Slow Down and Reflect

It’s Thanksgiving Week! So, Bethany traps Dr. Kuba and convinces her to be extremely vulnerable and answer some annual reflection questions LIVE and on the spot! Thankfully, Dr. Kuba obliges, giving listeners an opportunity to not only learn about how to end the year in reflection, but also giving listeners an opportunity to hear how she herself reflects. Together, Dr. Kuba and Bethany discuss the importance of slowing down at this time of year and taking the time to truly reflect back on the year so that you can better prepare for 2026. Get your pen and paper out for this one! 

Need some reflection resources? We’ve got you covered! Yearly Reflection and Planning Bundle on THE HUB 

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• A Bonus Episode designed to be SAFEGUARD your practice from sickening mistakes 
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• Compliance Tips 
• Plus 6 Creative Team Building Ideas

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Transcript

Are you looking for a podcast where you can hear from real people regarding their real dental drama? If so, then

0:09

you've come to the right place. Join hosts Bethany Penny and Dr. Reena Kuba

0:14

as we dive into the solutions we've created and the mistakes we've made while managing dental drama.

0:22

Let's get started. All right, here we are. Thanksgiving week. This is crazy. I know, right? We're here. November.

0:30

That's insane. And it's almost over. That's even doubly insane now that you say that.

0:35

Funny enough, just yesterday, one of my employees texted me and said, "Oh, it was so and so's 11th anniversary this

0:41

week." Yeah. And and I've said it before, I'm terrible at anniversaries and all of that. And I was like, "No, she didn't."

0:48

Oh, it is November. I guess you're right.

0:54

How are we here? Yeah, I know. But we have arrived. We've arrived. We've got a good episode for

0:59

today. You think so? I am like chomping at the bits. I totally sprung this on you, which makes

1:06

me even more excited to do it. Pleased with yourself. Before we get into that, I have a quick

1:11

reminder for our listeners that this is the last week of November content for our subscription. As always, it's

1:18

jam-packed. I just want to encourage everybody to to get on, subscribe. We've

1:24

got one more month, next month, December, of our 2025 pricing and then

1:29

we're jumping up in 2026. So just which even your 2026 pricing is

1:35

ridiculous. Like I I don't know. I I applaud you for giving away your brain

1:41

cells and advice for such a nominal fee. Um cuz when I do the math on it, I'm

1:47

like, "Okay, that is for the year. That's like you've got to see one crown

1:53

appointment. Yeah. Even in peds, you got to see one uh like

1:58

a DP case. Yeah. With, you know, some treatment. Um

2:04

apparently like somebody I knew the other day said something about how an apicotomy she kind of needed $4,000. So

2:12

you endidonist could subscribe for four referring colleagues. Yeah.

2:17

Like it's so cheap. How are you doing it for so cheap? So, I'm going to keep pushing you to keep driving up that cost. Yeah.

2:22

Um, but for those of you that have not subscribed, um, I don't know. Like, it to me it's still

2:29

a bargain, but if you are going penny pinching, whatever, then uh, don't forget to

2:36

subscribe before January because the price is going up. Absolutely. Yes. So, okay. Today, are

2:42

you ready? I guess. So, I actually texted you last night and said, "By the way, annual

2:48

reflection time. This is one of my favorite times of the year because it

2:54

forces like this idea of slow down, think, reflect back." And you hate this

3:00

time of year cuz you're like, "Let's just keep charging forward. Let's keep moving." And I'm forcing you to pause

3:06

and really evaluate. Which, yes, you sent me that text and in my mind I'm like, "Oh, it must be the

3:12

end of the year." Again, me going, "What? November. Oh my god, we're almost December. Okay. Okay. She's going to

3:17

make me do this. I remember that. But I didn't realize it was going to come as far as less than 24 hours later. Here we are getting duped.

3:24

Well, and yes, because I think our listeners need to hear somebody process

3:30

through some of these questions. I already know that we won't get through

3:35

all the questions. There's just no way to do that in one episode, but I want to

3:40

at least start the process and let listeners hear you struggle through

3:46

these questions. So, we struggle through these questions every year, you and I do, and we normally get together in

3:52

person and kind of talk through and reflect and kind of dream for next year as well. And so this will kind of launch

3:59

us into that conversation that we always have. But I also want listeners to hear you process through because you even

4:07

though we do this on an annual basis, I know right now if I were to tell you what questions am I going to ask, you would you might be able to give a

4:13

general idea of, oh, you're going to ask a little something about this or that, but you don't know these specific questions yet that I'm going to ask you.

4:19

So I think it'll be good for listeners to hear you. Well, and I think my natural inclination is to go, what does that matter? Yeah.

4:26

like can we just get back to like how I can increase profitability and keep overhead down and all of that. So for me

4:33

my natural inclination is to go oh yeah this is nice but what is the point like

4:38

and so I think you always do a great job of reminding me exactly what the point is and why you make me do this. Um and

4:45

so I think it's important for listeners also because I think more probably more

4:50

than less listeners are going to be like me going

4:55

Okay, I get it. I kind of get in a global sense why this is important, but I really don't want to stop and think about this right now because I don't

5:01

really see the direct correlation of how this is going to help me. And I will think about those things later, which of

5:07

course we never do cuz later never comes. But I think you always remind me

5:12

of there is a direct correlation to reflecting back on these things. But even just that called annual reflection,

5:17

I'm like at the very best it sounds super boring. Two, it sounds tedious.

