Why This Matters
Understanding someone's influences tells you more than any resume. The films we rewatch, the music we return to, the ideas we wrestle with - these shape how we see problems, how we build solutions, and how we treat people.
Film Influences
Cinema is my primary art form. These aren't just entertainment - they're teachers.
The Godfather & Part II
Francis Ford Coppola"It's not personal, Sonny. It's strictly business."
The Godfather taught me that family and business are never truly separate, that power comes with responsibility, and that the decisions you make ripple through generations. Michael Corleone's arc is a warning: you can win everything and lose yourself.
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
Milos Forman"But I tried, didn't I? Goddamnit, at least I did that."
McMurphy showed me that institutions crush individuality, that rebellion has costs, but that trying matters even when you fail. In healthcare, I see echoes of Nurse Ratched in bureaucratic systems that prioritize control over care. We can do better.
There Will Be Blood
Paul Thomas Anderson"I have a competition in me. I want no one else to succeed."
Daniel Plainview is the dark side of ambition. The film forced me to examine my own drives - where does healthy competition end and destructive obsession begin? It's a question every entrepreneur should ask themselves regularly.
O Brother, Where Art Thou?
Coen Brothers"I'm the damn paterfamilias!"
The Coens taught me that absurdity and profundity can coexist. Life is ridiculous. Business is ridiculous. The best response is wit, persistence, and never taking yourself too seriously - even when the stakes are high.
Music Influences
Music is how I regulate my mental state. Different artists serve different purposes:
Miles Davis
The master of restraint. Miles taught me that what you don't play matters as much as what you do. In business, this translates to knowing when not to act, when to leave space, when silence is the answer.
Pink Floyd
Proof that art can be both commercially successful and deeply meaningful. The Wall and Dark Side of the Moon showed me that you don't have to choose between mass appeal and artistic integrity.
Wu-Tang Clan
A collective of individual talents who built something greater than any could alone. The Wu model - strong individuals, shared vision, collective success - is the best organizational template I know.
Harout Pamboukjian
The voice of Armenian diaspora. His music reminds me where I come from, why heritage matters, and that identity survives distance and time. Roots anchor you when storms hit.
Ideas That Stuck
Some ideas change how you see everything. These are mine:
First Principles Thinking
ConceptDon't ask "how do others do this?" Ask "what are the fundamental truths, and what can I build from there?" This is how AxiaASC was born - not by copying existing healthcare software, but by asking what ASC operations actually need from first principles.
Antifragility
Nassim TalebSome things benefit from shocks. The goal isn't to be unbreakable - it's to be antifragile, to get stronger from stress. This is why I diversify ventures, why I embrace challenges, why I see problems as opportunities for growth.
The Long Game
PhilosophyQuick wins are seductive but fleeting. The things that matter - reputation, relationships, real impact - take years to build. Healthcare technology isn't a move-fast-and-break-things space. It's a do-it-right space. I optimize for decades, not quarters.
The Armenian Thread
Being Armenian-American means carrying a history of survival, diaspora, and rebuilding. My grandparents' generation survived genocide. My parents' generation built new lives in Los Angeles. My generation inherits both the trauma and the resilience.
Community First
Armenian culture is deeply communal. Success is shared. Failure is supported. This shapes how I build teams and treat partners.
Resilience as Default
When your people have survived extinction, business challenges don't seem so daunting. Perspective is a superpower.
Global Yet Rooted
Diaspora teaches you to be comfortable anywhere while remembering where you come from. I can work with anyone, but I know my foundation.
Entrepreneurial DNA
Armenians have been merchants and traders for millennia. Building businesses isn't a career choice - it's a cultural inheritance.