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Coffeez for Closers with Joe Shalaby
Why Dentists Need a Personal Brand More Than Ads | Dr. Tyler Hales
00:43:10
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- [00:00]
A
One, dentists aren't great businessmen initially, right? And so they need help. But what they're doing is they're telling dentists, they're saying, hey, let me take over marketing for you, make these trending videos, right? And what's happening is these dentists aren't actually creating a brand for themselves. They're buying the marketing team's brand, because the brand, their brand is just pushing all of it through. So every dentist that's underneath this marketing team, they're just pushing the same brand for every dentist. Right. It's not unique at all, and it's not actually building their own personalized brand.
- [00:31]
B
Welcome to another episode. When I first met you, I'm like, this guy looks cool. He's got a bow tie on. He's got a mullet, you know, like, he's got. He's just got class, he's got style. I gotta ask you, what is it that motivated you to have a distinguished look like that, a unique look like that in the world of dentistry and just run with it on social media?
- [00:56]
A
Yeah. Growing up, I was always into fashion. I like shopping and things like that. But really, the biggest impact for me was actually my grandpa. So when I was in dental school and I was about to graduate, he was one that always set an example for me. So he was an anesthesiologist, and what he would do is he actually got dressed in the morning in his suit, and he would drive to work and he would get to the hospital, and then he would change into his scrubs and he'd work all day. He would finish his day, and then he would change back into a suit and drive home. Right. And his whole representation was like, if I'm going to be the best, I'm going to look the best. Right. And that was really the. The what he recommended for me when he sat me down and when I was graduating dental school, and he told me that that was his advice. He's like, if you want to be the best, you look the best. And so that was the initial thought is, okay, well, what am I going to do to really stand out and be who I want to be? Because dentistry is kind of boring. You know, when you think about dentists, you kind of think nerds, or you think about, you know, just kind of.
- [02:00]
B
This guy in some scrubs that's gonna dig into my mouth and make me go through hell for an hour.
- [02:04]
A
Yeah. So it's the way that I can really show my personality. Right. I love bow ties as something my grandpa was big into, and that's evolved into really being the bow tie dentist. And then as you learn from branding, what's important.
- [02:19]
B
I love it. You know, I love, obviously personal branding. I'm a big personal brand guy myself, and for me, personal branding has totally changed the landscape of my entire business especially. And we were just talking about this, like, for my own personal growth. How has personal branding helped you, helped your business and helped you personally?
- [02:40]
A
Yeah, it's definitely the most important aspect that's really gotten me to the level that I'm at now within dentistry. At first, when I joined my practice, initially I started taking over the marketing and I looked at all the different aspects and I actually stopped looking at dental marketing because all the marketing companies just suggested the same thing over and over again. Right. Paid per clicks, like, we've got to get SEO, we've got to get your website. And to me, that wasn't really the answer that I was looking for. I was like, there's no way we're going to really be able to beat anyone else out with this type of marketing. And so I started actually looking at other aspects, other businesses and what they were doing and really influencers. This was really when influencing started to take off and I was like, why are these people so successful? Why are influencers, like, people trust influencers? Right. They ask for their suggestions no matter what, they care about their opinion. I was like, what is it about these people that are so relatable but also so trustworthy? And it's really their branding. Influencers are amazing at branding themselves where people trust them. And so for me, I saw that and I wanted to try to create that within my own brand. And so once I started getting into that, right. It's about letting them see who I am and they understand and then building that within the professional of dentistry. Really?
- [04:02]
B
That's so cool. What year was that when you started building your brand?
- [04:07]
A
So this was like 2019 was probably when I really started focusing on my, my personal brand.
- [04:15]
B
Nice. I barely started in 2023. 2022, 2023. But I went all in. I went all in on personal brand. It was like I quit my regular job, built my brand.
- [04:27]
A
Yeah.
- [04:28]
B
You know, but then that obviously we were talking about, you know, how that the business has been just exploding as a result of me building my personal brand, investing my personal brand. And I'm personally investing in it. The company's not investing in it. I'm personally investing it because I see the opportunity that's going to be outside because I live now and breathe as my own entity because of personal branding. So the opportunity opportunities just knock all the time. And I feel like that's what it's doing for you. Because we're meeting at Masterminds. I'm sure there's collaboration opportunities, going to be more collaborative opportunities every podcast you go on.
- [05:02]
A
Yeah. And I think, like, going all in, just like you said, is one of the big aspects of what's made you so successful at it. Right? Because most people don't want to do that. They want to, you know, dip their toe in and kind of feel it out and be like, okay, is this worth it? Is it working? And really, it's not going to be successful.
