Empowering Dentists to Work Less and Live More: Journey of Service and Innovation

You’re going to fail. And if you fail faster, you’re going to find success faster than anybody else. So you chase failure. You don’t stop trying, because the only person that loses is the person that quits. 

 

Shawn Zajas  00:15 

The future of dentistry belongs to be innovators. Welcome to innovation in dentistry. I’m your host, Shawn Zajas. And I believe that the future of dentistry is going to be unbelievably great over the next decade in two decades. But the question isn’t that the question is, are you going to be part of what makes dentistry great? Okay, ladies and gentlemen, I could not be more excited today to share with you someone that I just met. But everything I hear about this guy is just amazing. It’s bomb. It is a pleasure, Mr. Kirk, reach out that I get to, I say reach out to you. I know. I’m like, this has got to be simple. I’m going to be able to nail this and it and then I bomb your last name. I’m so sorry. Amazing to have you here. 

 

01:11 

Yeah, man. It’s great to be here. 

 

Shawn Zajas  01:15 

Okay, so I’m imagining there’s a lot of people like me, that are seeing you showing up everywhere. And they’re like, Okay, well, what is it with this guy? What is this guy story? And how is it that he got into dentistry? Do you want to just dive off right there? 

 

01:30 

Sure. Yeah, man. I love just plunging right in. And that’s good. Yeah, so I was part of the music industry for 10-15 years. I loved music I toured. And my wife is a dentist. So when she got out of dental school, she associated for a couple of years and then really wanted to be able to pay your student loans back in a timely manner, instead of a lot longer as an associate. So she was like, hey, I want to be my own boss. I want to buy a dental practice. I know it’s the way I can do it. Will you help me? And I was like, you know, as a loving husband. I’m like, Yeah, sure we have two little ones, but why not? I think we can do it. And with my music background, mainly with the marketing background, the logo, work, the website, work, all the things that you have to learn as a musician, artist. it equips me to be able to help her with her practice, and also running businesses in general. So now, I’m thrown into the fire in dentistry, and it was definitely not my plan. But I’m so glad for it. And now I’m trying to pioneer and innovate in this industry and push limiting beliefs, which is so fun. 

 

Shawn Zajas  02:41 

Okay, so you say the music industry so you are an artist? Yeah. 

 

02:45 

Yeah. So as an artist, I have guitars right behind me at all times. 

 

Shawn Zajas  02:51 

So gifted fingers or you also have vocal talent. 

 

02:56 

backup vocalist, I do lead singing at church, though. You know, 

 

Shawn Zajas  02:59 

hey, hey, that counts. Wow, what you’ve been, you’ve been gifted with a lot of things. Kirk, that’s amazing. Yeah, 

 

03:06 

it’s, it’s been fun. But, you know, it’s it’s long game. It’s a journey. Right? I wasn’t gifted this way. Very quickly. It was a long journey. It just kind of added on and you master something, you move on, you master something and you move on. I know, that’s one of the biggest questions I get is like, how do you do so many things? I’m like, it’s over a long period of time, and patience. 

 

Shawn Zajas  03:30 

And you must have not just a curiosity, but like a love for learning. Oh, 

 

03:37 

yeah. easily, easily. I absolutely love learning to where I honestly don’t listen to as much music as I would love to because I love reading books and listening to books and podcasts and all sorts of stuff. 

 

Shawn Zajas  03:52 

Okay, so you mentioned something about logo design and how you had to learn quite a bit of the marketing side of things just as an artist I understand the whole like hey, I’m an independent artists or whatever and I need to you know, any learn more about business and marketing, but I still don’t understand why it was like maybe an obvious to land on on design because some people will just focus on sales or the mechanics of marketing you know, like some of the some of the funnels or some of the software or just the best practices with auto responders. Like why design because I stumbled on to design early on, and I loved it. What was that part of the artists they knew that that’s like had an appreciation for the aesthetic beauty as well? Yeah, 

 

04:43 

so I man, I and I look back at my earlier work and I’m like cringing all the time. Like man is so terrible. But But yeah, I mean, it’s the creative in me. I feel like to always want to put my best foot forward because You can judge a book by its cover every single time. And as somebody who has written books and has understood that, trying to understand the psychology behind people looking at things, is just fascinating to me. And I’m like, Okay, it’s got to be like a blue for feeling trust and, and just different fonts that don’t have the little tags at the end. And it just friendly things like things like that. I just, yeah, I have a passion for figuring out different things like that. 