5:23

three. It sounds like what is the point? I would rather be doing a million other things right now. I know. So,

5:28

but today I have you trapped and we're going to talk about them. So, it's kind of a you know benefit for

5:34

me too to force this Thanksgiving things I am not grateful for being trapped in

5:40

this car reflecting. Oh, as y'all can tell Dr. Kuba's

5:46

favorite time of year is annual reflection time. But I do want to ask some questions and start the process.

5:54

Anytime you and I start this conversation, I always like to start big and broad and then we kind of narrow as

6:01

we go through the conversation because um to me if we start too granular it can

6:06

we can get lost in the tedious nature. So I like to kind of think real big

6:11

picture first. So I'll start with real easy broad questions. Mhm. I know your

6:18

easy broad questions. Okay. So, question number one is, what have been the best aspects of this year?

6:27

You tell me. That's always my answer. Anthony, don't I pay you for a reason? You know what's went well. Uh, I think

6:32

the best aspects of this year have been, um,

6:38

I think it's aside for a blip or two here or there, for the most part, I think my team, I

6:45

think it's the best team I've ever had. Um, which is really surprising because

6:51

we're it's the smallest team I've had. And, uh, I just think they just they

6:58

just get to task. That's not to say there's not little drama here or there or little interactions here that overall

7:04

like it has been the year that I can remember that has had the least amount of

7:11

mental strain on me. Yeah. And and a lot of like they've got it. Yeah. I just need to set the tone of this is

7:17

what I'm expecting and this is what I want out of this and y'all make it happen. And that

7:22

has been pretty much the trend. And so, uh, I think now you're probably going to

7:28

want me to reflect on why is that? Why is this team the best team of Is that is

7:33

that what's coming next? Well, I was going to ask you to expound on that a little bit. So, yes. Okay. Expound on that. I don't know. I

7:41

think it's because we um yeah, it would have been this time

7:46

last year, I think, that we kind of weeded out people that

7:54

um were weighing us down. And so now we've got people that, if

8:00

nothing else, at least know the expectation, know the culture. Do they always follow it? Maybe not, but they

8:07

know. And I think it's people that I think, gosh, I hate to say this

8:13

because I'm always waiting for the other shoe to drop. If a shoe drops, I'm blaming you. You jinxed it and willed

8:19

this into whatever. Um, but I would say it's people that um can kind of see the

8:26

yeah, these are things I may not like about working here, but definitely the positives outweigh. And so it's almost

8:34

like they are now going, "This is the culture that I do want to be in." I feel like I've got a bunch of people that I

8:40

wasn't able to say before this year that I feel like they all are like, "This is my home."

8:46

I think that does make a difference cuz when you've got somebody who's kind of an outlier who's kind of going, I don't know. I don't know if I want to be here.

8:52

Those are the people who don't jump in and embrace the culture. That doesn't mean they like all aspects of the

8:58

culture, right? But I feel like every person there, I'm finally going, "Okay, if you

9:04

were to leave, it's not because of me. It's because you got married and you

9:09

were moving to Idaho. It's because your mom needs your help in New York." Like,

9:15

whatever it is, it's not that, oh, I'm going to another office for better pay or because you're a or whatever.

9:23

Um, so I think it's finally a team that we have really been like this is our

9:28

culture. Get get on or get off. Yeah. And that's where we were at the end of

9:33

last year. And the people that have stayed on have made it ease now cuz we're all of the like-minded. We're all different,

9:38

but we've all embraced the same culture. Yeah. And I think that's and I think the stability of the team,

9:44

too. It's like not only have you been able to weed it down to these are people that really get the culture, are

9:50

committed to it, but also we haven't had a ton of change on the team.

9:57

But I think that's why I think that's why because the people that are there like, "Okay, I'm I'm here

10:03

and I'm going to make this work." Yeah. And it it's a whole different it's

10:08

a whole different ballgame when we're not dealing with like stupid stuff distractions and there's no distractions

10:14

now. Yeah. If we say we want to um I don't know do what we're going to

10:20

implement this. We're going to we're going to switch from this patient

10:25

reminder to this and I've got a team that's like okay let's do it. And they will each figure

10:31

out their part in making that happen. That's never happened before. In the past, it was always like, "Well, but

10:37

maybe we need to this and well, but and it was all because we had distractors on the team who didn't want a change

10:44

because it was inconvenient for them, right? And now if we say we want a change,

10:49

there's enough trust that now they're going, okay, you've said it, you've thought through it, we trust you in your

10:56

thought process." If you've come to, and a lot of it's not my thought process. I'm like, "Hey guys, this is here. y'all

11:02

tell me. And so now they are weighing it out. And before when you had other people on the

11:08

team that were like, well, but no, it was always because it was inconvenient

11:13

for them for some reason. Either they didn't understand it or they didn't want to learn something new or there was a million excuses.

