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I was watching Borat’s Subsequent Moviefilm (please don’t judge me) and while his movies cause me to cringe while barely being able to watching the screen, there was one scene that got my full attention. (There’s no spoiler alert here so don’t worry if you haven’t seen the movie.)

There’s a scene involving a plastic surgeon and a procedure. It’s a silly, useless scene, but like many of the situations Borat gets himself into, there’s something insidious uncovered in the the response of his “interviewees”. In this case, the surgical fee, presented by the treatment coordinator, is approximately $21,000+. Borat hands over $21,000 and after counting the cash, the treatment coordinator says:”You’re $72 short and we can’t do the procedure until we get paid in full.”

Was this legitimately what happened or was it scripted? Who cares. The point is this: How often do we make accommodations in our offices for less than we deserve? Not because we chose to, and not because of charitable reasons, but rather because of a Borat-like situation. Maybe it’s being on insurance or giving a discount for siblings or phase I, but you’d be hard pressed to find any orthodontist who got paid an up front full fee for every case started in an entire year (not including charitable write offs).

I think that most of us would agree that a $72 cash/bookeepers discount is fair on a $21,000 procedure, and it’s my sincerest hope that the need for thee $72 to do the surgery is all part of the script of the movie, but how many times has your treatment coordinator been faced with a patient who couldn’t afford the down payment, or wanted to make payment plans outside of your comfort zone? What was the attitude of your treatment coordinator? Did it align with your mission and culture of your office.

I’m not saying there’s a right or wrong here, because our decisions should match our own moral compass, but you can’t go into a supermarket and pay less than advertised, and you can’t pay the plumber $205 instead of $225. So, whey do many of us orthodontists happily reduce fees, accept less than we should or make crazy payment arrangements to start cases? Again, I’m not saying it’s wrong, but I think int warrants some thoughtful consideration and a written plan in our offices.

The other thing that stood out to me is that surgeons (and many dentists) regularly charge their full fee up front and won’t do the elective procedure until it’s paid in full, while orthodontists gladly take payment plans over the course of years. How did that happen? Food for thought.

I think it’s funny that after watching all of the insanity from this 2nd Borat installment (and there is A LOT of insanity) the part that stuck with me is the $72 scene. Maybe because I didn’t like a plastic surgeon holding out a surgery for a mere 0.3% of the fee. Or, maybe that was amazing script writing meant to make me think over the scene exactly as I am.

Either way, I’d love your thoughts. Should we simply accommodate our patient’s financial needs and work with them in any way we can, or, like the plastic surgeon in the movie should we stand firm in our financial policy and lose a case for less than 1% if that’s the way it needs to be?

Wishing you the best,

If you want to be a part of a geographically exclusive Facebook group (OrthopreneursRD) where we come together to help each other build better practices and lower stress, please message me. To learn more about your region’s availability and what it’s all about, click HERE.

GLENN KRIEGER IS AN ORTHODONTIST WITH 20 YEARS OF RESTORATIVE AND COSMETIC DENTISTRY EXPERIENCE BEFORE HE RETURNED TO ORTHODONTIC RESIDENCY. DR. KRIEGER LEARNED ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF WELL-DESIGNED PRACTICE POLICIES AND SYSTEMS DURING A YEAR AT THE SCHUSTER CENTER FOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN SCOTTSDALE ARIZONA, AND AN UNDERSTANDING OF GENERAL ACCOUNTING PRACTICES AND INDUSTRIAL PSYCHOLOGY AT THE UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON GRADUATE BUSINESS SCHOOL’S “DENTIST AS CEO” PROGRAM. HE IS THE HOST OF “THE ORTHOPRENEURS PODCAST”, MANAGES THE ORTHOPRENEURS FACEBOOK GROUP AND RUNS THE ANNUAL ORTHOPRENEURS SUMMIT.

If you’ve read any of my previous blogs, you know how much I’ve stressed having a plan. A written plan. You don’t have to make it a long one, but you should have something in writing mapping out your strategy for the coming year and possibly beyond, including the large tasks necessary to achieve the measurable metrics you’ve outlined.

