Simon Chard: I was listening to a podcast on the way here. Actually, it was Gordon Ramsay on High Performance and he was saying, you [00:00:05] need to learn not to avoid the storms, but just to dance in the rain. And I think that is basically [00:00:10] just running businesses. Being an entrepreneur, you’ve got to get used [00:00:15] to being in the firing line, putting fires out day in, day out. That [00:00:20] is basically the job.

[VOICE]: This [00:00:25] is Dental Leaders. The [00:00:30] podcast where you get to go one on one with emerging leaders in dentistry. [00:00:35] Your hosts Payman [00:00:40] Langroudi and Prav Solanki.

Payman Langroudi: It gives me great pleasure to [00:00:45] welcome Simon Chard back onto the podcast. Simon was a guest [00:00:50] number four. So really? Yeah, it looked it up in 2019. [00:00:55] Wow. And then we had an episode from the BCD conference. Not this [00:01:00] year, but the one before, which was episode 164163. Maybe [00:01:05] for anyone who wants to look at that. Simon, the reason I’m saying all this is I kind of don’t want to go [00:01:10] over the same ground, the, you know, origin story and all of that, because people can listen to that on the [00:01:15] previous ones. I do remember having in my head the idea [00:01:20] that I would like to have this guy back on in 4 or 5 years, time to see what has [00:01:25] become of him. And of course, I knew you for a good six, seven years before the last [00:01:30] episode, but, um, incredibly busy guy. Simon is a principal of [00:01:35] a large dental practice. He has two kids, two [00:01:40] young kids, which, when I think back to that time in my life, probably the most stressful [00:01:45] part of life new business, new house, new kids, just just just a lot going on. [00:01:50]

Simon Chard: Another one on the way as well.

Payman Langroudi: Another one on the way as well. Well done. I [00:01:55] found a co-founder of Parlo, which is a sustainable oral care brand [00:02:00] and uh, just finished being president of the [00:02:05] BCD lecturer. You do a lot, dude. Probably [00:02:10] too much. Yeah, yeah. Well, I was kind of let’s [00:02:15] start with, you know, when someone looks at your persona, I can imagine people [00:02:20] thinking, this guy’s just so happy. Let’s start with struggles. What [00:02:25] are you what are you struggling with right now? Like, you know, what’s a current struggle?

Simon Chard: Well, I’m [00:02:30] always struggling, to be honest. I mean, I was listening to a podcast on the way here. Actually, it was Gordon [00:02:35] Ramsay on High Performance, and he was saying, you need to learn not to avoid the storms, but just to dance [00:02:40] in the rain. And I think that is basically just running businesses. [00:02:45] Being an entrepreneur, you’ve got to get used to being in the firing [00:02:50] line, putting fires out day in, day out. That is that is basically the job. [00:02:55] And most of the time it works okay. I’m pretty militant with [00:03:00] how I’ve optimised my life for productivity and efficiency and [00:03:05] success, but you can’t predict what’s around the corner, and oftentimes [00:03:10] things will all crash together at the same time. And with the way in which my [00:03:15] life is structured, in that I have multiple different businesses still working clinically three [00:03:20] days a week, like we were talking before we started rolling. I might be in with a four hour [00:03:25] implant patient, and then a major emergency happens with parlour. That needs my immediate [00:03:30] attention, or there’s something going on in the practice at the same time as something with the bacd. So [00:03:35] there’s always things that crash together simultaneously. I’m very fortunate that Megan, [00:03:40] my wife and co-owner of Rosie Lodge with me is, um, is [00:03:45] a very solid rock. I think we’re very much yin and yang, uh, yin [00:03:50] and yang with regards to she’s sort of stable, emotionally [00:03:55] operationally minded. I’m much more sort of up and down and, uh. [00:04:00] Creative, lofty ideas rather than operationally minded. [00:04:05] So that definitely helps. But yeah, I mean, it’s an ongoing struggle. I mean, I’ve talked openly about my my own [00:04:10] issues with anxiety and, and those sorts of things in the past. And [00:04:15] it’s something that I’ve worked really hard on personally through [00:04:20] exercise, through meditation, through therapy, to stabilise [00:04:25] my emotional variation. I think, um, and largely it’s really, really helped. [00:04:30] Sometimes we still have our struggles, but that’s just life, I think.

Payman Langroudi: I [00:04:35] didn’t want to talk about it.

[Both]: I was [00:04:40] up close. I’m a I’m a closed book.

Payman Langroudi: Well, you know, look to practically, [00:04:45] practically what’s what’s bothering you in the practice? What’s bothering you at Hala? What’s [00:04:50] bothering you in the teaching world? You know, you were on TV today. Yeah, I saw [00:04:55] that. Yeah. And so what you’ve kind of described is the juggle is is juggle is.

Simon Chard: The ongoing [00:05:00] is the ongoing struggle. I mean, if you want specifics of the individual businesses, [00:05:05] the price of everything has gone up. Staffing has been an ongoing [00:05:10] challenge since the pandemic. This is mainly with parlour. And so [00:05:15] this is mainly with the practice. So those those are challenges. I think that all [00:05:20] business owners and practice owners have been struggling with, uh, otherwise the practice [00:05:25] is pretty solid. We had a larger NHS contract. Um, I’ve not worked in the NHS [00:05:30] personally for since 2017, but, um, we’ve, we’ve reduced that contract [00:05:35] down. Um, and we’re in that sort of transitional period at the moment. So [00:05:40] that’s been has had its, had its challenges certainly. And the practice my parents [00:05:45] owned it before me. They owned it for uh well they bought it six months before I was born. We [00:05:50] bought it from them in 2017. So making big changes like that when a lot of those patients have [00:05:55] been there since before I was, was born, it’s a difficult decision to make and not one that we took lightly, but [00:06:00] we want to continue to strive for excellence in the practice, and the [00:06:05] NHS system doesn’t allow for that really. So that’s been a challenge there. With regards to [00:06:10] parlour, I mean, performance marketing has got harder and harder over the last few years. [00:06:15] I’m sure you are fully aware of that. More and more.

Payman Langroudi: Expensive.

Simon Chard: Much more expensive, much less predictable. [00:06:20] Roas, uh, return on ad spend, um, customer acquisition costs, [00:06:25] um, all these things that we deal with our marketing agencies with on a daily basis have [00:06:30] all got got poorer in general, um, as a sort of a macroeconomic thing. [00:06:35] And yeah, we’ve got to continue to innovate, continue to improve. I mean, the [00:06:40] thing with parlour is there’s so many moving parts. Yeah. When it comes to actually having a physical good [00:06:45] that you need to transport around the country, around the world, making [00:06:50] sure that all those elements are in the right place at the right time. With retailers like Sainsbury’s [00:06:55] and Waitrose and Boots who are, uh, they give you like an hour slot, like they’re [00:07:00] militant with regard and they’ll, they’ll only give us sometimes a couple of days to get that order in.

Payman Langroudi: And [00:07:05] fine you if you don’t make it.

Simon Chard: In that fine. As if we don’t make it. Yeah. And um, and obviously you’re [00:07:10] always on, you’re always on tenterhooks to that. You don’t you don’t. They are very much [00:07:15] in control of that relationship. Do you know what I mean? You’re a small you’re a small fry in a big pond there. And so [00:07:20] you’re always trying to put your best foot forward. Things go wrong. People don’t act professionally. [00:07:25] All these sort of things, just part of part of doing business.

