365: The Perfect Fit

Kiera is featured on The Biz Call podcast with Rob Frankel! This quick episode is a great dive into the who, what, when, and why of the Dental A-Team. Remember, we’re here to provide a full team approach to positively impact the world of dental. We believe we’re in the best industry and seek to help others grow.

Episode resources:

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Tune into The Biz Call podcast

Reach out to Kiera

Subscribe to The Dental A-Team podcast

Visit The Dental A-Team website

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Podcast Transcript

Kiera Dent:

Hello, Dental A Team listeners. This is Kiera and you guys, I was just recently on a very unique podcast called The Biz Call Podcast, where they literally call you and they record an episode. And so I'm super excited. I wanted to just do a crossover, so you guys can find out a little bit about how Dental A Team came to existence.

Kiera Dent:

I think it's fun. You guys will hear different pieces that we do. Things like why did we decide to get into the business? Why would customers choose us over our competition? That was a little uncomfortable. You'll hear me figure out how to count from seven, eight to nine. So enjoy that.

Kiera Dent:

But they literally just asked us a few questions and then answered. Is a quick, short podcast, but I thought you guys would love it. And then, if you haven't checked out The Biz Call Podcast, go check it out. I think there's a lot of interesting things.

Kiera Dent:

And I mentioned on there, I'm starting to become obsessed with why some businesses are more successful than others. And I truly believe it's about business intrigue. So, take a listen, hope you guys love it. And I'll talk to you guys next time on The Dental A Team Podcast.

Rob Frankel:

Question one. What's your name?

Kiera Dent:

My name is Kiera Dent.

Rob Frankel:

Question two. What is the name of your business?

Kiera Dent:

It is The Dental A Team Consulting.

Rob Frankel:

Number three. Describe your business in a few sentences. What you do.

Kiera Dent:

We do dental consulting for practices. So for dental practices, we literally fly to their practices, we train their teams and we do a full team approach, where we focus on the dentist, the team and the patient in order to make a great VIP patient and customer experience for the team as well. And we do it through a three-fold approach, where we focus on the doctor and the team members themselves, that's prong number one, number two is through systems in the team and then number three is through financials, making sure that the practice is profitable as a business.

Rob Frankel:

Wow. Okay, question four. What's your revenue model? How do you make your money?

Kiera Dent:

Fantastic. We make our money by helping other practices flourish and help just better impact their communities. So basically, we charge for our consulting services. We've been in the dental world for several years combined. I think we have over 100 years of dental experience among all of our consulting team. And so, offices pay us for that knowledge and that experience, really being able to just take the shortcut to success in all the dental practices, from someone who doesn't just understand them, but literally is them.

Rob Frankel:

Okay, so fee-based is what you're saying, yeah?

Kiera Dent:

Mm-hmm (affirmative). Exactly.

Rob Frankel:

Okay. Question five. Are you brick and mortar, online or both?

Kiera Dent:

We are solely online, but we do fly to the dental practices all across the nation and in other countries as well. But nobody comes to us. We just get to hang out by ourselves and then fly to their businesses.

Rob Frankel:

Okay. So you're online and then hands-on?

Kiera Dent:

Correct, yeah.

Rob Frankel:

That's what you are.

Kiera Dent:

Yep.

Rob Frankel:

Okay. Question six. This is a good one. So, get your teeth into this one. How-

Kiera Dent:

Did you just use that as a pun? Rob that was a pretty good pun. Did we just get my teeth into that? That was a nice plan, I liked it.

Rob Frankel:

It comes with the territory. Okay, question six. How did you decide to get into this business?

Kiera Dent:

So, I started out in dentistry when I was in high school. I wanted to wear scrubs and I thought, I can become a nurse and learn the whole body or I'll become a dental assistant and just have to learn the mouth. And so, that was actually what got me into dentistry. I fell in love with the profession, I fell in love with helping just the patients.

Kiera Dent:

And I loved my patients. I loved helping people. And then I ended up being able to work at a dental college in Arizona with dental students. And I saw a whole different side of the dental world. I saw what it took for them to become a practicing clinician.

Kiera Dent:

And so, from there I knew about 400 dental students and I thought, there's got to be a way for me to take my dental knowledge and running businesses, I own dental practices, and there's got to be a way that I could actually help these 400 students be able to be successful in their profession. And so, that's actually what created The Dental A Team.

Kiera Dent:

I remember when I was interviewing to work at the dental college, they asked me, "Kiera, why do you want to work at the dental college?" And I said, "I want to have a way to positively impact the world of dental in the greatest way possible. So I want to work at the dental college."

