Steven Bradbury is Australia’s first ever Winter Olympics gold medalist. What is less known is his backstory, the hardships, the set-backs and the resilience it took to get there.

Steven Bradbury has presented at over 800 conferences and events in 15 countries. He loves the adrenalin before going onstage and loves that his strategies for success in business and in life are able to inspire and help people.

In this episode, Steven unpacks what it took to get to the Olympics and win gold despite setbacks.

In this episode we chat about:

5:07 The value of surrounding ourselves with those more knowledgeable and experienced.
10:48 Setting goals and planning to be successful
14:30 Overcoming setbacks
22:47 Adapting to changing circumstances
27:16 Success is about focusing on process over goal
32:00 Strategising around your limitations
35:35 The value of a coach with a different approach
37:46 Having a team around you
And more

More about Steven Bradbury

Steven Bradbury

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Many dentists resist integrating orthodontic business into their practice. Seeing it as yet another ‘to do’ on their already endless list, it can very easily be thrown in the ‘too hard’ basket.

But before you get too carried away and make a long shot into the ‘too hard’ hoop, consider this:

Orthodontic business is one ideal way to re-inject energy and enthusiasm into your dental practice.

It provides the opportunity to expand your professional network, as you connect to other like-minded technical professionals through training.

Integrating new technical skills into your repertoire challenges you to grow professionally. As you grow, the team and systems that support you must also grow.

In pure revenue terms, it can add thousands to your dental business bottom line.

So maybe now could be the time to give orthodontic business a second thought. Let’s dive in and investigate further.

Orthodontic Business Is Too Hard For Dentists….Or Is It?

Integrating orthodontic business into dental practice doesn’t need to be hard if you investigate thoroughly and invest wisely.

There is little doubt that historically orthodontics has been a closed shop to dentists. Back in the day, there was a reluctance among specialists to share their wisdom and skills. But, that is changing now.

Whether the driver is market demand, the operating environment or something else, it doesn’t really matter. The bottom line is, a technically and commercially savvy dentist can take considered steps to integrate orthodontics into her business.

There are now orthodontists around the world – and here in Australia – who are happy to train and support dentists with robust technical training. What’s more, they provide the ongoing support required to ensure new skills are fully integrated in practice.

The understanding is that like all new things, orthodontic treatment skills take time to develop. It follows that appropriate support is in place to navigate this territory.

Does this mean signing up for lengthy, time-consuming studies and over extending financially? Not necessarily. Just as you would with the introduction of any new service into your dental practice, you’d do the homework.

You’d consider questions like:

What’s the time and dollar investment for training and production?

What kind of support is provided once training is completed?

Will you have the opportunity to connect in with a support community?

Can you leverage their clinical systems?

What equipment is required?

Can they help identify and manage the technical, treatment and financial risks?

If these questions can be answered, perhaps orthodontics is worth considering.

You will also know to look out for orthodontic products and training delivered by clinicians who share your values around patient care. They will understand the learning curve you’re on and walk with you every step until you’re confident.

How Do I Sell Orthodontic Treatment

While many dentists might feel totally comfortable with the technical aspects of acquiring orthodontic treatment skills, they’re less confident with the ‘sell’

It can be a real mental hurdle to jump, but it doesn’t need to be.

If we work with our patients as a trusted advisor, we don’t need to sell anything.

Instead, we simply have conversations with our patients. These conversations show we’ve listened, we care, and that the person in front of us matters.

Hey Steve, have you ever thought about straightening your teeth in the past? Was there a reason you didn’t proceed?

Mary, have you ever thought of having that missing tooth replaced? Why didn’t you have the treatment?

Simple, thoughtfully worded questions will provide insight to the barriers to treatment. It will also help you present treatment options that meet their needs.

The big news is, this approach is not specific to orthodontic treatment. Savvy dentists (and orthodontists!) will already do this. As a dentist coach, I see it as a must-have skill for any dental professional interested in growing and scaling their practice.

How Will I Market Treatments Now I’m Doing Orthodontic Business?

One thing many dentists find difficult is the marketing aspects of dental business.