- [05:21]
B
And you don't see it. You don't see it. Like, you're like, why am I building my personal brand? And then you'll get, like, your spouse. Like, why are you so egocentric just in front of a camera or whatever, you know? And it's like, no, this is, like, what personal branding is, you know, like, it's not ego. It's like, this is what it takes.
- [05:39]
A
Yeah. And it's interesting. Like, I've learned a lot throughout these years, and I think if you actually would go back in high school and you would tell people, like, hey, Dr. Hale or Tyler Hale is going to be, right, this big cosmetic dentist who's treating celebrities, like, no one would have believed you, right? Because at that time, like, I was very just, like, conservative. Like, I didn't care to be, you know, the most outgoing person. I didn't need to be the life of the party. You know, I enjoyed my friends, and we kind of did our thing, and as we kind of grew this brand, right, it's changed. Definitely changes on who you. You need to be. And being this type of dentist, like, I love it. I love what I do. I love showcasing that. I love being, you know, in front of the camera more now than ever before because it is your brand, and you're excited about that, and you do have to go all in. It's risky, but when you do it, it's passionate. And everything you do is driven towards that.
- [06:35]
B
Now, we talked about this, and you're launching a course, and you're like, well, my course is not going to be a traditional dentistry course. My course is going to be how to teach dentists how to brand themselves, which is a course that's never been done. And a lot of people, if you talk to a dentist five years ago, they'd be like, that's the most useless course ever. Now you tell dentists, I'M launching this course. They're gonna be like, I'm buying that course because they need that course.
- [07:00]
A
Yeah.
- [07:00]
B
Or else they're gonna be extinct.
- [07:02]
A
This course needs to happen for dentistry. Right? The. What we're seeing trending within dentistry is all the marketing people. Honestly, there's a ton of money in dentistry. Like, if you actually look at a lot of marketers, sales people, like, they're all trending towards dentistry and getting involved. Because one dentists aren't great businessmen initially, right? And so they need help. But what they're doing is they're telling dentists, they're saying, hey, let me take over marketing for you, make these trending videos. Right? And what's happening is these dentists aren't actually creating a brand for themselves. They're buying the marketing teams. Brand. Okay? Because the brand, their brand is just pushing all of it throughout the dentist. So every dentist that's underneath this marketing team, they're just pushing the same brand for every dentist. Right. It's not unique at all, and it's not actually building their own personalized brand. So what my idea in this course that I'm going to create is how to take it individual and change the mindset around dentistry and create the brand for themselves.
- [08:07]
B
I love that. Now, before the cameras, before all the clients, what is it that drew you to dentistry? Why don't you do anesthesiology? Why don't you do some other medicine?
- [08:21]
A
Yeah. So I actually wanted to do anesthesia all growing up. My dad was an anesthesiologist, my grandpa was an anesthesiologist. So I was going to follow in their footsteps. I loved the idea behind just the medicine and being able to help people. And when I was in college, I finally actually started to think for myself and be like, you know, what am I actually passionate about? And it wasn't that my dad or my grandpa pushed me to do this. It just I love the idea of, like, kind of being a legend and like, following in the footsteps of my family. But when I thought about it, it was like, that wasn't interesting to me. I was only doing it because of that idea. And so when I went and researched all the different professions within, like medicine, which I enjoyed medicine, I knew that's something I wanted to be in. Dentistry was something where you're working with your hands, you're working with individuals, you're creating relationships, and that was really important to me. I love to learn by doing things. I love working with my hands. And so this profession really just kind of fell into my lab when I figured out this is exactly what I want to do.
- [09:28]
B
You know, it's of all. I mean, of all the medicines, I feel like, you know, but you specifically went into cosmetic, which is, I don't know, is that an extra two years?
- [09:40]
A
So with cosmetics, it's interesting. There's not really a specialty within cosmetics. So technically, every dentist can say they're a cosmetic dentist. They don't need additional training to do that. Right. They're trying to push now that there is going to be additional training that needs to be done to have the title of cosmetic dentistry. Right. Like you, you have to go to special training if you want to be an endodontist or an orthodontist or a periodontist. These are all specialties. And it's a certain degree that you get from it.
- [10:07]
B
And then an oral maxilliosurgeon, it's like another four years.
- [10:12]
A
Yeah, four to six years. Right. So you've got to have all this extra training to be able to get that. And to be honest, I see it as a problem, because the problem is we're seeing a ton of dentists now just doing cosmetic dentistry without really the right training one. And I think it's a disservice for our patients, but also a disservice for dentistry. There's a ton.
