Blog - Page 34 of 55 - Dr Jesse Green

In this episode, I’m joined by dental practice owner Jennifer Pearce who specialises in practice management.

There’s a lot to manage as a dental practice owner and it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. In this conversation, Jennifer Pearce brings over 20 years of experience in office management and now practice ownership and shares with us her tips for running a smooth operation.

Jennifer Pearce is Co-Founder of The Prosperity Dental Practice as well as Co-Owner of two dental practices in the Dallas Fort Worth area. The Prosperity Dental Practice is an online and hands-on coaching company developed because true change doesn’t happen without integration and help. Jennifer is the lead integrator and is comfortable being a change agent. Having been a Practice Administrator for 17 years and a co-owner for 5, the combined 22 years of experience uniquely qualifies her to facilitate positive change.

In this episode, we discuss:

1:51 How Jennifer got into dental office management
3:04 The changes in the dental industry over the last 22 years
4:57 How to improve the performance of your team
14:26 Managing multiple practices
16:50 How to integrate training into a practice
20:07 Tips for practice owners to work better with their practice managers
27:47 How to become a great owner and leader of your practice
32:17 Tips for preparing for an uncertain future
35:15 How to make a great patient experience in just 90 minutes
And more

Find out more about Jennifer Pearce

http://theprosperitydentalpractice.com/

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Android | RSS

Every dental entrepreneur is juggling multiple priorities. Patient care, business finances, operational and team challenges.

However, amongst the melee, there is an underlying drive to make a bigger impact. We’re looking to make an impact that goes beyond our daily business and leave a legacy that endures. But how is that done? It’s difficult when so much of our energy and effort is focused on the here and now.

Not surprisingly, there is no fast track to making an impact. It takes deliberate, consistent actions, directed by a clear vision.

Want to know more? Check out these bite-sized tips for making big impacts as a dental entrepreneur.

Have a Clear Vision

Creating a big impact through our clinical and community work and dental business means having a clear vision. The clearer the vision, the easier it is to execute on.

In my book Retention I dedicated a chapter to defining your “why” for being in business. Without out a why – your why – it is very hard to distill your purpose and drive into a well-articulated vision.

Want to have a bigger impact? Define a clear vision and pursue it relentlessly.

Expect and Accept Bumps

No dental entrepreneur success journey would be complete without a few bumps along the way. Actually, it’s through these bumps our resilience is forged. They are necessary for personal and business growth.

Instead of lamenting you’ve hit a hurdle, or perhaps made a slight detour, expect bumps will occur from time to time. Being in a place of acceptance often opens the door to solutions. Before you know it, you’re back on track again and moving forward towards your vision.

Be a Unique Dental Entrepreneur

As a general rule, dentists and other dental professionals are more comfortable blending in. But let’s look at what being unique really means.

For me, more than anything, uniqueness can be boiled down to one simple concept: being yourself. There’s a wonderful expression Be yourself. Everybody else is taken. If we just applied this one idea to the practice and business of dentistry , we’d never be in competition with anyone ever again.

Our business’ uniqueness allows us to create rewarding patient experiences and inspire communities. It also means there is an authenticity to our business. This has an appeal of its own, enabling us to have a bigger impact.

Think and Act ‘Next Level’ to Be a Dental Entrepreneur

Dental entrepreneurship demands we think and act next level. It means we’re always looking for ways to grow and improve. Doing this will position us ideally for creating a bigger impact.

If we’re not thinking next level, we’ll never consider ways to enrich our patients’ experience, integrate new services and treatments, find more meaningful ways to connect with our community.

This action alone has the power to multiply the impact of any dental business.

Create ‘Surprise and Delight’ Patient Experiences

Dental entrepreneurs look for opportunities to create ‘surprise and delight’ patient experiences.

These experiences are not limited to the treatment room. They can be delivered over multiple touchpoints. Try a handwritten birthday card, a heartfelt referral thank you, and a ‘just because’ acknowledgement. Gestures like this are all ways that go beyond the traditional, clinical dental visit. A little creativity is all that’s needed.

Surprise and delight a patient and they will talk about you long after the impact of the original experience.

Build a Referral Culture

Wouldn’t it be great if the majority of new patients came through referrals from existing patients?

Love the idea? Great. Then it’s time to build a referral culture for your dental business.

Developing a referral culture means identifying who your ideal referrer is. What are they like, what’s important to them, what’s their biggest challenge, and how do you solve it? Answer these questions and follow the steps to having a bigger impact with less effort.