 

Shawn Zajas  05:34 

Okay, so you just dropped another little, you know, an author, okay, let’s just let’s just go big for a moment. Tell me about what is it you’re doing that’s audacious, in dentistry? That is like missional. Like that has to do with either that’s transformative, or that you’re going after? Like, what what mission are you on in dentistry, 

 

05:58 

I want to be able to push the limiting beliefs and societal constructs of dentistry that you have to capture every patient at all times, no matter what. Because we’re here to only serve patients. So my wife and I have built a practice where we only work three days a week and have a seven figure practice, and can outpace most doctors and their practice working four or five days a week, with even bigger teams. So I want to be able to push these limiting beliefs that these doctors have that, oh, no, we need to be able to work with even the difficult patients to be able to capture enough revenue to be able to do this, do that. And I just, I just can’t do that. I can’t buy that into that. Because when me and my wife sat down, we figured out what we wanted and how we could do it. Like we’re trying to build a practice around our lifestyle of having four kids, and not our lifestyle being dictated by our business. So I want to be able to create that, for all of these doctors out here that I talked to you on Instagram on a regular basis. They’re like, I’m already feeling burnout. I have doctors on a constant basis, saying if that, if I knew Dentistry was this way, I would have never gone. But now they’re $500,000 in debt. And they don’t feel like they have a way out of that. So I’m trying to bring the love back into dentistry and business ownership, mainly through the Avenue of the seven figure dentist Academy to be able to educate people on the business side and make it easier for them. 

 

Shawn Zajas  07:40 

to I by proxy, I feel like I almost burnout, not even being a dentist just because of beholding the challenge that dentistry is. And I understand why like a decade, decade and a half ago, I felt like it was more like the gentlemen’s club where like all the male dentists were just like, Oh, I’m doing great crushing it living my best life. And I can understand the pressure for them to have to fake it. Because there was such a expectation that that a if you are a dentist that you are crushing it, and that you are living your best life, and no one to talk about all the challenges of managing a team leading a team dealing with difficult patients, like just managing a small business, like I know the ins and outs and struggles of a small business and I’m not a clinician, like the world is happy. I’m not a dentist, okay. So I love what you’re doing, because it just needs to be talked about. I’m so curious, like, how do you and your wife stumble into figuring out, we know how to create seven figure revenue in a company while doing it on our terms. I mean, that that sounds like the dream that sounds like if I could have some of my dental friends wave their magic wand. That’s what they want. They want the financial freedom. But financial freedom doesn’t help if you don’t have time freedom. Right? And to be able to get both. And here you guys are like, You know what, like, we care about family. And we want to have fulfillment in our lives. Getting to be there for the ones we love. Man, I’m just a fan. So to just walk me through early on, how do you start making these crazy moves with your wife’s practice? 

 

09:38 

Sure. That’s a great question. And I go through this a lot, but, you know, during tragedy, a lot of people either thrive or they die. And during COVID We shut down for two months as a lot of people did for shorter longer periods of time and difference dates and in different areas of the world. But during that time, for two months, that was six months after we bought the practice. Yeah, so start 

 

Shawn Zajas  10:11 

great start. I would love that. Right. 

 

10:16 

And we’d never owned a business like this before. So it was just like, almost fine. Yeah, but, but it wasn’t like, my wife loved every second of that shutdown. She wanted to be home with the kids, she loved being out going on walks with them during the day, because it was early spring. So it was like, oh, okay, great weather, maybe some rain sometimes. But they would go on walks, while I was trying to just, you know, figure out what we were doing, and what the next steps were are. So during that two months, it was a blessing in disguise. Because, you know, as a business owner, there’s all these things that you know, you need to do, but you never make the time for it. Because you don’t have the time to sit down and actually figure out a way to implement it, right. And so what we did there in those two minds was every night just look at, okay, what do we actually want from this practice? Like, in an ideal world, Money’s no object, what do we want? And then we figured out from that clarity, how to do it. So we reached out to other doctors, who had been able to pay off their student loans in their first year of practice ownership, we reached out to a couple other people of people who have been working three and a half days a week or three days a week, and like, how do you do it? And they’re like this, this and this, like, okay, great. So this is how we can do it. Let’s get in. Let’s build the systems. Because as James clear, says, and atomic habits, we don’t rise to our goals, but we fall to our systems. So it’s all about the systems. And I guarantee the majority of the dentists out there that are working four or five days a week, they think their schedules full. But if you cut out a day, you would figure out a way to do the exact same thing in less days. So it’s, it’s counterintuitive, on being able to cut back and scale back, but yet make more by due to Parkinson’s Law, your allotting the time that’s given. So you fill that time, just like, you know, in college, when you had a paper, do you waited till the last night to do it in some way? Wait, how 

 

Shawn Zajas  12:44 

did you? How did you know that about me? 

