Dr. Ashley Joves is building her own dental practice, SMILE & CO., from scratch. For weeks she has been recording and publicly broadcasting her experience all over the internet. The journey has been difficult, rewarding, and revolutionary all at once. Although the path has been tough so far, she is determined to create the startup of her dreams. Join Dr. Ashley Joves and Michael Arias as they document the whole entire process of creating a dental practice, the areas to watch out for, and the emotional connotations of being a female entrepreneur.
Time-Stamped Show Notes
[0:40] ��� Michael reminds us about Ashley Joves and her departure from working as an associate to creating her dream practice from scratch.
[01:43] ��� Ashley describes what has happened since episode 58. Her permits were accepted while she was attending a dental convention in Vegas.
[3:25] ��� Ashley discusses Dave Olsen, her wonderful contractor, in addition to how she found a contractor and how she began the processes of building her own practice.
[4:10] ��� The life of a contractor: With information found on chron.com, Michael explains how contractors bid for jobs. The process involves investigating the project, pricing out materials, comparing the project with past work, working out licensing and other factors, and presenting the resulting estimate to the potential client.
[06:50] ��� Check out markupandprofit.com to calculate how much you should pay for a contractor. Michael suggests that you shouldn't go cheap or choose contractors based on price.
[8:33] ��� Ashley describes her building and some pricing factors involved in building her practice.
[10:32] ��� ���Every day,�� Ashley responded when asked whether she questions the scope of what she's doing.
[12:30] ��� ���A lot of the time, you don't what kind of patient base you're getting.�� There's definitely a lot of risk involved in startups.
[13:10] ��� Learn about how Ashley found her dream building!
[15:00] ��� #DoYourResearch: Cole Sweatt, Ashley's real estate broker from tricommercial, has fantastic experience and skills. His client list and affiliations are also impressive. Always research before you hire!
[16:52] ��� Ashley and Michael discuss what happens between hiring a contractor and demolition day.
[18:00] ��� Te average debt for dental school students is $350,00+. An NYU graduate, Ashley is trying to accrue as much of her debt as possible with the help of State Farm.
[19:05] ��� Michael emphasizes the importance of due diligence, or, he puts it, ���The stuff you don't think about.��
[20:00] ��� Ashley cancelled her escrow because she wanted to invest more in her escrow account. Learn about her experience with soft deadlines and negotiating with a frustrated agent.
[24:00] ��� With her S Corporation, Ashley is officially the president of her company.
[25:00] ��� Ashley spent around $15,000 just for due diligence.
[26:04] ��� Ashley describes her experience finding and working with her designer, Tami Teel, who is a regular contributor to HGTV.
[28:00] ��� Don't forget about IT work! Tim VanDermyden will be working with Ashley on her practice.
[29:29] ��� You can teach yourself how to do anything on YouTube! Ashley created her own Wordpress site and figured out more just by using the internet.
[30:20] ��� Now that we're all caught up, Ashley describes the ���trenching�� process that was happening at the time of the podcast interview.
[31:55] ��� ���If you are thinking about doing a startup, this is a must,�� Ashley promises as she discusses breakaway seminars and saving money during the process.
[33:55] ��� ���You have to find a balance between what you want, what you need, and efficiency.��
[36:15] ��� Ashley discusses using IKEA products in dental practices. There are definitely pros and cons.
[38:04] ��� Stressor Of The Week: Ashley's beloved WINEBAR concept is built around the experience of being comfortable and casual. Unfortunately, there is a federal patent and trademark on SMILEBAR dental and Ashley lost the name.
[40:55] ��� Ashley strongly recommends using a Trademark Electronic Search System (TESS) to see if a given concept or name has any patents or trademarks.
[41:50] ��� ���Use your resources,�� Ashley pleads. If you have any attorney friends, ask them for help or advice.
[42:15] ��� SMILE & CO. is Ashley's new practice name. She still hopes to work with small businesses and entrepreneurs in the area. Furthermore, she still wants to use the concept of creating an atmosphere that strays from the dreadful dentistry feel.
[43:20] ��� Finding the balance between family time and business time is extremely difficult for startups. Ashley's husband and boys are immensely supportive, but it is still a huge battle for her. ���It's a balancing act and there are sacrifices involved,�� she says.
[47:08] ��� Ashley explains the importance of patience in starting a business.
[48:20] ��� Michael emphasizes that although setbacks are expected, having a solid support and resource base is crucial.
[49:15] ��� Social media is an extremely important tool in marketing
[49:40] ��� ���Stick to your vision,�� Ashley says to those who want to start business.
[50:00] ��� Ashley describes what is soon to come for her practice.
[51:30] ��� Help Ashley! : What do you think Ashley should do to build her website? Should she watch YouTube videos and teach herself how to code, or should she outsource? Should it be dental specific? Send us an email at michael@thedentalmarketer.site if you have any helpful advice.
3 Main Ideas
Do your research! One of the most helpful aspects of Ashley's journey has been the team she has surrounded herself by. She attended meetings, took to the internet, and assembled a group of people who will help her create the dental practice she has always dreamed of. Learn about events in your area, check out reviews, and figure out what you need to move forward both now and in the future.
You can teach yourself how to do anything through resources such as YouTube. Heck; Ashley might even learn how to code her own website. If you ever feel intimidated by a challenge with several multifaceted steps, remember that you can always figure it out yourself.
Balancing family and work can be a challenge. For Ashley, this has been the toughest and most emotional facet of building her dental practice. As a women, spending time away from her two boys has been especially rough, considering the stigmas that surround working mothers. Make sure you have a strong support system around you and never forget to follow your aspirations.
Help Ashley!
No matter how intelligent or motivated we are, we will always have questions and issues when starting a new business. Ashley, for example, is struggling to decide how to build her website and what it should consist of. How do you think Ashley should build her website? Should she watch YouTube videos and teach herself how to code, or should she outsource? Should it be dental specific? Send her a Facebook message if you have any helpful advice, or even better email us at michael@thedentalmarketer.site for answers!
Resource Of The Week
Ashley strongly recommends looking up, working with, and just talking to Dr. Anissa Holmes. She is a lifesaver and the most experienced (as we know of) when it comes to marketing on Facebook successfully! One of her major courses, FB MASTERY, will not only help you understand what to do on Facebook but, Dr. Anissa Holmes is very interactive and responsive when it comes to you and your dental practice.
p.s. Here is a link for $200.00 OFF the FB MASTERY Course... your welcome!
Find Out More
Follow Michael Arias on Instagram or Facebook and improve your dental practice every day!
Listen to more podcasts and learn more about The Dental Marketer on his website.
Remember that Ashley's revolutionary dental practice is being built in real time! Follow along her incredible journey and send a message to her Facebook account if you have any questions!