Payman Langroudi: But, um, I find in that [00:07:30] situation, in my world it would be, um, culprits. Mm. You’re sort of incentivised [00:07:35] to overpromise because you’re in a meeting with the with the top guy in [00:07:40] the corporate. He’s saying he wants to grow his business. You’re giving him assurances there. Yeah, but then [00:07:45] he’s got to deliver. Right. And this asymmetric relationship that you’re talking about, I know yours is [00:07:50] much more asymmetric than mine with one of the corporates. But this asymmetric situation [00:07:55] that you’re talking about, sometimes it means changing your whole business model to to make that [00:08:00] promise come true. Yeah. Um, if you [00:08:05] well, not not you. But if someone is thinking of starting a business and I’ve actually noticed, I [00:08:10] actually think parlour is the cause of many of the copycats. You know, like, maybe [00:08:15] your marketing was so strong at the beginning. And people, people feel like, uh, [00:08:20] when they do it.

Simon Chard: Too.

Payman Langroudi: Well, when they see something everywhere, they, they just think of that as success, [00:08:25] and success is a long game and all of that. Right? It’s a difficult thing. And so when [00:08:30] someone wants to start a new thing, what would be your advice to someone who’s got a [00:08:35] clever idea and they’re thinking B2C? What [00:08:40] surprised you about it?

Simon Chard: It’s really hard. Really, really hard. Like [00:08:45] so much harder than dentistry. Yeah. And even when you think you’ve made it, you’ve [00:08:50] not. I mean, I remember the day that we got the listing at boots, it was my birthday in like 2020. [00:08:55] And I remember running around my garden with my daughter thinking, we’ve made it like, [00:09:00] that’s it. Job done. Like, like like I’m basically [00:09:05] Zuckerberg. Like we’ve like, cracked the code. And, um, yeah, I mean, [00:09:10] it’s just it’s so not the case. So I think the best advice I could give is [00:09:15] really do your due diligence on is this a good idea [00:09:20] or is this a good business? Because there’s lots of good ideas, but [00:09:25] actually the nuance of it being a good business is very different. [00:09:30] And that comes down to simple things like for example. If you want [00:09:35] to set up a subscription business of some sort, does that product actually make sense as a subscription [00:09:40] product? Is it lightweight? Does it travel in the post well? [00:09:45] Is it stable? Does it have a long shelf life? All these sort of really boring questions [00:09:50] make such a difference to your, uh, your the way [00:09:55] in which you can, you can come to market and actually the long tum success of your business and [00:10:00] a lot of those things with Parler, we’ve, we’ve got quite lucky with I didn’t think about any of those things when I thought [00:10:05] about this. I just thought, I hate single use plastic. I want to do something about it. Let’s [00:10:10] do it. And I want to like, have a I want to build a Start-Up and build something cool. So [00:10:15] yeah, really, I think do your due diligence. And then the other best bit of advice I can give [00:10:20] is just really spend time and money on building a brand before [00:10:25] you launch. So we spent in the tens of thousands of pounds on creating [00:10:30] the brand that we created. And what I mean by that is the whole brand world, the typography up to the colourways, [00:10:35] to everything in between.

Payman Langroudi: Tone of voice.

Simon Chard: Yeah, exactly. And across [00:10:40] physical and digital in our case. And that was the best money we spent because that’s why [00:10:45] we have, I think, one of the coolest brands in in our space, in our category. [00:10:50] And if we hadn’t have done that again, I see loads of loads of copycat brands come out now [00:10:55] that haven’t spent that money and they’ve just sort of made it using an AI logo [00:11:00] generator or something like that. And it’s really obvious to to those that [00:11:05] actually work in this space. So spend the money on branding at the start is what I would advise.

Payman Langroudi: How [00:11:10] does that fit in with the sort of minimum viable product sort of testing the, [00:11:15] you know, the the theory in the first place? Like, is there a market [00:11:20] here? Yeah. Were you were you confident about that. Because the habit change [00:11:25] question is, you know, you I often think about it like [00:11:30] uh, religion almost. Right. You know, they teach a five year old God [00:11:35] and then when he’s 85, he still believes in God. And you know, that indoctrination at [00:11:40] an early age with toothbrushes, like, sits everyone [00:11:45] from the day they were born every day. And the changing of that habit I [00:11:50] get obviously, if if the, you know, the results of the sort of environmental [00:11:55] benefits are, you know, logically, that’s that’s what that’s the way [00:12:00] you would think of it, that the environmental benefits will outweigh that. But, you [00:12:05] know, electric cars didn’t sell until they were better than real normal cars. [00:12:10] You know how much we want to save the planet sometimes. Do you struggle with this idea? [00:12:15] Must do. Right.

Simon Chard: Uh, yeah. But I, I believe that it can be better. [00:12:20] And it clearly is better for the thousands [00:12:25] of subscribers that we have and the thousands of customers that we have in the stores. [00:12:30] And so it resonates sufficiently for people. I’m never satisfied. [00:12:35] We’re always iterating and improving on all of the products. [00:12:40] And I think that’s kind of my view on the MVP is that I was I was familiar with the [00:12:45] MVP concept prior to launching Parler because I read four Hour Work [00:12:50] Week, I think is where I first became aware of it. Um, from Tim Ferriss and, um. Yeah, [00:12:55] I think I just didn’t listen to it. And we just we just we just went. [00:13:00] We just went for it. But I think you can do that. I think if you, if conceptually your mission [00:13:05] is, is is is true and true to yourself, then then you can [00:13:10] always iterate in the market, if you know what I mean. You don’t have to sort of launch something [00:13:15] and then pull back and then try something else. You can launch and then make it better, or improve [00:13:20] it or tweak it. Um, and that’s kind of the way I think we’ve worked it with Parler.

[Both]: Right [00:13:25] or wrong, there’s no right or wrong. Yeah.

Payman Langroudi: Especially at the beginning. Absolutely. Especially at the [00:13:30] beginning. But okay, so your advice would be to do your research and to [00:13:35] invest in brand.

[Both]: Yeah.

Simon Chard: Do your research on the nitty gritty details of [00:13:40] how does this work as a business?

Payman Langroudi: I’d say I’d say it might be your sort of zone [00:13:45] of genius. Right. Branding. You know, I’m sure you’ve got several [00:13:50] digital dentistry, your communication, let’s say communication very [00:13:55] strong on communication. Um, and I struggle with it sometimes. So I’m sure [00:14:00] it’s it’s kind of easier to get your people behind saving the planet than [00:14:05] to get your people behind white teeth. Then when you think about it and you know, you’re [00:14:10] in the teeth business yourself, when when you’re talking to some patient [00:14:15] who hasn’t been able to eat a steak for years, and now with your [00:14:20] implants, they can or they or, you know, as Laura Horton said to me, you know, the [00:14:25] idea that you’re, you know, your patient might fall in love, kiss someone, you know, you know, teeth, teeth can can [00:14:30] be emotional and important.

[Both]: Definitely.

Payman Langroudi: So I used to struggle with this idea that, you know, [00:14:35] it’s very easy for Simon. He’s got this purpose built business, easy to get people behind [00:14:40] that investors, retailers. But with, with with a little bit of thinking. [00:14:45]

[Both]: Most white teeth.

Simon Chard: Can most.

[Both]: Purpose as well.

Payman Langroudi: Teeth are stuck to people, right. You [00:14:50] know, we’re very lucky we don’t sell bits of plastic for plumbing. You know, that’s a tall order.

