that was provided, the networking opportunities that exist, and just the opportunity to learn from other CEOs. Because when you’re sitting in a seat, sometimes it feels lonely." — Bootcamp participant, Keith, Interim Health Center CEO/CMO

"Investing in yourself is not separate from investing in your mission. It is the same investment." — Jill Steeley

LINKS AND RESOURCES MENTIONED

Register for the free webinar – “Why Dwindling Grant Money and Government Dysfunction Might Be the Best Thing That’s Ever Happened to Your Health Center”: REGISTER HERE
Wednesday, March 26 • 1 PM PST / 4 PM EST
Sunday, March 30 • 1 PM PST / 4 PM EST
Enroll in the CEO Connect Bootcamp (Cohort 4 starts April 3, 2026): ENROLL HERE
Schedule a call with Jill: SCHEDULE HERE
Take the healthcare leadership style quiz: TAKE THE QUIZ

IF THIS EPISODE RESONATED WITH YOU

Share it with another health center leader. That’s how this collective grows—one connection at a time. And if you have questions about the Bootcamp, schedule a call with Jill. The link is above.