They perceive it as a separate activity from clinical practice. The truth is, marketing is core business for dentists, not an add on activity. If that’s how you’ve been approaching it, time for a mindset shift. Marketing is just what you do when you grow and scale a dental practice.

Let’s look at it this way:

Each time you speak with a patient about the most ideal way to care for their teeth – that’s marketing.

When you share a story about a patient who overcame their fear of the dentist and invested in treatment – that’s marketing.

When you’re front office team answer the phone using the right script and ask for a referral – guess what? That’s marketing.

You have a conversation, build rapport, listen to their needs, solve their problems. All marketing.

What does this mean? It means you’re already marketing. And you can do it for orthodontic treatments too when they become part of your business.

Build a solid framework around the introduction of orthodontic business and it will pay dividends. You can do this by in different ways: pre-framing patients so they know new treatment is coming. Just as you would for other patient communications, you might also develop phone and treatment room scripts for your team and connect via regular newsletter, blogs and social media posts.

Looking at your orthodontic business marketing this way makes it manageable and doable.

Final Words

Fear of the unknown and being uncomfortable can prevent us from taking steps forward and growing.

Whether it’s in a personal or professional realm, progress and change will always feel somewhat uncomfortable. If that’s where orthodontics is for you, I encourage you to consider the possibilities before discounting it as a way to grow both you and your business.

And for those among wanting to gain greater confidence about ‘selling’, the upcoming Savvy Dentist workshop is perfect for you. Present Like A Pro: Learn How to Sell Without Selling Out is suitable for practice owners, associate dentists, oral health technicians, practice managers and treatment coordinators. We have just a couple of spots remaining for this event. Join us on the Gold Coast this week (15 – 16 March 2018). We’d love to see you there.

Orthodontics can be a great way to add a specialist stream to your general practice and increase your revenue.

In this episode, I chat to Dr Geoff Hall from SmileFast about orthodontics, the changing private practice landscape, advances in orthodontic technology and much more.

Dr Geoffrey Hall is a specialist orthodontist based in Melbourne, Victoria and inventor of the SmileFast cosmetic orthodontic system. Dr Hall lectures to dental professionals nationally and internationally and has written many articles and more recently was a co-author in a lingual orthodontics book.

In this episode, we discuss:

6:30 – Demystifying orthodontics
7:30 – How integrating orthodontics into a general practice can give you an edge
9:00 – Systems for including orthodontics in your practice
18:30 – The BEST question to ask to find out the barriers to treatment
20:20 – Changes in orthodontics
25:02 – Why you’re leaving money on the table when it comes to orthodontics
27:31 – How you can leverage orthodontics in your practice
29:00 – The invaluable role of mentorship in orthodontics
30:30 – How to make your business more robust by adding a specialty service
33:00 – How private practices can survive in a world dominated by corporates

More about Dr Geoff Hall

Smile Fast

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When we think dental business, most practice owners don’t necessarily think ‘joy’.

On the contrary, they can feel stressed, overwhelmed, and very much lacking in joy.

But it doesn’t have to be this way.

Dental practice owners can enjoy practice – and business more – if they apply some simple lessons.

Check them out here.

If You Don’t Like What You’re Doing, Change It

As humans, we can sometimes be slow learners.

We stay stuck in environments that are unhealthy, businesses that drain us, and jobs we hate.

At least, until we’re forced to do something about it.

American motivational speaker Les Brown says, If you don’t move on life, life will move on you.

And he’s right.

Move Boldly, Manage Risk

Often when we do decide to move, we do it suddenly and without much planning.

In some instances, we nail it.

Other times, well, we may fall short of the mark.

If that happens, it’s best if you’ve already thought through the risks and have a Plan B.

It doesn’t mean never backing yourself.

On the contrary, backing yourself is a key entrepreneurial quality.

Just always aim to temper boldness with well-considered risk.

That way when you do bust out a bold move or two, you’ll enjoy it all the more.

Get Clear About Opinions That Count

Smart entrepreneurs are clear about the opinions that count.