- [10:32]
B
Because there's a variance in veneers. Now you see somebody like, oh, he went to a cheap doctor.
- [10:37]
A
Yeah. And unfortunately, I see it right. Like, I've become known to, like, be the fixer. Right. I have to go and fix all those problems from what other dentists are doing. And so again with my course, it's like, I want to help these doctors understand real cosmetics and how to take and level up of the expectation to where the cosmetics is, you know, just becomes the standard, you know, instead of kind of the poor quality that we get.
- [11:07]
B
Now, I want to talk about a topic that's near on my heart. Near on your heart, and that's insurance. A lot of people aren't happy with insurance. You said something about insurance earlier today, and let's just dive into insurance. What are your thoughts on insurance? Is it helping the American consumer, the general Americans out there who have dental insurance, Is it worth getting and, you know, can you use it on. On veneers?
- [11:36]
A
Yeah. So that is one of the questions I get asked the most is can you use my insurance towards the veneers? Right. Or cosmetics? The answer is no.
- [11:46]
B
No.
- [11:46]
A
Like, there's no way any dental insurance.
- [11:49]
B
Regardless of what insurance you get, regardless.
- [11:52]
A
Of what insurance you have, I've yet to see a insurance company that does have money towards cosmetics. Now the problem is that a lot of dentists will be what's called in network, right. With these insurance companies. Now that insurance company doesn't cover cosmetics, right? So they say, well, we don't cover it, nothing's going to go to it. But what they're doing is they're saying, but as a dentist, you can't charge whatever you want. You have to charge what our fee is. So some dentists, right, are stuck charging 500, $600 for a veneer, right. When the lab costs to get really high end cosmetics is anywhere between like 500 to a thousand, maybe $1,500 just for the lab costs, right? So that means that dentists are having to go to China and get some cheap, cheap veneers just to be able to cover that cost, right? So insurance, honestly I think is a huge disservice to.
- [12:49]
B
That's a one off veneer.
- [12:50]
A
If they broke a tooth, that's a one off, right? That's not. And at the end of the day, insurance, if you buy insurance, dental insurance, right, you put all this money towards it, they're only going to maximize usually about $1,000 towards your treatment. So let's say you need a crown at the end of the day this year you pay dental insurance every month, right? Well, that crown is worth it costs $1,800, you know, to get it done. But insurance is only going to cover $1,000. So their coverage doesn't even always include what an entire amount of treatment plan would be. And that insurance companies, they haven't increased that amount. It's been a thousand dollars for like 50 years, right. So inflation, right, everything's going up. But dental insurance is refusing to actually put any more towards what your coverage would be. But they're charging you more each year to cover their.
- [13:42]
B
So we feel inflation with our insurance costs, but they don't adjust for inflation to their. Yeah, providers.
- [13:50]
A
Yeah. So, and you're seeing more and more dentists where they're leaving, they're going what's called out of network, right. Where they stop going in network. The problem is dentists that are in network, they're getting the fee that insurance company is demanding for services. So general dentistry, like a filling or a crown is so low that dentists are having to overpack their schedule just to kind of get by, you know what I mean? And so it really, for the patients, if you're going to someone that's Trying to pack, you know, 30, 40 fillings in a day. Like, I wouldn't want that on my mouth. Oh, man. No one wants that. So I would rather pay more, get the service and get a filling that's gonna last than try and, like, get just the cheaper option.
- [14:36]
B
30, 40 fillings. Some dentists are doing a day.
- [14:38]
A
Yep.
- [14:39]
B
That is a brutal job.
- [14:41]
A
Yeah. So out of dental school, I went and worked out of a medical office, and you had to do that. You're only getting paid $50 per filling. Right. And people would come in and they've got a full mouth of cavities because they, again, haven't seen a dentist in forever. And so we're filling that schedule full, and we're just doing ton and ton of filling. So initially, I was just doing extractions fillings all day long.
- [15:07]
B
Fun.
- [15:07]
A
Yeah.
- [15:08]
B
On a bunch of people in Long beach in the ghetto.
- [15:12]
A
Well, this was. This was over in Colorado.
- [15:14]
B
Yeah.
- [15:15]
A
And I loved it, honestly. I learned a ton. And I tried to be as. Create the care that I could. Right. Like, I tried to do the best work I could, and I learned so much being able to do that at that time. And I learned that's not the way I wanted to do it the rest of my life. I wanted to do it differently. And that's really. The stepping stones have taken me to where I've created what. I've created this brand for.
- [15:37]
B
What's. What's your vision with the bowtie doctor? Like, what do you envision with it? How is this brand going to impact dentistry and, you know, your overall growth strategy?