 

12:47 

I’m the same way. Okay, I would I would be at IHOP at 3am, doing my paper and drinking coffee and eating pancakes. And yet, somehow, I still got a passing grade, even though I had four months to do it. So as Parkinson’s Law is that we fill the time that’s allotted. And so, you know, from a dental perspective, when you look at the schedule, if, for instance, it snows on Monday, and you’re there Tuesday, Thursday, or Tuesday through Thursday, you figure out a way to get all those patients throughout the rest of the week, if you can. And when you break down the numbers, it’s a very small amount you’ve got to add back in. So we were just like, well, if we had to do it, let’s just feel like we have to do it. So we came back after COVID at three and a half days a week, and we asked the team, so team culture is super, super important, especially in our organization. We asked him like, hey, if we did this, we’re not going to increase your pay. We’re cutting your hours. Would you be okay with that? And they’re like, Yeah, let’s try it. Let’s see what we can do. Like, okay, cool. And we implemented a bonus system to where they could make up the difference. And then some, but when we did the culture increased dramatically. The energy of the office increased dramatically, the patient base increased dramatically. And we saw a huge jump in our collections. We’re like, Okay, that’s cool. And then the next year when my wife went on maternity leave, we had a doctor that had never been able to do $6,000 A day in her own practice with hygiene. Come into our practice on just three days a week and do $15,000 days every day she was there. So we were like, Okay, at this point, I’m just thinking, my wheels are turning. I’m like, I’ve got something here. Something is working. And she asked me like, Hey, can you send me all these processes and systems that you have? And I’m like, sure here, and now her practice is thriving. So I’m like, Okay, I’ve got something can I replicate this? And I had all these doctors reach out when I especially when I tell them at these conferences like Yeah, you only work three days a week and you’re doing seven figures like, Yeah, sure. Like, how are you doing it? Like, okay, cool. So clearly people want that they want the time freedom. But they don’t know what they don’t know. Right. And it’s a limiting belief to think that you can make more and work less. 

 

Shawn Zajas  15:22 

Yeah, I’m sure you get so much. People, like people, people who does lean in, and they’re like, so like they’re looking for the catch. They’re probably looking for that. Okay, that sounds a little too good to be true. But like, and I get asked questions, talking about the courage it took for you guys to actually just go for it. Like, people just do things a certain way. And they just get the same result. And to actually try and pioneer positive disruption. It takes courage because it’s new, it’s Uncharted. There’s some insecurity and what if I fall flat on my face? And you guys didn’t do that and said, You ended up proving out a system? That is what dentistry needs? And I’m guessing that’s what gave birth to seven figure. A seven figure Academy is that we call it 

 

16:09 

Yeah, the seven figure dentist Academy. Yeah. 

 

Shawn Zajas  16:14 

Kirk, this is just like, Man, I, I’m, I’m shocked at almost the simplicity at which you share how you guys discovered this. You know, when I take like, 1000 foot view on dentistry, I remember always looking like why is it that at a time when culturally, everything was moving toward boutique and bespoke that? Like, you know, coffee shops, were going away from the Starbucks, and it was much more the independence. Why is it that DSOs started growing and coming. So it’s like, dentistry went corporate, when the whole world was going, like anti corporate. And I was like, what, what was it about that and sure enough, the big open door that left, the dentist, like, you know, solo, Doc’s and GP left was the fact that they didn’t know anything about systems and processes. They knew how to offer the heart of care, but they didn’t actually know how to consistently replicate it. So all of a sudden, DSOs are like, dang, all we have to do is bring some high level fortune 500 systems and processes. And we can make a killing in dentistry. But come to find out. Patients actually want the heart 

 

17:25 

heart, they totally did heart. And wow, I figured out 

 

Shawn Zajas  17:31 

how to get both how to keep the sanity of the dentist, so they don’t go insane. And yet at the same exact time deliver first rate service through high level processes, 

 

17:41 

right and create the ideal patient experience with the ideal patient. So like I had, I talked about this all the time. It’s like, I mean, I fire patients on a regular basis. And you have to, because you’re there, it’s your business. Like why are you putting up with somebody you don’t want to see, it’s like, obviously, there’s a legal and ethical way to do that. And I walk my clients through that. But I had three hard conversations, even this past Tuesday, two of them apologized, and one of them left. But I’m going to I’m going to fight for my team and defend them from the patients. I mean, it just makes sense because it creates the team culture that you want. And it Garner’s respect for you as a leader. But then it also creates the patient culture that you want. When you just say, Look, I have a high standard of care for you, I train my team to a certain level, and they’re going to perform at that level, otherwise, I will fire them for you. But in turn, I require respect for our team. And you can’t disrespect them and expect to get the same treatment. 