Rock solid and unwavering, a steadfast belief in self and those close to you is a guaranteed way to enjoy your dental business more.

Why?

Because any time spent worrying about what ‘everyone else’ is doing is wasted time.

Focusing on the achievements of others can lead to unhappiness and dissatisfaction, concern about others’ opinions is a real buzzkill.

The bottom line is, your opinion of you is what counts most. Work on that and you may find you enjoy dental practice more.

In Relationships, Balance the Business and Personal

Okay, so this can be a tough one if you’re in business with a family member, partner or friend.

And let’s face it, many dental practices involve a partnership of partner’s or mates.

So, what’s the best way to manage the inevitable challenges that arise?

Here’s what I find works well for me:

Identify – and then focus on – how your respective skills bring different qualities to the business and complement one another.

Communicate openly, even on the tough stuff.

Work through challenges as quickly as possible. Aim to resolve an issue once. Recycling issues is exhausting.

This may not be foolproof, but applying simple tips like this can make for a much more enjoyable dental business and life.

When Collaborating, Be Clear About What’s In It For You

New collaborations can be exciting, regardless of whether it’s new team members, business partners or service providers.

Like any new relationship, we can experience a honeymoon period.

Looking through rose coloured glasses, we ignore behaviours, attitudes and communication that would make us think twice otherwise.

But here’s what experience has taught me.

In any collaborative arrangement, always be clear about what’s in it for you.

That’s not to say, you don’t deliver value to the other party.

It just means you enter the collaboration with eyes wide open and clear expectations.

Transparency and openness from the start make for very enjoyable dental business relationships.

Focus on Dental Business, Not Unnecessary Busy-ness

In a world of 24/7 connectivity, it’s the easiest thing in the world to be ‘on’ all the time.

Checked that phone lately?

Ah, yes, only six times…..in the last five minutes.

Uncontained access to social media and emails is a direct pathway to overload.

And the best way to avoid overload is to focus on your dental business; not ‘everything else’.

Step away from being busy for the sake of being busy.

Ironically, slowing down and directing efforts at your core business activities, will lead to better commercial outcomes. It will also lead to better personal ones too.

Final Words…

If you’ve been reading this blog for a while, not one of these lessons will be news to you.

But, like I said back in my first point, we’re often slow learners and need to hear things many times before it sinks in.

At the heart of Savvy Dentist is a desire to help practice owners enjoy business and life more.

My feeling is, if you apply these lessons, you’ll go some way to achieving that.

Our next workshop, Present Like A Pro: Learn How to Sell Without Selling Out could be the very best way to bring more joy into your practice’s business development activities. Suitable for dental business owners, associate dentists, oral health technicians, practice managers and treatment coordinators, this workshop is being held at the Mantra Legends Hotel on the Gold Coast from 15 – 16 March 2018. You can register here. We’d love to see you there!

Emma and Carla Papas are the Merrymaker Sisters. They are on a mission to merrymaker over the world, helping people to live a healthy, happy, magic-filled life. They help over 1.5 million people every year with their book, app, programs and podcast.

In this episode, it was a pleasure to sit down with the spirited entrepreneurs, Emma and Carla Papas and discuss their thoughts around success, running a business whilst juggling their personal relationship and much more.

In this episode, we discuss:

10:55 How to juggle a business that also has a personal relationship element – e.g. working with family members or spouse.

14:10 The importance of having hobbies outside of business

15:42 Mistakes to avoid in business

21:14 Busy-ness vs business.

30:40 The role of mindfulness in success

33:33 Factors that have contributed to success

Find out more about the Merrymaker Sisters

https://themerrymakersisters.com/

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Video marketing and dentists.

Two concepts not usually found in the same sentence, right?

Well, if that’s what you’re thinking, now might be the time to reconsider your position on the matter.

More than ever, it’s now widely accepted video is an integral part of any serious content marketing strategy.

Even for dentists and other medical professionals, who are normally a camera-shy bunch.

Once the domain of cringe worthy infomercials for products nobody wants, video is now accessible to you and me.

Video marketing does more than make us sound great.

It establishes credibility.

