Recently I spoke with Craig Mercure who co-founded and ultimately sold Virtix Health, a medical services company that provides healthcare technology solutions that help health plans streamline operations and improve efficiency. In this interview, Craig shares practical insights about starting and growing a business. He emphasizes the importance of staying authentic and surrounding yourself with people who support your values and mission and stresses the necessity of building a company to create real value for customers. We discuss the emerging role of AI in entrepreneurship and the exciting new trends in tertiary education. Above all, Craig encourages young entrepreneurs to take the leap, to remember that the biggest failure is not jumping in.
The Interview:
Craig’s Background and Motivations for His Journey
Griffin Connolly: Welcome Craig. To start things off, can you tell me about your background and how you first became interested in entrepreneurship?
Craig Mercure: Thanks Griffin. When I think back, I’d say my interest in entrepreneurship really started at a young age. I was always thinking about different business ideas—even something as simple as a paper route felt like my own little business. I had my own territory, I collected money, and it was just me running the show. That stuck with me.
But it wasn’t until much later, after college, that the idea of doing something on my own became more concrete. I spent the first 15 years of my career in the corporate world. It was a good experience, but I was constantly frustrated by how slowly things moved. There were always great ideas, new markets to explore, ways we could innovate—but big organizations just don’t move fast. That bottleneck was always a point of friction for me.
Eventually, I transitioned to working in startup environments. These weren’t my own startups at first, but they were still entrepreneurial in nature—and they were environments where flexibility and faster speed to market were addressed.
This led me to investigate the market and address some needs I saw with start-ups of my own. So that’s the evolution of how I got involved in entrepreneurship.
Griffin Connolly: So, let’s go back to your first real entrepreneurial launch. What were your motivations at the time, and what drove you to take that leap?
Craig Mercure: Absolutely. So, my wife and I had tinkered with a few small ventures on the side while we were both still working full-time. Some of those had varying degrees of success, but nothing we went all-in on—until about six years ago.
The big leap came after I’d already worked for a successful startup. Around 2010, I joined an entrepreneurial company in the healthcare space. That business had a great run and was eventually sold to a private equity firm. I stayed on for a while, but even after the exit, I felt like there were still more opportunities, especially within that same market space.
I kept seeing areas where things could be done better, faster, and more efficiently for customers. That led us to launch Virtix Health in 2020. We focused on healthcare technology—specifically within the payer segment, so think health insurance plans. Our technology was designed to streamline operational procedures and improve efficiency. Launching during COVID definitely added a layer of complexity, but it also reinforced the need for what we were offering.
Griffin Connolly: That’s interesting. You’re actually the first entrepreneur I’ve spoken to who had an exit and then jumped back into the same space. A lot of people pivot to something totally different after a successful exit. Can you talk about what motivated you to get back in?
Craig Mercure: I think part of it was that the market we returned to was still somewhat familiar, though not exactly the same. I had two co-founders on the new venture, and together we took a lot of time to figure out if and how we wanted to dive back in. What ultimately pushed us forward was listening—really listening—to customers. Over the prior 5–10 years, we’d been paying attention to what people were saying they needed, and a lot of those needs were still unmet.
So even though we had exited a previous venture, we weren’t done solving problems. That feedback from customers helped shape our approach to Virtix Health. It wasn’t about repeating what we’d already done—it was about building something new that better served the evolving needs of the market.
The Role of Community in Craig’s Entrepreneurial Journey
Griffin Connolly: So, expanding on that idea of the market and tailoring to people’s needs—community is one of the big things I’m focusing on. Can you expand on that sense of community in entrepreneurship for you and how it’s played a role in your successful startups?
Craig Mercure: I’m a big proponent of community. Throughout my journey, I’ve always made it a point to stay actively involved. I’ve served on the Fiesta Bowl Committee here in Arizona, and right now I’m involved with Arizona State University (ASU), helping with an entrepreneurship class in the engineering school. I really believe in the value of those connections—building a network but also giving back, especially when it comes to younger people who are just starting to explore entrepreneurship.
When I was in school, we didn’t have any classes focused on entrepreneurship. Maybe we got a little exposure at the MBA level, but nothing like what’s happening now. It’s exciting to see programs like the one at ASU really pushing entrepreneurial education earlier and earlier. I think it’s essential to show students what’s possible and support them however we can.
Griffin Connolly: It definitely seems like the entrepreneurship scene in Arizona is heating up. There’s a lot of buzz right now. Can you expand more on why giving back to ASU in particular feels so important to you?
Craig Mercure: Absolutely. As entrepreneurs, we all struggle—we all hit roadblocks. If there’s anything I can do to help students avoid some of the potholes I stepped in, I see that as valuable. Whether it’s access to resources, navigating challenges, or even just providing a bit of guidance, I want to be there.
I’m also an angel investor in about six local startups. Some of those I’m pretty hands-off with, but others I advise more actively—whether it’s about building a sales process or understanding a specific market. It’s all about helping where I can and passing that knowledge along.
Lessons Learned and the Power of Starting Sooner
Griffin Connolly: Absolutely. So, building off that, looking back on your personal journey, is there anything you would’ve done differently? Maybe things you could’ve avoided or things you wish you’d approached another way?
Craig Mercure: Yeah, definitely. I probably would have started out doing my own thing a lot earlier than I did. I spent a long time—15 years—in the corporate world before making that jump. And don’t get me wrong, I learned a lot during that time, but if I could go back, I think I would’ve taken the leap sooner.
