From a near death experience to a business empire: How Jay Scher overcame adversity
It's hard to describe Jay Scher's best qualities. His extraordinary resilience, having lost both his arms and legs to illness. His entrepreneurial spirit, being involved in numerous startups. Or his humility, not complaining or looking for any special treatment.
Only a few years ago, Scher was a healthy 45-year-old guy who ran Ironman triathlons for fun, a business owner, and an angel investor. But then one day he caught a bug, developed acute sepsis, and lost both arms and legs, his nose and temporarily, his sight. But speak to him today, and it's as if none of this happened. Life carries on as normal, it's business as usual.
Scher was in Dubai recently as a guest of the Brain and Performance Centre (A DP World Company) about his incredible life. He considers himself a private person and very rarely does he speak publicly about his experiences. For an intimate audience, including KT LUXE , he spoke about 'From near-death to building a business empire.' While Dubai was lucky to have him visit, the feeling was very much reciprocal.
Scher was impressed by the entrepreneurial spirit of Dubai, and joked that he found it hard to meet with people here because they were always in meetings and working on projects. 'Everyone is here to create something. It's like the epitome of what the American Dream says it is. People are coming here to try to chase dreams. And that creates a very special energy.'
True to his own entrepreneurial drive, he was also in Dubai to relaunch the luxury chocolate brand Vosges Haut-Chocolat, one of the many companies he is actively involved in. Vosges Haut-Chocolat is a Chicago-based luxury chocolate maker, founded in 1998, that offers varieties flavoured with spices and other ingredients.
'I feel like the brand needs to live here because it is an entrepreneurial brand. It is a special brand in that way. It is about travelling the world through chocolate and having those incredible memories and experiences.'
So what is his connection with The Brain and Performance Centre? It is one of the world's leading facilities for hyperbaric oxygen treatment – basically forcing more oxygen into your blood to help with healing. Scher is a strong advocate of hyperbaric oxygen and credits it for his speedy rehabilitation.
After he awoke from a one-month coma (when he was declared brain dead), he quickly recovered and carried on with life, almost like nothing had happened. Once he was back on his (prosthetic) feet, Jay quickly got back to work reconnecting with the CEOs and boards he is involved with as a start-up investor. Not only that, he got back to living an active lifestyle, making the most of a life that was almost snatched from him.
He also has an identical twin brother, who generously transplanted the sides of his thighs to help rebuild Jay's knees. Scher calls him the 'spare parts man' as he donated so much tissue.
Scher has always invested in companies and subsequently, often taken an active role in their management. While he once honed in on F&B companies, his focus has widened since he recovered from his illness. He now looks at medical companies using new technologies such as AI. It's a win-win, as not only does he get to research promising companies that might create ground-breaking technologies, but he also might unearth a medical device he can personally use. In fact, Scher plans to launch his own company making prosthetic limbs to help others facing similar challenges.
One company that caught his eye recently is called Abby, an AI-driven wheelchair that can navigate airports autonomously, map out living spaces, and even retrieve food deliveries. Beyond wheelchairs, Scher has also invested in bionic hand technology, which utilises AI for pattern recognition and seamless integration with the human body. 'The opportunity for artificial intelligence to play a role in bionics is tremendous,' he explained, highlighting the challenges of translating brain signals into precise hand movements.
The challenge with bionics is software, it's not hardware. When I say software, I mean the connection between the brain and the hardware"
Jay Scher
'The idea is that we are connecting to machines in a more intimate way every single day of our lives. But the challenge with bionics is software, it's not hardware. When I say software, I mean the connection between the brain and the hardware.' Scher is clearly a man on an entrepreneurial mission, one that is more than just about making money. For him, it's about giving back and helping people just like him.
I asked Scher for his best advice for anyone, whether a fellow entrepreneur, an athlete, or someone who has set a huge goal for themselves. He paused and then told me: 'If you want to climb a mountain then stop staring at the top, you will fall. Instead, stare at the ground and put one foot in front of the other. Focus on what's in front of you right now. And don't quit.'
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