Work Towards Financial Freedom

As a general rule, dentists are a pretty smart bunch. We’re all over the technical stuff. Occasionally though, we need to sharpen the sword with our financial skills.

This approach is relevant in both the personal and business realm. A dental entrepreneur can enjoy an even greater impact if their financial house is in order.

Clients I coach through Savvy Dentist know this is a big focus area for development. It’s hugely satisfying to see the dental entrepreneurs in our community work on, and enjoy, the financial – other freedoms, which have come through education and implementation.

With this freedom comes the ability to make choices that lead to bigger impacts.

Give Up Trying to Do Everything

A bigger impact is simply not possible if we try to do everything ourselves. On the contrary, it’s more a recipe for disaster, burnout and resentment than anything else.

For every task, there is a tipping point at which it makes sense to delegate and bring in support. Look for that point and act decisively.

Doing this means giving up the need for perfection and control. It doesn’t mean accepting less than ideal performance.

Use standard operating procedures for tasks, and position descriptions and key performance indicators for roles as mechanisms for monitoring performance. Regular formal and informal check ins with your team are also vital for managing the process by which you can have a bigger impact.

Start With the End in Mind (but don’t expect to know every step of the way)

Okay, that’s kind of a long tip, but that’s essentially what needs to be said.

Our professional education prepares us well for the clinical aspects of our dentistry. We’re trained to look for, and deliver, perfection – or as close as is humanly possible to it. We learn that while there are no guarantees, there is an element of predictability.

On the other hand, growing a business is less clear cut. Ditto for having a bigger impact. Sometimes, you just have to start with the end in mind and not know what any of the steps along the way will be.

In many instances, it takes a leap of faith. And often it’s this leap, courageously taken, that lights up the next step along the pathway. At these points, it is your vision that will carry you through.

Final Words…

If you’re a dental entrepreneur hoping to have a bigger impact, it won’t happen without a clear vision and a lot of action.

Align to your vision consistently. Back it up with targeted efforts and watch your impact grow.

In a growing and competitive dental market, how can we as practice owners create business that not only survive but also thrive? In this episode, I’m joined by Dr. Anissa Holmes, a dentist, business acceleration coach, social media strategist and best selling author. She shares her insights on how she has created a highly profitable practice that doesn’t rely on competing on price through carefully cultivate culture, offerings and more.

Dr. Holmes has coached and advised coaches, million dollar practice owners, and startup practices. Based on her massive success, Dr. Holmes has been featured in top dental publications, such as Dental Economics, Dentistry IQ, and Dental Products Report, and has been featured as one of the top 25 Women in Dentistry.

She has also been a featured speaker at Social Media Marketing World and her Delivering WOW Dental Podcast has listeners in over 100 countries. Dr. Holmes is the Founder of Delivering WOW U, an Online Coaching Community for Dentists, and runs 10X Business Acceleration Bootcamps for Dentists to 10X their team performance, profits and brand.

In this episode Dr Anissa Holmes and I discuss:

2:52 – Dr Anissa Holmes’ journey began with wanting to help people
5:15 – Why being unique can boom your dental practice
9:13 – How to choreograph your patients’ story about your practice
14:14 – Steps to building a practice that gives you freedom
20:15 – The power of seeking out mentors and assistance
23:51 – Why mindset can be the key to achieving results
26:47 – Don’t get stuck on the how. Say you’re going to do something and figure it out on the way.
30:00 – The power of having unique offerings and being the authority in your space
37:55 – The three things you need to nail to deliver wow in your practice

Find out more about Dr Anissa Holmes

www.deliveringwow.com

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Android | RSS

Referral marketing is a seriously under utilised strategy for generating new patients.

How do I know?

Speaking and working with dentists and dental specialists day in, day out, I know that many of us are just coming to terms with marketing and how it impacts our business success.

At some level, we feel overwhelmed. We wrestle with marketing questions, like:

Will I run another Facebook ad?

Do I need to go with that email campaign I’ve been thinking about for months?

Should I just run an advertisement in the local magazine?

While all these tactics are part of an overall marketing strategy, referral marketing is one over which you have much greater control.

According to Stacey Randall Brown, there are five steps to follow if you’re hungry for more patient referrals. And the good news? Yes there is work involved, but you don’t need to know a tonne of people to make it happen.

