Lasting Impressions with Stephenie Goddard

Dr. Cary LaCouture shares how embracing technology through Glidewell.io transformed not just his clinical process, but the entire patient experience. He explains how fully integrated digital workflows can create immediate value, reducing restorative time, improving efficiency, and giving clinicians more freedom to focus on patients rather than process. (00:00) When Dentistry Changes a Life (00:31) Welcome Back (01:23) A Career Bridging Technology, Service, and Artistry (01:34) Rapid Fire: Gratitude, Samoa, and Superpowers (02:39) Being the First to Bet on New Dental Technology (03:26) Trusting Glidewell and Embracing Innovation Early (04:40) Leaving Old Systems Behind for Digital Workflow (05:37) Technology as Freedom for Dentists and Teams (06:09) Gaining Time Back With Same‑Day Digital Dentistry (07:37) Staying Open During COVID and Serving the Community (08:09) Overcoming Fear of Going Digital (09:09) A Same‑Day Implant Story That Says It All (10:06) Why Patients Expect Same‑Day Dentistry Now (10:37) Convenience Without Up charging (11:36) Humanitarian Missions (12:33) Delivering Care Where None Exists (13:25) Kenya and Building a Children's Cancer Hospital (15:14) Why Western Samoa Left a Lasting Impression (16:09) Dental Care as a Global Human Need (16:23) Seeing Dentistry Through a Photographer's Eye (17:03) Photography, Esthetics, and Facial Symmetry (18:06) Leading by Example and Shared Expectations (19:03) Advocating for Others and Developing Leaders (20:16) Lightning Round: Life Outside Dentistry (21:33) "Jump in the Beautiful Lake" Philosophy (21:49) Recording Family Stories as a Lasting Legacy (23:06) Closing Reflections and Gratitude

Dental school teaches you how to treat patients. It doesn't teach you how to lead, hire, or run a business. Dr. Galler gets into the real side of dentistry. He dives into what it takes to build a team, earn trust, handle rejection, and connect with people in a meaningful way. Because the hardest part of dentistry isn't always clinical. (00:00) Previously on Lasting Impressions: The Scale of Impact (00:36) Advice for Young Dentists Who Want to Lead (01:39) How Dentists Can Truly Connect With Each Other (02:25) Building Real Support Networks in Dentistry (03:13) Why Being Heard Matters More Than Having Answers (04:19) Dentistry as a Business Without Business Training (04:48) Why Dental School Misses Leadership Skills (05:51) The Coaching Industry and Its Pitfalls (06:37) Accepting That You Don't Have to Be a "Perfect" Leader (06:47) Loving the Work So Much It Doesn't Feel Like Work (08:06) Preparing for a High‑Impact Leadership Keynote (09:59) Addressing Anxiety, Burnout, and the Dentist's Mind (11:29) The Hidden Mental Health Crisis in Dentistry (12:43) Why Dentists Are Often Distrusted (13:10) Media, Consumerism, and Dentistry's Image Problem (15:16) Rejection, Insurance, and Daily Emotional Drain (17:36) Cash‑Pay Dentistry and Systemic Pressures (18:46) If You Could Start Over: Lessons Learned (19:49) Lightning Round: Personal Insights (23:03) Defining a Lasting Impression as a Leader (24:22) Listening to Your People as a Leadership Superpower (25:16) Closing Reflections and Episode Wrap‑Up

Dr. David Galler has spent his career proving that dentistry can be different, more digital, more human, and a lot less intimidating. In this episode of Lasting Impressions, he shares his personal journey, the community of dentists he's built, and the philosophy behind why humor matters just as much as clinical skill. (00:00) Inside Joke Beginnings and Familiar Faces (00:31) Welcome Back and Introducing Dr. David Galler (01:28) A Big Resume: Invisalign, Education, and Impact (02:38) From General Dentist to Clear Aligner Leader (03:16) Right Place, Right Time: Invisalign in NYC (04:36) Creating New Protocols When None Existed (05:24) Teaching Dentists and Building a Community (06:10) Still Practicing: Digital Dentistry Today (06:34) Reimagining the Patient Experience Through Scanning (07:58) Driving Industry Change Despite Resistance (08:39) What Fuels the Passion to Educate Others (09:49) Reaching Dentists Through Mindset, Not Slides (11:18) Humor as a Tool for Connection and Learning (12:10) Making Humor a Core Value in Education (13:29) The Rise of the "Gallerites" (14:24) Radical Mentorship: Never Leaving Dentists Alone (15:44) Growing a Movement Beyond One Person (16:40) Scaling Culture Through Shared Values (17:38) Supporting Dentists as Humans, Not Numbers (18:59) Why the Emotional Side of Dentistry Matters (20:14) The Hidden Pressure Dentists Carry (22:02) Dentistry as Medicine and Small Business (23:15) The Never‑Ending Comparison Trap (24:24) When Metrics Create Anxiety and Burnout (25:38) How Software Changed the Psychology of Practice (25:45) What's Next on Lasting Impressions