- [15:48]
A
Yeah, I want to represent. I want to be a representation for dentistry. Right. I think that dentistry has a bad, bad rap. Right. When you think about your dentist, everyone's like, well, pain, bad smells. Usually a fish tank in the front office. Right. And usually not nice. The offices aren't that great. So I want to really change the mindset behind dentistry because what we do can actually be beautiful and can actually make a huge impact. Right. Like, getting your cleaning can actually be a comfortable, enjoyable experience.
- [16:20]
B
I don't know about being comfortable enjoyable. How do you do that? You put, like, Netflix on or something?
- [16:24]
A
Well, yeah. So we have TVs now. Right. We have blankets. We have. You know, there's new machines that aren't as painful, where you're having to scratch and claw and poke your gums. Right. There's different topicals or numbing agents that we can use that aren't shots anymore that we can use. So there are processes that we can use. To make it enjoyable and not have to be just that terrible experience.
- [16:50]
B
You know, every cleaning I've ever done has not been fun. I would love to be just, you know, chilling, numb, watching Netflix, but the sound alone is, like, you know, annoying.
- [17:03]
A
Yeah. We just actually. Interesting. Say that yesterday I went. Bought some Apple headphones. Right? And the idea is, right, you've got noise canceling headphones now.
- [17:12]
B
Okay.
- [17:13]
A
There's so much new products out there that, like, again, we don't think about these things. Right. People hate. People fear dentistry because of sounds and pain. Right. So if we can eliminate sound and pain, well, how does that experience all of a sudden? Change.
- [17:26]
B
Game changer.
- [17:27]
A
Yeah. So exactly. Noise, cancer, headphones. Right.
- [17:30]
B
Okay.
- [17:30]
A
Blankets, comfortable chairs. Yeah. Just the way that we chill. Yeah. Netflix. Right? So all these things, we can create this process where it's not the same thing that we've had for the past 50 years.
- [17:44]
B
That's awesome. That's awesome. Now, what was your. When you. When you were a kid, did you decide, like, I know you were thinking that you wanted to be a doctor in medicine, and was there a moment that sparked your. Your love for helping, Helping people feel more confident?
- [18:07]
A
I mean, I've always enjoyed, like, leadership as a kid. Like, so I was big into sports and always being like a team captain and like, what. And helping other kids grow and helping develop. Right. That was always a huge passion of mine. And I think that that just kind of continued into my professional career where when I started doing dentistry, fillings are fine, but no one finishes affiliates. Like, that's the best experience I've ever had. And, like, I feel so much more confident because this filling is done. Right? So when I started doing cosmetics and I saw how it changed people's lives, like, these are the stories that I have from, like, when someone started with me to like, a year later and like, their business went from, like, struggling for five years to all of a sudden doubling booming, right. In one year. And not saying it was all due to the fact of the smile transformation, but they come back and they go, my confidence and the ability to go speak to people in sales, like, is life changing. And that was one of the factors that just completely changed it. Right? And the psychology behind, okay, what does a smile do for people? If you are having a bad day and you just smile, right? It does. It changes the chemistry within your brain, within your body to spike certain things, to give you confidence, to give you happiness, joy, right? And so when people smile more, there is this. There is a chemical balance that really changes you know who they are. And so the more I learned about it, the more, like, impact I could see that I could bring. When I'm able to give these beautiful smiles and the artistry behind it, like, that's where I love getting crafty and, like, doing all these little things to make it look real and to be able to change the look that people can have in their lives.
- [20:08]
B
Artistry, I want to dive into that. So you're saying how much artistry is really involved in veneers? I thought it's like you send it to the lab, they give your veneers, you pop them on. Like, do you got to be an artist to do that? Are your veneers better than the next guy's? How do they differ?
- [20:23]
A
Yeah, so right again with dentistry cosmetics, always been where dentists didn't really have a say in much of the veneers. They would send a case to the lab, the lab designs it. The lab does what's called a wax up, sends it back. The dentist will prep the teeth and then send it to the lab to then design the veneers. And there's not a lot of communication on, like, what is actually needing to be done. We get them back and we seed them. So early in my career, I did the same thing. I sent it to what I thought at the time was the top cosmetic labs, which they say, right. And I would try to give them feedback on, like, here's what I want, but I get the cases back. And they were never exactly what I wanted. It was always kind of. If you looked at all the cosmetic dentistry, everyone was doing pretty much the same thing. There was no variety. And so I finally wanted to make a change. I was like, this is not. I'm not happy with what I'm getting and I need more control. And so I went and found a ceramist. His name's Daniel Yang. And we started to work together. And I was like, daniel, we've got to do this differently. And so he showed me how porcelain works. He showed me how he makes every veneer. And then we looked at the natural teeth and we pushed the limits on how do we create that natural characteristics, but do it within porcelain. And it's not just a one block, one color thing. It's actually layering, hand layering porcelain to get that. That depth and that reality to it. But it comes with a knowledge between a dentist and a ceramist. And so for us, that's really what makes me different than everyone else and why we've been able to grow so quickly is, like, the attention to detail, but also the effort that we put into making our veneers better each and every time. So now Daniel, his lab is actually next door to my office. We've created this process where it's just so unique and different than anything else being done out there.