Let’s check out the steps to referral marketing mastery.

Step 1 – Know Who Your Referrers Are

Unless you’ve just opened your practice doors, there’s an excellent chance your patient database has a couple of (or few) thousand people on it. That’s cause for celebration right there. You’re not starting from referral marketing ground zero.

If we assume your practice database has people on it, identify who among those people are referrers.

A referrer is someone who makes a direct link between your business and the need of someone they know – and then connects the two you without you asking.

It’s important to drill down on the make-up of your referrer. Are they male or female? Are they a business owner, tradesman, or corporate executive? What keeps them busy?

In addition to knowing who your referrers are, you also want to know how often they’re referring others to you.

For we dentists, it could be a family member or a patient who’s had a transformative experience through your care and is happy to pass on your details.

Don’t despair if you’ve been through your database and can’t identify any genuine referrers. The task then is to think who you’d like your referrers to be.

Step 2 – Say Thank You…In a Handwritten Note

Step 2 in the referral marketing process is all about saying thank you, in a particular kind of way.

When you receive a referral, it requires an immediate follow up. It requires a thank you delivered in a note written by you.

Now I can hear the objections already.

I’m so busy, Jesse.

Couldn’t my staff write it for me?

My handwriting is bad. No, really.

Here’s my response. If you want to win at referral marketing, you must write a handwritten thank you.

A handwritten note demonstrates many things.

It shows you cared enough to think about the person and put pen to paper.

It also shows this too: you took time out of your day, that you care, and that your referrer means something to you.

A handwritten is a super powerful way for growing your referrals.

Like a reward for positive behaviour, it encourages your referrer to keep the referrals coming.

Putting all this aside, a handwritten note connects with another person in a meaningful way, and that can only be good for business.

Step 3 – Create A Plan For Strengthening the Referrer Relationship

Be aware that referral marketing is not a silver bullet and you won’t see results overnight. However, with a plan, big things are possible.

Your plan includes details around key activities – or touchpoints – that you’ll implement to strengthen the referrer relationship.

These touchpoints need to say, “Hey, I truly value you. Here’s something that says I understand and appreciate who you are.”

Doing this well means knowing a little about them.

Maybe your referrers are predominantly middle-aged women who take good care of themselves and help others do that too.

An appropriate touchpoint might be a pamper pack sent to them at the start of summer. It could be a handwritten birthday card signed by all the team. And maybe it’s two tickets to the movies. The more impactful these touchpoints are, the fewer you’ll have to do.

These gestures will make your referrer feel valued and important. They will also place you front of mind when they think of a dentist for someone they care about.

Step 4 – Use the Right Language

Referral marketing is also about using the right language.

At all those touchpoints throughout the year, we have the opportunity to plant referral seeds, so we’re effectively communicating what we’re after – more patients – without ever asking for them directly.

When we use the right language, we’re able to plant and nurture relationships that ultimately bloom into quality referrals.

You might think, I’m really not great with words, but that would be missing the point.

The key is to be genuine and show you connect with the referrer in ways that make sense.

Let’s just take the “start of summer pamper pack” idea. The note you include with this might read: Thanks for taking care of you. It’s gives other women like you permission to do the same.

This is all about connecting on a deeper level. And it’s the place from which quality referrals emerge.

Step 5 – Create A Process

Any Savvy Dentist blog reader will know we love a good system and process for mapping how things get done.

No referral marketing will be sustainable unless it’s delivered through a clear, structured process. Be sure you take time to write yours down.

It could include the touchpoint map detailing what you’ll do and when over the course of a year. Perhaps there’s a speedy standard operating procedure or two in there as well, so your team understand what’s involved with caring for the business’ referrers.

Having this structure in place will help identify who does what (and yes, it will be you doing the handwritten notes). However, a team member could organise the “start of summer pamper pack” and movie tickets on your behalf.

Final Words

When you work referral marketing this way, you’ll be surprised how effective it is. You’ll also be impressed with how few referrers are needed before you start seeing the benefits. New patients will just appear.

Referral marketing for a dental practice is a strategy that could easily be overlooked for its simplicity and cost-effectiveness. Make some time to master the steps and you’ll reap the rewards.

Stacey Brown Randall joins me to share with you her simple system for generating referrals without asking. We all know referrals are key to the health of a dental practice, but systemising referrals can feel overwhelming.

