The executive director of Live Faith First, Elliot Sands co-founded Denver’s CirrusMD in 2012, establishing the company’s strategic vision for eliminating barriers between patients and physicians. He has served as chief operating officer at The SHP Foundation in Palo Alto, which involved complete oversight of the $14 million operation. Elliot Sands has had plenty of opportunity to navigate some of society's divides and find ways to build bridges.
1 in 6 Americans broke a close relationship during the 2016 election cycle, that means family gatherings may be a bit awkward these days. Beyond awkward, maybe even combative or possibly people are opting out. 2000 years ago, Jesus entered into a polarized world. A racially and politically charged environment. He then gathered 12 people close to him that would never have otherwise chosen to travel and live together. Matthew the tax collector- was a traitor to his people who had aligned himself with the occupying Romans. Simon the Zealot-had chosen to actively fight against the occupying Romans. Matthew and Simon were as far apart politically and socially as you can get. Andrew-was a religious outsider, who followed John the Baptist rather than the mainstream religious leaders. Then you add in Joanna whose husband was the business manager for the Roman ruler, Mary who had a storied past and a few uneducated fishermen and you round out the most unlikely band of followers. But these people who had every reason to be divided changed the world. How did this happen? They were focused on Jesus. When you look at our families, our communities, our churches, our nation we can find plenty to divide. We can choose to focus on what separates us, or we can choose to focus on what brings us together. When Jesus becomes the focus, everything that divides doesn’t hold the same weight anymore. Jesus is bigger than all of our opinions and other people’s opinions, he is bigger than the grudges we hold against other people too. How do we navigate those awkward family gatherings with Jesus as our primary identity?
If you’re not a follower of Jesus, even saying the words “I forgive…” has an amazing power. Sometimes these words come out as a whisper, sometimes it feels like our throat wants to hold back even the utterance of the words “I forgive” but it slowly starts to free us from the bonds that are holding us back. If you do this, when you go to that family gathering, it won’t be perfect, that person will be doing their thing, but you’ll find that YOU are in a different place. You might be irritated, but you might find yourself leaving the room rather than engaging. You’ll find that something is different in YOU! Elliot Sands is the Executive Director of Live Faith First. Live Faith First produces the Groundswell video and podcast series. The organization’s mission is to be a leading voice of change, addressing division and building unity within our churches and society. Elliot is also a co-founder of CirrusMD, which gives patients on-demand access to Physicians in less than 60 seconds.
Elliot was having a conversation with an older couple and he wanted to see how they would respond to a question. He asked them if they ever planned to move. Elliot knew this couple was getting ready to move because somebody had driven by their house and seen a for sale sign out in front of their house. But they hadn’t mentioned it to anybody, so he was checking to see how long it would take them to notify their family. Their immediate response was “we’re not ever planning to move.” He was shocked and amazed that they had just lied. He was thinking-you’re all grown up, what does it matter if you move? You can do whatever you want. And yet they lied. That day he realized, you don’t change by accident. That couple had always lied, that wasn’t a new thing, it was a habit that formed and they never bothered to change it. We don’t magically just change. We don’t turn 25 and all of a sudden we’re not grumpy anymore. We don’t turn 30 and go hey look, I stopped being angry. In our polarized world, we won’t magically become un-polarized. Any place that you find division: ethnic, socio-economic, generational, political those divides will not disappear magically or accidentally What can you do to purposefully break those divides?
Initiate a conversation with somebody across the divide- somebody younger or older than you, somebody with a different skin tone, somebody from a different political party, somebody from different socio-economics. What divide do you want to cross? When you open your eyes to the divide, an opportunity will come about for you to cross that divide.
In that conversation be the learner. Ask good questions, find out more, seek understanding. No teaching allowed, just learn.
When Jesus is your primary identity, then your other very important identifiers become a little less weighty-they’re secondary. So if the person says something that you might normally take offense at, remember this isn’t about you it’s about Jesus-He’s at the center. So those comments don't have to carry the weight they may normally.
Do it again. Sit with that person again, or maybe look for another person. Remember-this isn’t a magic one-time event, it’s a process of moving in the right direction. Taking the first step toward change can be difficult, but the more you pursue change the easier it gets. One day you’ll look back and it will just be natural. Take the first step, be purposeful, and you’ll find in time YOU CHANGED!!! Executive management professional Elliot Sands serves as the executive director of Faith First, a start-up nonprofit organization that seeks to connect local churches in the fight against racial inequality. He also co-founded the Denver-based virtual primary care solution CirrusMD. Outside of work, Elliot Sands loves to collect vinyl records.