[Both]: Yeah.

Payman Langroudi: But again, [00:14:55] you know, stable homes and but what I’m saying is that the communication part is, [00:15:00] is really where you. I remember since even before you qualified, I [00:15:05] remember thinking this guy can walk, you know, okay, you were a mature student and all [00:15:10] of that. Did you find when you’re talking to your team about the practice [00:15:15] that, you know, have you improved now to the point that the practice is feeling the benefits [00:15:20] improved?

Simon Chard: In what.

Payman Langroudi: Way? As an operator.

Simon Chard: Um, [00:15:25] I certainly think I’ve improved as a communicator. I mean, and that’s been I always [00:15:30] say, I mean, when I was 18, I didn’t have I wasn’t a public speaker. I didn’t, [00:15:35] uh, feel confident speaking in front of a crowd. Uh, my mum had to [00:15:40] nurture me up to even give a speech at my 18th birthday party. And [00:15:45] it sort of come with time, I think. But I think whenever you speak with about things that you’re passionate [00:15:50] about, it comes naturally. I think I’m very lucky in that my mind [00:15:55] works in a, I think, quite a unique way, in that I’m constantly thinking [00:16:00] into the future and seeing how the various components all fit [00:16:05] together. I think I did that with digital dentistry. I think I’ve done that with Parler. [00:16:10] I think I’m always thinking about what what’s coming down the pike and [00:16:15] trying to position myself correctly to benefit from that or [00:16:20] create businesses around those areas. And I think it’s because I’m super [00:16:25] passionate about these topics. Like, I still geek out on Dental stuff. Like I’m still super [00:16:30] excited when I got my 3D printer. And and I love business. So I think [00:16:35] when you’re passionate about things, you it’s like naval Naval Ravikant says, right? That if you [00:16:40] if things that other people think are work you think of as play, [00:16:45] you’re always going to perform better than them because you can be [00:16:50] playing 24 over seven, whereas they’re thinking, oh, I can only work 9 to 5. [00:16:55] And so naturally you’re going to you’re going to outperform them. That’s kind of the way I think about dentistry and [00:17:00] business for me is that. I will listen to podcasts 24 over seven around [00:17:05] business and personal development and optimisation of my life. Not because [00:17:10] I feel like I need to, but because I want to. I get great joy from feeling [00:17:15] like I’m growing and developing.

Payman Langroudi: But what’s the driver behind wanting to always [00:17:20] grow and develop?

Simon Chard: Well, I mean, that’s a very deep question, but, um, I guess a [00:17:25] desire.

Payman Langroudi: Not everyone is like that.

Simon Chard: No, I know, and in some ways I’m jealous [00:17:30] of people sometimes that they don’t. They’re quite happy, just [00:17:35] as they are.

[Both]: Content, plodding.

Simon Chard: Along, contentment, peace in the [00:17:40] moment. And it’s something that I strive for myself is to, is to focus more on the present [00:17:45] moment and be more Eckhart Tolle and the power of now [00:17:50] and all that sort of thing, but I do. I’m always I’m always future focussed and, [00:17:55] um, I don’t think that’s always a good thing. It’s good. It’s good for business and it’s good for [00:18:00] personal development, and it’s good for, in inverted commas, success. But I, [00:18:05] um.

Payman Langroudi: So why? Why?

Simon Chard: Why, I think, [00:18:10] is because if you want me to really go deep on it. Um, my [00:18:15] sister had cancer when she was seven. I don’t know if I spoke about that before. And [00:18:20] so my mum, uh, or both my parents, but primarily my mum was up [00:18:25] in hospital with her for six months, solid. She lived at the hospital and my dad would go there [00:18:30] after work every day. And then my sister carried on and had 23 operations [00:18:35] throughout her childhood. So it was it was pretty, pretty significant cancer diagnosis, thankfully all [00:18:40] treated. And she survived and and now has two, two young kids of her own. But that [00:18:45] lack of parents in the sort of locality of my [00:18:50] home because they were busy.

[Both]: With their sister.

Simon Chard: Because they were looking after my sister, who could have quite easily died. [00:18:55] I think it led to a desire to to get attention, [00:19:00] I guess. Not that I feel like I do these things now to get attention, but always [00:19:05] to be doing the right thing, being as good as possible, just sort of [00:19:10] not being an inconvenience. And, uh, yeah, just being a people pleaser, [00:19:15] I think in general.

[Both]: Yeah.

Simon Chard: So I think that’s the root of it.

[Both]: I’ve done [00:19:20] plenty of it morphs.

Payman Langroudi: Right.

[Both]: It morphs. Yeah.

Simon Chard: And I think the really interesting thing is [00:19:25] when you, when you listen about studies around the reasoning behind behind action, [00:19:30] and they talk about the, the rat studies where they have either a piece of cheese in [00:19:35] front of them or the cat behind them, and the cat behind them always generates [00:19:40] more of a response than the cheese in front of them. Just scientifically, that’s an [00:19:45] animal model. And that that cat behind me, I think, drove me [00:19:50] for the first, I don’t know, five years of my career, but [00:19:55] I’ve done a lot of work on that personally, and I feel much stronger [00:20:00] in that now. And I’ve sort of leveraged it, and I feel like I have control of it in a way that now [00:20:05] I’m just I’ve seen success and I’ve enjoyed success. And [00:20:10] so that’s a bit of a, a cheese or a drug that I’m then [00:20:15] constantly always trying to get that next success, which is not necessarily [00:20:20] a better structure, but I think you need to try and.

[Both]: Find something.

Payman Langroudi: Pathway almost.

[Both]: Like.

Payman Langroudi: Cortisol [00:20:25] or.

[Both]: Dopamine or.

Payman Langroudi: Whatever, whatever.

[Both]: It is.

Simon Chard: So it’s um, yeah, as I say, I mean, I, I [00:20:30] think everyone is driven by something, but I try to be as cognisant of [00:20:35] the reasoning behind doing things, and I’ve certainly pulled back significantly [00:20:40] from saying yes to everything. It might seem like I’m always doing something, and [00:20:45] I mean, today is not a good example because I woke up at five to go to Sky news, went [00:20:50] to the practice, then came here. But in general you won’t see me often on the weekend [00:20:55] at conferences or lecturing on a Saturday or [00:21:00] out in the evening at Dental events, because my main [00:21:05] priority is to spend as much time with my kids as possible at this young [00:21:10] age. And I have my own sort of macro mission statement and purpose for life [00:21:15] in general. But that’s the underlying base of everything is spend [00:21:20] as much time with my kids when they’re in this incredible stage that they’re in right now, as I can do, because once it’s gone, [00:21:25] it’s gone. And it doesn’t matter how much money I make or how much success I get professionally, [00:21:30] you never get that back. And that’s, as you know, I’m sure is just one [00:21:35] of the best things in life.

[Both]: Well, I’m.

Payman Langroudi: Feeling on the other end now. You know, my wife told me last [00:21:40] week, we’ve got two more holidays left with my son. Yeah. Um, you know, he’s getting into A levels and [00:21:45] predictions and, you know, he’s getting busy. Yeah. And, um, [00:21:50] I suddenly felt it, you know, I suddenly felt, oh, my God, the holidays.

[Both]: That’s [00:21:55] true.