Stacey is a contrarian when it comes to typical referral advice and believes the best way to unleash a referral explosion is to do it WITHOUT asking for referrals (and she has results to prove it). Stacey is a three-time entrepreneur, certified productivity and time efficiency coach, has a background in sales and marketing, and is an aspiring author.

In this episode, we discuss:

3:30 Discovering the power of referral marketing
8:18 Understanding what a referral is
10:42 Referral marketing myths
14:56 What to do on a day-to-day basis to generate referrals
18:45 Components of a referral marketing system
20:28 The referral mode mindset shift
23:59 The value of a handwritten thank you note
28:32 How to encourage repeat referrals
29:50 What to do in between receiving referrals
34:05 The five stage plan to get referrals
46:49 Common roadblocks to implementing the plan

Find out more about Stacey Brown Randall

Stacey Brown Randall has one focus in life: to help others avoid business failure. She knows – she’s been there. What Stacey learned after her first business failed and through years of researching successful businesses is the importance of referral marketing. And she is sharing all of her secrets.

http://growthbyreferrals.com/savvydentist/

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Android | RSS

There’s no doubt workplace relations in dental business can be challenging.

True for even the most emotionally intelligent among we dental entrepreneurs, it’s an area of business that requires ongoing care and attention. Occasionally, it even requires a tough conversation or two.

But what if I was to tell you it is possible to enjoy harmonious workplace relations? What if there were some key principles that could be implemented to transform outcomes in this area?

My recent interview with Catherine Gillespie of Harmonious Workplace Relations reminded me that it’s possible and achievable.

Read on to discover how.

#1 Make Communication A Priority for Workplace Relations

Okay, so no rocket science here.

We all know effective communication in the workplace is pivotal for harmonious relationships, so why does it seem so elusive?

Well, there’s communication – and communication that works. And it looks like this:

You hold regular meetings, both formal and informal. In a savvy dental business, this might translate as a weekly team meeting and daily huddle.

Information shared is relevant and makes sense to the team. At times, this information may need to be a little more targeted. For example, drawing a direct line between the practice’s financial performance – and each individual’s performance – can be a real eye opener.

Communication can also take the form of employee feedback. Regular performance appraisals against position descriptions and key performance indicators are vital. Equally important is more informal feedback that occurs in daily business operations.

Without these mechanisms for communication that occur at different levels of interaction, there are huge openings for misunderstanding, judgement and conflict.

And they can be avoided with solid communication.

#2 Set and Adhere to Clear Boundaries

I understand this is easier said than done in a dental practice. Daily, we are literally in close proximity to our team, and it is very easy to discern friendly with friend.

I’ve been guilty of it myself. However, what I’ve learned through experience is that clear boundaries are vital. Around workplace relations, it is a far healthier way to manage personal interaction with team members.

Am I saying, don’t ask about a person’s weekend or family member who’s not well? No.

What I am saying is avoid getting hooked into the emotion or story around the conversation. And if a team member is really struggling with an issue, guide them towards seeking assistance from an external third party.

It’s a healthier approach for all concerned.

#3 Measure Performance to Manage Workplace Relations

One area where dental business owners come unstuck is not having robust enough measures in place to keep team members accountable.

Although it might seem like it’s a tough approach, what’s really tough is when you try to hold a person accountable for their performance, but you’ve got nothing to measure their performance with.

This is where position descriptions and key performance indicators are incredibly helpful. Outlining tasks and responsibilities, they are great tools for matching up business goals with individual performance. Instead of a person thinking they’re flying solo, they can make the mental shift to seeing themselves as part of a team.

Develop these tools and you’ll always have a reference point for individual accountability.

#4 Share Your Business Goals

It’s hard for a person to feel they’re part of something bigger than themselves if they have no idea about that ‘bigger something’.

Share your vision for the business. Invite team members to be part of the vision’s unfolding. Be enthusiastic about contributions.

Team members who are excited by the vision will respond. Those who don’t will eventually weed themselves out, creating the ideal opportunity to bring in even more support for the unfolding of your business vision.

#5 Have Tough Conversations

As a general rule, human beings tend to shy away from tough conversations. We prefer harmony over conflict, but little do we realise by avoiding those hard conversations, we actually put harmonious workplace relations at risk.

Tough conversations take courage. They also require strategy, planning and writing things down.

Every dental business owner will have had the experience of a tough conversation not going so well.

In my own experience, I can say any less than ideal outcome was due in large measure to a lack of preparation. I didn’t really think through the message, delivery or outcome.