 

Shawn Zajas  19:03 

And that is so empowering. Just from a leaders ship perspective, like I can imagine. The second your team members know you have their back like that. A it puts them on the line to deliver exceptional service and care because they know the same level of scrutiny in which you’re going to defend them. You’re also going to defend the patient if the team drops the ball. I love that. So where did where did you want learn leadership like that? 

 

19:30 

Books and podcasts and constant learning, right? I would argue that and I bought this book for I got to look at my Amazon but at least 100 people by the Go Giver. It is the number one book that has changed my life and has really changed the course and mindset of how I approach which business in general? 

 

Shawn Zajas  20:01 

Okay, so 32nd pitch high level. Yeah. 

 

20:04 

So it’s about servant leadership. But it’s in a parable form. And he talks about the five stratospheric traits of success. And it goes through this very cool character who’s a go getter. But he’s never hitting his goals. He’s always trying to chase after the next thing. And he has a mentor called Pindar that takes him through. He’s like, look, I will show you all these steps, and tries to change his mindset to be a go giver. And through generosity, everything else comes back to him. And so we have this same mindset towards our team, and our patients, and my business and fourth quarter dental coaching and the seven figure dentists Academy and everything is like that servant leadership, we are serving our team, and our patients not being a dictator, and telling them what to do. Now, there’s a there’s a dichotomy there, right? Like, there are things that like our hard press rules, but at the same time, I’m still serving my patients and my team. And in turn, they look to me for that guidance and respect. 

 

Shawn Zajas  21:20 

I’m just, I’m getting an education here. So Kirk, you’ve been now in dentistry? You said six months? I wasn’t, say six months before the pandemic? Yeah. What surprised you about dentistry that maybe you weren’t expecting? 

 

21:35 

Oh, gosh, everything. I didn’t know anything about just. I mean, I could still, you know, I think back and I think about the mistakes we’ve made, obviously. I think the thing that surprised me the most is how isolating it is. Which is another thing I’m trying to change. I know this year, we’re trying to last year, we worked on the ideal patient, like what the ideal patient looks like who they are, and how we can serve them. And this year, our goal is to serve the community as a team. And so we’re looking for ways to do that. And I want to put together free dental day and even get all the dentists, other dentists in town. To help with that and work together. Instead of being like, Oh, we don’t work together, because we’re all dentists and like, there’s enough patients, nobody needs them. Like we all can’t get people in because we’re so busy. And so we want to work together and bring people together in an industry that is normally isolating. I want to be able to do a tree, it’s like your buddy, to be able to do retreats with doctors and show them that really cool piece that I always see when I go with my wife to see where, you know, everybody’s focused on the same thing at CE during class, but then at night, something special happens when everybody goes to dinner. And they just start getting the best gold nuggets about each other’s practices. And they go through the heartache, and the toughness of their teams, and the drama and all the things is like, that’s where the magic happens. So I want to be able to recreate that throughout a whole weekend in a much more intimate setting. And be able to do that just yearly, every single year, multiple times a year, to showcase how it’s really, it’s because of the doctors themselves that is so isolating, not because it doesn’t have to be. 

 

Shawn Zajas  23:51 

So what would you need for that dream dream to come true? What support Are you still needing? 

 

23:59 

I mean, really just Doc’s I mean, the ability to be able to get these limiting beliefs out of their minds, to be able to get the message across that it doesn’t have to be that way. And that there is a solution to be able to really thrive in dentistry and enjoy it on your own terms versus what you may feel like is the patient’s terms, 

 

Shawn Zajas  24:28 

but I mean you don’t need a lot of Doc’s we’re talking about a retreat here, right. 

 

24:34 

Yes, and no. You know, obviously, it takes word getting out. It takes time to be able to put all that together. But, you know, I remember how, you know my first company it started small, it was just me. I was a solopreneur and when I read the Go Giver, I changed my mindset for how much more can I make this year? How can I get more? How can I do more? How can I make more? Two? How can I get other people full time in what they love to do with what I need? Which is the whole premise of that book? How can you be a solution giver? And so I did that in the music industry. Which is why, or one of the reasons why things like cocoa melon are on Netflix. So I created a nursery rhyme business on YouTube. That just blew up and I built the infrastructure for it. And I knew it took time. It took about a good six months to a year to get that going. So I just started in August with this message. 