11:18

Yeah. Doesn't happen now. Now I can truly give it to any team member and say make this happen. You tell me if this can happen

11:24

or not. If it's a good thing for this practice or not. So it's a back thing. The back team is looking at it. if it's a front

11:30

suggestion and it's just made life a lot easier with this smooth running engine because I know the people that are going

11:36

to look into it aren't going to look into it for their own benefit. They're looking across the board going is this

11:41

really going to help our patients. Yeah. Yeah. I think I think that's spot on. I would have hoped that you would say that

11:48

uh about the team cuz I've been feeling the same thing that there's just this relative calm when it comes to the team

11:56

where I think we look back at years past and that's been like a constant struggle and we've had this just this nice year

12:03

of peace and stability and natural motivation. And so somebody's asking like how did

12:09

you get there? I think it's because we finally were like I mean it didn't happen overnight, right? Like we did all

12:15

that culture stuff. I remember at early 2024. Yeah. And it led to a trickling down that by

12:22

Octoberish it was like this is my culture. Get on or get off. Mhm.

12:28

And then we weeded out the people. One left on our own, the other one we asked to leave. And um it's been smooth

12:34

sailing since. So it took it took a year. Yeah. But we stayed the course to say this is what I am going to be tolerant of and

12:41

this is what I'm not. Yeah. and give it give it time. Like don't expect for you to make some of these changes and then immediately

12:48

you're you know experiencing the fruit of that. Give it time and it may get painful before it gets

12:54

better. So okay. So the flip version of that is what have been the worst aspects of this

13:01

year? The slowness. Yeah. The schedule. Um so trying to trying to

13:07

um sort that out. you know, we've got an associate that will be leaving. Um,

13:14

and you know, that's it's always hard the change and the bonds you have with that person. And certainly I wish him

13:20

well and I know he's going to do great things and he's not left me high and dry and he's not, you know, um, but he's in

13:25

a natural progression in his career and in his life and all the the new things that are going on in his life. So, I

13:32

think we both have a mutual appreciation for each other. Um, but now we've onboarded a new associate who has

13:38

actually blended in quicker than we anticipated. And so it's just like with the slowness and now having too many

13:45

providers, like who could say that? When do we ever have too many people? Yeah. Um, but there we are. So I think the

13:52

slowness of the schedule has been really concerning. Yeah. And I've had a lot of clients

13:58

mentioning that. So, it has been a just I've found that patterns tend to be

14:05

universal. There's always an outlier or two that experienced a busier season than normal. But I've heard that from a

14:13

lot of my clients that and it makes me go, is it because we have too many providers? Is that why it

14:18

feels like it's slower? Um or is it it

14:23

is it's making me question my insurance participation? Yeah. you know, we we've worked so hard for that for so long and I am

14:30

questioning it. Yeah. Um so that's been the hardest part I think of this year.

14:35

Yeah. What have been some of the challenges that you've faced over this past year?

14:44

I think for me it's kind of a unique year because of the startup the

14:49

satellite that we decided to go ahead and try out. Sorry, what was the question? So what

14:55

have been some of the challenges that you've faced this year? Um I think this year being a unique year

15:01

uh with the uh startup we decided to start up um the opportunity that presented itself and um yeah trying to

15:10

figure out like you know I I've said this before like and I still say it it my normal thought for somebody who's

15:16

starting multiple practices I'm like what is wrong with you? Yeah. And then here I am, right? And I think a

15:22

colleague even said, "Yeah, you've always said and then here you go." But it was a unique set of circumstances.

15:28

Um, and do I still advise other people do it? No, I don't. Like it it was

15:35

challenging. And I'm like, it was challenging with everything in my favor.

15:40

Like when I first started the office on my own, the original one, I was by myself. Now I've got Bethany and I've

15:47

got trained staff and I've got knowledge of, you know, products and etc., etc.,

15:54

etc. And it was still uh tough getting it going, sorting through some stuff. And I'm like, how the hell did I do this

16:01

on my own years ago? Um, so I think uh that probably has been

16:07

the biggest challenge of the year. Yeah. Um Yeah. And and it's a challenge. I mean,

16:13

I think the positive side of that is it's a challenge that you took on,

16:18

you know, that it wasn't something that just hit you out of left field and now you're having to like put pieces back

16:23

together, but it was a challenge that you chose to jump into, but it doesn't make it any less of a challenge.

16:29

Yeah. Even if it's something that you chose, it can still produce a challenge for you. So, yeah, I would agree with you on

16:36

that. What challenges have you overcome?

16:41

And then on the flip side, which challenges seemed to defeat you this year?

16:46

I think I overcame um at the end of the summer

16:52

when I thought, and I know I talked a lot about this in one podcast, but it's the thing that stands out. So, you'll correct me if I'm wrong because I I may

16:58

have just forgotten other things that happened in the year, but I think uh the biggest challenge that I can remember is

17:05

the same team that I'm talking about like getting along and doing great and doing all of that. and at the end of the

17:10

summer to find that they were um they were questioning my juices and my

17:17

whatever. So I I just I know I just finished saying that they trust me and trust my decisions. That was not true at the end of the summer.

17:22

Yeah. And it really um you know I wasn't expecting it. It really irritated me.

17:30

Um so I think but but we did overcome it because at that point I was like

17:36

am I about to lose team members here? Mhm. Um and and there are days where I think

17:42

for the most part everybody's calmed down and they'll kind of settle down, but I think there are one or two people

17:48

here or there that are still that I still in the back of my mind go, I don't know what you're thinking.