You also probably know how I’ve been a huge fan of the “Entrepreneurial Operating System” (EOS) outlined in the book Traction. The system allows you to quantify and identify the goals you want to achieve.

So, the next step is achieving these goals through a series of well-designed systems to help achieve the aforementioned goals. Want some good news?

It’s not your responsibility.

That’s right. YOU do not have to be the one to develop the policies and systems for the implementation of the goal achieving processes. Why?

Because as is mentioned by the legendary Keith Cunningham in his book The Road Less Stupid, if you create the systems and pass them down to the team, they will not be responsible for them. If you outline the goals and allow them to create the system, they must own the systems and they will.

Many of us want to create and perfect the systems for our offices and it’s at best unnecessary, and at worst damaging to do so.

Your job as CEO is create the vision and direction of the company. Never forget that. Without you, there is no dream or goals. But, many of us confuse that with the idea that we need to come up with every detail of the implementation plan and that’s a mistake.

So, spend some significant time on your plan and the measurable metrics necessary to achieve it. Then hand it over to your leadership team to create the working steps to get there. Of course, you can help edit it, but let them develop it and own it.

You’ll be thankful you did.

Wishing you the best,

If you want to be a part of a geographically exclusive Facebook group (OrthopreneursRD) where we come together to help each other build better practices and lower stress, please message me. To learn more about your region’s availability and what it’s all about, click HERE.

GLENN KRIEGER IS AN ORTHODONTIST WITH 20 YEARS OF RESTORATIVE AND COSMETIC DENTISTRY EXPERIENCE BEFORE HE RETURNED TO ORTHODONTIC RESIDENCY. DR. KRIEGER LEARNED ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF WELL-DESIGNED PRACTICE POLICIES AND SYSTEMS DURING A YEAR AT THE SCHUSTER CENTER FOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN SCOTTSDALE ARIZONA, AND AN UNDERSTANDING OF GENERAL ACCOUNTING PRACTICES AND INDUSTRIAL PSYCHOLOGY AT THE UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON GRADUATE BUSINESS SCHOOL’S “DENTIST AS CEO” PROGRAM. HE IS THE HOST OF “THE ORTHOPRENEURS PODCAST”, MANAGES THE ORTHOPRENEURS FACEBOOK GROUP AND RUNS THE ANNUAL ORTHOPRENEURS SUMMIT.

“It’s a lot more than mind over matter. It takes relentless self discipline to schedule suffering into your day, every day.”  -David Goggins

“But there was no need to be ashamed of tears, for tears bore witness that a man had the greatest of courage, the courage to suffer.”-Viktor Frankl

I recently finished reading David Goggins’ “Can’t Hurt Me” and I found it very fascinating. He is an American icon, a Seal and someone who physically pushes harder and further than almost anyone on the planet. From 100 mile runs and crazy Triathlons to his SEAL experiences, his quest to be the best endurance athlete is inspirational.

Viktor Frankl is also quite inspirational. A holocaust survivor, he wrote “Man’s Search For Meaning” to explain that while he was a captive in the worst of situations, nobody could take his spirit.

Both Goggins and Frankl are able to show us the limits of how our human spirit can be stretched. But there are major differences in the way the two men looked at life and those around them, and it made me think about the startling similarities -and differences- in their approaches. Both men endured incredible physical suffering (one voluntarily and one involuntarily) and showed us we can still go on, but in vastly different ways.

I have many friends who admire Goggins and I do as well, but it’s simply because of his physical stamina and Kyle Maynard’s “Not Dead, Can’t Quit” attitude. (If you don’t know who Kyle Maynard is, go look him up and be inspired.) We’ve all faced our physical challenges at some point in our lives and it’s great to have someone we can look at to become inspired. But beyond the 100 + mile races in searing heat, and his dedication as a member of our armed services (for which I have the utmost thanks and respect), Goggins is a bit of a cautionary tail. He’s thrice married, never really talks much (in his book, at least) about spirituality, family, professional or much more than physical aspirations. There are more than a few times in his book where he describes-with pride- how hard he physically drove himself and how even fellow SEALs didn’t want to come along for the ride. If you want a guy to anchor your tug-of-war team, he’s your guy. If you could have a life mentor or just one person from history at your dinner table, that’s probably a different story.