 

Shawn Zajas  25:41 

I don’t think that’s a long time. That’s amazing. 

 

25:45 

Well, yes, but no, you know, it’s relative. But I want to be able to do this, because there’s so many of these baby boomers that are selling their practices to DSOs. And I want to create, and really preserve private practice, and not just say that, like so many management companies, consultants and stuff, they’re like, We want to preserve private practice, like, yes, but you’re bringing in corporate systems that still feel like corporate systems. So like my systems are creating, obviously, those systems that corporate has, but creating the culture, to where it doesn’t feel like corporate, it still feels like family, and a solid team, which is much different. 

 

Shawn Zajas  26:38 

Yeah, I mean, if I think that the best of dentistry is you give the agency and autonomy and empower the dentist to be able to still bring who they are in the practice. But you offer the support and the systems so that they get that DSO level. Organization, it’s like a first rate organization, but it still keeps, I don’t know the freedom of expression, that that leads to that sort of fulfillment, so that they’re not just an employee working in a mill, you know, I think, I think that’s when dentistry wins, because that’s when patients win, when dentists are fully live, expressing what they love about dentistry, being able to show up with work, or to work with fulfillment and with passion, instead of on the verge of burnout all the time. And just thinking about the next vacation or how they can somehow escape. And unfortunately, that’s what audit dentistry is, and nobody wins in those situations. No, 

 

27:37 

no, it’s a no win. And I want to change that, by simple education, that it doesn’t have to be that way that you can truly create a dream practice without building a $5 million facility that has a team of 40 people. You just don’t 

 

Shawn Zajas  27:59 

cook, I think we just need to do a retreat together, I can get the dentist going, I can get the dentist showing up. So we just need to team up. I’ve been wanting to do an event forever. And people are like, How come you don’t? And I just haven’t circled a date and just made it happen. 

 

28:15 

Yeah, we need a circle a date. Yeah, 

 

Shawn Zajas  28:17 

because dentistry means that you have, I want to bring a cup of cold water to dentistry too, and just help them whether it’s on the branding side or on more on the marketing side or more on the fulfillment side through what I do with the authentic dentists. I mean, there’s not enough people out there liberating dentists, dentistry is huge. And there’s just still way too many casualties. So right now, if people are listening, where can they find out about the seven figure dentist? 

 

28:47 

Sure. So obviously, you can go on the seven figure dentists.com I don’t know how I got that URL, but I did. Buy a brand new, brand new. You gotta spell seven out though. So the seven figure dentists.com. And there’s a seven step guide there that kind of goes through just a few things that that we found really core items that allowed us to do what we do on three days a week. But also on Instagram man at Kirk Teachout, my fingers are burning every day, just talking to hundreds of doctors a day and trying to give them advice. I’m seeing this just so many things that they’re telling me if like, this is what I’m feeling, this is what I’m seeing. And I’m trying, I wish I could just wave a magic wand and like, here’s everything you need. So I’m like constantly building constantly doing more things to try to provide solutions. And that’s really like even from our team’s perspective. You know, we don’t take Medicaid insurance, but our front desk always provides a solution instead of discounting those patients. So that’s kind of the mantra that goes like we’re always providing solutions, even if it doesn’t monetarily, you know, help us. Because at the end of the day, it’s just good to be a good human. And it feels back. Yeah, it’s, it’s, it’s, it’s always good. And, you know, if you can change that mindset to be solution oriented, and it’s so good, and very fulfilling to, I feel like that’s where a lot of doctors are losing in this game is that they’re looking for fulfillment. And they’re not getting it from their patients. Because they’re always in pain. They they, quote, unquote, don’t like the dentist or hate the dentist. And so what we try to do is change that narrative while they’re in the chair. And so while people leave, like, they may come in and say, oh, man, I wish I wasn’t here. Okay, well, that’s a challenge for us. How can we through this patient experience, change that outlook and re educate this patient on how it’s good and fun to come back to the dentist? And by the time that they leave nine times out of 10? We asked them at the end of the day, how was your experience? So they have to think about it. And they tell us, Oh, it was great. barely even hurt. I’m like, great. So you’re excited to come back, right? It may take two or three visits. But we win them over every single time or we don’t and they leave. 