Kiera Dent:

And that's been my guiding star. So it's always thinking of how can we positively impact the world of dentistry in the biggest way possible. And here we are Dental A Team Consulting. We've got our podcast now that's growing team members and we just keep expanding. This year we're taking it to virtual events so we can literally impact dental offices all across the globe.

Rob Frankel:

Okay then, question seven. Why would customers choose you over your competition?

Kiera Dent:

I think that because we're a good fit. I think at the end of the day, when you're choosing a consultant, you've got to fit with their vibe. I also think it's important to choose a consulting company that literally does deliver on what they say they're going to. So for us, our average client within their first 30 to 60 days of working with us, sees a 10 to 30% increase in revenue.

Kiera Dent:

As a business owner myself, I'm very, very particular that if you're going to work with us, you will see results. But we do it as a very fun, hands-on, it's not cookie cutter. We literally figure out how can we help you and your team do it in the way that works best for you guys.

Kiera Dent:

So I would say, if that's your style and your vibe, I think we'd work great. If we're not your style and vibe, there are other amazing consulting companies out there. I really think it's important to fit with the consulting company's style and their model, because that's where you're going to see the results. That's where the magic happens.

Rob Frankel:

Okay, question nine. What did you do to increase your business?

Kiera Dent:

I don't know if this is fully recorded. We did skip number eight. I've just been watching the questions. I didn't know if you wanted to go to eight, but I didn't want your questions to get out of order.

Rob Frankel:

You want? Sure, we can go to question eight.

Kiera Dent:

Okay. I just didn't know.

Rob Frankel:

Okay, let's go to question eight. Okay, what, if you have one, is your exit strategy or long-term goals?

Kiera Dent:

I do have one and I think something that a lot of people choose us actually to consult, is because of my exit strategy. I'm a lot like a lot of dentists except for, I am hopefully, a future mom and so I've literally been building the business to be able to run at a 50% profitability without me being here.

Kiera Dent:

And so I purposely pay myself as a consultant, as a CEO and also as management. So as I bring those positions in, I've already been able to pay for those, so I can hire and expand and the business can literally run without me. That way I can be a mama, not stressed out. And I actually help a lot of dentists do this as well.

Kiera Dent:

So they can exit their practice, but still have a flourishing practice. And my long-term goal is just to find the best way to positively impact the world of dentistry. And I think me being a mom, fulfilling my life is a great way that I'll be able to help other people fulfill their lives as well.

Rob Frankel:

Okay, good. So now let's get to question nine. What are you doing to increase your business?

Kiera Dent:

So right now we are working on SEO, obviously. Wanting to make sure that more people that haven't heard about us are able to find us organically. We also do a lot of referrals. We also started, we just recently, it sounds ridiculous, hello 2021, we just started with our Google reviews. I help a lot of dental offices do that, but I never started in our company.

Kiera Dent:

And then we're also working on, like I mentioned, our virtual conference and event this year. Something where I think it's a totally different spin on what most consulting companies do. We're actually doing an event in their practice and we're helping them increase right away. So, that's what we're doing to increase business right now. Mostly a lot of it organic, but also starting to venture out to SEO and geo-targeted marketing.

Rob Frankel:

Okay, question 10. How do you measure your marketing success?

Kiera Dent:

This is a great question and this is something that I've been puzzling on a lot, because I think marketing, as I've learned, I got burned early on in business. I spent $80,000 of marketing with a zero ROI and I... It was a big... I think it was good I learned it early on, so that way I can look at it now.

Kiera Dent:

For me, marketing success is one, you've got your branding side, you've got your advertising side and then you have your direct sales. And so for me, I'm watching our marketing success as, what's driving business? What's working? What's resonating?

Kiera Dent:

But I also learned that marketing is in multiple different facets. And so, I would say our biggest marketing success is coming from people that just love us, that find out about us and we're able to give them a different experience. And so, the more people that we can find like that, to me is marketing success.

Rob Frankel:

Okay. Question 11, can be yes or no. Are you profitable?

Kiera Dent:

We are.

Rob Frankel:

Good. Question 12. How many employees do you have?

Kiera Dent:

We actually have 12 right now and we're bringing on five more.

Rob Frankel:

Good. Question 13 and 14 are two sides of the same coin. So I'll ask you question 13 first. What has been the best decision you've made so far?

Kiera Dent:

Golly! This one is loaded. I've been watching these questions. I've thought about these questions. I think the best decision I made so far was hiring and operations. I realized that I am not a great executer. I will execute because I'm very competitive and I like to win, but that's not what I love to do.

Kiera Dent:

I don't love details, I don't love finding this... I'll find a solution, but I don't to be the person who figures out all the in-between. And so hiring people that are opposite and complimentary to me, has been the best decision I've made so far because that's allowed us to exponentially grow in each person's zone of genius.