So how do we have a tough conversation?

Be prepared to call out the elephant in the room. Is someone communicating in a negative way? Great, then state what you’ve observed and ask why.

Have tough conversations early, not at the point of (almost) no return.

Prepare well. This helps take the emotion out of tough discussions and navigate more easily towards a resolution. You might even develop your approach with the help of a coach or mentor.

Be specific. If there’s a behaviour or task that’s in question, focus on that, not the peripheral ‘story’ associated with it.

Maintain a forward focus. Asking the question, How do we move forward from here? is vital. It means the tough conversation is just for starters. The follow through on remedial actions by all parties is the true measure of whether constructive change has arisen out of the conflict. Periodic check ins are a must: a week, month and beyond the hard conversation.

It gives you the best chance of bringing about the harmonious workplace relations you’re working towards.

Final Words…

I like to think of harmonious workplace relations as something that is achievable and worth investing in.

Every relationship needs attention, including those with our team members.

For these important relationships to function in healthy ways, it’s up to us, as the business leaders, to develop skills that deliver harmony.

In this episode, I’m joined by workplace conflict resolution expert Catherine Gillespie. Catherine shares her advice around navigating and resolving conflict and cultivating a harmonious and professional workplace.

As practice owners, managing our team is a big part of our responsibilities. However, as is the nature of managing people, conflicts are bound to arise.

Catherine Gillespie brings a wealth of skill to her clients. With particular expertise in teaching communication and workplace conflict resolution skills, Catherine has made a marked difference to the organisations she has worked with. She empowers teams and managers to adopt constructive styles that support harmony, productivity and progress in the workplace. Catherine has a particular interest in Challenging Behaviours and High Conflict Personalities & Situations within the workplace.

As a qualified and Nationally Accredited Advanced Mediator, Catherine is able to support parties to more fully understand their dispute and work towards agreements for future workplace behaviours and interactions.

In this episode, we discuss:

4:54 Why people are seemingly so self-entitled in the workplace
6:10 What makes a team a team
9:00 Cultivating a culture that focuses on supporting the business
10:59 How workplace conflicts arise
13:04 Maintaining professional yet friendly relationships in your practice
17:19 Tips for creating a harmonious team
20:23 The importance of communicating expectations clearly
25:38 Understanding types of conflict
29:34 Mediating conflict between two coworkers
36:13 What harmony looks like in the workplace

Find out more about Catherine Gillespie

https://workplaceconflictresolution.com.au/

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Android | RSS

If I said it was high time you got yourself to an intellectual property (IP) workshop for dentists, you might think I was slightly off track with my coaching strategy.

However, if you’re a dental entrepreneur, chances are at some point, the question of intellectual property will come onto your radar.

In fact, now more so than ever, if you haven’t thought about your dental business IP, you could be making a big – and costly – mistake.

Understanding intellectual property for dentists is not only important for brand ownership. It is vitally important for protecting a business asset with the power to create leverage.

Although protecting your IP may not make it to your ‘to do’ list today, it would be wise to think about when it might.

Acting at the right time, and implementing the right protection, is what distinguishes dental entrepreneurs from regular practice owners. And as IP becomes a broader business issue, we’ll see more people taking this topic seriously.

Want to know more? Read on!

The Most Important IP For Any Dental Practice Is Their Brand (so protect it!)

I may sound like I’m stating the obvious, but you’d be surprised the number of business owners (not just dentists) who don’t place a value on their brand.

Now just to be clear, a brand is not a business name, company name, trademark or domain name. A brand is the sign that’s used to distinguish your services from those of other traders. It can be a logo or a name. It can even be packaging design and colours.

Don’t confuse a brand with goodwill, which is an accounting value that’s put on intellectual property. Intellectual property protection is about protecting the business name, as opposed to the personal name of the individual practitioner.

A brand is protected by a trademark. While you might register a company name with ASIC, this offers your brand almost zero protection for intellectual property. Protection like this just doesn’t stop another trader from using a similar name.

However, when a trademark is registered, it gives your business a monopoly in that particular trademark.

Call it an advantage if you like, but a trademark provides clarity and certainty. It also provides a whole lot of brand protection.

Pick A Brand That’s Distinctive

While Dentists are generally a very technically astute bunch, we’re really only warming up to the idea of entrepreneurialism and creativity.

This shows up in ways like: we prefer to blend in rather than stand out when it comes to business names and branding.