Payman Langroudi: But but it’s it makes me sad. And I was speaking [00:22:00] to Rob Moretti. Um, we were having this conversation. Best day of your life. Worst day of your life? [00:22:05] Have a have a think. And, uh, he said worst day of his life when his youngest kid [00:22:10] left the house. Really? And I wasn’t expecting him to say to say that, but but [00:22:15] now, now that the reality of that has hit me with my I’m more cognisant [00:22:20] of it with my 13 year old. So it makes sense what you’re doing makes sense. It does make sense.

[Both]: Yeah. [00:22:25]

Simon Chard: I’m just I’m trying to get ahead of that as much as I can do. Yeah, hopefully I’ve [00:22:30] got well.

[Both]: 17.

Simon Chard: Years.

[Both]: Any easier.

Payman Langroudi: Right. Not not it’s going to be any easier at [00:22:35] all. No when they go. But it’s a similar thing I, my parents are my dad’s 88. [00:22:40] I’m spending every moment I can with him and talking to a friend. You [00:22:45] know, a childish way of looking at it is before he passes away. But [00:22:50] at the older you get, you realise many people stay alive, but you can’t speak to them anymore. [00:22:55] There’s dementia, there’s. There’s just general, general forgetfulness and energy of age. [00:23:00] Yeah. And so you have to get ahead of that even, you know. So any time, you know, [00:23:05] my dad and my dad didn’t have deep political discussions. One day he might. He might still be in [00:23:10] the room but not want to do that anymore. You know, it’s that gratitude for what you have. Kind of.

[Both]: Yeah, [00:23:15] I.

Simon Chard: Just I just bought this wooden board which has.

[Both]: Um, every day [00:23:20] of.

Payman Langroudi: Your life. That one.

[Both]: Yes.

Simon Chard: Yeah. Well, it’s weeks. It’s the weeks of your life. [00:23:25]

[Both]: I almost bought it on tick tock.

Simon Chard: I can’t remember who the who. The author.

[Both]: Actually [00:23:30] got it, I.

Simon Chard: Bought it, yeah. It’s wooden. It’s it’s laser etched. And, um, I’m gonna put it in [00:23:35] my bathroom downstairs. But that, I think is a is a great reminder of [00:23:40] how fleeting life is and how fleeting. All the moments that you have with the people that you love is, [00:23:45] you know. And so the more I just can’t, I just feel like [00:23:50] people meander and wander through life with no real focus [00:23:55] on why or what, why they’re doing what they’re doing other than must make more money, must [00:24:00] make more money, or must be more successful. Um, or even just less than that. Just plain [00:24:05] autopilot. And I can’t recommend enough for people to actually think [00:24:10] about your mission statement. Think about your core values in life. Um, the best one [00:24:15] is the me as as a 100 year old looking back on my life, have you heard that one?

[Both]: That [00:24:20] that?

Payman Langroudi: Well, are you talking about the notion of in ten years time, I will dream of [00:24:25] being ten years younger?

Simon Chard: Yeah, but more.

[Both]: Extreme than that.

Simon Chard: So look, thinking about yourself, [00:24:30] thinking about your 100 year old self on your deathbed, looking back at your whole life. [00:24:35] And what are the five things that you wish you’d done, or [00:24:40] the five ways that you’d wish you’d turned up in your life? So like those deathbed regret ones, [00:24:45] but like personally for you so that you then live your life now [00:24:50] in a way that is thinking about yourself, then, um, [00:24:55] as opposed to it’s just a more, I think, complicated way of saying live for your eulogy, not your [00:25:00] CV, but, um, um, yeah.

Payman Langroudi: Money’s a funny one, isn’t it? Because I [00:25:05] can ask you. We can grab the next person walking down the street and say, does money buy happiness? [00:25:10] All of us will say, no, it doesn’t. Um, and yet all of us [00:25:15] want to find out for ourselves.

[Both]: Okay. Not not wanting to cook. [00:25:20]

Simon Chard: Not wanting to quote naval too much in this podcast.

[Both]: But he.

Simon Chard: Says, uh, getting rich [00:25:25] sells your money problems and then you can solve your other problems. But [00:25:30] yeah, they say, I mean, there’s that classic study, right? That up to $75,000, you have an increasing [00:25:35] like an exponential increase in happiness and then it plateaus off. I think they’ve they’ve [00:25:40] disproved that a little bit now. And certainly that was done in 2010 that study. So it’s [00:25:45] it’s with inflation it’ll be more now. Um, but it is I think it is true [00:25:50] to a large extent whether you’re, whether you got 49 million in the bank or 50 million in [00:25:55] the bank, it’s going to make zero difference to you. So no, no.

Payman Langroudi: But but listen to this. Like where it really like, you [00:26:00] remember the story you told me that what hits you between the eyes regarding Pala [00:26:05] was that every tube of toothpaste you’ve ever used is still somewhere on [00:26:10] the planet. And it’s a startling fact, isn’t it, that every single [00:26:15] tube of toothpaste, all those billions of people are using it still somewhere? Yeah, but a bit like [00:26:20] that. The the thought of what did you just say?

[Both]: Uh. And [00:26:25] it’s. Thank you. I’ve forgotten.

Simon Chard: That. Um. What [00:26:30] did I just say? I don’t remember, it’s beautiful. It was so profound that I’ve [00:26:35] forgotten.

[Both]: Um.

Simon Chard: Oh, the the increasing happiness, uh, with [00:26:40] increasing.

[Both]: Okay. Yes. Yeah.

Payman Langroudi: Okay. Sorry. So, so the the the [00:26:45] thing that hit me between the eyes regarding money. Yeah. I’ve got this very rich friend. It’s his [00:26:50] dad. Gave him £12 million to buy a house. By the way, there’s four of them. £12 million each. [00:26:55] Wow. To buy a house. And dad said, you’ve got to buy a house. That was the one stipulation about it. And [00:27:00] this, this guy, he lives in, uh, Tehran. And so he came to London. He knows [00:27:05] London. He grew up with me in London. And he said, I can’t find a house. Just I cannot find [00:27:10] one. I like I said, what do you mean? And he said, you know what? At [00:27:15] 17, 18 million there’s loads of nice ones. But at 12 [00:27:20] it’s just it’s ridiculous. It’s just rubbish, you know, and you know, on his and then at the time I was [00:27:25] buying a house for 1.2 and the estate agent was telling me the exact same thing about 1.7. [00:27:30] Yeah. I was telling me how come everyone can see me in my garden? What the hell? And he’s like, well, if you could extend [00:27:35] to one point and you realise we all want just a bit more than we can have, yeah, you know that [00:27:40] that money struggle, struggle. And, you know, there’s there’s someone else on [00:27:45] the 12 to £17,000 situation in the Third world, and there’s someone else on a 120, [00:27:50] £170,000 story in, you know, Yorkshire or whatever. You know, it’s [00:27:55] it’s a common human thing. Regarding what what is your [00:28:00] driver? Robby said something nice about that. He said he said living up to my potential, [00:28:05] you know. Yeah. And that’s. A nice way of sort of thinking [00:28:10] of it. What you said is nice, but, you know, things like money.

[Both]: Just. [00:28:15]

Payman Langroudi: It’s just like you said, it’s not enough to keep you going through [00:28:20] the pain. No. The pain, you know, those those other things seem to be [00:28:25] more sort of inspirational. Keep you going. Yeah.

Simon Chard: Well, I mean, I think you need it. I mean, I’m [00:28:30] reading the, uh, the Daily Dad from Ryan Holiday at the moment. Have you read the Daily Stoic? [00:28:35] Yeah, yeah. So this is like the parenting version of that, and it’s, um. [00:28:40] Yeah. I think another good one is just to to be a great example for your kids is, is a [00:28:45] way to turn up in a good way every day in a very practical [00:28:50] way.

