It's nearly impossible

Some time ago I was approached by a dentist for advice on how to grow a branch practice.

The dentist in question had bought a once excellent but now very run-down practice and was wanting to get it firing again. A good goal. Very definitely achievable.

But, the way they were going about it made the task of building nearly impossible:

  • The dentist was only going to be there occasionally when a patient booked in.

  • The practice was going to be understaffed to keep overhead down.

  • The phone was going to be answered by an answering machine much of the time.

  • Necessary renovations were being deferred to minimise costs.

If I were a swim instructor it would be like a client saying: "I want to wear a 20kg lead weight. Now teach me to swim."

Superficially what the dentist is doing makes sense. They want to keep an income stream going while they create a new one. But what they're really doing is killing the growth potential of the newly acquired practice.

Commitment is what this dentist lacks.

There is something magical about committing 100% to a practice. It focuses the mind in a way that is magical. But, if you treat a practice like a sideline or a distraction or a hobby it cannot grow.

About 15 years ago a dentist set up a "hobby" practice just down the road from me using the same flawed thinking as the dentist I mentioned above. It failed in less than 2 years while, simultaneously my practice went from strength to strength.

One of my daughters uses an expression that fits exactly the advice I'm trying to give you. It's worth pondering:

"Go hard or go home."

Previous
Previous

Two ways to increase your turnover

Next
Next

Making the best of a bad deal (part 2)