Purpose-Led CEO Interview Series, Dr. Brett Belchetz, Co-founder and CEO, Maple

Meet Dr. Brett Belchetz, Co-founder and CEO at Maple, Canada's leading virtual healthcare platform. Brett’s commitment to medicine and helping others fuelled the vision for Maple. He’s a practicing physician in Toronto and a former management consultant with McKinsey and Company.

What was your first job and what did you learn from it?

My first job was at age 10, delivering newspapers for the Toronto Star. I was pretty young and honestly not very good at it. I was always getting into trouble for missing a vacation stop (or restart), and I really didn’t like delivering papers in bad weather. The job taught me that work can be difficult and that making money isn’t easy. But it also gave me a real appreciation for everything my parents did for me every day. It showed me how important it is to keep learning new skills so I could get better jobs - and actually enjoy the work I was doing.

If you think back on leaders who inspired you in your career or leadership style, who were they and why were they inspiring?

I went to medical school because I wanted to be a surgeon. But during my residency, I realized that while surgeries were complex and the work was meaningful, it was also quite repetitive. Surgeons tend to specialize in a few areas and then perform those same procedures over and over. I thrive on solving new and challenging problems. I’m not a status quo person. At the time, McKinsey & Company was recruiting from my school, and I ended up joining the firm after a conversation with Stephen Bear. He’s the most charismatic leader I’ve ever met - naturally personable, engaging, and incredibly persuasive. Stephen taught me that while good leadership requires hard skills (which are really just table stakes), the real magic lies in exceptional people skills. That’s what you need to inspire others, resolve conflict, and influence outcomes.

What motivates you every day?

My personal driver is to improve healthcare and make it more accessible for everyone. Working on the front lines of healthcare, I saw first-hand the awful experiences patients went through in the emergency room - people who didn’t need to be there, but had nowhere else to go. If our company didn’t exist, more than 7 million Canadians who rely on our services would be negatively affected. We make high-quality healthcare more accessible. I believe in universal healthcare - everyone should have access, regardless of income or background. And I also believe people should have the right to choose how they want to spend their money.

What do you want to change in the world and why?

The first thing I think about is the need for a sustainable, secure, and clean energy supply for the world. Second, I think about the importance of having a universally trusted and accepted set of scientific facts so that we can all make decisions based on the same criteria.

What is the purpose and vision of Maple? And how has being clear about your purpose and vision benefited you and your company?

At Maple, our purpose is to make healthcare more accessible and to continuously improve its quality. This is a global ambition. We conduct millions of healthcare visits every year, and we’re focused on continuing to scale to meet the world’s growing healthcare needs by leveraging technology and our platform. We know we can expand access to care for people who are uninsured or living in remote areas around the world.

What one piece of advice would you give other CEOs and leaders regarding leading with purpose?

Be clear and unwavering about your purpose. It should remain constant, no matter the challenges or resistance you face. People lose trust in leaders who waver in their commitment to the organization’s purpose.

What one question would you like to ask other purpose-led CEOs?

What do you think the impact of AI will be on the world, especially regarding people and jobs – and how work will be done?

One question from the CEO we interviewed before you, Laura Syron, President and CEO, Diabetes Canada.

How do you as a leader build resiliency in yourself as well as in your organisation?

It's important to take a long-term, global view of current events, whether in our organizations, communities, or country. Here in Canada, we don’t face the level of existential threats that many other countries experience. We have consistent and reliable power generation, the shelves at grocery stores are fully stocked with food, and the threat of physical war within our borders is remote. So, it’s important to look at the bigger picture and practice gratitude - we have far more to be thankful for than to worry about. Focus on what’s within our control: eat well, take care of your fitness, spend time with family and community, and do things that build energy and resilience.