Payman Langroudi: But let’s talk about the teaching side. So [00:28:55] your year as president, what did they teach you about gigantic [00:29:00] academies?

Simon Chard: Hmm’hmm that you can’t do that much in a year. Yeah. Um, [00:29:05] it’s a very, very short time. By the time you actually get your feet under the table. I mean, I’ve been on the board, [00:29:10] I think, for, I don’t know, seven years before I became president. [00:29:15] Six years. So you kind of think you know the ropes, but actually when you when you’re in the hot seat, [00:29:20] it’s it’s very difficult to make big changes. Not that I think necessarily the bacb [00:29:25] needs big changes. I think it just needs tweaks to keep it relevant and modern and [00:29:30] still delivering what it’s delivered to everyone of my generation and [00:29:35] the generations before. But, um, I had some things that I wanted to change, [00:29:40] and I think some of them I was successful on, some that I wasn’t, but really just a steward, [00:29:45] I think is with these big academies, when they’ve been formed for quite [00:29:50] a while, you’re really just making sure that it’s carrying on in the same direction and moving, [00:29:55] uh, moving upwards.

Payman Langroudi: But now I guess you’ve got more time for your own teaching. So [00:30:00] digital dentistry was where you were mainly at home. God [00:30:05] bless Lewis Mackenzie. He he he told me that your [00:30:10] dental plan round went like he said. He said one of the most popular [00:30:15] speakers they’ve ever had.

[Both]: That’s kind.

Simon Chard: Of a. Yeah. So sad.

Payman Langroudi: Yeah, yeah. [00:30:20] Teaching wise, where are you going?

Simon Chard: Well I’m very I’m very excited [00:30:25] about the future of digital with 3D printing. I’m working quite closely with sprint Ray. [00:30:30] I think they’re a really exciting forward thinking company. I [00:30:35] think, um, Amir, the founders really, really understands the Dental market. [00:30:40] And I’m excited to be sort of at the forefront of [00:30:45] that. I’m using it every single day now.

Payman Langroudi: Printing crowns.

Simon Chard: Uh, not printing crowns. [00:30:50] So printing primarily my surgical guides and splints and models for whitening trays [00:30:55] and smile designs and those sorts of things. Yeah, but I’ve got the setup for the Crown. That’s something that we’re testing [00:31:00] out for me. I’ve got a cerec machine, obviously. And so for the single unit, [00:31:05] just milling it because the workflow I’m so used to. Yeah, it’s just a little bit easier [00:31:10] for me, but for full mouth cases, for full mouth previsualization, for [00:31:15] um, quadrants where it’s sort of inlay type restorations, 3D printing [00:31:20] is already ready to print those restorations definitively, and I’m pretty confident on the on the science and the materials [00:31:25] behind that already. There’s still a little bit opaque. They need to be a bit more translucent. But [00:31:30] think about Cerec back in 85 or whatever. Right.

[Both]: So this is [00:31:35] before your time.

Simon Chard: That was before my time. Yeah.

[Both]: It’s awful.

Simon Chard: Didn’t have to endure that. [00:31:40] Um, but it’s I think it’s really exciting. And they’re putting a real focus on materials, [00:31:45] which I think is a great shout. So I’m excited to see where that goes. And I’m going to do a bit of lecturing around [00:31:50] that. But I’m I don’t know, I think again, just thinking more about my own. [00:31:55] My own purpose, my own feelings. Now. I mean, I’ve been [00:32:00] qualified now for 12 years. I always want to do something that’s a bit different and a bit [00:32:05] unique, and it’s fulfilling my own sort of passions. [00:32:10] And for me, that’s personal development and it’s personal growth and it’s optimisation, [00:32:15] and it’s everything in that sort of space, more so than straight clinical. [00:32:20] I’m really enjoying implants at the moment, saying that I really enjoy the whole fully guided, fully digital [00:32:25] digital workflow. So I might do a little bit around that, but my main focus [00:32:30] is towards more doing something unique in the personal development sort of mastermind [00:32:35] space, because that, I think, is where I’ve got quite a unique skill set [00:32:40] from my time with Parler, uh, running a Start-Up from my time running a practice [00:32:45] from my time running the Bacd sort of bringing together all those [00:32:50] sort of leadership, branding, marketing, and then mixing that in with personal [00:32:55] development.

Simon Chard: I think it could be quite an exciting new format that would [00:33:00] give me a lot of joy and actually give a lot back, because, again, a lot of the stuff we’ve been talking about today is [00:33:05] dentists who I mean, look at the dental protection study from 2020, [00:33:10] over 50% of dentists are considering leaving the profession because of reasons of personal [00:33:15] well-being. That’s a shocking statistic. Dentists in general have twice [00:33:20] the rates of stress, burnout, mental health issues versus the general population, [00:33:25] suicide, and obviously suicide, worst of all. And [00:33:30] so I really I really want to help with those things as much as I can. I don’t think dentists are looking after themselves [00:33:35] well enough. I don’t think they’re following the basics around the sort of foundations [00:33:40] of what makes a better dental life with regards to looking after themselves, [00:33:45] but in their own oxygen mask on first, building their resilience to stress and burn out, [00:33:50] building their resilience. If they do get a letter through litigation from the GDC or something like that, [00:33:55] and just building a bit more of a community, I think around all of that. So that [00:34:00] I think is somewhere something that I can bring unique value into the industry with. And [00:34:05] that, I think is the next step for me teaching wise.

[Both]: Do you think.

Payman Langroudi: You have [00:34:10] to stick to dentists because you’re poured? Like I’ve [00:34:15] told you many times, I was a massive fan of your poured. You have. Yeah. It wasn’t about dentistry at all. [00:34:20]

Simon Chard: No, it was intentionally.

[Both]: Yeah, it was excellent.

Payman Langroudi: It was really was excellent. Now, you know, [00:34:25] the dental market is small enough that whatever you say, tomorrow half the market will hear. Yeah. [00:34:30] Whereas as we know, B2C is a bit different.

[Both]: Yeah. We’ll shout a lot louder.

Payman Langroudi: As [00:34:35] you’re finding out. But the content wise, I mean, look, Garyvee was a [00:34:40] wine cellar, wasn’t he, before he became Garyvee. I’m not saying become Garyvee. Yeah, yeah, but [00:34:45] content wise, maybe maybe a generic content that anyone could, could get [00:34:50] behind.

[Both]: Yeah, I.

Payman Langroudi: See something with a Dental arm on the end.

[Both]: Of it. I mean, maybe I’ve. [00:34:55]

Simon Chard: Been stung by by Parler going b2b2c and knowing how hard that can be, but [00:35:00] I think dentistry is a unique profession, and I see so [00:35:05] many people in dentistry that need help. Yeah, with regards to finding their purpose, [00:35:10] finding their focus, just so many people just following [00:35:15] what their colleagues are doing, just doing what everyone else is doing and not knowing why they’re doing anything. [00:35:20] And I think it’s more it’s not necessarily about scale all the time. Do you know what I mean? [00:35:25] It’s it’s more this for me is, is more about actually this [00:35:30] is something that I’m passionate about that I think I can help other people with. And [00:35:35] it can be a business simultaneously. And so, um, that’s kind of where [00:35:40] my head’s at with it. I don’t necessarily want it to become a behemoth. I don’t want to be [00:35:45] stretching myself too far with regards to time management, because I’ve already got enough things going [00:35:50] on.