Video marketing also builds trust and rapport, amps up our appeal, and expands our audience.

Wondering how to get on board with video marketing?

Check out these five steps to creating video marketing magic.

Step 1 – Define the Video’s Purpose

A lot of people take the same approach to video marketing that they take with the latest ‘everything’.

They think Everyone else is doing video. I should do video too.

Then they go to a video production company and spend a pile of cash.

Now maybe the video they ended up with is great.

But the video doesn’t do what it’s supposed to.

That’s because nobody thought it through before the camera started rolling.

A video’s purpose will be different things for every business.

Maybe it’s more engagement.

Or it could be education or trust building or connection.

It doesn’t matter what the purpose is.

It matters that you know what the purpose is.

Defining the video’s purpose will increase the chances video marketing will work for you and your dental business.

Step 2 – Define Your Customer For Video Marketing

When it comes to marketing, defining your ideal customer or patient is ground zero.

Regardless of your marketing medium, this is step can’t be missed.

Video is no exception.

If you’ve managed to skip on by this task previously, it’s time to knuckle down on the detail.

Just who are you dealing with?

What’s important to them?

What do they think about?

What worries them?

Where does a savvy dentist fit into all that?

Take time to think deeply about the responses to these questions.

The better you define your ideal patient, the easier it will be to produce videos they’ll watch.

Step 3 – Clarify Your Video Marketing Message

Click here to get your FREE Video Marketing Blueprint

When it comes to video, there’s nothing much worse than listening to someone who rambles.

With video, we don’t have to stick around.

In just one click, we can move on.

So how do you stop that when it’s your video they’re watching?

Simple.

Craft a clear marketing message that makes sense to your audience.

And make sure that message lines up with the rest of your brand.

Now, this is not just a case of coming up with a vanilla tagline like We’re your local caring dentist.

It requires more thought than that.

You need to consider questions like:

Why does this matter to my audience?

Is this relevant to them?

Why should they care?

When you can answer these questions with certainty, you’ll know you’re on the way to a clear message with the power to connect.

And you’ll have a compelling video to boot.

Step 4 – Select the Video Format

With the proliferation of video as a marketing medium, there are now many formats a video can take.

Want casual and relaxed?

No problem, Facebook Live it.

Allowing you to instantly stream live to patients and followers, Facebook Live means you interact with viewers in real time.

This is the perfect video format for quick updates and connection building.

What makes these videos even more appealing is you only need a smartphone.

A step up from this type of video marketing is community grade content.

Produced to a reasonable quality, this type of video moves beyond the basics.

It reflects a higher standard of audio quality.

At the very least, they should be produced with a microphone to improve audio quality.

A third level of video marketing is the commercial grade production video.

This is where video marketing gets serious.

Here you’ll find production crews, scripts, lighting and proper audio.

The trick is knowing which one is for you.

In reality, each one of these formats will have a role at some stage in your video marketing strategy.

At times, you might even have all three working for you.

My tip: start with the basics and work your way up.

You can even download my own video framework here to get you started.

Step 5 – Build A Bridge to Video Marketing

Now, just so we’re clear, I don’t mean literally go build a bridge.

What I mean is, video marketing is not for wallflowers.

So, if the idea of doing videos strikes fear in heart, you need to find a way to step onto that bridge – and keep walking.

Maybe you don’t like the way you look or sound or the way your nose turns up slightly.

The good news is, you are not the only one.

While you might see your ‘flaws’ up close and personal every day, most people won’t look that closely.

They’ll be more interested in what you have to say.

Especially if you’ve crafted a clear, strong message backed by good information that solves a problem.

That doesn’t mean standing in front of a camera and speaking is enough.

No, you need to look alive.

More than show up, you better think ‘show time’.

Bonus Step – Play the Part

One thing people really struggle with here is striking the balance between authenticity and ‘performing’ on video.

Somehow, they think there’s a difference between the two, but really there isn’t.

As dentists, we’re already performing.

We see patients every day.

If we walked into the treatment room and greeted Mrs Jones with a curt nod of the head and nothing more, she’d never come back.

