Jean-Pierre Conte is chairman and managing partner of Genstar Capital, a private equity leader and philanthropist.
There is no single investment more important than life.
From a young age, we’re told to eat healthy, exercise and get regular check-ups—all of them being investments in our health so that each of us can live a full (and long) life. And, it’s working. Mortality associated with heart disease is steadily on the decline, and the death rate as a result of a stroke decreased year over year between 2021 and 2022.
Today, though, what is affecting us more than ever are neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. Many Americans and our loved ones are living beyond those once dire conditions, only to be faced with a debilitating set of new issues. It’s like we’ve fixed the hardware (physical illness), but the software (neurological illness) is still breaking down.
The Reality Of Neurodegenerative Disease
When it happened, I didn’t think it would be that quick. My dad was a loving, caring, bright light, but in his late years, he struggled with Parkinson’s—a disease that hit at the very core of our family.
I was lucky to have my parents involved in my children’s lives growing up. In 2001, my parents both moved to San Francisco from New Jersey when my dad was about 70. It was only a handful of years later, around the age of 75, that he received his diagnosis. We were all devastated by the prognosis, though he kept a positive attitude even as the disease progressed following aggressive treatments.
It was in an instant that I used to coach my son’s soccer team with my dad tagging along that those experiences evaporated, with him soon being confined to receiving an ever-increasing level of care. For the years that followed, his abilities were cut in half each year.
The ROI On Giving Back
By all accounts, my dad was a strong man: an immigrant and a military veteran who worked with his hands and then had a flair for selling for another 40 years. Any chance for me to give back to him and provide hope to any other families going through the same experience as my dad is the greatest investment I could make. So, that’s exactly what I did.
When I met the doctor leading my dad’s care, it was clear he was running a crusade on this disease—doing whatever he could to help people like my dad. The doctor walked me through the latest therapies, many of which were unavailable to my dad due to his late condition, but ones I hope will be available to the next patient who walks through those hospital doors. Today, I’m committed to doing what I can to help those in the health industry advance their research into these diseases.
Integrating Impact Into Business
Good lessons that can shape life and business come from all places; here’s what I’ve learned along this journey.
1. Invest in health and treasure time with family. Taking care of yourself and your loved ones is more important than trying to find the next unicorn, and spending time with those closest to you is more meaningful than almost anything. Make the conscious choice to put health and family first.
2. Good leaders are novel thinkers. One thing that was extremely clear when I met the doctor leading my father’s care was that he was constantly thinking about “what else can we do.” Even though my father’s disease progressed rapidly, at no point did his care team stop thinking of new ways to try and help him. The same mindset is key in fields beyond medicine.
3. The opportunity for impact is endless. Investing and allocating your resources to causes like Parkinson’s research provides the opportunity for you to have an impact far beyond anything else you may do. I see it as an opportunity to impact not just the now, but also the long-term future—and that is special.
As business leaders, it’s valuable to have a culture of giving back and helping others. It’s a culture I inherited, keep very close to my heart, and I encourage all executives and leaders to embrace. Honoring my dad and investing in the gift of life—continuing research to help those with neurodegenerative diseases—has returned more than I could’ve ever imagined.
And, forever, I love you, Pops.
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