"Lasting Impressions" explores the real moments behind leadership, and the legacies people create. Moving beyond polished highlight reels, the series focuses on the experiences that define leaders across industries.     Each episode features conversations with founders, innovators, and change-makers who share the risks worth taking, the pivots no one saw coming, and the lessons you won't find in any handbook.      Stephenie Goddard, Glidewell CEO and host, asks the questions that get to the real story, uncovering the experiences that leave a lasting impression.       You can also watch "Lasting Impressions" on Glidewell TV:  https://glidewelldental.com/company/tv 

Jim Glidewell gives an inside look at what it takes to scale a successful business, the leadership mindset behind building a lasting legacy, and how digital transformation is reshaping the future of dentistry. (00:00) Previously on Lasting Impressions: Learning From Big Mistakes (00:30) Reaching the End of Constant Change (01:05) Competition Versus Legacy (02:12) Competing With Yourself to Innovate (03:20) Early Influences That Shaped an Inventor's Mindset (04:19) Lessons From a Father and a Stepfather (06:21) Why Glidewell Shares Ideas With Competitors (07:28) Building a Hybrid Dental Company (07:59) Staying Friendly With the Competition (08:25) The Rule of Six and 125 (09:36) Why Dentists Switch Labs—and How to Be Remembered (10:29) Advertising, Visibility, and Subconscious Choice (11:23) Sharing Knowledge to Elevate the Industry (12:22) Measuring Success by People, Not Profits (13:06) Glidewell's "Secret Sauce" (14:22) Discovering the Power of Mail‑Order Dentistry (15:14) FedEx, Scale, and Building a National Operation (17:11) What Excites Jim About the Future of Dentistry (18:10) Chairside Manufacturing and Digital Transformation (19:24) The Reality of Robotics and Human Judgment (21:11) Private Equity, Long Games, and Industry Impact (22:23) Economic Cycles and Dental Demand (23:15) The Next Wave of 3D Printing (24:03) Defining Legacy Beyond Products (24:54) Protecting Jobs and Building Stability (26:10) Automation, Change, and Long‑Term Thinking (27:23) Rejecting Short‑Term Exit Strategies (28:56) Sears, Amazon, and the Cost of Not Changing (30:00) Why Constant Change Sustains a 55‑Year Company (31:18) Why Glidewell Won't Chase an Exit (33:09) How Jim Wants Glidewell Remembered (35:12) Legacy as Employee Security and Growth (36:44) Reflecting on 55 Years—and Looking Ahead (37:33) Closing Thanks and Future Conversations

With 18 practices under her leadership, Dr. Lan Chi Le discusses how she manages her US Dental Professionals company and what techniques she uses to keep growing. She reviews how to take risks, manage different seasons of business, balance home life, and keep a tech-forward approach.  (00:00) Advice to a Younger Self on Money and Risk (00:34) Welcome Back and Introducing Dr. Lan Chi Le (01:23) Clearing Up the 40 Under 40 Mix‑Up (02:18) From Ten Practices to a Major Expansion (03:16) Dental Roots and Family Influence (04:27) Rebranding and Building a Dental Platform (05:36) Creating a Management Group to Scale (06:30) Evolving the Brand With Higher‑Level Dentistry (07:02) How the Walmart Health Model Worked (08:04) Going After the Opportunity at Walmart (08:58) Proving the Model Inside Walmart Locations (09:29) Expanding Across States and Managing from Afar (10:22) Supporting Doctors Without Practicing Everywhere (11:34) Managing the Transition to Rapid Growth (12:21) Building Culture Across Multiple Locations (13:14) Planning, Processes, and Accepting Imperfection (13:22) Working With a Spouse as CTO (14:16) Lessons Learned About Dental Technology Adoption (16:02) Technology as the Practice's Competitive Edge (16:28) Standardizing Technology Across All Offices (17:10) Choosing the Right Tech Partners (18:01) Why Support Matters More Than a Good Deal (18:57) Knowing When You're Ready to Grow Again (19:42) Lessons From the Walmart Expansion Journey (21:10) Balancing Growth With Accessibility and Affordability (23:16) The Lasting Impact of Guiding Leaders (24:09) Taking Culture and Service Back Home (27:31) Thinking Ahead to the Next 3–5 Years (28:51) Advice for Dentists Stepping Into Leadership (29:42) Financial Advice on Bootstrapping Growth (30:22) Why Partners Came Later, Not First (31:27) Staying Grounded During Intense Growth (32:51) Rapid‑Fire Personal Questions (34:38) A Leader Who Left a Lasting Impression (35:42) Closing Reflections and Episode Wrap‑Up