Victor Frankl is an altogether different type of mental toughness, or perhaps mental liquidity, able to shift and adapt and free his physical self from his surroundings. He lost his wife, mother, father and brother in the Holocaust. Yet, he still focused on helping others by showing them how one’s body can be imprisoned but the mind can still be free to travel. He created the school of psychotherapy called “Logotherapy” and initially published his most famous book “Man’s Search For Meaning” anonymously because he felt that he could write more freely that way. He remarried, had kids and grandkids and by all measures, lived a full life.

Both men teach incredible lessons for us to learn from and both have taught us how to push through barriers in our lives so that we can succeed, grow and achieve. But it IS a cautionary tale. Goggins reminds me of the orthodontist who aspires to be the greatest clinician on the planet, no matter the cost. None of us (hopefully) wants to be the world’s greatest tooth straightener and come home to an empty house where we work on how to become an even better clinician, only to wake up the next morning and repeat the process. We need to work hard and be the best we can be while still expanding in all 4 corners (equally) of “Play, Love, Worship & Work” describe by LD Pankey.

Our practices and careers take up a huge chunk of our lives and require significant attention and sacrifice. In no way am I comparing my professional career to the pain that Goggins or Frankl endured. That’s not my point. I mean to say that there are lessons on personal management to be gleaned from each of these men and they can both be inspirations-or cautionary-depending on how we look at the tales.

Read both Goggin’s and Frankl’s works and learn from their mental “toughness” or “resiliency”. Understand their different approaches on facing the tough situations. I am blessed to have both a mother and a father and they each taught me very different lessons in their own ways. That is how I choose to view the approaches of both of these remarkable men as I weave their messages into my own life, and the challenges I face.

I hope that you do as well.

Wishing you the best,

If you want to be a part of a geographically exclusive Facebook group (OrthopreneursRD) where we come together to help each other build better practices and lower stress, please message me. To learn more about your region’s availability and what it’s all about, click HERE.

GLENN KRIEGER IS AN ORTHODONTIST WITH 20 YEARS OF RESTORATIVE AND COSMETIC DENTISTRY EXPERIENCE BEFORE HE RETURNED TO ORTHODONTIC RESIDENCY. DR. KRIEGER LEARNED ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF WELL-DESIGNED PRACTICE POLICIES AND SYSTEMS DURING A YEAR AT THE SCHUSTER CENTER FOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN SCOTTSDALE ARIZONA, AND AN UNDERSTANDING OF GENERAL ACCOUNTING PRACTICES AND INDUSTRIAL PSYCHOLOGY AT THE UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON GRADUATE BUSINESS SCHOOL’S “DENTIST AS CEO” PROGRAM. HE IS THE HOST OF “THE ORTHOPRENEURS PODCAST”, MANAGES THE ORTHOPRENEURS FACEBOOK GROUP AND RUNS THE ANNUAL ORTHOPRENEURS SUMMIT.

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, it’s apparent that the future of the US economy is at best uncertain and at worst in big trouble. I’ve practiced through 4 economic recessions and no two are the same.

None of us knows exactly what’s going to happen, but with unemployment and inflationary concerns looming, there are steps that every orthodontist can take to protect themselves and their practices.

1. Preserve Cash

This one is a no-brainer. Obviously, in an uncertain economy, it’s essential that you and your business have enough solvency to ride out any potential storm. How do you do this?

Start by analyzing expenses and be smart. As one of my early mentors used to tell me: “There are only 100 pennies in every dollar and if you spend an extra one, that’s one less to take home later.”

Look at your P&L (you are running a P&L, right?) and see where you can trim the fat, but don’t take away budgeted items that might make money for you or help you grow like certain technologies, patient communication software, marketing, CE, etc., and DO NOT just cut staff because you’re worried. A negative mindset begets a negative outcome.

Also make sure that you take 10% of every deposit and put it into a solvency account. Make sure that it’s tucked away and know that you’ll do fine without that 10%. But, after 6 months you could have $50,000, $100,000 or more saved for a “rainy day”.

