In this 6‑questions‑in‑7‑minutes interview, Professor Pete Alexander talks with Mike Holzhauer (also referred to as Mike Poltals), the head of commercial operations at Merge Corporation, a cloud‑based healthcare software company. Mike explains that the most rewarding aspect of working in healthcare is the complex challenge of delivering a product that delivers economic, clinical, and population‑health benefits simultaneously. He emphasizes that a company’s first priority must be its employees, sharing insights from his Silicon Valley experience about how people‑management often falls behind the race for product releases and funding. He stresses that managing people requires dedicated time, one‑on‑one meetings, and a deep understanding of individual motivations—drawing a parallel to his experience homeschooling during quarantine. Mike recommends Merge’s CEO Todd Butka as a guest, praising his ability to connect with people. He recounts his first job at a marina convenience store in Holland, Michigan, highlighting lessons about hard work, punctuality, and customer interaction. The episode ends with Mike’s LinkedIn contact information.
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This is Professor Pete Alexander with the Winning at Business and Life podcast, where business leaders share their insights. It is 6 questions in 7 minutes because successful business leaders are busy and rarely have more time to spare. So let's get to it. Question number 1: In a few sentences, please tell me who you are and what you do.
Sure. My name is Mike Poltals. I currently work for the Merge Corporation. We're a cloud-based software application, and I run their commercial operations group.
Mike, it's great to have you on the show. Question number 2: What's the best thing about working in your industry?
Sure, uh, healthcare. I mean, the first thing that comes to people's mind is, well, you get to help people. But I think what I really enjoy most about it is the challenge of working in this industry. You have to have a product that has an economic benefit, a clinical benefit. You got to start talking about quality outcomes. You got to start talking about population health. The universe of things to consider in healthcare is only continue to increase, and it's the challenge of meeting all those needs in one product that I find most rewarding.
Mm, that's pretty cool. I love how you say that, the challenge in one particular product. That's pretty cool. Question number 3: I have a book with all the answers for business.
Sure.
What chapter would you think most companies should read?
Yeah, absolutely. I think the first chapter they should read is Your employees are your first priority, not your last priority.
I love that. And so, the people are most important in your organization?
Yeah, absolutely. I think that, you know, having spent my entire career in Silicon Valley and most recently with smaller companies that might be run by, you know, new or first-time CEOs, that I think the people management aspect of running a company starts to kind of fall behind sort sort of the rat race of keeping up with new releases and additional investors and more funding and so forth. And it's easy to forget about your people, but it's your people that are going to make you ultimately successful.
That's very insightful. Thank you. Other— question number 4: other than generic work harder, have a great attitude, and care for the customers, what advice or insight would you give to other business leaders?
Absolutely. It kind of goes back to the previous question, right? So it's is manage your people. I think that it's one thing to talk about it, it's another thing to do it. And what I've learned is that managing people takes an incredible amount of time and energy, and you have to give it a lot of thought, and you have to make the time to do it. I mean, Pete, how many times have you had a one-on-one canceled with your manager?
Oh yeah.
Millions of times. And it's like, if you don't make the time to do it, then you won't do it. And one of the things, I'll try to keep this short, one of the things I've learned in the quarantine and homeschooling is that having that level of interaction with my kids in school, I have a much deeper appreciation for the type of people they are and how they learn. And I think that's a good parallel to how you think about employees. You know, how do they work? What motivates them? How do they see things? And you don't know that unless you sit down and really dig in and understand how they, how they approach their jobs.
Mm-hmm. I couldn't agree more. That's so, so on point, especially nowadays. It's, it's great. Question number 5: What other business leader like yourself would you like to acknowledge and invite to be on my podcast?
Absolutely. So I was thinking about this and I'm like, okay, some people that you and I probably know, but honestly, I think it's been really rewarding to work at Merge. And our CEO, Todd Butka, is a CEO founder, relatively new, and, but he has this amazing ability to really connect with his people. And I started my career at Guidant, and one of the things I really liked about Guidant was that I really enjoyed working for company. And I really enjoy working for Merge, and I really enjoy waking up and knowing that I'm going to work for a really good person. And I think he'd be a great person for you to ask these questions to.
That's great. I will reach out to him. Thank you for that referral. And finally, question number 6: please tell me about your first job.
My first job was at a marina in Holland, Michigan, and the marina had a, like, a convenience store that sold booze and chips and da da da. It also had a deli counter. And so I got to not only— in Michigan at the time, it was state-controlled liquor licenses, so every few weeks you'd have to go and update all the prices on all the alcohol. But I also got to work the deli. I got to make sandwiches for people. And it was just— I worked with this lady, I don't even remember her name, but it was just such a fun sort of first job. And it really taught you a lot about hard work and showing up on time and interacting with people and Just a cool little place. So that was a paid job.
I love it. Your face lit up talking about it, so it still has a great impact on you.
Yacht America sandwich was my favorite. Never forget it.
Mike, thank you so much for being on the show. How can people find you?
Absolutely. So LinkedIn, I'm available on LinkedIn. Mike Holzhauer would probably be the easiest way to track me down, and feel free to connect. I'd love to meet you.
Perfect. This is Professor Pete Alexander with the Winning at Business and Life podcast. For more insights and ideas, please go to LinkedIn, YouTube, Facebook, or iTunes and search for the Winning at Business and Life podcast. Thanks for listening.