17:53

And I'm still on my toes with you guys. Yeah. Uh so,

17:59

and it wasn't I would say that challenge wasn't something that you just naturally overcome like time heals all wounds type

18:05

thing. It was you intentionally pursuing some of that

18:11

dissent that was occurring and having uncomfortable conversations to rectify

18:16

that that challenge or that lack of trust. So when you say something like, "Oh, the challenge was when the team

18:22

really was not trusting you and some of the decisions that you were making, but we overcame it." We overcame it due to

18:29

intentional effort that you made to overcome it. And and I think that's where too it makes

18:36

you second guess yourself when your team that you thought was behind you and you thought

18:42

should I be more specific because I know when I'm listening to these examples and when you do these episodes with somebody else I'm like I don't know what you're

18:47

talking about so I might I mean if if you're comfortable sharing it that may be helpful. I I'll get going here and then if I

18:53

realize that I'm getting myself in trouble I may pivot. Yeah. Um basically we you know this opportunity

19:00

presented itself for the second location for the second location and then there were some uh team members that um

19:10

I was not looking for team members. I was going to use my own team right to try to make this work and whatever. But

19:16

then there were some uh team members that were had applied to my uh buddy's

19:22

office and said buddy didn't need more team members of uh this skill set.

19:30

Yeah. And so he was like, "Hey, they know pedo. They're coming from a pedo

19:36

practice. Um you should interview them." And I'm like, "I don't know that I can

19:42

afford them. I don't know that I want the drama of, you know, another pediatric dentist staff and then do I

19:49

need to ask her for the courtesy of asking her even though they're not her staff anymore and like whatever. Anyway,

19:55

it was just kind of this sticky situation. End up hiring a couple of these ladies

20:01

um because they seemed like what they were looking for is what I was looking for. They weren't looking for full-time.

20:07

They weren't looking for whatever. Anyway, so I end up hiring them thinking my team is going to be happy because now

20:13

I'm not making my team go over and splitting their, you know, adding to their workload, splitting their time.

20:19

Now you commute to here to there and you do whatever. So I thought for multiple reasons. I thought my team would be

20:25

happy. I thought we would Anyway, you and I talked a lot about it and you and I both agreed that this was a good

20:31

decision. come to find at the end of the summer that my team I don't know if they felt

20:37

like they were part of the decision because when we when all of the

20:42

satellite stuff came to our door basically and I'm like I thought you

20:49

were going to be like shut the hell up and focus on your Irving office. What are you doing? But you were like no this

20:54

is a good opportunity for XYZ reasons. I actually went to my team and I said hey guys this is what I'm looking to do.

21:00

What do y'all think? Do you think we could manage this? do you think we could do it? My team was excited. They're like, "Oh, that's so exciting. We're

21:06

expanding and we're whatever." And I'm like, "I guess." Like, I didn't think about it that way.

21:11

Anyway, and then I was like, "Okay, you guys come help me figure out like So, I took my team over to the space and what

21:16

do y'all think? Like, how could we make this space work? Uh, could we make it work? Is it worth

21:21

the what would y'all see?" Like, so then we had people that were like, "Oh, yeah, we'll paint it these colors and we'll make it, you know, do we see the flow

21:27

going this way? Do we see?" So, I I was engaged with my team the whole time. I think what ended up happening was summer

21:34

hit. We're super busy in the Irving office and um in their original office

21:40

and then we end up hiring these team members that we weren't looking to find but they also kind of fell into our lap.

21:47

We hire them and then I was like, "Okay, ladies, you guys are then in charge of these things for this practice." Not

21:54

realizing that my team felt like I had kind of cut them off. Yeah. and that I was now like the new

22:00

shiny office that they thought they were going to get to be a part of. Yeah. That they're now not a part of. And I

22:07

guess my mindset was let me not distract you and add to your plate when we're already super busy in the summer.

22:13

Exactly. Yeah. And so come at the end of the summer to me I'm like we rock and ruled. We had this super busy summer. There was no

22:19

drama and then the drama all hit then because they're like well what are they doing?

22:24

Why do they get these hours? What do they get to go home then? Why do they not have to do this? What? I'm just like, are you out of your mind? Like you

22:31

wanted to do all of that stuff, right? So anyway, it was like suddenly they

22:37

were one of them was like, well, why why did you hire them? Does that make any sense as a new

22:42

business when you're don't have resources and you have us and yet you chose to hire these people? Why would you do

22:49

that? Yeah. And I just wasn't expecting that because I had kept them in the loop. Yeah. And somehow they felt like I was

22:58

cutting them off and I had basically I think they felt like I had another family, right? Like I had gone I was cheating on them.

23:04

Cheating on them. That's how I felt. I was like, "Are you crazy?" Like I'm building this for us. Yes.

23:10

I'm going I'm killing myself to make this work for us so that we can have a bigger patient base. I don't have to cut

23:16

your hours during slow time. I'm not bogging you down during busy time. I'm doing all the work over there

23:21

to get it up and running so that when it does start producing then we all have

23:26

the opportunity for those who want more hours can have more hours. The ones who don't want but then we have more of a

23:32

revenue source. We can all bonus more. Like I'm thinking I'm doing this for the family, right? And the family's like you're you've

23:39

abandoned us. So that's a perfect analogy cuz I think that's what it boiled down to. That's what it boiled down to. So, but

23:45

then I had to call out some of these team members and remind them like, do

23:50

you know me or do you not? Would I ever abandon you when I when have I abandoned you? Or if you're going now like, I've

23:56

got all these other people that are, you know, have their share of their hours. Do you want those hours?