Vinyl records have been making a significant rebound in popularity since 2016, when the price of vinyl records reached its highest in 25 years. The market for vinyl records continues to grow and shows no signs of slowing down. Some vinyl records are more expensive and more sought-after than others. The third most expensive vinyl record ever sold is Elvis Presley’s My Happiness, his first recording. It was bought by Jack White, a Grammy Award-winning singer and songwriter, for $300,000 in an online auction in December 2015. An unnamed buyer bought The Beattles’ White Album in December 2015 for $790,000. This record was the first copy of the White Album and was personally owned by Ringo Starr. It bears the serial number “0000001,” meaning it was the first in the sequence of printed copies. The most expensive vinyl record ever sold was Wu-Tang Clan’s Once Upon a Time in Shaolin. The vinyl record, the only physical copy of Once Upon a Time in Shaolin ever produced, was purchased for $2 million by Turing Pharmaceuticals CEO Martin Shkreli in an auction in 2015. Following Shkreli's conviction for securities fraud, all of his assets, including the record, were seized by federal agents. The record was later sold to crypto collective PleasrDAO for $4 million. Elliot Sands is the chief operating officer of the SHP Foundation of San Jose, California. In this capacity, Elliot Sands supports efforts to alleviate the city’s homelessness crisis by allowing churches to build residential facilities on unused property.
The foundation made a $20 million grant to the Cathedral of Faith church on Canoas Garden Avenue, which has petitioned the city council to convert part of its parking lot into affordable housing. The plan calls for two buildings with 237 apartments. About 78 of them would be reserved for seniors, with the remainder reserved for people who are homeless, adults who have disabilities, and young people leaving foster care. Substance abuse and mental health services would also be provided. The proposal is part of Yes in God’s Backyard (YIGBY). The idea has caught on with other churches in the Bay area. A legislator has introduced the Affordable Housing on Faith Lands Act at the state level, which would remove zoning barriers to such projects. As of May 2023, the bill had passed out of committee. Elliot Sands, a San Jose, California resident, holds a master's degree in theology from Western Seminary and an MBA in business management from San Jose State University. He serves as the Executive Director of Faith First and is also a co-founder of CirrusMD in Denver. As an organizational leader, Elliot Sands works to foster a culture of teamwork through team building.
Team building exercises effectively promote collaboration, trust, and improved communication among members or employees of an organization, leading to increased productivity and efficiency. These exercises can help team leaders create a more positive workplace environment by addressing conflicts arising from personality differences, vague job descriptions, or unclear expectations. To address personality differences, team leaders can implement various strategies, such as organizing games that allow team members to discover personal and work-related information about each other. Additionally, they can give personality tests to learn what motivates workers and how to work with them more effectively. Workshops like cooking activities can also allow team members to bond and build relationships. During team building activities, leaders can identify and highlight team members' strengths and evaluate organizational processes that may create issues between colleagues. When conflicts arise, leaders can help employees identify the source of the problem and remind them that the objective is to find the best solution. These strategies help team members collaborate to move forward and stay focused on meeting short- and long-term goals. Serving as executive director of Faith First, Elliot Sands connects with local churches and works to end racial inequality. With a personal focus on nutrition and wellness, Elliot Sands makes eating healthy a part of his daily routine.
Multivitamins are one essential way of ensuring a balanced intake of vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients that help prevent nutritional deficiencies. Iron is found in many multivitamins, as it helps generate hemoglobin, a type of protein found in red blood cells tasked with transporting oxygen throughout the body. This is ultimately converted to energy. With insufficient iron, poor nail health often follows. Known as koilonychia, one common symptom is thin, brittle nails that have raised edges that have a scooped out inner portion (like a spoon). Cloudy vision and night blindness are signs of a potential deficiency in vitamin A. Lacking enough of the vitamin, the eyes are unable to generate the pigments that drive proper retinal function. In addition, the eyes may feel dry and unable to produce sufficient moisture. Keep in mind that this condition often accompanies irritable bowel disease and gastrointestinal disorders. Cracked corners around the mouth, known as angular cheilitis, may point to a diet deficient in minerals and vitamins such as zinc, iron, and the B vitamins riboflavin, folate, and B12. The positive news is that, with proper supplementation and application of topical or oral antibiotics, this condition can be fully cured within a couple weeks. An accomplished professional with a proven track record in leadership, decision-making, and team-building, Elliot Sands co-founded CirrusMD, a healthcare startup company in Denver, CO. He also serves as executive director of Faith First. Elliot Sands is also passionate about helping low-income populations and served as the COO of the SHP Foundation.