Jim Glidewell reviews some of his "favorite mistakes" and how they evolved into some of the biggest successes for the company — and the dental industry at large. He discusses the benefits of assessing and taking risks while challenging the status quo. (00:00) Golf Course Fear Versus Business Risk (00:35) Welcome Back to Lasting Impressions (02:01) How Glidewell Approaches Risk and Decision‑Making (02:41) Favorite Mistakes and Lessons Learned (03:02) The Art Glass Failure and What It Taught Us (05:33) Why Glidewell Built Its Own R&D Department (06:39) The Challenge of Scaling Innovation (07:25) The $18 Million Scanning Investment That Didn't Work (09:20) Turning a Major Loss Into Long‑Term Advantage (10:29) Regaining Control Through Software and Systems (11:23) Early Bets in Digital Dentistry and Scanning (12:22) Never Betting the Company on One Idea (12:47) Jim's Framework for Assessing Risk (13:40) Strategic Overpaying and Real Estate Control (15:17) Why Business Decisions Feel Less Scary Than Golf (15:52) The "Mad Scientist" Engineering Mindset (16:57) Learning From Manufacturing and Non‑Dental Trade Shows (17:50) Time Compression and Pushing Engineers Further (18:58) The Early Failures Behind Boxer (19:21) Why Persistence Beats the Status Quo (20:16) How Zirconia Finally Took Off (21:24) The One Thing Dentists Still Hate About Zirconia (22:16) Being Humble and Bold at the Same Time (22:48) One Piece of Advice for Anyone Feeling Stuck (24:14) Closing Thoughts on Listening, Learning, and Growth

Alumni from five cohorts reunite to share the personal impact of Glidewell's business and leadership development program for dentists.  (00:00) Setting Boundaries as a Leader (00:35) Welcome Back and the Power of Guiding Leaders (01:00) Redefining Success Beyond Money (01:59) Leadership Through Relationships and Care (03:48) Showing Up for Your Team in Times of Crisis (04:00) Finding the Courage to Share Your Story (04:58) Building Healthy Boundaries in Leadership (06:10) Reducing Anxiety Through Clear Expectations (07:12) Expectations Versus Reality of Guiding Leaders (07:46) From First Cohort to Lifelong Impact (08:32) Professional Growth Turns Personal (09:10) Learning Leadership After Decades in Practice (10:08) Discovering the Need for Community (11:15) Why Dentists Need to "Complain Sideways" (12:22) Building a Network That Truly Supports (13:10) Why Leadership Moments Shape Us (13:51) "It's All About the Relationship" (14:24) Making Life and Leadership Meaningful (14:46) Owning Your Story and Creating a Legacy (15:50) The Power of Community in Crisis (16:34) Get Out of Your Comfort Zone (17:26) People and Relationships as the Ultimate Legacy (18:16) Looking Ahead to the Future of Guiding Leaders