But a little creativity goes a long way in this area.

Super important in the world of intellectual property protection, a more distinctive brand will means you have a better chance of securing your IP.

The bottom line? Be brave enough to stand out.

If you have a business name that’s not distinctive enough, you’ll have a limited chance of securing the trademark registration you’re after.

Act Sooner, Not Later to Protect Intellectual Property for Dentists

Why is this so important?

The number one reason it’s important is that Australia is a ‘first to use’, rather than a ‘first to file’ jurisdiction.

How the first to use rule works is like this:

Practice A first uses their mark in 2010 but doesn’t register it until 2018.

Practice B files for the same trademark in 2014 four years prior to Practice A and think they own the trademark.

Actually, when business A decides to register their mark in 2018, they are the owners of that trademark. And there’s nothing Practice B can do about it.

This situation is avoided by a couple of simple actions.

If you’re only just starting out in practice, it’s the ideal time to make a mark in the sand. For somewhere between $1,500 and $2,000, a dental practice can register their trademark. A simple, well-timed step like this can save heartache, hassles and a pile of cash down the track.

The second practical thing a dental entrepreneur can take is by completing the right kind of search. Lawyers practising in this area can perform this task. They will search business names, company names, domain names and general internet usage to determine if your trademark ensure is ‘clean’.

As far as possible, you want to avoid having to file a trademark retrospectively. It’s far more preferable to act sooner, rather than later to protect your intellectual property assets.

Work With An Intellectual Property Expert

Life is busy as a practising dentist, which means our bandwidth for diving deep into specialist areas can be limited.

The solution?

Work with someone who knows their way around intellectual property protection. It is well worth the investment.

An experienced IP lawyer can do the relevant searches, prepare paperwork, and file applications. They can also advise when renewal dates are approaching and take care of that process too.

The fixed fee that is typically charged for this kind of work is worth every cent of the peace of mind it provides.

Use Your Brand Consistently

When it comes to smart intellectual property protection, it’s good business to keep your brand consistent.

I could understand you asking: Isn’t this obvious, Jesse?

Well, not really. Over time, as we evolve, so does our business. And, so do the ways we want the business represented.

At key points in business growth or change, many business owners decide to rebrand. This is not a problem of itself. However, if you are trading using a non-distinctive brand, in future you may struggle to register that trademark. It is particularly difficult to get registration over the line if you’ve used multiple marks within a ten-year period.

The key here is consistency.

Final Words…

Taking steps to protect your intellectual property might not be your highest priority right now. However, at some point, every savvy dentist should give it some conscious thought.

Forward thinking and pre-emptive action is always preferable to an expensive headache down the track.

On this episode, I’m joined by lawyer Chris Round to share his insights on protecting your dental practice’s intellectual property assets.

As dental practice owners, we might not think that we have any “intellectual property” to protect. But nothing could be further from the truth. From trademarking your practice name and logo, to inventions and copyright, there are plenty of pieces of intellectual property we need to protect.

Chris Round is an intellectual property lawyer with extensive experience in the registration of intellectual property rights and associated litigation. He represents clients in copyright, trade mark, patent, designs and associated trade practices litigation in all Australian Courts.

In this episode, we discuss:

2:00 The most important thing to protect as a small business and how to do it.
4:41 What you can trademark as a dental practice
8:53 Navigating the international social media landscape vs the local trademark registration process
11:08 Can you trademark your suburb name and “dental”?
17:55 The process of getting a trademark registered
20:34 Prior use of names and trademarks
22:50 The benefits of filing a trademark registration with a law firm
25:49 Protecting inventions or methodologies through patents
28:39 How to protect your content through copyright

Find out more about Chris Round

http://www.klgates.com/christopher-round/

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Android | RSS

Every dental entrepreneur can learn a lot from the sporting arena.

Especially at the elite level, there are lessons for dental business that warrant a ‘sit up and focus’ kind of attention.

Now, I’m partial to my sporting analogies, it’s true. But I have to say, I was more than inspired when Steven Bradbury gave the keynote speech at our last event.

For those of you missed it, Steven was Australia’s first gold medal Winter Olympian. What I love about Steven’s story is that by the time he won the gold medal, it wasn’t about the gold. It was about so much more.

It was the plan.

Following a process (that was sometimes mind numbingly boring).

Developing resilience to stick out tough days.

Having a great team.

Working with a coach.