Primarily based in California, the SHP Foundation awards grants to Christian organizations, evangelistic ministries, human services programs, medical research programs, and community development programs in the United States. The foundation consistently gives out more than $300,000 in grants annually. Aaron Diamond AIDS Research (ADARC) and City Hope have received grants from the SHP Foundation. ADARC was established to foster scientific discoveries in HIV/AIDS and COVID-19 treatment. The program utilizes a multidisciplinary approach that integrates clinical medicine, molecular biology, virology, and immunology to explore novel therapies. People in the Tenderloin neighborhoods who don't have sufficient living space can access City Hope's welcoming living space. At City Hope, everyone is treated with respect and kindness. City Hope Cafe opens its doors every weekday morning to offer a welcoming atmosphere. Guests can spend their time eating breakfast, playing games, or relaxing and listening to music in the living space. Elliot Sands has an MA in theology from Western Seminary in Los Gatos, California. He also studied business management at San Jose State University. The co-founder of CirrusMD, he is also the COO of SHP Foundation in Palo Alto. At the Denver-based CirrusMD, Elliot Sands provides administrative and operational leadership to all aspects of the organization.
Leaders are called to give direction in many organizational aspects. One area that is gaining much attraction within organizations is team building. Below are three trends worth noting in team building: 1. Diversity-related team building As America and the world reckon with racial and equality issues, workplace diversity has become a priority in many organizations. Diversity-related team building looks at enhancing collaboration through learning and understanding that people have unique identities and experiences. The goal is to teach a culture of inclusion. 2. Positive impact activities This trend combines team building with activities that can positively impact the community and environment. The goal is to promote how to live in a way that helps sustain communities and the ecosystem. 3. Cross-departmental team building Previously the tradition was to have team building for individual teams. Now there is an increased appetite to hold cross-departmental and company-wide team-building activities. This is seen as one way of maintaining a company’s culture. Elliot Sands is a community-minded business leader whose career has seen him serve as COO of a homeless-services organization called The SHP Foundation. Today, Elliot Sands brings this experience to his role as the executive director of Faith First.
Faith First is a faith-based organization committed to working toward racial equality. Inspired by the message of love and service described in Hebrews 10:24, the organization brings together churches in the San Francisco Bay Area with the goal of connecting fellow believers from different ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds. In coming together, parishioners are able to share in God’s love and break down societal barriers. Through Faith First, parishioners have specific opportunities to heal divides in their communities by teaming up to participate in service projects. Faith First was founded by marketing executive Vintage Foster and is headed by a team of local community and religious leaders. To support the organization’s work or to volunteer for its projects, please visit www.livefaithfirst.org. Elliot Sands serves as executive director of Faith First, a San Francisco Bay Area organization committed to drawing on faith communities to heal racial divides. In his free time, Elliot Sands enjoys collecting vinyl records.
While the history of vinyl records traces back to the development of 78 rpm records in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the medium did not become popular until the introduction of the 33 1/3 rpm speed in 1948. Records became and remained the dominant music format over the subsequent decades, with sales increasing each year until 1984. Six years earlier, however, marked an epochal moment for the music industry when Sony introduced the Walkman. Cassettes immediately began making a dent in vinyl sales, followed quickly by CDs. By the early 1990s, vinyl accounted for less than 1 percent of total music sales in the United States. With the subsequent introduction of digital downloads streaming music, records became little more than a niche item by 2007. A strange thing happened in 2008, however, when, spurred perhaps by what some claim to be the format’s superior sound, vinyl sales started to rise dramatically. They continued to climb year over year, with music fans purchasing approximately 9.7 million records in 2018. In 2021, vinyl officially overtook CDs and digital downloads as the second-most popular music format. Today, the medium’s resurgence shows no sign of abating. In fact, sales appear poised to climb even further. According to the Record Industry Association of America, the first half of 2022 saw a 22 percent jump in vinyl sales compared with the previous year. |
AuthorExecutive Director at Faith First and CirrusMD Co-Founder Elliot Sands. Archives
December 2023
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