Naji Gehchan: Welcome to SpreadLove in Organizations, the healthcare leadership podcast where we explore leadership with purpose.
I’m Naji, your host, joined today by Justin McKay, co-founder of Radiological Care Services, RCS, a leading provider of X-ray garment cleaning and sanitization solutions.
With over 15 years of experience in the healthcare industry, Justin is passionate about patient and staff safety. Driven by a personal experience with a hospital-acquired infection linked to contaminated X-ray garments in 2012, Justin co-founded RCS in 2013.
Since then, he has spearheaded the company’s growth, transforming it from a cleaning service into a comprehensive solutions platform. Prior to RCS, Justin held leadership positions in national sales at Ferris Manufacturing Corp., a manufacturer of medical textiles.
Justin is a recognized expert in X-ray garment care and infection prevention. He collaborates with healthcare departments to develop customized programs that deliver value, consistency, and measurable outcomes.
Justin, it’s so good to see you again and have you with me today.
Justin McKay:
Naji, thanks so much. That was an incredible introduction. I’m not sure I can live up to it, but it’s truly a privilege and a pleasure to be here. I’m happy to speak with you.
Naji Gehchan:
Thanks again for joining me. Before we dig into what you do and everything you’ve built, I always like to start the same way.
Tell me your story.
Justin McKay:
Yeah, my story starts in the cornfields of Indiana. If you’ve ever seen the movie Footloose, that’s basically where I grew up.
I was the youngest of three boys, raised by a single mom in a small farming community in central Indiana. Looking back now, I realize adversity and struggle make you tough.
Even though we didn’t have much, my mom still had us volunteering in soup kitchens and delivering meals to others, even during times when we were eating bread and butter for dinner ourselves. Service was always part of our upbringing.
I went to school at DePauw University and later earned a master’s degree at Purdue. Throughout my life, I’ve always been involved in service, philanthropy, and giving back.
Your podcast really spoke to me because it reflects how I’ve tried to live my life.
At DePauw, I was a Bonner Scholar, which meant completing 20 hours a week of community service for four years. I volunteered at the Humane Society and various organizations around town.
Serving others has always been part of my DNA.
Now I have two young boys, ages 7 and 10, and we’re already instilling those same values in them—food pantries, serving others, and helping communities in need. Next year, I’m planning to take them to Costa Rica for their first mission trip.
So my story is simple: I grew up in a small Indiana town and have spent my life trying to make a difference wherever I can.
Naji Gehchan:
You certainly are.
As you shared your journey, one word kept coming up over and over again: service. You clearly chose healthcare as the place to live out that mission.
Tell me more about what happened in 2012 and how that led you to build what you’ve now spent more than a decade growing.
Justin McKay:
Great question.
Working in surgical settings, I was always amazed by the amount of attention given to infection prevention behind the scenes—sterile fields, antibiotics, chlorhexidine baths, all these protocols designed to protect patients.
But then you’d see clinicians walking into surgery wearing sweaty, dirty X-ray garments. Someone spills coffee on a lead apron, throws it over a chair, and the next person wears it directly into the OR.
It blew my mind.
I personally got ringworm on my neck from wearing a contaminated thyroid collar. That was my wake-up call.
So I started asking surgical directors and oncology leaders, “Do these garments ever get cleaned? Is there any system for maintaining them?”
The answers were inconsistent. Some people laughed and said, “We have a thousand of them. What do you expect us to do?”
What really bothered me was hearing leaders acknowledge the garments were dirty but say they weren’t doing anything because there wasn’t a formal requirement.
That didn’t sit right with me.
In healthcare, especially with the amount of money and resources we have in the U.S., we can do better.
That frustration lit a fire inside me, and 13 years later I’m still beating the drum for change.
Naji Gehchan:
You turned a painful experience into a company and a mission focused on patient and staff safety.
Looking back now, what was the biggest risk you took in those early days?
Justin McKay:
Honestly? I did everything wrong.
If you read a book on starting a business, don’t do what I did.
I met with a counselor from the Indiana Small Business Association and told him I wanted to start a company. He asked if I had an MBA. I said no. He asked if anyone had ever done this before. I said no again.
His response was simple: “Don’t do it.”
For almost two years, we had no customers and no income. I went nearly two years without a paycheck.
At the time, I had just bought a larger house, my wife and I were expecting a baby, and I told her I was quitting everything to go all in on this business.
She looked at me like I was crazy.
My co-founder Zach and I spent those early years traveling, educating hospitals, speaking about infection prevention, and trying to show people why this mattered.
We’d pick up small batches of garments, ATP test them, clean them, and the results were immediate. The garments looked different, smelled different, and were obviously cleaner.
But for almost 24 months, people kept telling us:
“Don’t quit your day job.”
“You’re going to fail.”
There were times my co-founder literally paid my mortgage because things were so tight.
Then one day, I walked into a meeting expecting another rejection. Ten minutes into my presentation, the surgical director stopped me and said:
“Close your computer. I want to get started immediately.”
She told me the issue had bothered her for 20 years.
After that, things slowly started changing. One customer became two, then three.
I’m a man of faith, and from the beginning we prayed over this business. We wanted to build something that not only served hospitals but also served our employees and communities.
I wanted to create a place where people felt loved, valued, and appreciated.
Those early days were lonely and hard, but when you know in your heart that something is the right thing to do, you keep going.
Naji Gehchan:
A lot of people romanticize entrepreneurship, but your story shows the grit and resilience behind it.