[Both]: That’s true.

Simon Chard: But, um, equally, I have this thing where if I [00:35:55] can’t get something out of my head, then I have to action on it. And again, going back to the deathbed. The [00:36:00] deathbed regrets, uh, the study from a guy called John Gilovich. I [00:36:05] think his name is where he says, uh, where he found that, uh, over 76% of [00:36:10] regrets, of deathbed regrets were regrets of inaction rather than regrets [00:36:15] of action, i.e., people wishing that they’d done something that was for them and [00:36:20] in alignment with their values. And so this focus on on personal development [00:36:25] and mastermind and supporting dentists to sort of have the dental lives that they want is something that [00:36:30] I’ve not been able to get out of my head for the last 18 months. And so I feel that it’s [00:36:35] sort of.

[Both]: It’s something you’re going to do at some point. Yeah.

Simon Chard: That’s it.

Payman Langroudi: But then I’d [00:36:40] imagine someone like you would like multiple practices as well, or [00:36:45] for parlour to go internationally as well, or [00:36:50] 100 other things. Right. So if something was going to give which. [00:36:55] One of those would give. Like for me, I did stop practising dentistry. Not because I didn’t like [00:37:00] practising dentistry. I actually enjoyed practising dentistry a lot. Yeah, at that time [00:37:05] there was almost a feeling of if I. If I don’t go all in, then [00:37:10] I won’t make it happen. Yeah, yeah. And as much as we can put people [00:37:15] in charge of our businesses. Especially a perfectionist [00:37:20] like you.

[Both]: Right?

Payman Langroudi: You couldn’t have. You couldn’t end up having either massive [00:37:25] regret for not having, you know, oversight over people’s decisions [00:37:30] or oversight over people’s key decisions. You know, so [00:37:35] it’s I’m not saying that’s true for everyone, right? There are other people who are very unemotional [00:37:40] about every. They might own 100 businesses in an unemotional way. [00:37:45]

[Both]: But, you know, that’s not me, that’s not you, that’s not you.

Payman Langroudi: So. So even though it’s a little bit unfair, [00:37:50] which one would give, what would give of the of the five things that.

[Both]: We just talked decision. [00:37:55]

Simon Chard: Because and I’ve structured my life in a way that I don’t need to because I am. [00:38:00]

[Both]: Maybe too soon.

Simon Chard: Possibly. But I mean, at the moment I’ve not had to. And I’m very fortunate [00:38:05] in that the teams that I have around me are all, uh, uh, detail [00:38:10] orientated operators. And that’s intentionally to [00:38:15] support the character that I have. As I say, if if [00:38:20] there was, if there was anything on my plate that I didn’t feel needed to be there, I’m constantly [00:38:25] re-evaluating how my calendar is structured. [00:38:30] Um, and my assistant and I would recommend all dentists to get at least a virtual assistant, [00:38:35] because it’s one of the best things that I’ve done. Um, my assistant knows to sort of hold [00:38:40] me accountable to what I say is how I want to spend my time, [00:38:45] if that makes sense.

[Both]: Yeah.

Simon Chard: So I think the best way for you to evaluate whether or [00:38:50] not you’re living in alignment with your core values and your mission statement in life is look at your calendar. [00:38:55] How much of your time is allocated to the things that you say that you really care about, [00:39:00] and how much of it is allocated to things that you’re doing for other people, or for things that you don’t [00:39:05] even know why you’re there.

[Both]: You’re right.

Payman Langroudi: The people pleasing thing is interesting. You [00:39:10] know, there’s there’s people in my life who are people pleasers, who I used [00:39:15] to put on a pedestal. I used to think that’s just so special, [00:39:20] always thinking about other people before themselves. Until one [00:39:25] of my heroes, Anthony Bourdain. Um, and I listened to a pod, his couple [00:39:30] of his friends talking about him, and that was his mental illness. People [00:39:35] pleasing.

[Both]: Really.

Payman Langroudi: Or whatnot. That’s what I got out of it, right? There was nothing left [00:39:40] in the tank for himself. Yeah, because he was making sure everything. And in my in my childish [00:39:45] little brain, I thought he. What a hero. What a what a perfect life this guy’s [00:39:50] got. And, uh, he commits suicide. It’s a funny [00:39:55] thing because, you know, it’s it’s how we’re wired. It’s what? What? There are different ways that different [00:40:00] people are wired. And to go against what you’re good at doesn’t feel [00:40:05] natural. Yeah. And yet, what you’re good at often ends up being both [00:40:10] your biggest strength and your biggest weakness, you know?

[Both]: Absolutely.

Simon Chard: But I think self-awareness [00:40:15] is one of the key, key characteristics for anyone. I mean, it’s how I it’s how I [00:40:20] choose my closest friends. I mean, I, I can’t be around someone who’s not [00:40:25] self-aware. It drives me absolutely insane because I’m so I’m so self-aware [00:40:30] and so self-critical and always trying to improve. And that’s why when [00:40:35] people misjudge me, when they’ve never met me, I find I take that very [00:40:40] personally because I, I’m always endeavouring to analyse myself and the way [00:40:45] I present myself. So yeah, the trolls, the trolls, the trolls can hit me, hit [00:40:50] me hard sometimes, but I’m, I’m much better at that now. I got, I got I put up a post [00:40:55] yesterday about this NHS thing and I got, I got trolled a bit by some dentists uh [00:41:00] saying, oh, why do they always choose private dentists to go on the TV? Um, and. [00:41:05] Um, and I was just gonna ignore it, but. Megan, Megan, [00:41:10] Megan, Megan got really pissed off about it, and she she, uh, she [00:41:15] started, like, taking them down one by one in the comment section, which is quite amusing, but, [00:41:20] um. Yeah, self-awareness, I think, is, um, is the key self-awareness [00:41:25] as to why you’re doing things, self-awareness of what you’re doing. I think it’s a vital [00:41:30] characteristic.

[Both]: Trolled like he used to be, surely. Uh, no. [00:41:35]

Payman Langroudi: Not think you sort of earned.

Simon Chard: I thought about this the other day. I thought about.

[Both]: This because you were. [00:41:40]

Payman Langroudi: Trolled.

Simon Chard: Pretty heavily, pretty.

Payman Langroudi: Heavily back when you were one, two, three years qualified and making [00:41:45] waves.

Simon Chard: 2020, 2016, 2017. Yeah, that sort of time when I just [00:41:50] won Best Young Dentist, that sort of thing.

[Both]: Yeah.

Simon Chard: But yeah, I don’t know. Maybe it’s just the different [00:41:55] platforms. I mean, that was very much Facebook back in the day. Uh, maybe it’s because I’m older now, [00:42:00] I don’t know.

Payman Langroudi: No, I think that has something to do with it.

Simon Chard: Um, I mean, if it is because I’m older now, [00:42:05] that’s horrible. Because why would you intentionally go after a younger, more [00:42:10] naive individual in the industry?

Payman Langroudi: I understand what [00:42:15] you’re saying, dude, but. You’ve got to also put yourself in the position of someone qualified [00:42:20] six months ago who’s breaking the rules of [00:42:25] communication as far as you’re concerned? Yeah, that’s that’s an important point, [00:42:30] right. That, you know, as it went from nothing to Dental Town to Facebook [00:42:35] to Instagram to TikTok to LinkedIn or whatever, wherever, wherever it’s going. [00:42:40] Yeah, whoever, whoever was sort of comfortable in one, one area. And [00:42:45] then this upstart comes in a totally different area. And what my point to you is that you [00:42:50] are also going to feel this way. Yeah, but.