- [22:19]
B
That's so cool. So then your. Your veneers are better than the next guy.
- [22:23]
A
I mean, that's. That's the goal. Like, I strive to be the best cosmetic dentist in the world, and my veneers need to represent that.
- [22:32]
B
And you're the coolest personal brand in cosmetic dentistry in the world. So, you know, you got to match up to that.
- [22:37]
A
Of course. All got to match.
- [22:40]
B
Now, can you walk us through the biggest turning point that led you to building your own personal brand?
- [22:46]
A
Biggest turning point.
- [22:51]
B
And hopefully the audience doesn't need a big turning point. Like, maybe this. This episode is enough.
- [22:56]
A
Yeah. I mean, I think it came down to a mindset, to be honest. There was. I really was loving cosmetics, but there was still, like, doubt in my mind a lot where I felt like I could become somebody. I always felt like there were better cosmetic dentists out there. And I'm still kind of new and I'm young, right. And I finally, like, realized, like, just switch that, right? Take away the words of, like, oh, I'm anxious, I'm young, I'm inexperienced, and realize that, like, I'm as good as I want to be. And as long as I believe that. Right. And to be honest, I remember I did this celebrity, Madison lacroix. I did her teeth. I remember going to work the day that she was coming into the office, and we'd done a couple big name people before that. But I remember walking out my front door, walking to my car, and I was like, today is the. I thought to myself, like, today is going to be the first day of the rest of my life. And that was the first time I felt super confident in who I was as a dentist. And that what I was doing was incredible. Right. And maybe it took seeing a celebrity to kind of change my mindset, but the reality was I was creating that for a long, long time. And she finally saw that, and that's why she came to me. But I, as soon as I changed, that, like, really started booming because I finally felt confident in myself.
- [24:30]
B
How'd she find you? Was Instagram.
- [24:32]
A
Yeah. On social media, but again, it was the branding.
- [24:37]
B
Celebrities are finding you.
- [24:39]
A
Yeah.
- [24:40]
B
So where'd she drive in from? La?
- [24:42]
A
No, she's from South Carolina. She flew in yeah, she flew in from South Carolina.
- [24:46]
B
Flew in. And then you. How many veneers did she do?
- [24:49]
A
So we did 20 veneers on her. So we did top and bottom on her and really turned out six figure job. Yeah, it's a big one.
- [24:57]
B
Yeah.
- [24:58]
A
But yeah, it was fun to kind of work with her. She's an incredible person. And, you know, at the same time, a lot of pressure. Like, you know, she's on tv, she's a beautiful girl. Like, you don't want to screw it up. And I think about that with all my patients. I want them to have this beautiful smile. And, you know, the details we put into her veneers. You know, that was an exciting day because I was like, okay, like, I got this right. And that was the confidence that I needed in myself that pushed me to really focus on myself and my brand.
- [25:28]
B
Now, we talked about something that I think the audience should know about, which is the impact that Covid had on material costs. And this is across the board in every industry. But how much have we seen material costs go up in the world of dentistry in the last five years?
- [25:44]
A
Yeah, Covid is rough. I mean, it's rough for everyone, right? I remember I was on a ski trip with my family, and we're literally driving back and I'm getting messages about everything breaking out. And they're basically saying, like, we're. Every medical office has to close down, right? And I'm like, man, we are in big trouble because we had the unknown of what we were supposed to do and how long we're being closed for. So literally came back. I think we got back on Sunday and like, Monday we closed, like, with COVID and we were closed for a long time. And it was crazy. The dental. In the dental world, our supplies went up 4x. Like, there's things that, like, at the time cost a dollar, are now close to like five, six dollars a piece. And it's across the board. Nothing stayed the same after Covid. And to me, I think they're, yeah, everything went up in the world. But at the same time, it's like people took advantage of that opportunity as well. I think that just like, they're like, okay, great, now we can push everything up. And that hurts us because how do I try to give my patients what they want without, you know, my goal is not to increase my fee. My goal is to always be affordable for as many people as possibly can. But when the underlying cost soars, then everything else has to go up and then that spiked also employee pay. So after Covid the dental field especially for whatever reason, a lot of those employee payments went up. So we paid them a lot more to do the same job. And I love my staff, they're the best in the world. And my goal is always to have them be successful. But it's tough when you're trying to. How do you do both, right? How do you make it affordable to patients but also support a staff?
