Have You Ever Thought About Buying Cheap Lottery Tickets?
I’ve bought a lot of cheap lottery tickets over the years. Not the kind you scratch off to see if you hit it big. I’m talking about the little bets, risks, or asks I’ve made over the years. They cost very little, but can have a huge upside. In this episode, I’m sharing a lesson that’s shaped a lot of the opportunities I’ve had in my career — the idea of making small bets and being willing to hear the word “no.”
My dad used to say, “If you don’t ask, the answer is always no. If you do ask, the worst they can say is ‘no,’ and then you’re right back where you started.” For whatever reason, that stuck with me. Over the years, I’ve taken what I call “cheap lottery tickets” — small risks or asks that didn’t cost much but had the potential for a huge upside. That mindset has opened doors for me in consulting, in buying a practice, and in landing projects I never thought I’d be part of. And sure, I’ve heard “no” plenty of times — stacked up a mountain of kind rejections, really — but it only takes one or two “yeses” to change everything.
We often think someone was just lucky to get a certain opportunity, but we don’t see the 100 rejections that came before it. I think what we call “luck” is often just someone’s willingness to keep putting themselves out there.
What we cover in this Episode:
- How small risks potentially create big opportunities
- Why hearing “no” isn’t the end of the world (or the end of the road)
- Understanding risk tolerance in healthcare business
- Why persistence often looks like luck from the outside
We post videos of certain podcast episodes, including this episode, which can find on the YouTube Channel.
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For More:
Join Rafael E. Salazar II, MHS, OTR/L (Rafi), principal of Rehab U Practice Solutions and host of The Better Outcomes Show as he explores the possibilities of a new healthcare. Guests range from clinicians trying new techniques and treatments to executives and entrepreneurs exploring new technology, innovative service delivery methods, business models, and organizational structures. Grab a copy of the book: Better Outcomes: A Guide to Humanizing Healthcare. Or, hire Rafi to speak at your organization or event.
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Rafael E. Salazar II, MHS, OTR/L (Rafi) is a healthcare consultant, speaker, and host of he Better Outcomes Show. He helps healthcare startups, SaaS platforms, and organizations craft clear positioning, humanize the patient experience, and go to market effectively. He’s the author of Better Outcomes: A Guide to Humanizing Healthcare and principal at Rehab U Practice Solutions. His work on Telehealth has been discussed in Forbes, and he’s advised on projects ranging from digital health product launches to multi-million-dollar healthcare transformation initiatives.
Today, Rafi helps innovative healthcare companies like technology startups, platforms, SaaS companies & innovative healthcare organizations develop effective positioning strategy and business development plans through his consulting work. He also leverages his experience as a professor and academic to speak and train on the topics around humanizing the healthcare experience & healthcare innovation. In addition, Rafi also owns and operates ProActive Rehabilitation & Wellness, a multidisciplinary outpatient clinic treating patients with musculoskeletal pain.
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Work With Me
Are you building something innovative in healthcare—like a digital health product, service, or platform that’s aiming to truly improve the patient experience?
I help healthcare startups, SaaS platforms, and forward-thinking provider organizations develop clear positioning strategies, identify high-value offers, and build go-to-market plans that actually resonate with both users and buyers.
Whether you're launching a new product, scaling an existing service, or navigating digital transformation, I bring 12+ years of experience across clinical operations, healthcare innovation, and strategic development.
How I help:
- Clarify your product/service positioning so customers “get it”
- Align your offer with real market needs
- Build a Digital Health Roadmap to scale your healthcare organization effectively
- Support business development with industry-informed strategy
I’ve consulted on projects from multi-million-dollar state initiatives to early-stage product launches. My work’s been featured in Forbes, and I also speak at healthcare events and conferences on topics like innovation, digital health, and humanizing care. I also speak and train at healthcare conferences, events, and organizations on topics related to technology-enabled care, healthcare innovation, healthcare positioning, and humanizing the healthcare experience.
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