 

Shawn Zajas  31:34 

My My mind is just blown. Because I’ve been on this campaign for two years, to say, hey, look, dentist, I want to help you own the high ground, which is creating remarkable patient experiences. And I think so many people focus on how do you like the remarkable part, but it’s like, it’s the experience part? How does it what is the patient experiencing? And at the core of practice, if it’s not about humans, and what they’re experiencing, and us being able to make that beautiful and favorable and, and, and good, like dentistry, it’s got a bad reputation with anxiety and, and what people don’t understand, for a reason, you know, not everyone wakes up. It’s like, Hey, I can’t wait to go see the dentist today. Right? And to acknowledge that and overcome that with just, I don’t know, with intentionality, you guys are crushing it like it. What I feel like should be common sense isn’t. And the fact that you guys approach it was such a common sense, human centric approach. It’s refreshing, like, oh, man, like, so how is it that I can support you more? In what is it and what it is that you’re doing? 

 

32:42 

Man, let’s do that event. I think that would be fun. You know, whether it’s online or even a live event, I think that would be so cool. And so good, and so fulfilling and valuable to the industry in general. Because I mean, that’s the goal, right is to innovate. That’s the whole purpose of this book. So how can we innovate in general, and not just for dentists, but like anybody in general, like, so like we, I mean, really. So we just had our fourth child in November. And we were in, you know, medical practices all the time. And every time I go into those places, I’m just like, I just cannot please talk to the owner. And can I fire half of your staff, because they’re truly staff, they are infectious in your office, they’re not a team. They don’t want to be there. They feel like you’re inconveniencing them all the time. But I want to find you people that it makes sense that they’re a good fit that you pour into them and create their culture to where everybody has that great experience. And a lot of people like you were saying, like, what’s the catch? Like, oh, man, you guys are in a great area. Oh, yeah. You’re working 14 hour days, those three days like no, we work 830 to 430 with an hour lunch. We are in a rural area. So when I make a job posting, I get all sorts of applications that are not in dentistry. I like everything is against me. And they’re like, oh, yeah, you’re doing a full mouth rehabs and a ton of implants. No, I’m doing bread and butter dentistry, crowns, fillings and extractions partials no dentures in a rural area. And we are still outpacing most people. 

 

Shawn Zajas  34:28 

Oh my gosh. Like, do you guys have a free report or something downloadable or some resources that that Pete, like, dentists can get ahold of just to kind of get their feet wet? Or is the best thing just to reach out to you? 

 

34:40 

And honestly, so I have that guide, obviously. But yeah, but you can you can book a call with me on there. And yeah, I just talked to people man, as part of it. It’s I love just talking to people. I know I have a really great call with dental Intel who we use for analytics soon. And we’re going to be discussing how like yeah, You’re in the top 10% of all of our clients on all these levels, like, how are you guys doing that? So I can’t wait for that. Because, you know, my wife doesn’t like showing numbers. So she gets on to me when I show numbers, but it because she feels like it’s bragging. But I’m like, Babe, no, it’s not bragging. People don’t know what they don’t know. 

 

Shawn Zajas  35:21 

They don’t know. And so a better way. Right? 

 

35:25 

Right. I was like, Look, you can do seven figures easily. With a small team, a small patient base. Like we only have 1500 active patients. And they’re like, oh, yeah, you have 3000 active patients, you’re running hive, like, no. You just have to be good. 

 

Shawn Zajas  35:47 

So So have you written the book on this yet? 

 

35:49 

No, I’m in the process of it. I’m in the process of creating the course I’m in the process of doing events. But I’ve only started, like, I am so pumped, I love the startup phase. Because I get to do stuff like this with you and talk about it. And I get to talk with people like what is the actual? Like, what are the actual problems that people are having? And how can I provide that solution? And so I’m seeing all of it from just right now. And it’s so cool. 

 

Shawn Zajas  36:18 

So did you always know you’re an entrepreneur? Like, is this something that you’re just like, look, you know, as a kid, or I saw my parents, and, you know, early on, I just knew that this is the way my brain works. Like, when did that discovery in your identity? Be like, okay, Kurt, like you’re an entrepreneur, this is who I am. I’m just gonna own it. 