- [27:36]
B
You know, I don't think veneers are affordable. Like the good three grand a tooth is not that affordable.
- [27:43]
A
Yeah, the good ones definitely, right?
- [27:45]
B
Like if they break a tooth and they gotta get a veneer, is it, is there a difference between a veneer and veneer quality? If they break a tooth versus the veneers that they put in for.
- [27:53]
A
Not for me. So again, there are some doctors will be like, okay, a crown is going to be cost different than a veneer, right. Or an onlay. There's all these different aspects to it.
- [28:03]
B
But insurance covers the one veneer.
- [28:06]
A
Well, they, they'll cover a crown but they won't cover a veneer. Right. Now the difference is a crown covers the back side of the tooth, the veneer covers the front side. But it's both made of porcelain. It's both. The process is exactly the same. So why, why is it a 1 over 6 covers the backside? Yeah. So like it covers the whole tooth. So the inside of the tooth as well as the front side.
- [28:26]
B
Okay.
- [28:26]
A
So veneer only covers partial of it. But you know, I think, you know, at the end of the day, what is affordable? Right? I think that's an, that's an important concept because, you know, is a Rolex affordable? No, but how many people have Rolexes?
- [28:44]
B
Millions.
- [28:45]
A
Right. Because Rolex does a very good job at branding.
- [28:49]
B
Yeah. I mean it's affordable if you get it from Rolex.
- [28:51]
A
Well, because people want a Rolex. A Rolex is not a watch, okay? In reality you're spending hundreds, potentially tens to hundred thousand dollar on a timepiece, right. When you can get one at Walmart if you want. But why do people want Rolex and why do people spend the money to buy Rolex? It's because what Rolex has branded themselves is, it's like this accomplishment, right? So like, and I felt this when I opened my office, I was like, okay, I feel like I need to go get a Rolex because we work so hard for this. Like that's, that's my goal. Right. And Rolex has done so well at doing that. But people can go and afford a Rolex because that's their. It's accomplishment. It's something that they put their money towards and they want that. So if it's a want, then they're going to go and find a way to make that work.
- [29:42]
B
Now let me ask you, what did it feel like when you emotionally had to walk away from your. From your partnership and then you had to go solo? A lot of people, especially because this is an entrepreneurship show, a lot of people right now are struggling with their partners, and they're like, do I go solo? Should I go solo? Should I stay in this partnership or this bad marriage or whatever it is? Like, what did it feel like to go solo?
- [30:09]
A
Yeah, that's one of the hardest decisions I ever had to make. When I joined something. I want to be all in the reality, and when I make a commitment, I want to make sure that I fulfill my commitment. I like to live up to my word, and that's important to me. And the partnership was great for me for a while, and things slowly began to change. I really wanted to focus on the branding of the business, and I wanted to focus on the branding of myself. When that differs and all of a sudden your partners don't really care about the brand of the business. Right. Then how am I supposed to grow that? You know, there's limitations within. When partnerships don't agree.
- [30:51]
B
And if you're building a personal brand, like, unless he was partners on the bowtie doctor.
- [30:57]
A
Yeah. Right. I mean, yeah. So I had expectations for myself and I wanted to exceed the. And there's money and time that I wanted to put into that that weren't. That resources weren't available. They weren't willing to put those resources. So you've got to decide whether it's how good it is for yourself. Right. And me leaving that partnership was the best decision for myself. Yeah.
- [31:24]
B
You went.
- [31:25]
A
Yeah, it just. And to be honest, when I was finishing up on that partnership, it was hard. I've actually been reading my journal these last couple since the beginning of the year, back from two years ago of like, that experience, because I want to remember, like, what was my mindset going through all this?
- [31:43]
B
Do you journal every day?
- [31:44]
A
I journal almost every day.
- [31:46]
B
For how long?
- [31:47]
A
So usually only like maybe 15, 20 minutes. So I get up my schedule, I get up at 4:30, wake up, I go meditate, and then I journal and I read my Bible and then I get ready for my day and go work out. I think that your morning routine is so important.
- [32:04]
B
Yeah.