2. Keep Meticulous Employee Records

There’s a reasonable chance that if the economy turns south, you may need to let people go, or, with the unemployment rate higher, you might decide to finally dismiss that one underperforming team member and upgrade. Having meticulous records of conversations, reviews and disciplinary action will protect you from a wrongful termination suit or harassment in the event that you let the wrong (or right) person go.

Stay in touch with your HR company to learn more about how you can properly document and store any employee related data to protect yourself and your practice.

3. Work On Your Internal Referral Program

With an uncertain future, the least expensive and most valuable referral program is that which is word of mouth.

Train your team to use those positive moments in your practice to kindly ask for referrals and develop a strong culture of growth where everyone-from the check in person to the TC-is comformable asking for referrals and reviews.

4. Learn Your Practice Stats

What’s your production/hr? How many appointments does your average case take? How many patients is each assistant seeing every day? Where are your emergency appointments coming from and how can they be prevented? How many patients are over their estimated treatment time?

The more you know about your practice, the more you will be able to make smart decisions about your future. Guessing what you’re doing is like flying a plane through the clouds without radar; it’s doomed for failure.

As I’ve always said, the more you work on your practice, the more you will get out of it. If you treat your business like a hobby or a “side hustle” you’ll get what you put in.

The economy is uncertain and you can’t control what happens, but you can try your best to control those factors over which you have influence. Take your time, follow a stepwise approach and learn from those around you.

Wishing you the best,

If you want to be a part of a geographically exclusive Facebook group (OrthopreneursRD) where we come together to help each other build better practices and lower stress, please message me. To learn more about your region’s availability and what it’s all about, click HERE.

GLENN KRIEGER IS AN ORTHODONTIST WITH 20 YEARS OF RESTORATIVE AND COSMETIC DENTISTRY EXPERIENCE BEFORE HE RETURNED TO ORTHODONTIC RESIDENCY. DR. KRIEGER LEARNED ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF WELL-DESIGNED PRACTICE POLICIES AND SYSTEMS DURING A YEAR AT THE SCHUSTER CENTER FOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN SCOTTSDALE ARIZONA, AND AN UNDERSTANDING OF GENERAL ACCOUNTING PRACTICES AND INDUSTRIAL PSYCHOLOGY AT THE UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON GRADUATE BUSINESS SCHOOL’S “DENTIST AS CEO” PROGRAM. HE IS THE HOST OF “THE ORTHOPRENEURS PODCAST”, MANAGES THE ORTHOPRENEURS FACEBOOK GROUP AND RUNS THE ANNUAL ORTHOPRENEURS SUMMIT.

Want to know the difference between crappy engagement versus a flood of new patients when running ads on social media? Read on…

For the last 12-18 months I’ve been obsessed with reading and learning from the top marketing and entrepreneurial minds. These “pure” and “seasoned” entrepreneurs and masters of advertising like Jay Abraham, Dan Kennedy, Todd Brown, David Ogilvy and others have taught me so much and how to think out of the box when it comes to marketing my practice.

These giants of the advertising world have shown me examples of great copy, poor copy, great ideas and terrible ones. They’ve show me how:

The layout of your ad can make a huge difference…

…and how copy can influence the performance of even a mediocre idea.

They’ve helped me look at every ad in the way that we orthodontists simply were never trained.

I’ve also belonged to a couple of mastermind groups filled with entrepreneurs, where I am the only health professional in the room. These people have started and built companies with 8 figure incomes that now are turnkey and I’ve sat there amazed at how they make so much selling something far less engaging than getting a beautiful, healthy smile.

So why is it that most orthodontic ads simply don’t bring in a flood of new patients? Why do we get so exasperated with what we felt was a great ad when it doesn’t perform well?

Truth is, there is NO one quick change you can make to an ad to suddenly see a huge influx of new patients. I just wanted to show you how copy can grab you into reading more…but…

You MUST pay attention to two things when you advertise: Your Idea and Your Copy

Great copy will NEVER be as important as a great idea. It’s just as simple as that. The pros will tell you that over and over again. You need to understand your “Unique Selling Mechanism” (USM) and where your prospect is on the sales funnel. Understand those two things and you’re set up forever.