 

36:37 

Yeah, honestly, I think it’s been within the last, probably six years or so. I’ve always been a big dreamer. In general, so big dreamer, my wife brings me out of the clouds all the time, because I just am constantly in the clouds, like, there’s so many ideas I have, I just want to do so much. But, you know, even my parents, you know, single mom, three kids growing up in my life. You know, I saw what I didn’t want. And I saw that I didn’t have really a leader to kind of pinpoint that for me. And so I would always latch on and I just happened to latch on to that one person that just came into my life right at the right time. That gave me a chance to show me what it looked like to really be a business owner. And I followed him and I just, like, reached up in in went up into the organization to just Just watch. And one of the first mentors in that. He, I mean, he’s been passive income millions of dollars a year for a long time. And the first time I talked to him, he said, Kirk, you’re gonna fail. I was like, Hi. Nice to meet you. Right? I was like, but he leaned in. And he said, fail faster. And at the time, like, once again, and I was like, I just met you, like, I have no clue what you’re telling me right now. And I, like I said, I came from a $13 an hour max job mentality. to that. I was like, How can I do that? Like, what does that look like? And he said, Kurt, you are going to fail. And if you fail faster, you’re going to find success faster than anybody else. So you chase failure. You don’t stop trying, because the only person that loses is the person that quits. And I was like, okay, so how can I do this. And then I just started going down the path of music industry, and it’s a business and of itself. And so learning little things when it’s low risk, and you’re having to create raving fans, man, if I can learn how to create raving fans in the music industry. And as cutthroat as that is, in a very subjective piece of art that only I love and nobody else does. Then imagine if I can get into an industry that is 100% needed. Everybody knows they need it. And all I have to do is create raving fans. It is so easy. So easy. 

 

Shawn Zajas  39:27 

I just love that you talked about mentorship and here a mentor shows up and in one conversation has the ability to change your life in now because of your generosity. You are being a mentor to so many in dentistry. Who who need that one conversation of hey, you can do dentistry. On your terms. You don’t have to sacrifice your family. You don’t have to sacrifice making an income you can be proud of. And you can be a seven figure dentist and have more time than you’ve ever dreamed was possible, also pursuing the things that bring lasting fulfillment. And that’s why I’m such a fan of you and your methodology, and the positive disruption, you’re bringing in dentistry, because it strips away the fluff and get straight to the heart of what every dentist I know, cares about. And is often, unfortunately, it’s elusive to them, that they’re trying to figure it out. They’re trying to figure out how to provide for their family, they’re trying to figure out how to pay off their debt, they’re trying to figure out how to be a better leader, they’re trying to figure out how to do you know create more consistent outcomes in the patients that are serving, and have all of it together just becomes this really challenging thing, that they don’t have enough time for enough energy for, and here, you unlock something, you and your wife, and you’re not hiding it behind locking key where it’s like, no one can have it, you’re like, Hey, you want it come get it, like I have it. And there’s just such a generosity of spirit that you have Kirk, that just makes your message even that much more attractive, like, Oh, I just wish you nothing but the best. And I can tell you’re already having so much success. But like, this is just the beginning. That is so cool. 

 

41:21 

Yeah, it is in and, you know, because my wife was the same way, when we first started, I think it took us about two years to hire a coach. Because, you know, as doctors, there’s a lot of ego and pride involved in getting to that level. And so when you get out, like you have something to prove, almost I feel like and then there’s the ego of like, Oh, if I’m hiring somebody else to help me, then you know what I’m taking on more risk than just the practice itself, of it working. But to the pride of like, I didn’t get to do it on my own. But man, pride comes before the fall, every time, every time. And since you don’t know what you don’t know, that coach and mentor can help accelerate your success. And stop having you throw just whatever you can at the wall, seeing what sticks. It’s like don’t reinvent the wheel. It’s like, it’s not cookie cutter. It’s custom. But like to be able to say, look, here are the things that work in multiple, you know, avenues. So why don’t you do it. And I think that’s where I’m a little bit more unique than most coaches and consultants and mentors in the dental field is that I come from a completely different industry. I’ve never been in the dental field. So I don’t have all this, like bias and conventional wisdom from a field that has not really changed. And so now I’m trying to pull resources from other industries into the dental field, to revolutionize it, and allow these female doctors especially as my wife is a female doctor, because there’s more female doctors graduating now than male doctors. And guess what they’re gonna want families. And guess what they’re gonna want a business but they want to do it on their terms. So to be able to give them that where they can have a family and to be able to have a decent income to be able to spend time with their family and do things with them. That’s the dream. 

 

Shawn Zajas  43:45 

Now, like 1,000% Okay, so I don’t know if you know it’s coming, but this is this is the question. I haven’t changed it, I guess, six months, but, um, okay, so you’re walking down the street in turn. So you’re walking down the street, and often the distance you see 18 year old Kirk and the idea is you just have a moment to be able to communicate one brief sentiment to him. What do you share? 