24:01

Yeah. Do you want to come in at that time and leave at that time? Right. You know, like do you do you want to be

24:08

in charge of these tasks, calling this, setting up that, looking to this? Y'all don't want to do all that. You want to

24:13

be an Irving and make money, see patients and make money. Yeah. So, have you forgotten that I'm looking

24:19

out for you? Yeah. So, anyway, it was I don't know if that's helpful or not in the situation.

24:24

I think that's super helpful because again, it it may not be a second location for somebody that's listening,

24:30

but any practice decision that caused that the practice owner made that may have caused some dissent unknowingly.

24:38

But again, that challenge may present itself and it takes pursuit to fix to

24:44

rectify that that change or that challenge and overcome it that we can't

24:49

just like if you would have just continued on like h they're being ridiculous crazy team and then just

24:56

forged ahead. I don't know that it would have solved itself. I think it required

25:02

some intentional conversations. Well, and then the one that's been super loyal and that I wasn't expecting this from at

25:08

all, I kind of had to call her out, which I never call her out because she's a great employee and I had to call her

25:15

out and say, "What is wrong with you?" Yeah. Why would you get caught up in all the talk? Why would you not come to me?

25:22

Yeah. Like you you have access to me. I'm not there every day. You're not there every day. So, we don't see each other as

25:28

much. But you you we always text each other. We always whatever. So, if you had doubts or concerns. Where have you

25:35

been? Yeah. Like, don't don't put this on me. In fact, I'm putting it on you. You should be the one championing me when other

25:40

people are squawking the office. You should be the one standing up for me going, "Hey guys, let's ask questions to get to the bottom of it." I did not

25:46

expect you to be joining the squawking. Yeah. You're saying you're supposed to have my back. You always have my back. Where did

25:52

you have my back in this case? Yeah. I don't think you did. Yeah. And I never confront her like that

25:57

or have, but I had to tell her what was honestly on my heart and going, is she going to be like,

26:04

you know, I'm done here? Cuz she could have easily taken it that way, too. Yeah. Um but she didn't. She she, you know, I

26:11

think we both kind of learned from that. And yeah, I think that's a perfect example of

26:16

a challenge that you overcame. Um thankfully, you know, is can you think

26:22

of any that you had this year that maybe you felt defeated in? Any challenges?

26:31

Um I don't know. Can you can you remind me

26:37

of something? That's what I'm sitting here thinking. Um

26:42

no, I mean, no. I feel like any challenge or bump in the road that

26:48

we faced, I feel like was solved and and rectified. I I can think of one or two people that

26:57

even after this or even earlier in the year that I finally just had to kind of in my mind go, okay, you are you seem

27:06

unsatisfied with XYZ. And I always trip over backwards to try to make sure that

27:12

you feel more um one came to me in the summer and was

27:18

like, "Hey, I am picking up more work here. I should be paid more over here." And I'm thinking,

27:25

"No, you shouldn't because I let you do these things and really I shouldn't let you do those

27:31

things." Yeah. Um it doesn't fall in your job. For example, if it was a front desk that's

27:37

like, "Oh, I'm doing all of your, I don't know, sterilization chart notes and whatever." And I'm like, "But that's

27:43

because you and I'm having to stay late to do those things, so I should get paid

27:50

differently." Yeah. But I'm like, "I'm not asking you to do those things. In fact, the RDA should be doing those things and they want the hours, too."

27:55

Yeah. But you're beating them to it because you want more hours and so I'm letting you do that, but now you want more pay

28:01

because you're doing these things. Um, and it's somebody who who I do value a

28:06

lot, but I think I finally was defeated. I feel defeated when I when I think that when you say defeat, that's the face

28:12

that pops into my mind going, I feel like I can never quite make you happy. You're always angling for

28:18

something more and I always feel like I'm not doing enough and I don't want to lose you, but you

28:25

keep trying to push push p. But we know her, that's her personality. She's always going to try to push.

28:30

Um, so I think I kind of hit a road with her going, "You know what? if you need to move on to other pastures, I guess

28:35

that's what you need to do. Yeah. Um I don't like it. I don't want that. But I'm defeated in trying to make you

28:42

happy. Yeah. But I honestly feel like even though I know you feel defeated in that,

28:48

I feel like that allowed for a slight change in the relationship, which actually has been good.