Instead we say:

Mrs Jones, it is lovely to see you back here again.

How is Mr Jones?

Did the two of you enjoy your time away in Italy?

You did! How wonderful.

After opening up the conversation with Mrs Jones, we might share some light humour about too much red wine and fine Italian food.

We might even swap stories about our own travels to Italy.

Are we faking it?

No.

Are we building rapport?

Yes.

We’re also establishing trust and connecting with our ideal patient at their level.

And that’s exactly what we do with video marketing.

Final Words

Video may not be your immediate next marketing step

However, at some point, every savvy dentist will find themselves in front of a camera.

Those who make the move will have a strong clear message and know their audience.

They will also be confident sharing it.

Like anyone starting out in video marketing, I didn’t love my first efforts.

But I kept going.

For me it was about deciding that video bridge was worth building and getting on it.

Want to get started?

Use my tried and tested framework for short videos. Click here to get your FREE Video Marketing Blueprint

What better way to craft your sales key messages than attend our next workshop, Present Like A Pro: Learn How to Sell Without Selling Out? Suitable for practice owners, associate dentists, oral health technicians, practice managers and treatment coordinators, this workshop is being held at the Mantra Legends Hotel on the Gold Coast from 15 – 16 March 2018. You can register here.

Click here to get your FREE Video Marketing Blueprint

Geoff Anderson loves helping his clients tell their stories through video. Since 1993 he has owned and operated Sonic Sight, a video production facility in Sydney Australia.

He has worked on productions throughout Australia, New Zealand, Singapore and the US. Geoff is a video producer, a cameraman, an editor, a director and a scriptwriter.

Geoff is the author of “Shoot Me Now – making videos to boost business”, a prolific blogger on video, a regular writer on LinkedIn, Smallville and Leaders in Heels. He presents on the topic of using video to boost business.

In this episode, we discuss:

3:00 Why you need to build a business that supports your lifestyle
11:10 What successful business videos do
14:00 Some suggested video strategies for dental practices
16:01 The role of video in establishing trust with patients
17:30 3 types of video - which are you using?
19:50 Where people go wrong with creating videos and how to avoid them
24:00 How to identify your audience to nail your video message
26:10 Tips for being better on camera
33:30 Where to host your videos
35:00 How to leverage your videos
39:15 And key lessons from YouTube celebrities about video marketing

Click here to get your FREE Video Marketing Blueprint

Find out more about Geoff Anderson and Sonic Sight at

www.sonicsight.com.au

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So, last week we celebrated the Savvy Dentist podcast century.

We made it. One hundred episodes.

I’m happy to say, I’ve reached my first official podcast ‘tonne’.

Although I never quite got there playing cricket, it seems I’ve managed here.

Milestone moment – ‘100 not out’ with the Savvy Dentist podcast.

Times like these are the perfect opportunity to reflect: on progress, achievements and lessons learned.

Really, my journey through production of 100 episodes of Savvy Dentist is a good analogy for life.

And I’m keen to share that with you here.

Read on and take the shortcut to master what took me many hours and a few mistakes to make.

Lesson #1 Define Your Own Version of Success

Have you ever scrolled through your Facebook feed and thought, Golly, my life does not look like that?

I have.

But I don’t do it half as much as I did before Savvy Dentist got started.

You see I learned that while the lives of other people might look fabulous, what’s important is how I look at my life.

It also matters how I see myself.

Reaching that point requires being comfortable in my own skin.

And the Savvy Dentist podcast has helped me with that acceptance.

I find it fascinating that speaking to the podcast guests each week only confirms what I already know.

We’re not that different from one another.

Actually, as entrepreneurs, we experience similar challenges in business and life.

This awareness means we’re more accepting of others.

Importantly, it makes us more accepting of ourselves. We’re also more likely to be comfortable with our own definition of success.

Lesson #2 Aim For Mastery

Another gem that’s emerged through my Savvy Dentist podcast guests is the aspirational goal of mastery.

With each guest an expert in their own field, there have been numerous examples of mastery in motion.