This isn’t something you take a weekend course and suddenly figure out and if a potential marketing “expert” (i.e.-some 30 year old who took an online course in Facebook lead generation) promises you the moon, stars and sun, RUN away. Great orthodontists aren’t built in a week or month and neither are great advertising campaigns.

Unless…

…they sit down with you to figure out YOUR idea and YOUR copy based on your USM and which clients you’re going after at which stage of the sales funnel.

Sound complicated? It is.

But don’t worry…there will be more down the road. In the meantime, start reading up on figuring out YOUR USM and you’ll start to see how you can change everything!!!

Wishing you the best,

If you want to be a part of a geographically exclusive Facebook group (OrthopreneursRD) where we come together to help each other build better practices and lower stress, please message me. To learn more about your region’s availability and what it’s all about, click HERE.

GLENN KRIEGER IS AN ORTHODONTIST WITH 20 YEARS OF RESTORATIVE AND COSMETIC DENTISTRY EXPERIENCE BEFORE HE RETURNED TO ORTHODONTIC RESIDENCY. DR. KRIEGER LEARNED ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF WELL-DESIGNED PRACTICE POLICIES AND SYSTEMS DURING A YEAR AT THE SCHUSTER CENTER FOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN SCOTTSDALE ARIZONA, AND AN UNDERSTANDING OF GENERAL ACCOUNTING PRACTICES AND INDUSTRIAL PSYCHOLOGY AT THE UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON GRADUATE BUSINESS SCHOOL’S “DENTIST AS CEO” PROGRAM. HE IS THE HOST OF “THE ORTHOPRENEURS PODCAST”, MANAGES THE ORTHOPRENEURS FACEBOOK GROUP AND RUNS THE ANNUAL ORTHOPRENEURS SUMMIT.

If you’ve never heard of David Goggins, let me give you a really brief (and completely inadequate) introduction to who he is. Goggins was raised in a dysfunctional home, with little money and an abusive dad. He ultimately dropped over 100 pounds, became a Navy Seal, graduated Ranger School and became one of the top Ultra-marathon athletes in the world. In short, he turned his life around and has served as an inspirational beacon for many who are looking to overcome challenges in their own lives.

Goggins suffers no fools and accepts no excuses. He’s overcome a lot and expects others to do the same in their own lives. Heck, as a PT instructor, he had Navy Seals complaining that his workouts were too tough.😮

Yes, he can be considered a tad extreme, but there is a lot of wisdom in his words. He understands the human psyche and the ability to focus mind over matter to push the body to achieve more than one ever could have considered possible. One comment applies quite nicely to many orthodontists:

“Most people in the world, if they ever push themselves at all, are willing to push themselves only so far. Once they reach a cushy plateau, they chill the fuck out and enjoy their rewards, but there’s another phrase for that mentality. It’s called getting soft, and that I could not abide.”

Why does this apply to orthodontists? I know that we’re not pushed as hard physically as Seals, but to become an orthodontist means running the academic gauntlet and coming out on top. It means persevering through the science classes in college and excelling in dental school when competing against those who have already distinguished themselves. It’s not an easy road, and it’s one that most have worked pretty hard to traverse.

But what happens once you become an orthodontist? What happens when the practice starts doing pretty well? Do you keep the “pedal down”? I would argue that to be a successful entrepreneur (which you ARE when you own a practice), you’re once again in a crucible to make your practice stand out. There are many practices that people can choose. Why should they pick yours?

Goggins has another quote in his book and it’s amazing.

“Heraclitus, a philosopher born in the Persian Empire back in the fifth century BC, had it right when he wrote about men on the battlefield. “Out of every one hundred men,” he wrote, “ten shouldn’t even be there, eighty are just targets, nine are the real fighters, and we are lucky to have them, for they make the battle. Ah, but the one, one is a warrior…” 

When it comes to making your practice (and your life) exceptional, do what it takes to make it the best. Don’t rest on your laurels and expect that because you do great ortho that the world will appear on your doorstep begging you to treat them. Read books on business. Attend courses. Learn to become a better manager, leader and delegator.

In short, continue to push the way you did when you wanted to become an orthodontist and strive to be that one “warrior”.