Being part of a community.

Because I enjoyed Steven’s presentation so much, I couldn’t help myself. Would he like to hang out at the Savvy Dentist podcast? He kindly agreed to share his insights, which you can listen to here.

#1 Every Successful Dental Entrepreneur is Laser Focused

When training for the Olympics, an elite athlete is not distracted by every other thing.

No, instead, they have a single point of focus: getting to the Olympics and doing their best.

If you’re a dental entrepreneur, your business is your ‘Olympics’. It requires a laser focus too. Doing that well means, blocking out distractions and keeping your mind and actions on what’s important.

No distractions. Just focus.

#2 Successful Dental Entrepreneurs Have A Written Plan

Okay, so having a plan is different to having a plan that’s written down.

A plan that’s in your head has less chance of happening, so take time to get your plan down on paper. That way, you have a clear direction for your business. A plan will keep you focused, making it easier to eliminate unnecessary activity and distractions.

Avoid complicated with your business plan. Instead, keep it simple and make the contents clear and considered, i.e. it must make sense to you, not just look good on paper.

#3 A Successful Dental Entrepreneur Does the Work, Even If They Don’t Feel Like It

Successful people do what’s required, even when they don’t feel like it.

Daily team huddle? Check.

Prepare monthly marketing content? Done it!

Review the draft standard operating procedures that will help scale their practice (instead of scrolling through Facebook). High five, right there!

Training for the Olympics is less about a goal than just ‘doing the work’. Over and over, day in and day out. It’s the one percenters; doing the little things every day. Do enough of these for long enough and eventually you’re standing on the podium of life with gold around your neck.

#4 Successful Dental Entrepreneurs Have a Coach

You might read this and think, Yes, but you’re a dental coach.

That’s true, I am. But here’s what I know. Every elite athlete has at least one coach, if not more.

The benefit of a coach is they are a second mind totally focused on your success. A coach will hold you accountable, call you on your ‘story’, make you do the boring stuff (even when you don’t want to), help strategise at defining moments in time.

Steven Bradbury’s coach of six years in the lead up to the Olympic gold medal was a diminutive little Chinese woman who was tough as flint. With her mind and wisdom, and Steven’s experience, they put together a gold medal winning strategy. If Steven had approached the semi-final and final using his own thinking, there would have been no gold medal to celebrate.

On paper, as the oldest skater and with the slowest time in the top eight competitors, it looked like Steven didn’t have a chance at gold. With two bright minds, they created the pathway for gold.

#5 Successful Dental Entrepreneurs Are Persistent

If success was an easy, straight road, every dentist would be on it.

The truth is, the road to success – however you define it – is challenging and lined with adversity. Why? Because that’s how we grow and develop the ‘muscle’ needed to take our business to the next level. Often, adversity strengthens our resolve and in so doing, builds a new level of persistence and mental strength to keep going.

Rather than think you’re the only one doing it tough, just know the pathway you’re on – the one with setbacks and ‘up against the wall’ moments – is steeling you for the next level.

Undoubtedly, there will always be one or two more significant moments or experiences when you wonder Will I keep going? How do I make it back from here? But if you leave enough space after asking that question, you’ll find the way and persist.

#6 Successful Dental Entrepreneurs Have A Great Team

Success is not a solo sport. Whether it’s business or sport, having a great team around you makes winning easier.

Steven Bradbury was supported by his parents, coach, the other guys he skated with for years, his physiotherapist, and so on. Making it onto the podium would not have been possible without his ‘people’.

It’s exactly the same in dental (or any) business. We need strong, competent people around us in all key areas – clinical work, business operations, finance, legal, marketing. No exceptions.

Yes, it might take time to build the team, but be committed to doing (and write it in your plan!).

#7 Successful Dental Entrepreneurs Have A Great Team

True success is doing what you enjoy and gaining personal fulfilment from it. It matters very little whether that’s dental entrepreneurship, cleaning cars or flying to the moon.

The bottom line is: you’ve got to love it. Because if you’re stuck in a rut and going through the motions, you won’t find success there. And it’s time to look at what needs to change.

The good news is, it’s in your hands. Totally.

Final Words…

There really are no secret ingredients to being a successful dental entrepreneur. It comes down to some fundamental principles that any dentist can apply to their practice and win.

A personal mission and vision captured in a documented plan, backed by a coach, team and diligent persistence will show up as a whole lot of success, if you stick with it.