I’ve discovered it matters less what you’re trying to master, and more that you’re aiming for mastery.

If there was no other take-away from Savvy Dentist, this alone is gold.

Like most entrepreneurs, my business career has been punctuated by invaluable lessons.

These have only been possible because I’ve sought to be truly proficient – even masterful – in certain areas.

Have made it on all fronts?

No, of course not.

In fact, I’m still a way off in some areas, but there’s no need to master everything.

The key is that I’m on the move, I’m not looking back and I’ve converting experience to wisdom.

Lesson #3 Value Relationships and Connections

Okay, so this one might sound clichéd, but I’m prepared to take that risk.

One of the best lessons from producing the Savvy Dentist podcast is understanding deeply the value of relationships and connection.

By speaking with different and interesting people every week, the Savvy Dentist podcast has opened up new relationships for me.

It has demonstrated to me how conversations can evolve into meaningful connections.

As dental entrepreneurs, we can apply this principle in very practical way.

How many times have we dismissed an opportunity to listen to a person who might not fall within our typical sphere of influence?

Or knocked back the chance to cultivate a more enduring connection with someone?

Working away busily in practice and business, I know how easy it is to do.

What the Savvy Dentist podcast has taught me is those connections will pay dividends many times over.

We just need to make them.

Thanks to the Savvy Dentist podcast, the discipline of reaching out to guests and having a conversation has been richly rewarding.

And it will be for you too.

Lesson #4 Technical Skills Do Not Equal Business Savvy

The Savvy Dentist podcast brings together great dentistry and great business.

Why?

Because they don’t teach business and entrepreneurship at dental school.

I get it.

We need to be technically skilled if we’re to deliver exceptional care.

Unfortunately, focusing only on the technical means every graduating dentist is short on tools in their business success toolbox.

Being a great clinical dentist is no guarantee for success.

Dental business success requires more than just technical competence.

As a dental business owner several times over and having worked across the dental industry, my certainty about this has grown.

If you want your dental business to flourish, you’re going to need technical skills and dental business skills.

You also need a business coach, mentor or switched on business buddy who will reflect back your value to you.

Most of the time, we assume the value we’re giving is understood and appreciated.

It’s a mistake many dental entrepreneurs make.

If we’re not reminding our patients of the value they receive before, during and after a consult, we miss important communication opportunities.

My tip: don’t assume your patients will see your value.

Deliver value to them through your care, and then communicate it too.

It’s a one-two move that’s worth the effort.

Lesson #5 High Five Yourself, Regularly

A distinguishing trait I’ve noticed among many dental entrepreneurs is reluctance to acknowledge the wins along the way.

I think you’ll know what I mean.

To high five yourself when you’ve kicked a goal, or as in my case, produced the hundredth episode of your podcast.

Whatever the equivalent is for you, acknowledge and do it regularly.

Often, we’re so busy looking forward, charging towards the next future thing that we barely take a moment to reflect on achievements to this point.

An important lesson for me – and it came in episode 100 of the Savvy Dentist podcast – is to do just that.

This is a vital exercise for balancing the perception our efforts haven’t stacked up.

Final Words…

The Savvy Dentist podcast has been a wonderful learning vehicle for me.

It’s my sincere wish that it’s been the same for our listeners.

Take these lessons on board in your dental business and life and we look forward to sharing more wisdom from our guests over the next hundred episodes.

In this very special 100th episode, I am on the other side of the mic. Guest host, Ronsley Vaz asks me about what I’ve learned from my own podcast and much more.

In this episode we discuss

2:00 My top 3 learnings from guests on the show
5:49 The skill gap that most dental practice owners have (and how to fix it)
9:03 How the Savvy Dentist Operating System can give you freedom and confidence
11:26 How to frame value for your patients
15:00 How to escape the commoditisation of dentistry
18:30 What I’ve learned about myself
25:35 How to temper a perfectionistic nature
28:25 A simple exercise to appreciate how far you’ve come
32:00 The power of curating your peer group

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Not so long ago, the term dental entrepreneur didn’t exist in our vocabulary.