Wishing you the best,

If you want to be a part of a geographically exclusive Facebook group (OrthopreneursRD) where we come together to help each other build better practices and lower stress, please message me. To learn more about your region’s availability and what it’s all about, click HERE.

GLENN KRIEGER IS AN ORTHODONTIST WITH 20 YEARS OF RESTORATIVE AND COSMETIC DENTISTRY EXPERIENCE BEFORE HE RETURNED TO ORTHODONTIC RESIDENCY. DR. KRIEGER LEARNED ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF WELL-DESIGNED PRACTICE POLICIES AND SYSTEMS DURING A YEAR AT THE SCHUSTER CENTER FOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN SCOTTSDALE ARIZONA, AND AN UNDERSTANDING OF GENERAL ACCOUNTING PRACTICES AND INDUSTRIAL PSYCHOLOGY AT THE UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON GRADUATE BUSINESS SCHOOL’S “DENTIST AS CEO” PROGRAM. HE IS THE HOST OF “THE ORTHOPRENEURS PODCAST”, MANAGES THE ORTHOPRENEURS FACEBOOK GROUP AND RUNS THE ANNUAL ORTHOPRENEURS SUMMIT.

Most orthodontists don’t consider themselves entrepreneurs. It’s not a dig at them. It’s simply the case. They consider themselves de facto business owners, clinicians and perhaps managers, but entrepreneurs? No way. Don’t believe me? Ask most orthodontists to tell you the difference between their AOV and their CPA (no, not their accountant) and they will likely stare at you wide eyed.

There are many business and entrepreneurial concepts that we simply never learned in our residencies and subsequent career experience. Orthodontists are smart people by nature and self discovery is strong in this group, but adventures in entrepreneurialism are rare.

So, I will ask the same question as the header: “What are your SPOFs?” Don’t know what that means? Let’s go there together.

SPOF is a very common business acronym that stands for “Single Points Of Failure”. Simply defined, it is: ” a part of a system that, if it fails, will stop the entire system from working.”

Take a look at the example below. It’s a very basic computer setup with an SPOF. 

In this example, it’s pretty clear the the router is the only thing holding together the network and if that single point of contact fails, the entire system is out of order.

So, I will ask you again: “What are YOUR SPOF’s and how can you prevent them from taking down your business?”

Here are 10 examples of SPOF in businesses (with solutions) as listed by “Thinkingbusinessblog.com”:

1. Machinery – the business relies on a single piece of machinery or software to produce its products or services.
2. Internet – the business relies on the internet to generate revenue. If everyone is working from the same location and the internet goes down, so does your revenue!
3. Power – the business relies on power to its building to generate revenue. Consequently, if everyone is working from the same location and the power goes out, your revenue disappears!
4. Building – the business needs a physical structure to generate revenue. Therefore, if everyone is working from the same building and the building becomes inaccessible, your revenue disappears!
5. A person – there is a person in your business that is responsible for generating or enabling the majority of your revenue
6. A patent – the business relies on a single patent or a small number of patents to generate revenue. What happens to your revenue when the patent expires? What happens if there is a patent dispute and someone files an injunction that restricts you from using that patent?
7. Software (accounting, point of sale, engineering, database, website) – many organizations today rely heavily on software to keep their business operating (e.g., airlines). What happens when the software crashes?  What happens in the event of maliciously hacking?
8. An industry – the business depends on a single industry to provide it business
9. Government regulation – governments are notorious for changing regulations without understanding the impact to business. Some businesses depend on one or more regulations to keep them viable.
10. Supply chain – supply chain interruptions for a product manufacturing company can be devastating

How to deal with SPOF

So, look at that list and think of where you might be vulnerable. Does your office rely too heavily on a member of your team (including you)? Do you have a plan if your server crashes? What about if your scanner goes down? Your lead assistant is out for an extended time? You get the idea. An SPOF can cripple you if you don’t have a back up plan, so start thunking about what you can do to protect yourself.

Remember, dealing with an SPOF is like buying life insurance or taking a vitamin. It’s not glamorous, nor will it yield instant results, but you need it to protect yourself. Take the time to identify your single points of failure and start outlining some ways in which you can protect yourself. Like insurance, we all hope we’ll never need to use these contingency plans, but if you need to, you’ll sure be thrilled you had one.