Do you think your upbringing helped prepare you for those struggles?
Justin McKay:
Absolutely.
Leadership books always say, “Don’t be the smartest person in the room.” Good news for me—I’ve never been the smartest person in the room.
What I am is resourceful.
During college, I worked three jobs just to pay tuition. That taught me how to network, problem-solve, and figure things out.
With this business, there was no roadmap. Nobody had done it before. Every system had to be invented—from transportation logistics to storage solutions.
A lot of this company was built through trial and error.
But the struggle also shaped how emotional this work is for me today. When hospitals tell us they feel safer because of what we do, it reminds me why it was worth it.
Yes, I lost some hair and probably some years off my life, but I know we’re driving meaningful change in healthcare.
Naji Gehchan:
You’re clearly passionate not only about patient safety, but also about how you lead your people.
Tell me about your leadership philosophy and how you scaled the company while preserving that culture of love and care.
Justin McKay:
For me, leadership starts with service.
Growing up in church, I was always inspired by the idea of servant leadership—Jesus washing the disciples’ feet and serving others first.
Humility is our number one core value. Radical generosity and humility are literally written on our walls.
We started as two guys cleaning lead aprons at midnight and sleeping on the floor. Today we’re around 40 full-time employees, and we’re expanding operations into new markets, including Charlotte.
A big turning point was bringing in our CEO. He has strengths I don’t have. He’s incredible on the business side—P&Ls, operations, scaling—but he also shares the same heart for service and generosity.
One thing he taught me was that core values can’t just be words on a wall. They have to show up in hiring, performance reviews, and everyday interactions.
So now, during interviews, we’re upfront with candidates:
“If you work here, you’re going to be cared about. Your family will be cared about. We’ll check in on you. We’ll pray with you if you want that.”
That level of openness surprises people because it’s not what they’re used to.
Naji Gehchan:
What kind of reactions do you get from candidates when they hear that?
Justin McKay:
Some people are deeply moved by it.
I remember interviewing a woman for a sales role. She mentioned she was a single mom, and I told her:
“Your most important job is being a mom. Not sales. Not President’s Club. Nothing replaces that.”
She got emotional, and honestly, so did I.
I’ve also had candidates say, “That sounds kind of weird.”
And that’s okay.
Not everyone is looking for the same kind of culture. Some people want to work quietly in a cubicle and hit their numbers. That’s not us.
We want people who want to serve, grow, and care about others.
We do quarterly service projects together—food pantries, Habitat for Humanity, foster care initiatives—and employees also get paid time off to volunteer in their communities.
One of my favorite memories was when a new sales hire came in for his first day expecting HR paperwork, and instead we were downtown serving meals at a shelter.
He looked at me and said:
“This is my first day at work.”
And I said:
“I know. Look what you’re doing already.”
Naji Gehchan:
I’m going to give you a few words, and I want your immediate reaction.
Leadership.
Justin McKay:
Servant.
Naji Gehchan:
Healthcare.
Justin McKay:
Broken.
Not in a cynical way, but in the sense that we still have work to do.
We need to focus more on quality and patient outcomes, not just revenue. I’m a big believer in “people over profits.”
There are countries with far fewer resources than the U.S. that achieve better quality metrics. We should be learning from that.
At the same time, there are incredible initiatives happening right now around zero harm, innovation, and patient safety.
Healthcare is improving—but we can’t stop pushing forward.
Naji Gehchan:
X-ray.
Justin McKay:
Crucial.
X-ray professionals are often underappreciated, but they play a pivotal role in patient care. They catch things that change lives every single day.
The more I’ve learned about radiology, the more respect I’ve gained for the people working behind the scenes.
Naji Gehchan:
Spread love in organizations.
Justin McKay:
Non-negotiable.
If this company grows into multiple locations across the country but our people don’t feel cared about, then I’ve failed.
Success means nothing if your employees don’t feel valued.
I worked for leaders earlier in my career who barely knew my name, let alone my family. I never wanted to create that kind of environment.
When our drivers come back from long trips, I shake their hands, look them in the eye, and thank them personally.
People want to know they matter.
If you’re building a company without spreading love, you’re missing the point.
Naji Gehchan:
Any final words of wisdom for healthcare leaders around the world?
Justin McKay:
Keep doing the good work, but don’t take your foot off the gas pedal.
There’s incredible innovation happening in healthcare right now, and we need to keep pushing forward.
Here’s my final thought:
Your windshield is bigger than your rearview mirror.
Keep looking ahead.
Naji Gehchan:
Awesome. Thanks so much, Justin, for being with me today and for this great conversation.
Justin McKay:
Naji, it’s been a pleasure. I love what you’re doing.
To everyone listening—whether you’re in a small company, a large company, a nonprofit, or higher education—the question at the end of the day isn’t how much money you made.
It’s how much love you spread.
Naji Gehchan:
Thanks again for listening to the show.
For more episodes, subscribe at spreadloveio.com or wherever you listen to podcasts.
Let’s inspire change together and make a positive impact in healthcare—one story at a time.
Naji Gehchan: Thanks for listening to the show! For more episodes, make sure to subscribe to Spreadloveio.com or wherever you listen to your podcasts. Let’s inspire change together and make a positive impact in healthcare, one story at a time.
Follow us on LinkedIn and connect with us on spreadloveio.com. We’re eager to hear your thoughts and feedback. Most importantly, spread love in your organizations and spread the word around you to inspire others and amplify this movement, our world so desperately needs