Even hearing dentist and entrepreneur in the same sentence was uncommon.

Today, it’s a different story.

Many in the Savvy Dentist community will be familiar with the term; some might even embrace it.

Even beyond our audience, there is growing awareness around the concept of dental entrepreneurship.

I’m pleased thinking among dentists is evolving. It means people are stepping up.

As practice owners, the ability to shift gears from dentist to dental entrepreneur is in our hands.

Mastering the right skills will make for smooth gear changes into scaled and profitable practices.

Here’s a handful of the ‘must-haves’ for moving on up.

#1 Follow Through

We’re all guilty of starting something, or lots of things - and not finishing them.

A common flaw among business owners, we often fall into this habit simply because we have so much going on.

Not following through means we let people down.

As a result, we feel lousy, and then follow through even less.

It’s a counter-productive cycle.

By contrast, successful dental entrepreneurs have mastered the art of completion and seeing things through.

These habits go hand in hand.

They demonstrate integrity and let people know: I do what I say I will.

The ability to follow through is a fundamental ingredient to a dental entrepreneur’s success. Now’s the time to master it.

#2 Be A Visionary

While there’s safety in numbers, success can be found in being visionary.

We’re conditioned to believe that a visionary is someone ‘out there’, i.e. not us.

But a dental entrepreneur isn’t limited by that thinking.

The dental entrepreneur is the visionary.

Rather than follow everyone else, the dental entrepreneur is making things that don’t exist.

They also create niches and meet market needs.

We live at a time when anyone can be a visionary, including a dentist who’s shifting gears to become a dental entrepreneur.

My tip: find that thing that excites you most. Then find a way to win. It’s the pathway to dental entrepreneurship.

#3 Build A Great Team

A dental entrepreneur never works solo.

Instead, they focus on building a great team.

They recognise the power of one is vastly outweighed by a group of inspired and skilled professionals.

But what if they don’t do the work as perfectly as me?

Great question.

A dental entrepreneur recognises perfection is not the precursor to practice growth.

Actually, it stymies it. Big time.

Becoming a dental entrepreneur means: giving up control and the need for perfection.

It doesn’t mean taking your eye off the ball.

Handing over tasks to team members must be done appropriately.

Think job descriptions, standard operating procedures, regular performance checks.

Apart from making life more manageable, these tools help a dental entrepreneur’s practice to grow – without their direct involvement in every detail.

#4 Use Time Wisely

When growing a practice, it’s tempting to take on every shiny new thing that comes our way.

We do this under the belief that if we don’t, we’ll miss out.

While it might seem strange, the exact opposite is true.

A dental entrepreneur understands this principle.

Applying a strong filter to opportunities and activities, a successful dental entrepreneur will make decisions about new projects by asking this question:

Will this project take me closer to my goal or further away?

If it means moving closer, great, they’re all in.

Discernment about the investment of time means the dental entrepreneur remains laser focused about what’s most important.

#5 Create A Living Culture

We’ve all been to places where the negativity in the air can be felt.

A dental entrepreneur doesn’t go to places like that.

They don’t run their practice that way either.

A dental entrepreneur invests in their team, their business culture, and they keep people accountable.

Visions, purpose and values are written down and visible.

Due diligence is done on prospective employees.

New team members are trained properly.

Words of encouragement and affirmation, rather than criticism, are part of huddles and team conversations.

People feel included, valued and supported.

Expectations and responsibility are second nature.

Employee churn rates are low.

The team functions like high performers. That’s because they are high performers.

They are the dental equivalent of the New Zealand All Blacks.

Willing to go the extra mile, do what it takes, pick each other up, find a way to win.

It takes time to create a living culture, but it starts with an intention and a willingness to make tough calls.

A dental entrepreneur will have hard conversations and move people on if they don’t fit.

They do this with the certainty a living culture enables their vision.

And you can too.

Final Words...

We can be lured into the belief that dental entrepreneurs are born, not made, but it’s just not true.

Every dentist can learn and master the skills that make a dental entrepreneur.

All it takes is the right intention, backed by the discipline of consistent deliberate action.