For more than thirty years, I have had a fairly successful general dental practice. Every year, things would be a little better than the last. I felt that, as long as things were getting better, I was doing fine. Then, two years ago, I had a down year for the first time in my career. I have used various consultants over the years and started looking for one to help me get back on track. I liked the approach that Sterling offered and so I signed up with them. My only regret now is that I hadn’t found them twenty years ago.
Sterling takes a very different approach than other consultants I have worked with. Instead of just telling me what to do, they first trained me so that I can make better decisions as a business owner. Then, once I had that training under my belt, they helped me resolve the personnel issues in the office and organize the place better.
The office runs much more smoothly now than it ever did before. Everyone enjoys coming into work, including me, which is a big change from the way it was before. The new, more-positive attitude also rubs off on the patients. They are in a much better mood when they come to see me, which makes my job a lot easier. The reduction in stress alone has made it worthwhile to do the program.
Now, I didn’t come to Sterling looking to grow my practice, I just wanted it to run more smoothly. But last year, the practice grew by 20%, despite my town having a 16% unemployment level. The specialists I refer to ask me why I am doing so well when all my colleagues are hurting. I have to tell them the difference is Sterling. When you know the right steps to take, you can expand no matter what is happening in the broader economy.
As a dentist, I didn’t have much training in running a business, and experience alone wasn’t enough. Sterling gave me a good framework for all aspects of running the practice; they showed me how to be an executive and get others to follow my lead. It is a whole new way of operating, one that is more profitable, less stressful, and a lot more enjoyable.
I strongly recommend Sterling. They will help you.
Andrew Norman, DDS