…and if you do, your AOV and CPA won’t change. 😉

Wishing you the best,

If you want to be a part of a geographically exclusive Facebook group (OrthopreneursRD) where we come together to help each other build better practices and lower stress, please message me. To learn more about your region’s availability and what it’s all about, click HERE.

GLENN KRIEGER IS AN ORTHODONTIST WITH 20 YEARS OF RESTORATIVE AND COSMETIC DENTISTRY EXPERIENCE BEFORE HE RETURNED TO ORTHODONTIC RESIDENCY. DR. KRIEGER LEARNED ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF WELL-DESIGNED PRACTICE POLICIES AND SYSTEMS DURING A YEAR AT THE SCHUSTER CENTER FOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN SCOTTSDALE ARIZONA, AND AN UNDERSTANDING OF GENERAL ACCOUNTING PRACTICES AND INDUSTRIAL PSYCHOLOGY AT THE UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON GRADUATE BUSINESS SCHOOL’S “DENTIST AS CEO” PROGRAM. HE IS THE HOST OF “THE ORTHOPRENEURS PODCAST”, MANAGES THE ORTHOPRENEURS FACEBOOK GROUP AND RUNS THE ANNUAL ORTHOPRENEURS SUMMIT.

I’ve been reading Colin Powell’s autobiography, “My American Journey” and even though it was written 25 years ago, the text is still so appropriate for today’s environment. Keep in mind that the book was written before 9/11, yet Powell’s perspective is still so appropriate for what we’re going through today.

From his days as a decorated, injured Vietnam war veteran, to his rise to become the first African American Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Powell had a vantage point to view our country like very few others. He also has been described by many politicians (of both political parties) and subordinates as one of the best leaders they ever knew and one can’t argue with his record of leadership.

Powell loved to keep quotes -rules- under glass on his desk at work and when they were discovered, he made them public. They are listed below and they are great lessons for all of us.

Which is YOUR favorite and how do you use it to live a better life?

13 Rules of Leadership

1. It ain’t as bad as you think.
2. Get mad, then get over it.
3. Avoid having your ego so close to your position that when your position falls, your ego goes with it.
4. It can be done.
5. Be careful what you choose. You may get it.
6. Don’t let adverse facts stand in the way of a good decision.
7. You can’t make someone else’s choices.
8. Check small things.
9. Share credit.
10. Remain calm. Be kind.
11. Have a vision.
12. Don’t take counsel of your fears or naysayers.
13. Perpetual optimism is a force multiplier.

Wishing you the best,

If you want to be a part of a geographically exclusive Facebook group (OrthopreneursRD) where we come together to help each other build better practices and lower stress, please message me. To learn more about your region’s availability and what it’s all about, click HERE.

GLENN KRIEGER IS AN ORTHODONTIST WITH 20 YEARS OF RESTORATIVE AND COSMETIC DENTISTRY EXPERIENCE BEFORE HE RETURNED TO ORTHODONTIC RESIDENCY. DR. KRIEGER LEARNED ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF WELL-DESIGNED PRACTICE POLICIES AND SYSTEMS DURING A YEAR AT THE SCHUSTER CENTER FOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN SCOTTSDALE ARIZONA, AND AN UNDERSTANDING OF GENERAL ACCOUNTING PRACTICES AND INDUSTRIAL PSYCHOLOGY AT THE UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON GRADUATE BUSINESS SCHOOL’S “DENTIST AS CEO” PROGRAM. HE IS THE HOST OF “THE ORTHOPRENEURS PODCAST”, MANAGES THE ORTHOPRENEURS FACEBOOK GROUP AND RUNS THE ANNUAL ORTHOPRENEURS SUMMIT.

One of the most common things I hear from younger docs is that they struggle to take home a paycheck. “I work so hard and can barely pay my bills. I can’t afford to pay myself.” What if I told you there was an answer? There is. Pay yourself first.

What? Wait a minute, you can do this? Yes, but you need to be meticulous in how you handle your finances.

There is a theory that as our practices grow, our expenses grow and that by paying yourself first, you genuinely know what’s remaining to spend and you don’t make unnecessary purchases.