Alumni from five cohorts reunite to share the personal impact of Glidewell's business and leadership development program for dentists. (00:00) A Fight Club–Level Introduction to Guiding Leaders (00:31) Welcome Back and Introducing the Guiding Leaders Panel (01:19) Naming the Room: How Everyone Is Feeling Today (02:13) Meet the Panel: Cohorts, Locations, and Backgrounds (03:24) Each Leader's Guiding Leaders Superpower (04:10) Dentistry as an Isolating Profession—and Why Community Matters (05:03) Overcoming Imposter Syndrome and Leading Authentically (06:02) From Burnout to Connection: Finding Support Through the Program (07:30) Opening Applications and the Evolution of Guiding Leaders (08:45) What Inspired the First Cohort to Apply (09:26) Expanding to Men and Building an Ego‑Free Culture (11:08) When You Realize You're Capable of More Than Dentistry (12:27) Courage, Visibility, and Stepping Into Leadership (13:42) Discovering Your Voice Beyond the Operatory (16:44) Growth Mindset, Diversity, and Shared Success (18:08) The "Aha" Moments That Redefined Leadership (19:22) Letting Go: Staffing, Boundaries, and Culture Fit (22:07) Creating Systems and Culture That Scale (23:24) Leading With Compassion and Understanding Your Team (25:31) Dreaming Bigger: Confidence, Courage, and Possibility (28:36) Facing Hard Truths About Yourself as a Leader (30:09) Breaking Self‑Limiting Beliefs and Dreaming Bigger (31:13) Closing Reflections: Struggle, Growth, and What's Next

Leila Fejzagic joins the discussion with Jim and Stephenie, reflecting on her Glidewell experience and the making of "Constant Change." (00:00) Delegation, Leadership, and Setting the Tone (00:35) Welcome Back to Lasting Impressions (00:43) Introducing Leila and Peeling Back Constant Change (01:22) The Origins of Constant Change and Jim's "Jim Gems" (02:05) From Internal Memo to Published Book (03:13) Why Generosity Drove the Decision to Publish (03:45) Writing the Book With a Ghostwriter (04:10) The Meaning Behind the Title Constant Change (05:21) Time Compression and Accelerated Evolution (06:10) Turning Ideas Into Reality Through Infrastructure (06:28) Choosing the Voice for the Audiobook (07:52) Success Depends on Who You Surround Yourself With (08:22) Leila's Journey: From Fulfillment to EVP (09:51) Glidewell as Home for Immigrants and Builders (11:16) Highlighting the People Behind the Company (11:36) Darryl's Growth and the Power of Promotion From Within (14:31) Why Micromanagement Limits Scale (15:55) Questioning the Status Quo to Drive Change (17:08) Staying Mentally Fresh Through Small Changes (18:10) David Leeson and the Rise of CAD/CAM at Glidewell (19:38) Trusting Leaders With Full Autonomy (21:24) Reinvesting Profits to Advance Dentistry (22:24) Automation as the Key to Affordable Quality (24:08) Sergei and Early Investment in AI (26:15) Reducing "Clicks" to Improve Digital Design (28:08) Leveraging Massive Data Sets for Better Dentistry (30:25) Becoming a Hybrid Dental Laboratory (33:22) Hiring for Adaptability and Problem Solving (36:22) Management's Role in Employee Success (38:44) Flexibility, Compassion, and Supporting Life Realities (40:16) The Importance of Being a "Go-Getter" (41:26) The "Man From Mars" Approach to Problem Solving (42:34) Sharing Knowledge Without Fear (43:42) Why Transparency Isn't a Competitive Weakness (45:08) One Piece of Advice for Business Owners (45:29) Leila's Advice: Invest Early in People (45:57) Jim's Advice: Be Proactive and Start Today (47:23) A Lighthearted Close: Favorite Color and Code Words (48:24) Final Thanks and Where to Watch Next

Jim Glidewell returns, sharing his secrets for making every hour count. He explains how vertical integration has kept his company ahead. (00:00) A Bold Take on Exit Strategy (00:20) Vertical Integration as Glidewell's DNA (01:05) Time Compression and Maximizing Every Hour (01:36) Why Bringing Work In‑House Beats Outsourcing (02:48) Time, Cost, and Control Through Vertical Integration (03:12) Harmony, Balance, and Building an Efficient Company (03:52) Why Glidewell Built Its Own Ad Agency (04:32) The Limits of the "Virtual Corporation" Model (04:48) Rethinking R&D With 24‑Hour Innovation Cycles (05:28) Accelerating Research Through Continuous Shifts (06:15) Global Software Development and Round‑the‑Clock Testing (06:58) Operating a 24‑Hour Lab With No Locked Doors (07:31) Speed as a Competitive Advantage for Dentists (08:15) Why Glidewell Keeps Legacy Lab Buildings (09:08) Vertical Integration Beyond R&D and Software (09:37) Why Glidewell Runs Everything From Cars to Clinics (10:18) Building a Self‑Sustaining Company Ecosystem (10:49) Constant Change as a Leadership Philosophy (11:50) Learning Advertising From Industry Masters (12:24) Defining a Gold Standard for Dental Advertising (13:44) Why Advertising Principles Still Matter Today (15:10) Selling to Dentists Is Different (16:38) Inside Glidewell's In‑House Advertising Engine (17:48) The Story Behind Friday Donuts (18:29) Why Small Employee Perks Matter (20:52) "Death" as an Exit Strategy (21:23) Why Selling Companies Hurts Employees (22:12) Building for People, Not Payouts (22:45) Private Equity, Growth, and Hard Truths (23:45) Closing Thoughts: Constantly Changing, Always Building