- [32:04]
A
I'm not saying everyone has to wake up at 4:30. But you've got to have a system that works for you, that gets you ready for your day and whether that's morning or whether you're a night person. Right. There's got to be consistency there. Otherwise you're just living life and you're going through the motions.
- [32:21]
B
Yeah. And I didn't ask you, but is that your morning routine? Wake up 4:30, do your Bible reading, do your journaling, do your workout, then go to the office?
- [32:32]
A
Yep. So I do that every single day. I can't tell you. Honestly, I can't tell you the last time that I missed the day of doing that. So every day of work, that's important for me to start my day.
- [32:47]
B
Morning routine is clutch for me. I have to have a morning routine and I'm updating it all the time. I'm always studying stuff like, what can I do today? You know, I, I dip my face in ice water.
- [32:59]
A
That's awesome.
- [33:00]
B
And then I was reading the benefits of doing that. I'm like, I just added that. I'm like, oh, that, that's a quick one.
- [33:05]
A
Yeah.
- [33:05]
B
You know, like 10 seconds.
- [33:07]
A
Well, it's hard. Like, so I used to get up at like 5:30, right?
- [33:11]
B
Yeah, no, I got up at 4:30 too.
- [33:13]
A
And, and it's funny because I had.
- [33:15]
B
A long morning routine today.
- [33:16]
A
As I add things to my schedule, my morning routine, it's like it gets early and earlier.
- [33:20]
B
Yeah.
- [33:21]
A
And so, yeah, I mean, I still.
- [33:23]
B
Don'T have enough time to journal and I'm on a Bible study while I'm doing a bunch of other stuff. So I'm like, there's a live Bible study that I'm attending, but it's not focused, dedicated Bible reading.
- [33:33]
A
It's hard to do everything right. I think you've got to find what's really impactful in your own life and then really make that time for it. And then when there's other things that you want to do right. Then, like you said, try something new, add that to it, or take away and give and take with what you see is working.
- [33:52]
B
Yeah. I would have to incorporate a night routine where I prep all my morning stuff like the vitamins and the protein shakes and.
- [33:59]
A
Yeah, that's. It's funny you say that because I, that's what I do. Literally before bed, I get, I get up, get my blender out, get my pre workout, my protein shakes. Everything's on the table right before I go to bed.
- [34:11]
B
Yeah. So that, because that, that'll save me the time in the morning.
- [34:13]
A
Yeah, it saves you honestly, like, 15 minutes.
- [34:15]
B
Yeah, that's what I. That's the time I need. Then I can incorporate journaling.
- [34:18]
A
Yeah, there it is.
- [34:20]
B
Yeah. So that's what I got to do. I just realized that now my morning routine go faster.
- [34:25]
A
Yeah, no, it's true. The morning, you can't waste time. It's not worth it.
- [34:30]
B
And I'm literally like, there's my gratitude journal. Just, I didn't have enough time.
- [34:35]
A
Yeah, well. And I think it's important to go back and read it, right?
- [34:38]
B
Yeah.
- [34:38]
A
I keep a journal for a long time, but I never read it. And then I was like, well, what am I learning then? And again, my kids can read it in the future, but no, if you don't look back at the last year, then what are you learning from? And so I've really taken the concept of, like, looking back and learning from everything I'm doing, and then how do I improve each time? If I get better 1% every day? Where are you going to end up after a year?
- [35:05]
B
Yeah. Yeah, you're right. Now, a couple questions I have for you. What's a personal goal that you have for yourself? Family goal you have for your family? Got four kids and a business goal you have.
- [35:20]
A
Yeah, that's a good family goal. My goal for my family is actually I really want to travel with my kids. I really want them to see the world. And so my goal is to do, you know, take them out of the country at least once a year.
- [35:42]
B
Have you done that ever?
- [35:43]
A
Yeah, we took them to New Zealand last year.
- [35:45]
B
Okay.
- [35:46]
A
We lived in a van for two weeks, and it was the best trip I've ever taken. Like, best experience. And my. Everyone always says, you took four kids in a van in New Zealand for two weeks. And, like, honestly, I love spending time with my kids. Like, it's my life. Right. That's what I work for. That's what I do. And, like, to give them that opportunity. Like, we had no one watching tv, no shows, and they never once asked for it. Right. And it was taking us out of this Orange county bubble and putting us in this environment where we spent time together, but they were so involved in, like, all the little things that we were doing, and it was so intentional, and it was amazing. And, like, the time we were spending that two weeks was just. And I felt, like, so impactful for them. And we worked on things. We worked on every day. We talked about our Hales values. Right. So what does it mean to be a hails? And what kind of person do we want to be when we show up. And, you know, these aren't conversations that we get to have every day when school and sports are going on. And so now we refer back to that of, like, hey, you know, are these decisions you're making are the Hales values? And so it's taking the time to get away, to be able to, like, really prep for the whole year and what you want them to be.