28:54

But that's I never know where that's going. I think it's been good in that she finally at least for this year has

29:02

realized that that is a boundary that is set and that's that

29:07

and she can it's not in my court anymore. It's up to her. So I guess where I'm saying like I don't know

29:13

what's going to change in her life next year such that she's going to go okay yes I'm bouncing now I think right now

29:19

because she can't do better. Yeah. um she hasn't found better in her

29:25

mind yet, but I have been defeated enough to go I I'm done. I can't do

29:30

anymore. Like this is where and I just need to uh brace myself for not if but when she

29:37

says okay now this is the path I'm taking and me go I wish you well and off you go and having peace in my mind going

29:44

I know I've done everything I can. I think that's key is like a couple key things from that is in something that

29:50

you feel defeated in this scenario for example, it has caused you to brace

29:55

yourself. And when I when you say brace yourself, I know the conversations that you and I have had to make sure we're

30:01

prepared for that, but also emotionally bracing yourself for it. And then um I

30:08

would say also making sure that you're at peace with all that you've done. And so to reach a point where you're like I

30:16

I've done all I can do and I and I feel good about all that I've done to retain this person for as long as I have. Kas

30:24

what will be will be. And so even though it's defeating because

30:29

you're like I still can't sat fully satisfy. I feel like it's the best of the defeat. you've done all that you can

30:35

to to retain and you're at peace if it does

30:41

end up not being retained at that point. So yeah. No, I think that's a really good example. Okay,

30:49

another question that I have is what have been some of your proudest

30:54

accomplishments this year? Retaining the team. Yeah. Um,

31:01

and then the the new office getting going, even though it is dismally slow,

31:06

like it is not picking up at all the way I envisioned it to. Um, but I'm still

31:13

having fun. Yeah. I don't I don't regret the decision yet. I'm sure my bank account and my accountant regret the decision,

31:19

but as far as a feeling, I'm still having fun. Yes. Yeah. As long as it's enjoyable. And at

31:26

some point the dollars and cents will make sense, but even right now when it's a little bit of a financial pinch, it's

31:32

like, okay, at least you're enjoying it. It'd be different if you were like hating life and also it's costing you.

31:39

But the fact that's brought joy and excitement and has reminded you of some of those early days of the practice, you

31:45

know, reliving some of those experiences again, that's been fun. Yeah, I love that. Um, okay.

31:53

Think back on this year and find moments where you felt your happiest

32:01

or like your most at peace. Like what were some of those moments that you can

32:08

can pinpoint feeling happy or at peace?

32:13

I don't know. Um, I think being able to go on vacation in

32:20

the summer and come back and not have missed a beat like Yeah. the freedom of that of like I was

32:27

able to leave and it's fine. Yeah. The the building hasn't burned down and

32:35

Yeah. Yeah. And I would say too, and maybe even past the summer, once Lee brought on the

32:43

additional associate, I feel like one of the things I've been happy about

32:48

for you is it's allowed you to take a little bit more time away from the

32:54

practice, which can be a blessing and a curse. Like sometimes that can induce anxiety, which I've seen you. I've seen

33:01

you struggle with that. But I've also been like, you're not going to have another time like this. So,

33:07

and I keep trying to remind myself of that. Yeah. So, even though it's been anxiety

33:13

producing in some ways, I feel like I've been happy for you cuz I'm like there

33:18

was one day and this hardly ever happens, but we were like, you know what? I'm actually kind of bored today.

33:24

And I was like, very few practice owners ever get that opportunity to go. I'm so

33:31

well staffed. too well staffed ultimately at the end of the day. But I'm like, okay, these few months that

33:37

you have are going to be short-lived and I've been happy for that for you. So,

33:45

even taking some of those down times to be like, okay, even if if it was a down or if it was a low or the practice isn't

33:52

busy enough, shoot, all my patients canled this afternoon, I have nothing to do. It's like, yes, that can be anxiety

33:58

producing, but also hopefully take advantage of that opportunity is

34:03

what I would say. Yeah, I agree. Can you think of anything team-wise where you've had like a really great

34:09

team bonding moment, even if it's not some event that you've planned, but like

34:14

just a moment where you felt really happy or content with your team?

34:21

Um I was trying to think about you were mentioning uh it was the second location recently that you were coming away from

34:28

it. You had called me and left me a me a voice message and you were like we were at the office today and it was really

34:35

slow. We only had a couple patients in the morning but then the rest of the time y'all were planning something.

34:44

A the photo shoot the Santa photo shoot maybe. that I think that's what it was. And you were like, it was just so fun to

34:54

plan this the Santa photo shoot and everybody was so enthusiastic. And I

35:00

remember listening to that voicemail thinking, I can tell you sound really

35:05

happy or excited or like you really enjoyed that. Well, I think that I think Yeah. So that

35:11

that at the second location that day, but even in in the original location, yeah, there are things I feel like more

35:17

often than not, this whole like after we got over that hump of some stuff that

35:23

happened with the new office and the team and all of that. So like say that was maybe what Augustish.

35:28

Yeah. And then kind of September, Octoberish, like things have just kind of settled. People seem settled, which I I still am

35:35

like are y'all settled or am I missing it? Right? Like there's always in the back of my mind. Yeah, it's like when I am up there, I'm like, "Hey guys, like

35:42

do y'all want to do this or should we do that or should we?" It's I feel like it's just a lot lighter right now. We're

35:48

We're just kind of having fun. Maybe because I am able to be a little more creative with things or I'm not super

35:54

stressed about I'm stressed about the slowness, but otherwise everything else is people are getting along and so it's

36:00

like, okay, well, what what fun things can we do? We I think one of the most fun things we did uh was our wig day.