 

44:17 

Oh, man. You know, it always seems, especially with stuff like this. That, you know, the guests and the innovators and that everything is good. Everything’s perfect. But I would tell him, you’re not alone. You’re not alone. I had a great conversation with a buddy of mine. yesterday. And he’s also in the dental field. mode, Dr. Avi Patel, great man, 

 

Shawn Zajas  45:11 

great guy. He’s, 

 

45:13 

he’s crushing it. I had a great conversation with him yesterday about just our struggles. And, you know, I was telling my wife and he text me today, he was telling his wife, the same thing that is so nice to have somebody who is trying to innovate. People like you too, 

 

45:34 

that understand what you’re going through. It’s not isolating. You know, and, and knowing that, and knowing that I’m trying to do the same thing for these doctors. 

 

45:51 

Right, it’s not isolating. There are people out there, there are great people out there, you just have to find them. And you have to put yourself out there. I think that’s probably the biggest hurdle that a lot of these doctors have, and, you know, in with the social media move and influencers and everything is just like, look, it can’t it, it shouldn’t be isolating. And it’s not. You just have to find the people to help you. And just be open to just pour your heart out to anybody. 

 

Shawn Zajas  46:33 

Honestly, correct. That’s like, the biggest mistake I made the first decade in dentistry was, I was working for my dad’s supply company. And we did a lot of like sales activities, and went to shows, but I didn’t actually start meeting the people of dentistry, like no strings attached, not because I’m trying to sell something, actually just meet dentists, and meet the vendors and meet some of the influencers and just show up real and just talk to them and find out what it is that they were going through. And I realized, like the community is powerful. When people just show up who they are, with no pretense, no arrogance, no ego. And it’s like, yeah, I just want to make dentistry better. And it’s like, that’s what he’s doing. That’s what, that’s what you’re doing. And I have so much respect for anybody that’s willing to get in the game that’s willing to go off the beaten path into uncharted territory and just say, why not me? Why not now? Why not bet on myself? I see a problem and I can be the solution. And I can make dentistry better and together, we can all make what, like, I love dentistry, but we can all just make it better. Yeah, and nothing, nobody wins when we play it safe. And that’s why I’ve always thought of this visual where like, Look to the left and the right. And I just see like we’re all in rank. And yet there’s still vacancies from people that are still playing the same. They’re not showing up. I haven’t met them yet at an event. And because I haven’t met them. I don’t know how they’re they’re light. I don’t know how they’re passionate. I don’t know how their perspective can maybe unlock something where I’m stuck. Like, could you imagine if we did a mastermind, me you have eat Sorry, I shouldn’t be saying this on the on the on the on the on the air. Man that I get. I get so much life and hanging out with innovators and hanging out with influencers. Because I love the way you think. I love the way you approach failure. I love that wisdom of failing forward. Because I know how lonely it is when you’re on the sideline. And I know what it’s like to just keep wrestling with the the voices of inadequacy that say you’re not ready yet. Or now’s not the right time. Or someone else is more prepared, but you’re not. And it’s like those are just lies. Like anyone that’s hearing that between the lines of what mean you’re saying right now Kirk, it’s like, this is your time to step up to step out with boldness to bet on yourself. That’s what Kirk and I are saying like this is your time to shine. And that’s what I love what you’re doing and you’re not making any excuses. Like I want you to show up in the brilliance of what makes you just glorious and that’s exactly what you’re doing. Like you’re just shining and bringing the solution that only you have to dentistry and you’re getting rewarded for it like what way to go. It has been so easy to honor you as an innovator I’m so thankful that I think Kami is the one that I don’t know how you guys got connected. But she’s like Shawn, you need to check out this guy Kirk and I was like okay, because I think I know a lot of people so when I don’t know someone I’m like really and researching you was a blast getting to connect with you the first time was a blast because just the way that your your DNA is you are inspiring. And you’re burning bright. And again this is just the beginning so thank you thank you so much for letting me interview you today 

 

50:08 

man. Thank you for having me on. I don’t know how I can follow that 

 

Shawn Zajas  50:18 

oh man making me cry well we’re gonna do that event together so my audience stay tuned it’s gonna happen and you guys got to hear this is what this is when it started just live on innovation in dentistry, although I’m rebranding, so you’ll you’ll find out about that. But anyway, I can ever help you correct. I’m so on your corner. So thank you so much, man. 

 

50:42 

Yeah, thank you. 

 

Shawn Zajas  50:46 

Thanks for listening, and be sure to follow so you never miss an episode. To learn more about what’s going on in dentistry. Check out innovation in dentistry.com