The Price of Not Locking In or How I Learned to Stop Waffling and Start Building
- Feb 24, 2025
- 4 min read
Neill Dunwoody is a passionate professional who thrives on innovation and collaboration. He is the founder of Spryt, Chief Talent Strategist, and Head of Ireland with Tribes.
There’s a grand old Irish saying: “You’ll never plough a field by turning it over in your mind.” In other words, if you sit around hemming and hawing, waiting for the perfect moment, you’ll still be sitting there when the cows come home, and they’ll be judging you. Let’s be honest, that’s the worst part.
The same applies to startups. There’s a stark difference between those who “lock in”, fully committing to their vision, mission, and execution, and those who dawdle, waiting for the stars to align. And let me tell you, waiting for perfect conditions is a bit like waiting for an Irish summer: it’ll come, but it won’t last long, and you’ll probably be disappointed.
The price of not locking in? A lifetime spent clocking in, working on someone else’s dream while yours gathers dust in the attic with that treadmill you swore you’d use.
I know this because I’ve lived in both worlds: the safety of corporate life and the exhilarating, terrifying world of entrepreneurship. My journey, from navigating the behemoth that is UnitedHealth Optum to co-founding SPRYT (a healthcare tech company) and launching Tribes (a startup accelerator), has been a masterclass in the cost of inefficiencies. And in healthcare, inefficiency doesn’t just burn through cash; it costs actual lives.
So, grab a cup of tea (or a pint, depending on how much of this you can take), and let’s talk about why locking in beats clocking in every time.
Corporate life: Where good ideas go to die (slowly and in triplicate)
Ah, corporate life. A land of PowerPoints, meetings about meetings, and the occasional existential crisis in a windowless conference room.
I spent years at UnitedHealth Optum, where I had a front-row seat to the colossal inefficiencies of healthcare. If you ever want to see what happens when bureaucracy meets technology, just try booking a specialist appointment in a major health system. You’ll need the patience of a saint and the persistence of a debt collector.
The problems were obvious: missed appointments, administrative bottlenecks, and outdated systems. It was like watching a slow-motion car crash, except the car was on fire, the driver was asleep, and the passengers were all accountants telling you why fixing the problem might be too expensive.
And the worst part? The solutions weren’t rocket science.
Automate the boring stuff. Stop making humans do what computers could do in seconds.
Make it easy for patients. Give them tools that fit into their lives instead of forcing them to play phone tag with a receptionist who secretly hates them.
Get rid of friction. Streamline processes so doctors can spend time treating people instead of wrestling with outdated systems that require 14 clicks just to schedule a flu shot.
But here’s the thing about massive corporations: change moves at the speed of a snail on tranquilizers.
And that was when I had my lightbulb moment. If I wanted to see real change, I wouldn’t find it climbing the corporate ladder. No, I needed to set the ladder on fire and build my own.
SPRYT: Healthcare scheduling with AI (because humans are too stubborn)
Healthcare no-shows aren’t just an inconvenience; they’re a full-blown crisis. Every missed appointment wastes resources, delays critical treatments, and costs health systems billions. And yet, for some reason, the industry’s best solution for years has been sending people letters.
Honestly, in the year 2025, some health systems are still operating like it’s the 1980s.
That’s where SPRYT comes in.
We built Asa, an AI receptionist that lets patients manage appointments via WhatsApp, SMS, or RCS, the same way they’d text their mammy to let her know they’re still alive. Simple but ridiculously effective.
In our North Central London pilot, we saw a 160% increase in patient engagement. Why? Because if you meet people where they already are, they’ll actually respond. Turns out nobody likes sitting on hold for 45 minutes just to move an appointment by a week.
But it’s not just about convenience; it’s about healthcare equity.
If you’re working two jobs, you don’t have time to play phone roulette with a GP’s office.
If English isn’t your first language, an intuitive, multilingual AI assistant makes healthcare infinitely more accessible.
The future of healthcare isn’t just AI; it’s AI that actually understands people.
And before you ask, yes, Asa even handles the classic “I forgot my appointment. Can I come in now?” scenario with the patience of a saint.
Because here’s the hard truth: if you hesitate, someone else will build your idea before you do.
The takeaway: Stop waffling and lock in
Looking back, here’s the biggest lesson I’ve learned:
The price of not locking in is far greater than the risk of failure.
So, if you’ve got an idea, a solution, a vision, lock in. Give it everything. Because the alternative?
Spending the rest of your life clocking in for someone else’s dream.
And honestly, wouldn’t you rather take the risk than spend your golden years wondering what if while your grandkids ignore you because they’re too busy talking to their AI therapist?
The choice is yours.
Now go on, get to work.
Read more from Neill Dunwoody
Neill Dunwoody, Founder and Talent Strategist
As the co-founder and COO of Spryt and Chief Talent Strategist and Director at Tribes, I lead two disruptive startups transforming healthcare and tech talent and digital transformation. Spryt's AI receptionist, ASA, reduces patient no-shows by offering 24/7 appointment management via messaging platforms like WhatsApp, increasing patient engagement by 160%. Tribes connect businesses with prequalified tech talent and run an award-winning digital studio. I also advise Manna, Prommt, and HR Duo, working on cutting-edge drone delivery, payments, and AI-driven HR solutions. A HIMSS Pitchfest winner, I use my 812k TikTok and 426k Instagram followers to advocate for innovation. My focus remains on building companies that solve real problems.