Simon Chard: I won’t.

Payman Langroudi: Troll someone. Yeah. [00:42:55]

[Both]: Yeah. Exactly.

Simon Chard: That’s that’s that’s my point.

[Both]: Yeah, yeah.

Payman Langroudi: But you’ll find what you’ll find is whatever you do [00:43:00] might offend that person or hurt that person more than you’d imagine. Because [00:43:05] the guy who trolled you. I don’t know, beaten up in boarding school or something. And [00:43:10] you know, you know what I mean? There’s the way he’s thinking about it, a few words. Why [00:43:15] would that hurt anyone? Yeah, yeah. And it’s not not on to what it’s like to be you. Not not [00:43:20] I’m not saying you’re going to be that cat, but I understand where it comes from. Oh, mate, [00:43:25] I.

Simon Chard: Do, I do, I do, I fully understand like, oh when, when you especially when you [00:43:30] feel like you’ve struggled your way to get to a certain position. Yeah. And then you feel like someone is almost [00:43:35] on, like.

[Both]: Leapfrogged on.

Simon Chard: Like a speedboat overtaking you unnecessarily or unfairly. [00:43:40] I completely understand the rationale, but it still doesn’t justify [00:43:45] the actions. And like, I just I hated that about dentistry [00:43:50] and I still do. I mean, I’m still getting shit now. I just don’t care. But when you’re a [00:43:55] young, when you’re a young dentist, like trying your best, really, like really being [00:44:00] passionate and really going for it and always, always showing up with [00:44:05] humility to be attacked by the old the old guard [00:44:10] is unforgivable, in my opinion. And and it’s just it’s everything that’s wrong with the [00:44:15] dental industry. Like have an abundance mentality. Don’t feel so pathetic that [00:44:20] you are so. Your ego is so bruised by someone else doing something [00:44:25] like there’s a finite number of teeth or a finite number of lecturing positions to be allocated. [00:44:30] It’s an embarrassment. And I’ll never I’ll never let myself show up like [00:44:35] that. I don’t care how much someone smashing it on TikTok, and [00:44:40] I’m jealous because I’m an old school on Instagram. Like, I honestly, I don’t care [00:44:45] at all. It’s just not the way that I’m wired and good on good on them, good [00:44:50] on the I mean, go ahead, dance away on TikTok. Like go for it, I love it.

[Both]: I just [00:44:55] I.

Payman Langroudi: Just remember an older lady dentist telling me, like, I just can’t believe that our profession [00:45:00] has got to the point where dentists will go on Instagram with their bikinis on. Yeah, and. [00:45:05]

Simon Chard: I do look great in a.

[Both]: Bikini.

Payman Langroudi: And [00:45:10] you know, she meant it. You know, she really meant it. Yeah. And you [00:45:15] know, that’s I understand what you’re saying. There’s a nastiness of vindictiveness. [00:45:20] I think some of the niceness and vindictiveness comes from the cover that patient’s [00:45:25] best interests kind of gives you. You can almost. I can totally [00:45:30] rip you apart because, hey, I’m trying to help the patient. You know, it’s the patient. I’m interested in it. [00:45:35] Yeah, it may be a feature of health care, you know? Well, I.

Simon Chard: Mean, there’s some things [00:45:40] that others do on socials that I wouldn’t do that I personally don’t find [00:45:45] professional. Um, but it’s each to their own at the end of the day. What things? No [00:45:50] no no no, I’m not going down this line.

[Both]: What kind of things? Um.

Simon Chard: I [00:45:55] just, I just think, like I, as I say, I don’t want I don’t want to go down that line because [00:46:00] many people may say the same thing about me. Um, and so I don’t I mean, [00:46:05] he throws the first stone or whatever. Um, but, um, yeah, [00:46:10] it’s each to their own at the end of the day, and you’ve got to have as long as you’re not hurting anyone, if [00:46:15] you’ve got your own style and you want to show up in a certain way, then I think the best thing that people can do [00:46:20] on socials is be unique to who they are. The worst thing they can do is try and copy everyone [00:46:25] else and try and yeah, uh, I mean, you can take you can model and you can see things that work [00:46:30] and then coming to it with your own unique way. And if that’s you turning up [00:46:35] in a bikini, then, then fine. Um, but, um. Yeah, [00:46:40] as I say, I’ll never be. I’ll never be the one to be trolling someone else on socials, even [00:46:45] if I feel like something they’ve done is I don’t agree with. Public forums is not the place [00:46:50] for for professionals to be taking each other down, like we should be building each other up. [00:46:55] It’s tough enough out there as it is.

Payman Langroudi: And if if some young kid came [00:47:00] on to some forum and said something that was completely incorrect about some sort [00:47:05] of implant stent, you just put him right? No, not [00:47:10] even that.

Simon Chard: I’m not. Who am I to judge? I it’s it’s not [00:47:15] my role to be, uh, securing the internet for Dental truths [00:47:20] like. I’ll leave that to old Jason Smithson.

[Both]: Look. [00:47:25]

Simon Chard: I love Jason, Jason, I love Jason Jason. [00:47:30] He he does love to, like, take people.

[Both]: Down and avid.

Payman Langroudi: Listener I understand. Okay, [00:47:35] okay. Let me make it more personal for you. Yeah. What if someone was a was [00:47:40] like a greenwash product that was claiming to be eco [00:47:45] friendly and. Copying your ideas and.

Simon Chard: Already happened.

[Both]: Already. [00:47:50] Give me another one. Really? Yeah, totally. Well.

Simon Chard: They already exist. I mean, [00:47:55] there’s other copycat brands that that have, like, slammed us on online, like [00:48:00] saying like, oh, if you want a real X, Y and Z not [00:48:05] like. And even in our comments on our ads, like, um, I [00:48:10] think it’s even dentists. I hate that these are dentists founders who have. Anyway, socials [00:48:15] just aren’t the place to have your arguments, honestly. Like if I have an issue [00:48:20] with someone then I’ll talk to them face to face. I just I just don’t align with [00:48:25] having arguments on social media. It’s not what it’s there for. My view is use social media, [00:48:30] use social media. Don’t let it use you. I’m going to use it for what I want. I’m not [00:48:35] going to be doomscrolling having arguments with people about the fact that I disagree with [00:48:40] the colour of their car or something like that. It’s not for me. Fair enough. [00:48:45]

Payman Langroudi: Tell me about Parler, regarding where you’re at at the moment, regarding just [00:48:50] the product pipeline. So I saw, um, oral prebiotics. [00:48:55] Yeah. And that, that get absorbed through the gums.

