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Freakonomics Radio · April 24, 2026 · 1h 0m

What Makes Judy Faulkner Run?

Stephen Dubner profiles Judy Faulkner, founder and CEO of Epic Systems, which manages electronic health records for hundreds of millions of people worldwide. Despite building one of the most successful healthcare software companies and becoming one of the most successful female entrepreneurs in history, Faulkner has remained largely unknown to the general public. Dubner explores what drives her, her philosophy, and the 'Faulknerverse' that defines her approach to business and life.

This summary was generated from show notes and public descriptions, not from a full transcript review. Details may contain inaccuracies.

Curious

Private Companies Enable Long-Term Vision
Epic Systems' status as a privately held company has allowed Faulkner to pursue long-term strategic goals without pressure from public markets or shareholders.

Novel

The "Faulknerverse" - Organizational Culture as Competitive Advantage
Faulkner has created a distinctive organizational culture (referred to as the 'Faulknerverse') that serves as a core competitive advantage for Epic Systems.

Editorial

Success Without Fame
Judy Faulkner has built one of the world's most successful companies and become a billionaire entrepreneur while remaining virtually unknown to the general public.
Healthcare Infrastructure Concentration Risk
Epic Systems' dominance in managing electronic health records for hundreds of millions of people creates significant infrastructure concentration risk for the healthcare system.

Misc

Epic Systems manages EHRs for hundreds of millions of people globally
Faulkner has deliberately stayed out of the public eye despite massive success
Company is privately held, which may explain her low public profile
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