Christoph and Jonathan Weiss are the father-son duo leading BEGO, a family-owned German dental manufacturing company with a 135-year legacy. (00:00) Returning to the Bego Conversation: Part Two Begins (00:23) Succession Planning and the Reality Behind Family Leadership (01:21) Is Jonathan the Successor? Preparing the Next Generation (01:55) Why Failure Is Essential for Future CEOs (02:43) Open Conversations and Transparent Succession Planning (03:37) Aligning Family, Ownership, and Governance (04:31) Letting Go of Control and Planning for the Future (05:30) Sibling Dynamics and Shared Leadership Potential (06:24) Leading With Love Through Generational Transition (06:55) Defining Core Values for the Next Generation (07:35) Culture as a Living Framework, Not a Deck (08:31) Seeing the Company as a Team Sport (09:21) Why Transparency Beats Secrecy in Succession (10:03) Leading Across Cultures and Generations (11:14) Local Adaptation and Knowing Leadership Boundaries (11:45) Cultural Shifts, Casual Fridays, and Modern Leadership (12:57) Learning Through Failure as a Leadership Gift (13:45) Growth Comes From What Goes Wrong (14:08) What Leadership Means to Future Generations (15:06) A Defining Moment in Bego's 3D Printing Journey (15:33) Team Victories and Lessons From Competitive Sports (16:21) Lightning Round: Traditions, Candy, and Pastimes (17:47) The Joy of Building a Business With Family (18:23) Music, Memories, and Final Reflections (18:58) Closing Thoughts and the Legacy Ahead

Christoph and Jonathan Weiss are the father-son duo leading BEGO, a family-owned German dental manufacturing company with a 135-year legacy. (00:00) Welcome Back to Lasting Impressions and Introducing Bego (00:29) A Multi‑Generation Family Business in Dentistry (01:54) 135 Years of Innovation While Staying Privately Owned (02:01) Tracing Bego's Leadership Lineage and Succession (03:30) Jonathan Weiss and Expanding Bego in the U.S. (03:54) Where the Name "Bego" Comes From (04:48) Surviving 135 Years of Technological Change (05:20) The Origin Story: Dentistry, Goldsmithing, and Innovation (06:21) A Mission Focused on Patient Benefit (06:56) A Global Company Serving Millions of Patients (08:15) Bringing the Bego Story to North America (08:31) Jonathan's Stanford MBA and a Bold Cold Email (09:26) Choosing Healthcare and the Family Business Path (10:46) Learning Healthcare Impact From Inside the Lab (11:36) Growing Bego's Footprint Beyond Europe (12:26) Adapting Strategy to the U.S. Dental Market (13:09) From Materials Supplier to Workflow Partner (14:13) Long‑Term Thinking: Planning in Decades and Generations (15:19) Being an Early Pioneer in Metal 3D Printing (16:11) Risk, Failure, and the Cost of Being First (17:20) Why Stubbornness Sometimes Wins (18:14) Betting on 3D Printing Despite Early Trouble (19:33) Innovation Versus History: "Every Day Is Day One" (20:18) Balancing Legacy With Fearless Reinvention (21:05) Closing Thoughts and Part Two Teaser