Many financial consultants suggest that you pay yourself first and then bills later. Their thought is that if you wait to pay yourself until all bills are paid, there will always be something else on which you can spend money and you’ll always be out of money for your salary.

Obviously, you cannot just indiscriminately pay yourself whatever you want, but you also don’t need to be working for yourself without a salary. Start with something small and see how it feels. Something is better than nothing.

So, don’t wait forever to pay yourself a salary. Be smart, pay yourself first and enjoy some of the fruits of your labors.

Wishing you the best,

If you want to be a part of a geographically exclusive Facebook group (OrthopreneursRD) where we come together to help each other build better practices and lower stress, please message me. To learn more about your region’s availability and what it’s all about, click HERE.

GLENN KRIEGER IS AN ORTHODONTIST WITH 20 YEARS OF RESTORATIVE AND COSMETIC DENTISTRY EXPERIENCE BEFORE HE RETURNED TO ORTHODONTIC RESIDENCY. DR. KRIEGER LEARNED ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF WELL-DESIGNED PRACTICE POLICIES AND SYSTEMS DURING A YEAR AT THE SCHUSTER CENTER FOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN SCOTTSDALE ARIZONA, AND AN UNDERSTANDING OF GENERAL ACCOUNTING PRACTICES AND INDUSTRIAL PSYCHOLOGY AT THE UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON GRADUATE BUSINESS SCHOOL’S “DENTIST AS CEO” PROGRAM. HE IS THE HOST OF “THE ORTHOPRENEURS PODCAST”, MANAGES THE ORTHOPRENEURS FACEBOOK GROUP AND RUNS THE ANNUAL ORTHOPRENEURS SUMMIT.

I was reminded of an old story today, one in which a visitor to a house sees an old man and a dog on a porch.  He strolls up onto the porch and hears the dog whining. He asks the old man:”Why is the dog whining?” The old man replies:”Because there’s a nail underneath where he’s lying?”  “Then why doesn’t he just move?” the visitor asks.  The old man replies:”I guess he’s not in enough pain yet.”

Every orthodontist has something that drives them crazy about their practice. Maybe it’s an employee that isn’t following the plan, or a tough landlord or system or policy you keep having trouble with. It might work itself out and it may not, but it causes you some sort of pain.

You CAN change it. But the question is: Do you want to?

To have the practice of your dreams requires energy and commitment. It doesn’t happen quickly or easily. If you want change, you have the choice to make it happen or to let the pain continue.

Go take that CE course, or let that poorly performing team member go, or have those difficult conversations that you’ve been avoiding. Yes, it will take effort and maybe be a bit uncomfortable, but it will be worth it.

Like the dog from the story, you may be experiencing pain, but it’s not bad enough to do anything yet. But rest assured, by the time it gets to be so bad that you’re motivated to do something, the pain won’t be worth it.

Get up and move off of that nail and get rid of the pain. You’ll wonder why you didn’t do it sooner.

Wishing you the best,

If you want to be a part of a geographically exclusive Facebook group (OrthopreneursRD) where we come together to help each other build better practices and lower stress, please message me. To learn more about your region’s availability and what it’s all about, click HERE.

GLENN KRIEGER IS AN ORTHODONTIST WITH 20 YEARS OF RESTORATIVE AND COSMETIC DENTISTRY EXPERIENCE BEFORE HE RETURNED TO ORTHODONTIC RESIDENCY. DR. KRIEGER LEARNED ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF WELL-DESIGNED PRACTICE POLICIES AND SYSTEMS DURING A YEAR AT THE SCHUSTER CENTER FOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN SCOTTSDALE ARIZONA, AND AN UNDERSTANDING OF GENERAL ACCOUNTING PRACTICES AND INDUSTRIAL PSYCHOLOGY AT THE UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON GRADUATE BUSINESS SCHOOL’S “DENTIST AS CEO” PROGRAM. HE IS THE HOST OF “THE ORTHOPRENEURS PODCAST”, MANAGES THE ORTHOPRENEURS FACEBOOK GROUP AND RUNS THE ANNUAL ORTHOPRENEURS SUMMIT.