36:06

Y we had wig week at the end of the summer. where we were all just like wearing wigs for no reason just to make

36:12

ourselves laugh and we had fun with that. And then I had a wig the other day. Oh yeah, I was Oh, I was doing Taylor

36:19

Swift. Yeah. So, it's like the I guess maybe the free brain cells have allowed me to do like more creative little

36:26

things that we don't really get a chance to do. Yes. I And still productive in that we're trying to do marketing stuff.

36:32

Yeah. But also just allowing allowing some of that slow time to to not wallow

36:37

in the slowness or just be overcome by by anxiety to go, okay, what opportunities do we have to have a

36:43

little bit of fun but productive fun? Um, and yeah, if y'all if y'all don't

36:50

track Dr. Kuba on her social media shenanigans, y'all will see her Taylor

36:55

Swift it up. That's the videos just make me laugh thinking about it. So, y'all

37:01

need to go. So pleased with my outfit. So pleased. Y'all need to go track Dr. Koopa aka

37:07

Tape Swift down foolery.

37:12

But again, taking a having fun with those slow times to go, okay, how can we be productive with these and allowing

37:19

yourself to have fun with that? Which I think you've done that for sure. We had fun. Yes. Yes, we Yes, we did.

37:27

Okay. So, I'm going to ask you one more question and then we're going to pause

37:34

and talk and then I'm going to save some of the nitty-gritty questions for the

37:40

bonus episode. So, but so, but before you ask me, what is the point of doing all of this?

37:45

No, I'm I'm serious. Like, for for a listener going, "Okay, yeah, she told us about our highs and lows and I didn't have any highs and lows or I did or

37:53

whatever. Like, I've been severely understaffed. Like, what's your point?" Like good for you. Are you bragging

37:58

about right? Like as a listener, why are we doing this? Yes. So, I have several

38:05

comments on this that I that I'm glad you asked the question because I do feel like

38:11

I know you're asking it honestly right now, but the reason I laugh is because you ask it every year.

38:17

You're always like, "Wait, we're doing what again? Annual reflection, Dr. Gupa, but why?" So, I'm glad you're asking

38:23

again because I'm going to repetition is important. And so, first and foremost, I

38:29

don't think we do enough looking back to celebrate the wins. We just get in

38:35

trench mode where we're just in the trenches slugging it out. You know, I almost kind of think of, you know, I'm

38:42

married to a history teacher and so we've watched countless wartime movies,

38:48

you know, over the years of us being together. And I there's this one movie in my head. I won't be able to remember

38:53

it, but um they're walking through my husband loves this movie because it's like one camera vantage point the whole

38:59

way. I don't know. Anyway, so we're following these two characters through

39:05

this they're in wartime I think against Germany and they're walking through

39:10

these trenches and the war is ongoing but there's not active gunfire in the moment. And so as they're walking

39:16

through these trenches, all these guys are kind of laid up against these sandbag walls and they're taking a

39:22

moment to just rest. And to me, annual reflection is that

39:29

we're not out of the war. We're in we're in the middle of the game, right? But we just have this moment where we force no

39:37

gunfire. There's no there's no major event that I need to attend to. I just

39:42

need to sit back and like rest for a moment. And in that resting, it allows us to

39:48

think about what we've accomplished and that we celebrate that. Like sometimes when you're in the trenches, you're

39:53

like, I'm alive. That's all I can celebrate right now. I'm alive. The

39:59

practice is alive. I've got a team member or two. But there's still accomplishment in

40:05

that. And we need to take a moment to like appreciate the accomplishments that

40:11

we've experienced. Why? Why? Why uh celebrate that?

40:18

Yes. Like, okay, I celebrated it cuz I had money to spend on my rent. Like,

40:24

yes, it was celebrated. It's all good. So, yeah, you're exactly right. Like,

40:30

why why pause and celebrate the successes? Because sometimes we need to

40:37

encourage ourselves. We're nearing the end of a year. There's a natural fatigue

40:43

that can start to develop as we think about, oh my gosh, we're moving into

40:48

another year of this. And if we don't pause to just temporarily celebrate the

40:53

successes, it can just feel like one continual line of monotony or wartime,

41:01

you know, and so we've got to give ourselves the satisfaction of celebrating the successes.

41:08

Well, I think it's easy to forget Yes. So, you know, you're just you're just marching on. You're just going and

41:13

and you do you will hit that cliff where you're like, how long have I been marching and how much longer can I go?

41:20

And stopping to go, you know what? No, we we did traverse that pond back there

41:25

that we survived and we did do this and like we did accomplish things and we're

41:30

not done, but we did accomplish things. And if that's motivation to keep going. Yes. Motivation. like there's a reason,

41:38

you know, it's not all just been trenches. There have there's a reason we're out here. We're we're moving along

41:44

cuz I think it's easy to lose sight of that. It's like what are we doing? It just seems like the same old same old we're always putting out fires. We're

41:51

always like dodging the bullets and yeah, is this all is this all there is to it? Like when do I you know throw in my

41:57

white flag? I'm done. And so reflecting back and going, okay, no, no, no. We we

42:03

did have ups and downs and and I think this is where you're going to say because you're already reminding me, so

42:08

how can next year be full of more ups than downs? And if we didn't stop to acknowledge the ups and downs and the

42:13

what'ss and wise of it, then how can you move forward into the next year more strategically?

