We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Stephen Ellis a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Stephen, appreciate you joining us today. We’d love to hear the story behind how you got your first job in field that you currently practice in.

I began medical school with the intention of becoming an orthopedic surgeon. But during my internship year, I discovered a deep interest in anesthesia and shifted course to become an anesthesiologist. Around that same time, my personal health had declined significantly, and I knew I needed to make some changes.

I overhauled my nutrition, focusing on adequate protein intake, and started weight training and cardio—what I now know as zone 2 and 3 training. I began experimenting with a few supplements, and gradually got deeper into what we now call biohacking.

By the time I turned 48, I realized I couldn’t sustain the physical demands of full-time anesthesiology much longer. The call shifts were becoming harder to recover from, and years of leadership roles had taken their toll. That’s when my wife said to me, “You’ve been biohacking yourself for years and you’re passionate about integrative medicine—why not make it your next step?”

That sparked a new chapter. I explored several training programs and chose to pursue the A4M fellowship in functional medicine. I completed the coursework in under a year while continuing to practice anesthesia and began seeing integrative medicine patients.

Eventually, my interest expanded into aesthetic lasers. I immersed myself in the physics and didactics, and once I felt I had mastered the material, I began treating patients. I gravitated toward deeper resurfacing treatments—more aggressive modalities that deliver transformative results. I once told my wife, “You make people pretty on the outside, and I make them pretty on the inside.” I guess now, I have a role in both.

Stephen, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

Has it been a smooth road? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?

Medicine is rarely a smooth path. My intern year, which took place before duty-hour restrictions, often meant working 110 hours a week. It was grueling.

Later, while completing my A4M fellowship, I was juggling multiple roles—full-time anesthesiologist, leadership positions within my group, part-time integrative medicine physician, husband, and father. It was a challenging time, but also deeply rewarding.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

Do you have any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general? What has worked well for you?

You have to be proactive. If you don’t reach out, it’s unlikely a mentor will just fall into your lap. Attend conferences, show up to events, and make the effort to introduce yourself. Don’t be afraid to approach well-known people—they’re just human like you. Some will welcome you openly; others won’t. And that’s okay—they’re probably not your people.

What matters most is finding a small circle of like-minded individuals you can trust. People you can bounce ideas off of, share challenges with, and grow alongside.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

Who are five local entrepreneurs, professionals, or creatives that you know and admire?

• Kim Miller – Real estate innovator

• Neil Riordan – Innovator in regenerative medicine

• Darla Stapleton – Visionary and entrepreneur

• Bill Tate – Leader and professional I’ve long respected