Mitchell Geisler is a Toronto-based entrepreneur and CEO with a long track record of turning ideas into successful businesses. Born and raised in Toronto, he grew up playing basketball and volleyball, developing the discipline and teamwork that would later shape his career.
He studied history at York University, graduating with a BA in 1994. After school, Geisler wasted no time jumping into business. His early ventures included owning and operating a downtown Toronto bar, an experience that gave him firsthand lessons in leadership, problem-solving, and customer service.
Over the years, he expanded into mining, healthcare, and hospitality. He served as COO of Pacific Gold Corp., where he managed operations in a tough and competitive industry. Later, as CEO of Medical Imaging Corp., he helped oversee MRI clinics in the U.S.
In 2010, Geisler became CEO of Canadian Teleradiology Services (CTS). Under his leadership, the company grew from less than $1 million in revenue to about $17 million. CTS built its reputation on providing reliable radiology services to rural hospitals and emergency rooms across Canada, and then added medical imaging clinics providing x-ray and ultrasound services.
Today, Geisler also leads LevelJump Healthcare, a publicly traded company with a vision to expand diagnostic imaging nationwide. He believes success comes from steady improvement, teamwork, and compassion—especially in healthcare, where patients and staff often face high stress.
Outside of work, Geisler is a dedicated runner, having completed multiple half marathons. For him, running is more than exercise. It’s a way to reset, refocus, and keep moving forward in life and business.
Q&A with Mitchell Geisler: On the Meaning of Success
You’ve led companies in healthcare, mining, and even hospitality. When you look back, how do you personally define success?
For me, success has never been just about money or titles. It’s a mixture of achieving personal and professional goals, while knowing you’ve made a difference for someone else. Early in my career, when I owned a bar in downtown Toronto, I learned how important it was to create an environment where people felt welcome. That wasn’t changing the world, but it did change how people spent their nights. Later, in healthcare, success felt bigger because it was about helping patients in stressful situations. So it evolves, depending on where you are and what impact you can make.
CTS grew under your leadership from under a million dollars in revenue to about $17 million. What role did setbacks play in that growth?
Every business has speed bumps. At CTS, we dealt with staffing challenges, technology upgrades, and even hospital politics. One example was when a key system went down during a holiday weekend. It was chaos. But instead of panicking, we learned how to redesign our backup process. Now it’s one of our biggest strengths. Those moments are stressful, but they force you to adapt.
What’s the most important habit you rely on to stay focused as a leader?
Running. I’ve run two half marathons and still try to get out daily. It’s where I clear my head. If I’m facing a problem at work—whether it’s declining margins, a tough conversation with a partner, or an acquisition that isn’t going smoothly—I’ll literally stop what I’m doing and go for a run. By the time I’m back, I usually have a new perspective. I tell my team the same thing: step away, breathe, and reset before you make a big decision.
You’ve talked about success being “ever evolving.” How do you keep yourself from getting stuck in past wins?
It’s easy to get caught up in what you’ve already achieved. The day CTS hit $10 million in revenue, we celebrated. But the next day, we had to ask, “What’s next?” I measure success in results, and results are feedback. Did we improve patient care? Did sales increase? Did our presentations lead to engagement? If the answer is yes, that’s a win. But I don’t linger on it. Success is forward-looking. You’re always asking how to improve again.
Healthcare is a unique industry. How does success in that field differ from success in others you’ve worked in?
In mining, success is about output—you either extract or you don’t. In hospitality, it’s about creating an experience. Healthcare is different because there’s so much stress built in. Patients are anxious, doctors are under pressure, and staff are stretched thin. To me, success in healthcare means creating an environment where everyone feels supported. One example is when a radiologist once told me she stayed with CTS not because of pay but because the team environment was stronger than anywhere else. That’s success—when people choose to stay because they feel valued.
You’ve had experience across very different industries. Has your definition of success shifted with each one?
Definitely. When I was running the bar, success meant keeping the place full on a Saturday night. In mining, success meant surviving market swings. In healthcare, it’s making sure we don’t let a hospital down in the middle of the night. What ties it all together is resilience. Success looks different in each field, but the process—adapting, learning, and improving—stays the same.
Can you share a mistake that changed how you think about success?
Years ago, in the mining sector, we invested heavily in equipment that didn’t perform the way we expected. It set us back financially. At the time, I saw it as a huge failure. But that taught me to never assume I had all the answers. Now, I always ask others, gather input, and test ideas before committing. It’s a slower process, but it usually leads to better outcomes. Success, in that sense, is not rushing but making thoughtful choices.
How do you balance professional success with personal fulfillment?
That’s probably the hardest part. I think most leaders are working 24/7, whether they admit it or not. But you have to put the phone down sometimes. For me, that might mean an evening with family or watching a Raptors game. Ironically, the best ideas often come when my mind isn’t focused on work. Success isn’t just what happens in the office—it’s having the space to step back so you can return sharper.
What advice would you give someone who is chasing success?
Don’t define it only by outcomes. Success isn’t one big finish line—it’s made of small steps, small wins, and lessons from failures. Be willing to listen, adapt, and keep moving forward. And remember, it’s not just about you. The real test of success is whether others around you grow too.