By: Ethan Rogers

When Sharad Govil left India two decades ago, he could hardly have predicted he’d one day lead one of Singapore’s more recognized audiology businesses. In fact, he didn’t even know what audiology was when he first enrolled in the program. Yet today, as the founder and owner of Amazing Hearing, Govil has not only built a successful practice but also worked to reshape how hearing care is delivered across Southeast Asia, blending deep clinical expertise with innovative marketing and business strategy.

Govil was born into a disciplined military family in India—his father, brother, and brother-in-law all served in the armed forces. Yet, when it came time to chart his own path, he took an unexpected turn. “I didn’t choose audiology. I got accepted into the program first and just went with it,” he says. “Looking back, that might have been the first sign that I was willing to go into uncharted territory.”

That willingness to embrace the unknown would shape his career. After completing his audiology studies, he became the first in his family to leave India, taking a job in Singapore in the early 2000s. From there, he moved to New Zealand, where he developed his clinical skills, and later to Shanghai, where he pivoted into the corporate world with a leading Swiss hearing aid manufacturer.

“That’s where life changed for me,” he recalls. “I started traveling across Asia, training professionals, and promoting the brand. I realized I enjoyed marketing and business development as much as audiology.”

Govil’s success at the company helped establish him as a dynamic brand builder and a respected educator in the audiology space. His approach? An ability to connect purpose with product. “I always asked: What is the ‘why’ behind the brand? Why does this matter to patients? And how do I tell that story authentically?”

That passion followed him to GN Hearing, where he was hired to lead business development in Asia. Under his leadership, GN’s footprint expanded, and he introduced the now-global “Hear More” community events—interactive gatherings that refreshed the traditionally dry world of audiology conferences. “I wanted to create something that people would remember, not just another product pitch,” he says. “And it resonated. We grew from 50 attendees to 300. People began to see value in what we were doing.”

In 2022, Govil found himself at a crossroads. GN was on the verge of acquiring Amazing Hearing, one of its biggest customers in Singapore. But in a surprise move, the company pulled out at the last moment. “I raised my hand and said, ‘Can I buy it?’” Govil recalls. “I didn’t have the money, but I had the passion.”

To his surprise, GN agreed to finance the deal. Govil negotiated the price down by half and secured a 10-year loan from his employer. Just two months later, however, GN shut down its operations in Singapore, leaving Govil jobless for the first time in his life. “I treated Amazing Hearing as an opportunity I couldn’t ignore,” he says. “That’s what kept me going.”

What initially appeared like a dream acquisition quickly turned into a challenge. Behind the scenes, Amazing Hearing was struggling with a problematic, product-centric culture that prioritized sales over patient care. “I was shocked,” he says. “There was no communication, no accountability. It was all about selling hearing aids, not helping people hear better.”

Determined to transform the company, Govil began overhauling its culture from the ground up. He leaned into transparency, rebuilt trust, and centered operations around patient outcomes rather than quotas. It hasn’t been easy—financial stress, court disputes, and high-stakes staffing decisions have tested his resolve—but his vision has remained steady. “I believe the customer isn’t always right, but they’re always valuable,” he says. “And every patient deserves respect, honesty, and the premier care we can provide.”

One early incident highlighted this philosophy: a patient, unhappy with the service, tried to sue the company. Govil wasn’t even aware until the patient’s daughter showed up in a clinic and threw the hearing aids on the table. He handled it personally and won the case in court. “I never wanted to be in legal battles with patients. But it taught me something: never shy away from standing for what’s right.”

But Govil did not stop there. He reached out to the daughter and offered to help her mother. The daughter was surprised and grateful. And her review reflects it:

Hearing aids are just a device that anyone can easily prescribe or recommend. But the professional services and support rendered by the Amazing Hearing specialist are beyond our expectations. Thank you to Mr. Sharad and his team for their patience and dedication to my mom in her journey of using the hearing aid. Highly recommend it to anyone who is looking for professional care. It will be none other than Amazing Hearing.

More than just a clinician, Govil sees himself as a marketer and a community builder. His approach goes beyond hearing aids; it’s about building relationships and restoring dignity for those with hearing loss. “In New Zealand, I learned the value of being clinically sound. In Singapore and China, I learned how to build brands. Now, I bring both together,” he says. “It’s not about pushing products. It’s about delivering outcomes that matter.”

That philosophy appears to be working. Under his leadership, Amazing Hearing is gaining recognition as a modern audiology practice built on empathy, excellence, and education. Govil has since been focused on positioning the brand as a regional benchmark, one where patients feel heard, not just tested.

This approach also includes navigating the complex supplier landscape to give patients more choice, rather than being bound to just one or two brands. When necessary, they even recommend cochlear implants—an uncommon move in a competitive retail environment that often prioritizes product sales over optimal solutions. The Amazing Hearing team, under Govil’s leadership, has also invested in a robust, subscription-based CRM system to manage and nurture patient relationships, rather than relying on free, impersonal tools.

Govil’s unique approach has earned recognition, including the 10th Annual Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards with a gold medal in the category of Innovative Management of Consumer Products and Service Industry.

Sharad Govil’s story, much like his profession, is about listening, adapting, and responding to life’s unexpected challenges. “I never set out to do any of this,” he says. “But I kept showing up, kept learning, and kept asking, ‘What’s the purpose behind this?’ And when you do that with sincerity, you often find yourself exactly where you’re meant to be.”

He may not wear a military uniform like the rest of his family, but Govil is a determined advocate in his own right, working toward better hearing, better business, and a more compassionate industry.

Published by Jeremy S.