Jim Glidewell shares his approach to growing capital while keeping the daily lives of his employees at the heart of his business decisions. (00:00) Welcome Back to Lasting Impressions and Episode Focus (00:28) A Modest Apartment and Early Financial Perspective (00:44) Jim Glidewell Returns to Discuss Constant Change (01:08) Coming Home From Vietnam and Early Career Shifts (01:32) Meeting Rex Raynor and Discovering Dental Technology (03:16) The $600 Check That Changed Everything (04:02) Leaving Insurance Behind and Betting on a New Path (04:30) Driving to California and the UCLA Program Surprise (06:01) Finding Orange Coast College and Starting From Scratch (07:15) Why $200 a Week Meant Financial Freedom (08:18) Early Jobs, Side Hustles, and Borrowing to Survive (09:37) A Career Break and a $3‑an‑Hour Turning Point (10:29) Life Changes, Marriage, and Personal Transitions (11:39) Working for Multiple Dentists and Going Independent (12:31) Becoming One of Orange County's First Ceramicists (13:35) Working 120‑Hour Weeks to Build Momentum (14:37) Burnout, Illness, and Learning Limits (15:19) The Moment That Sparked Hiring a Team (16:04) Self‑Teaching Ceramics and Building a Lab (17:19) Incorporating Glidewell and Naming the Company (18:45) Frugality, Used Equipment, and Smart Investing (20:01) Why Used Machines De‑Risk Big Ideas (21:41) Lessons From Old Equipment and Long‑Term Value (22:12) Empowerment, Trust, and Avoiding Micromanagement (23:18) Hiring Smarter People and Thinking Bigger (25:13) The Weight of Responsibility as a Leader (26:08) Early Leadership Lessons From Employee Relationships (27:22) Protecting the Company and Its People (28:16) Looking Ahead to Vertical Integration and What's Next

Vince Dilley is the founder and CEO of Platinum Dental Services, a Utah-based DSO that has partnered with 45+ practices.   (00:00) Cold Open and Hidden Talent Icebreaker (00:21) Welcome to Lasting Impressions (00:47) Meet Vince Dilly and the Platinum Dental Story (01:31) Entering Dentistry Without a Dental Background (02:23) Buying the First Practice and Learning on the Fly (03:43) Patient Reactivation as the Initial Growth Engine (04:09) Bootstrapping Growth With Seller Financing (05:05) Risk, Stress, and Irrational Confidence (06:07) Becoming an Operator by Playing Every Role (06:49) Leadership Gaps in Dentistry and Scaling Challenges (07:59) Why Many Dentists Choose DSOs (08:48) Shifting the Conversation to Leadership (09:32) Leading Through the Messy Middle (10:12) Defining Core Values as a Company (11:22) Helping Underserved Practices Succeed (12:09) Finding the Growth Formula Around 15 Offices (13:31) Living Organizational Values Every Day (14:25) Service, Philanthropy, and Global Outreach (15:12) Oral Health as Systemic Health (16:09) Connection, Service, and Combating Isolation (17:47) Choosing Strategic Partners (18:47) The Value of True Partnerships Over Price (19:43) Autonomy Versus Standardization (21:04) Using Standardization to Enable AI and Scale (22:48) Leadership Philosophy and John Maxwell Influence (23:14) Passion, Autonomy, and Leadership Style (24:11) Lightning Round Questions (25:09) Defining a Lasting Impression (26:16) Closing Reflections and Episode Wrap‑Up

In the debut episode, Glidewell CEO Stephenie Goddard sits down with Jim Glidewell to discuss the untold stories behind his book. (00:00) Opening Story and Introducing Lasting Impressions (00:16) What Lasting Impressions Is Really About (01:00) Introducing Jim Glidewell and the Series Premiere (01:23) Why Jim's Story Matters for Leadership and Inspiration (02:17) Growing Up in Rural Kentucky With Nothing but Grit (03:24) Life on a Subsistence Farm and a One‑Room Schoolhouse (04:50) Early Lessons From Poverty and Independence (05:30) Grit, Problem‑Solving, and Letting People Lead (06:41) Being a Latchkey Kid and Learning Self‑Reliance (07:07) Forged Report Cards and Childhood Schemes (07:56) Growing Up in Las Vegas in the 1950s (08:53) Family History, the Railroad, and the Great Depression (10:22) Returning to Las Vegas and a British Stepmother (11:19) A Nontraditional Education and Learning Through Work (12:59) ADHD, Curiosity, and Building Your Own Path (14:36) Opening a Dental Lab With No Business Training (15:27) Dentists as Early Salespeople and Mentors (16:03) Learning Business by Doing, Not Studying (16:45) Early Business Decisions and Incorporation Lessons (18:02) Joining the Military During the Vietnam Era (19:48) Boot Camp, Spinal Meningitis, and Hard Lessons (21:11) Vietnam and a Life‑Defining Turning Point (22:03) Returning Home and Early Jobs After the Navy (23:12) Discovering Dental Technology as a Career (23:57) Setting Up Episode Two and Closing Thoughts