Kiera Dent:

And so it's easy and it's fun and it doesn't require quote, unquote hard work. Obviously, it is still hard, but it's not having me do all the things that I don't enjoy doing. And so getting me out of that, so that way I can really be an owner versus an operator has exponentially helped.

Rob Frankel:

That's a great distinction.

Kiera Dent:

Hello, Dental A Team listeners. Thank you so much for listening to the podcast and being a part of our Dental A Team family. Truly, you guys, I appreciate you listening, following along, sharing with us, emailing us and being a part of this incredible journey called The Dental A Team Podcast. You guys, if you want to help us out, please leave us a review.

Kiera Dent:

The way you leave a review is super simple. Just scroll down, see where there's five stars, select the five stars. You can write a note if you want or just leave the five stars and that's as easy as it gets. So thank you guys for leaving reviews, thank you for sharing the podcast and as always, thank you for just wanting to level up you and your practice. That is truly what this podcast was made for.

Rob Frankel:

Okay. So now, question 14, what's been the worst decision you've made so far?

Kiera Dent:

Honestly, it was that marketing one, I think. Losing $80,000.

Rob Frankel:

You got 80,000 reasons.

Kiera Dent:

Oh my gosh, it was so bad. That was such a bad decision. I signed up at an event. I hook, line sinkered and I should have done my research on the company before I said yes. And then I should have pulled the plug much sooner when I realized it wasn't working and we weren't seeing it.

Kiera Dent:

Instead, I felt I was just hoping to hit gold as the bank account kept going down. And then, to add salt to injury already, is I had told them we were going to stop and they ended up running almost $10,000 more of Facebook ads, because they didn't realize it was still linked to a $10,000 deposit that I had. So that just ran without me even knowing it. So I could have at least gotten 10,000 back, but that also ended up running. And I didn't know that.

Rob Frankel:

Wow, okay. Question 15. If you can free ball this, what didn't we cover that you'd like to add?

Kiera Dent:

I think because this is The Business Call Podcast, that there's so many people out there that want to start a business and I sat there for so many years with that itch that could never be satisfied. I created all these mock companies and I just knew I wanted to do a business and I think there's so many reasons that we as entrepreneurs tell ourselves as to why we won't do this, that I think at the end of the day, just jump.

Kiera Dent:

I wish that I would have possibly started this sooner. And I believe that everything in life is working out for us, even if it doesn't feel like it is. And I believe that life is working for us, not against us. And so, I think more than anything for all those business owners out there, listening and thinking about this, jump and find people that are smarter than you, so that way you're constantly the smallest fish in the room.

Kiera Dent:

And you're constantly learning from people that are smarter, that are better, that they do it better and just be willing to ask and be vulnerable. But man, I'm so grateful for the mentors I've had. I can't [inaudible 00:12:58] getting mentors and I really feel like I have. I was just on another podcast and we were talking about, I think the piece that makes business owners successful is when they have business intrigue.

Kiera Dent:

Be intrigued by the art of business, figure out what you can, talk to mentors, find somebody in the area that you're weak. I'm weak in marketing. And so I've got a lot of people... I feel I'm a scholar of marketing because that's the zone in the business that I haven't been as strong on. And now to see that actually, okay, I know quite a few things.

Kiera Dent:

I'm not going to be weak. I won't be as vulnerable there, but just jump in. If you've got that itch and you've been wanting to do it, go for it. And then, if you are a business owner, have that intrigue piece to it where you literally are always being a student of business.

Kiera Dent:

So that way you continue to grow and morph and realize that as business owners, I personally think we've got the most incredible, most beautiful job that you could ever ask for, but we also have the other side of it with the success tax. With great success also comes attacks of possible stress and find all the ways to hire people quicker, hire better people. So that way you're in your zone of genius at all times and allowing other people to do the same.

Rob Frankel:

Fabulous. Hey listen, okay, one last time, nice and slow, nice and loud. Give me the name of your business and the URL so that people can get more information.

Kiera Dent:

Yeah, absolutely. The name of our business is The Dental A Team Consulting. We're really cool like The Home Depot. So it's, The Dental A Team Consulting. Our website is www.thedentalateam.com. You guys can email us [email protected] and anyone listening, we do have our virtual events and so come on over, use coupon code podcast. This is a podcast and you guys will get a discount. So for any of our events, they are all CEs, that continuing education. We'd love to have anybody listening there or email us [email protected].

Rob Frankel:

Fabulous. Thank you so much for your time. Great call Kiera.

Kiera Dent:

Absolutely. Thank you guys. And that wraps it up for another episode of The Dental A Team Podcast. Thank you so much for listening and we'll talk to you next time.