- [37:07]
B
That's, you know, that's beautifully said. And how often do we talk to our kids about their values and, like, what's it mean to be, you know, your legacy name? And that's, like, that dawned on me, like, I need to do that more. I always say this, and I told this to you earlier in the. If anyone's benefiting from this podcast, it's me. I'm receiving mentorship. I'm receiving wisdom from another father. And parenting is hard in Orange County. We're in a bubble, and our kids are growing up affluent. You grew up anesthesiologist. So both parents. You come from a lineage of anesthesiology. Basically, you grew up in abundance, but you turned out great. How did your family keep you so grounded? And how are you keeping your kids so grounded?
- [37:59]
A
Yeah, my parents did amazing job. I mean, parenting is hard, right? And I think all of us parents think we're doing a terrible job for the most part, right? I think we're always like, oh, we're screwing up our kids. And what I realized is, like, all parents are just doing their best. And I really did look up to my parents. They did a phenomenal job just loving me and, like, supporting me all growing up and, like, you know, putting pressure on me to, like, succeed and to work hard. And, you know, they made opportunities where I could play sports. And I learned teamwork. I learned leadership. And my dad, I remember a lot of times, at least once a year, not. Not a ton, right? But he would sit me down in his office, like, hey, let's talk. Let's have a chat, right? And he just really would talk about life and, like, what's important. And I just love those meaningful talks. Like, it's just the time he spent really kind of helped me evolve and grow up with the idea of, like, having the idea of legend, right? Becoming a legend and making sure there's a legacy behind Hales or our family, and respecting my elders and my grandparents and seeing how hard they work to provide this life. I saw the hard work that they put into giving me abundance, and I wanted to give back. I wanted to create that for My kids. And so just their example has allowed me to become, hopefully an example for my kids. That hopefully they turn out well.
- [39:38]
B
Yeah. I mean, I'll tell you, they definitely see me working. Yeah, they see that happening. And. But they see. Because I get to work remote, and as a CEO, I'm on the go. So I'm one of those parents that's hyper involved in all their sports and activities. And in between recruiting calls or business development deals, I'm just involved in every single sport they're in. I like to be, like, involved. Like, they're in basketball, I'm playing. They're in a basketball league. I'm in a basketball league, they're in Jiu jitsu. I'm in jiu jitsu.
- [40:12]
A
Yeah. Your hobbies are their hobbies?
- [40:14]
B
Yeah. Like, every single hobby they got, I got. You know, they collect sports cards, I collect sports cards. You know, we go to basketball games together. You know, like, so I'm in the weeds with them, just like I am in my business.
- [40:25]
A
Yeah.
- [40:26]
B
Last question for you. When you're in front of the pearly gates, what do you think God's going to tell you?
- [40:38]
A
I hope God says, you know, that good and faithful servant. Right. I hope he sees that I'm just not necessarily a puppet, but I'm here to serve him and to do his work. I always. And I try to always think, you know, what does God want me to do and how can I impact his children here on this earth? I think I strive to think about Jesus Christ and his life. And he served so many people and was hated for it, and all he did was just show love and kindness and charity. So it's easy to get into the mindset of comparison and, you know, anger or these things that put people down. But when we realize, you know, that we can, if we just let God take the reins and control our lives, you know, we will always end up better than we could have ever imagined. And so I just hope the end day, he says to thy good and faithful servant, you know, and well done. I love you.
- [41:49]
B
Hey, Tyler, you've been an absolute blessing to have on the show. I hope that you hit every single one of your goals. I hope God continues to bless you abundantly, beyond measure. You're an inspiration to many. If people want to connect with you, how do they find you?
- [42:04]
A
Yeah, so Instagram is. I love Instagram. I'm always on there. So you can DM me. It's Dr. Tyler Hales, just at D R T Y L E R H A L E s. And you can also look at my website. So Hales aesthetic dot com. That's my, my business. My dental business. Come and see the smiles that we give there. And by the same time, just I love chatting on Instagram and communicating and creating friends.
- [42:35]
B
Love it. Guys, especially you're in the medical field, make sure you check out Dr. Tyler Hales. This guy is crushing the social media. As a doctor, the some of the most boring work on the planet, but the most needed work on the planet. God bless you. Thanks for tuning in, guys.
- [42:50]
A
Thank you.