42:18

Exactly. We we don't want to look back and know that we followed one straight

42:24

line. Like you you mentioned the term uh dodging bullets. Like if we think of

42:30

dodging bullets, like if you think of the movies, they don't run a direct line. That would be dumb. You're going

42:36

to get hit by a bullet at some point. If somebody's shooting at you and you run a straight line, they've got a better

42:42

chance to take you out. And so you what is it? Serpentine. Is that what it is? My husband always says it. So you you

42:48

run you you run this diagonal pattern of like literally dodging bullets. We dodge

42:54

our best bullets in practice ownership and leadership and management if we

42:59

pivot. And so we've got to constantly pivot. If we run a straight line and never pause

43:06

to go, what were our ups? What were our downs? How can we plan for those better

43:12

next year? How can we build on our strengths and minimize our weaknesses?

43:17

then you're g you're going to tire out at some point. You're gonna get hit by a bullet at some point if you're not

43:23

taking time to pause, reflect, and then pivot and restrategize.

43:28

Restrategize is the key thing. Um, so I think that's one of the key takeaways on

43:35

this is is identify your ups, identify your downs.

43:40

It's going to allow you to better plan for next year, but also motivate yourself. pat yourself on the back for

43:47

what you did well in the year. We don't some of us are more inclined to pat ourselves on the back too much, but a

43:54

lot I found that a lot of practice owners don't pat themselves on the back enough. Okay, so let me ask you this then that

43:59

like now I said one of the best things that happened to me this year is that the team was steady and stable. Nobody came off the team. Uh we added to the

44:06

team from the the new location. So then next year if my strategy is continue to

44:12

retain the team, but we do have the one that decides that the one I just talked about that I was I'm kind of defeated

44:18

and if she decides to leave, well, let's say she does. So then how am I strategizing for that given that that

44:23

was my strength of this year and I want to duplicate that next year? Yeah. I guess what are strategies I would have

44:31

for that? Or what if it's one of the ones that I wasn't expecting? Like everybody seemed happy and then suddenly one is off for whatever reason. Maybe

44:38

she wasn't as happy as I thought she was or she's the one moving to Idaho or whatever. So

44:43

yeah, how does reflecting on that this year help me with that next year? Well, so this is where

44:50

we've at least in this episode so far what we've done is pretty highlevel reflection questions. As we continue

44:58

going through reflection questions, it does turn into different aspects like uh

45:03

there is a section where we go through each team member and we evaluate each team member and we go okay right now

45:10

what are Suz's highs and lows? What what are we seeing? What's Suz's

45:16

path right now? Is there anything that I can do to help her have more highs and less lows? And so yes, we started kind

45:23

of big picture. And I would say you use the word high level. It's actually lowlevel but high

45:28

higher out bigger picture where it's the easier questions and then we get to the

45:34

higher level more detailed strategic which I think is why most of us don't

45:39

like doing this because I'm like you want me to sit and analyze every team member's pros and cons and all of this

45:45

and like but I can't help if she's going to get married to move to Idaho so what do you want me to do about that and and

45:50

what you're saying is but what if she doesn't move to Idaho and how can you

45:56

keep her more satisfied in the job and then also building constant plan A,

46:02

plan B, plan C. So if we don't pause to evaluate Susie and what's going on with her and the whatifs with her, then we

46:10

don't have the time to build a plan for her. So if she stays, here's how we're going to accelerate her in our practice

46:16

and here's some actual tangible things that we're going to plan for Susie. But if she gets married and moves to Idaho,

46:22

let's build that plan, too, because we're projecting. So business, when we think about big picture business,

46:29

corporates, all of that, they're all about project, project, project. Where's our growth and how are we

46:34

getting there? Exactly. We don't do that enough in small business because we're in trench

46:40

mode mentality. Just stay in the trenches, huddle there, wait for the bullets, then strike. And we we need to

46:48

harness what corporate big big business does well which is project project

46:54

project. And this annual reflection for me forces us to go there. And we may not

47:01

be big corporate thinkers but in a small business way were at least starting to

47:06

build plans. So I guess to me then I've got you. But for people that don't have you and are

47:11

going you want me to do what? You want me to project out for so and so? like when would you like me to do that? How would I know? What should my plan B be?

47:18

I don't know. If I had one, I wouldn't be in the trench. Like, so how do you what advice do you have for people that

47:25

don't have a U? If you don't have a me or a consultant or something, I can't even reiterate

47:31

enough. Subscribe. Like every tool that you need in all honesty

47:37

is housed within this subscription. That is why we've created it. For people out there that don't have these resources,

47:45

we've put the resources together for you. There is an annual reflection document on our hub that's included as a

47:52

part of the subscription if you've been a a former subscriber that walks you through exactly what to do. And so, uh,

47:59

yeah, that's my best piece of advice at this point. Um, so I think now is the appropriate spot to say we're going to

48:05

continue this annual conversation, this annual reflection conversation. can get a little bit more nitty-gritty with you,

48:11

which I know you love. Um, but subscribers are going to hear that. Thanks for joining the conversation

48:17

today. We hope that you are comforted in knowing that you are not alone, but we

48:22

also hope that you're walking away with some really great tips and tricks to try in your practice.

48:28

We value your feedback. So, please take a few moments to rate and review the

48:34

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48:49

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