It’s risky, though. When you’re young, maybe newly married, with kids to think about, walking away from a steady paycheck and benefits can feel almost impossible. That financial security becomes a huge factor in the decision-making process, especially early in your career. So, I totally get why people hesitate—I did too.
If I could go back and give advice to my younger self, it would be to take that risk earlier. There’s definitely a part of me that wonders what could’ve happened if I’d taken the plunge just a little sooner.
The Most Fulfilling Part: Solving Problems and Seeing Impact
Griffin Connolly: So, as you’ve gone through your journey and built successful ventures, what have you found to be the most fulfilling part of it all?
Craig Mercure: You know, honestly, what I love the most is creating a solution and then getting positive feedback from clients. That’s incredibly fulfilling. There’s something really rewarding about solving a problem and hearing directly from customers that it’s made a difference for them.
I also enjoy the adaptability that entrepreneurship demands. You go into something thinking, “We’ve nailed it—this is perfect,” but it’s never actually perfect. That’s just the reality. What matters is being able to take client feedback, move fast, and make the necessary adjustments. Whether it’s tweaking a product, adding a feature, or customizing something based on their needs, that agility is key.
For me, the highlight is putting something out there, hearing from clients that it’s truly helping them, and then continuing to build on that momentum. It makes the entire process—from ideation to execution—worth it.
Entrepreneurship in the Age of AI: Balancing Innovation and Human Connection
Griffin Connolly: Talk to me about trends in entrepreneurship that are different now compared to when you began? And secondarily, do you think schools like ASU are preparing students for this modern entrepreneurial landscape?
Craig Mercure: It’s a wild time for entrepreneurship. It reminds me of the late ’90s when the internet changed everything. Now, AI is doing the same thing—it’s reshaping every business model out there. Every pitch I see now includes some form of AI integration. The focus is on reimagining businesses in the most cost-effective way using AI. I think ASU is on the forefront of that. They’re not just teaching innovation within computer science programs; they’re also teaching a lean startup methodology. Instead of writing massive business plans that may be outdated by the time you finish them, they’re teaching students to get a minimum viable product out into the market quickly and adapt from there. I think that’s the right approach.
Griffin Connolly: One founder I interviewed said today’s tech landscape might actually have made it harder for them to launch their business in the current environment than it was when they started. Do you agree?
Craig Mercure: I can definitely see why they thought that. We launched before AI really exploded, and now we’re integrating it. If you’re starting now and don’t understand AI, you must have someone on your team who does. AI offers opportunities, but it also creates threats—someone who really gets AI could disrupt your entire business segment, which in turn could have a huge negative impact on your business. So, understanding AI or surrounding yourself with AI-literate people is critical.
Griffin Connolly: Do you think computer science classes will become a requirement at increasingly younger levels of education, and what is the importance of those classes on future success in entrepreneurship?
Craig Mercure: I do think computer science and technology education in general are going to become more important, probably even required at younger levels. The key to success in almost any startup today is tied to technology. That said, there are always two core components to a strong business: the tech side and the human side. A lot of founders have the technical skills down, but what they’re lacking is the ability to sell. That’s a huge gap I see. You can have the best technology in the world, but if you can’t build a relationship, earn someone’s trust, and clearly articulate the problem you’re solving, it’s not going to matter. Especially in business-to-business relationships, people often work with the people they trust. That trust is built on personal interaction and understanding.
Griffin Connolly: So, in the bigger picture, would you say artificial intelligence is a good thing for entrepreneurship, or does it make that human connection harder to maintain?
Craig Mercure: I think it’s definitely a positive force overall. But like any major shift, the pendulum will probably swing too far at first, just like it did with the internet. People said we’d stop meeting in person and do everything online, and in some industries, especially consumer-facing ones, that actually happened. But now, I think we’re seeing a swing back. There’s renewed value in personal interaction, especially when it comes to high-stakes conversations—whether you’re trying to close a deal, win over a customer, or pitch for funding. The people who are really going to stand out in this new era are the ones who can do both: leverage cutting-edge technology and build strong, authentic human relationships, and articulate the value of their company.
Advice for Budding Entrepreneurs: Building for Value and Jumping In Early
Griffin Connolly: Circling back a bit—having a couple of exits behind you, do you have any advice specifically for young people who might want to grow a company with the hope of selling it eventually?
Craig Mercure: A couple of things come to mind. First, we never built the business to sell—we built it to be the best possible product for our customers. That focus on value was what made it successful, and the sale came as a result of that—not the goal from the beginning.
And second, I’d say don’t be too eager to take on investment. We bootstrapped our company, and that gave us a lot of freedom. Taking money can add pressure and dilute your ownership and vision. It’s the right move for some, especially if you need a capital infusion to grow, but if you can go far without it, do. Once investors are involved, you have people to answer to, and you give up some control of your destiny.
Griffin Connolly: That makes a lot of sense. So, if you had to give one final piece of advice to young or aspiring entrepreneurs, what would it be?
Craig Mercure: Jump in the pool. Just start. Failure isn’t really failure—it’s feedback. The sooner you start, the more you learn. It’s like fishing: the more lines you have in the water, the better your odds, and the one that hits might not be the one you expect. So, start something, learn from it, and keep going. The only real failure is not trying.
Griffin Connolly: I love that. Thank you so much for taking the time to speak with me today, I know I got a lot of great insights to share with my entrepreneurial communities.
Craig Mercure: Absolutely, Griffin. It was a pleasure. Best of luck with everything.
Read last month’s interview with Grayson Oman’s here.