Simon Chard: Uh, [00:49:00] no. They act. They act topically in the mouth. So, yeah, we launched a mouthwash, a chewable mouthwash product [00:49:05] back in, uh, August, which was basically, obviously [00:49:10] all of us know, right? Everyone uses mouthwash at the wrong time. Uh, everyone uses it immediately after they brush their [00:49:15] teeth. Yeah. Um, and, um, and one of the reasons for that, I think, is that no [00:49:20] one’s carrying around 500ml of mouthwash in their pocket or in their handbag. And so we wanted [00:49:25] to create a portable mouthwash product that gave you that fresh breath. Number one. So fresh [00:49:30] breath on the go, but also gave you an opportunity to reduce [00:49:35] decay, risk of decay, risk of gum disease, all that sort of stuff, um, that you would get from a product [00:49:40] that contained hydroxyapatite and fluoride. And in this case, [00:49:45] uh, lactobacilli oral probiotics to be have a more modern approach [00:49:50] to oral care. I mean, the oral microbiome, there’s 700, uh, different species. There’s 2 [00:49:55] billion different bacteria in in the oral microbiome. We all know the [00:50:00] bad bacteria like PG and AA and all those ones that cause dental disease. [00:50:05] The old school way of mouthwash was sticks. Markel in their nuke everything, [00:50:10] kill all the bugs and then that will help. We come at it with a more modern approach [00:50:15] that says, let’s support good bacteria to outcompete the bad bacteria, and that will [00:50:20] help to reduce the risk of gum disease. That will help to reduce the risk of bad breath. And [00:50:25] it’s fascinating looking at the research when we were designing this product, actually oral dysbiosis, [00:50:30] which is when you have an overgrowth of bad bacteria in the mouth, is linked with loads of [00:50:35] other things that that those bacteria can actually be transposed down into your, uh, [00:50:40] into your GI tract. And there’s a much higher risk of IBS, um, [00:50:45] in those patients. And those have been linked as well. So it’s really interesting. I mean, that whole space of, [00:50:50] uh, oral health, systemic health and the interactions between them is something that I’m [00:50:55] so, so fascinated about. And I think it’s a really exciting part of dentistry at the moment. [00:51:00]

Payman Langroudi: But for parlours that, do you almost feel like that’s a pivot from the [00:51:05] environmental message?

[Both]: Uh, we’ve.

Simon Chard: Always tried to innovate with our products. I mean, I’m [00:51:10] my my sort of R&D mantra is no greenwash, no [00:51:15] gimmicks. And so I, we always want to make sure that we’re staying true to those values. [00:51:20] So we’re always going to be 100% plastic free. But if that’s all we are then [00:51:25] we’re not continuing to innovate. We’re not continuing to improve. And so just [00:51:30] like with our our parlour Pro, we put in 50% of your RDA of vitamin B12 [00:51:35] and vitamin E. There’s great randomised, double blind controlled trials on the elderly and on [00:51:40] vegans that vitamin fortified toothpaste works as well as an oral supplement with [00:51:45] regards to getting vitamin B12 into the bloodstream.

Payman Langroudi: And vegans suffer.

[Both]: With.

Simon Chard: Vegans, which [00:51:50] are a lot of our target demographics, struggle with B12 deficiency, and it supports a healthy immune [00:51:55] system and all the rest of it. So we thought, what a brilliant way with a tablet form [00:52:00] factor, where we can control the dose to actually get those vitamins into the bloodstream without even [00:52:05] having to remember to take your daily supplements. So that was part of Pro and that we launched back in 21. [00:52:10] This is just the next generation. And as I say, I like anything I [00:52:15] do in life. I never like to show up with the same thing that someone else has [00:52:20] shown up with. I always like to be unique in the way that I come to market in anything that I do, and [00:52:25] that’s the same with our new products with parlour, in that I always want to innovate, to come out [00:52:30] with a slightly different angle and for us, a more modern approach, a more functional, [00:52:35] holistic approach to oral care is the way the market’s moving. Rightfully [00:52:40] so. And so I want parlour to be at the forefront of that while still being [00:52:45] science backed. And dentist approved. Not going too far, if you know what I mean. [00:52:50]

[Both]: It’s difficult though.

Payman Langroudi: I mean, you’re involved with performance marketing right now. [00:52:55] It’s difficult getting many messages across.

[Both]: Yes, it [00:53:00] is one piece.

Payman Langroudi: Okay. It doesn’t have to be one piece. But I remember your [00:53:05] early ads for Parler was like a turtle. Remember [00:53:10] that? If you. Well, of course you remember the whole [00:53:15] thing about animals having plastic inside their guts was of that moment. [00:53:20] Yeah. And, uh, I remember a Parler ad with the turtle. Turtle on it or something. Yeah. [00:53:25] The messaging there is, you know, save the turtle for the sake of the argument. Yeah. Now, [00:53:30] if you have to say save the turtle and change your, your oral microbiome, that’s [00:53:35] two messages which or you might have a whole separate message for the oral microbiome [00:53:40] piece. Yeah. And another one. But my experience every time you add something or make [00:53:45] a move, it dilutes your message.

Simon Chard: Again, I think this is the same as the MVP [00:53:50] conversation that we had at the start. I fully agree with what you’re saying. Makes complete conceptual sense, [00:53:55] and certainly makes marketing sense when it comes to delivering a clear, succinct, single message. [00:54:00] Yeah.

Payman Langroudi: But but but but I understand, you know, you’re compelled by it and you’re going for [00:54:05] it. Yeah. In in a similar way, you know, I think someone should come out with the [00:54:10] best non fluoride toothpaste in the world, you know, and it’s almost sacrilege in a professional [00:54:15] setting to say that.

[Both]: Who knows.

Payman Langroudi: Until until yeah, until [00:54:20] I’ve got a member of staff. She said she’s worried about fluoride. I didn’t know this. [00:54:25] Yeah. And she said, yeah, I’m getting my son to brush one day on, one day off [00:54:30] with a non fluoride toothpaste. And you know we know that that’s that’s half [00:54:35] the dose down. Yeah that’s a disastrous move as far as fluoride is concerned. Right. Um [00:54:40] but you know she, she, she works in a company that manufactures toothpaste and she [00:54:45] didn’t know this. Yeah. Yeah. And it makes you think, right? It makes you think that that in in countries [00:54:50] where they in the Japan, in Russia, they really do sort of find fluoride [00:54:55] very suspicious. Those countries have moved forward with alternatives. [00:55:00]

Simon Chard: Yeah. And I think look, I’m, I’m a big believer of strong opinions [00:55:05] loosely held. And I think we hang on to dogma for far too long in dentistry. [00:55:10] Yeah. There’s a real resistance to change, a fear of change in every [00:55:15] element of dentistry. Very true. Especially in the UK and especially with and [00:55:20] it’s for a variety of reasons, I think I think the community of dentists, again, going [00:55:25] back to that whole sort of trolling thing, people are cautious of going too, too far outside of the, of [00:55:30] the norm. Obviously, we’re intensely fearful of being litigated against from the GDC for doing [00:55:35] anything that is not in the patient’s best interest, but without innovation and change and progress, [00:55:40] how are we ever going to improve? Yeah, and there’s so many parts of dentistry that I think need [00:55:45] radical innovation. And that’s what really excites me about dentistry. I [00:55:50] think there’s so much negativity around dentistry in the media and even [00:55:55] within the industry. Clearly a 50% of dentists want to leave the profession because they’re feeling [00:56:00] stressed out about it. But it’s such an exciting. I see such an exciting [00:56:05] time to be involved.

Payman Langroudi: I had Linda Cruz on recently.

[Both]: Yeah.

Payman Langroudi: And he [00:56:10] said that, um, that practice owners, their list [00:56:15] of top five worries are all the things that you talked about before, the staffing questions. [00:56:20] Yeah. Costs going up, all of the business type worries. But for associates [00:56:25] by a long way, the number one thing is fear of litigation. Um, and [00:56:30] he was saying we don’t need to be so scared of litigation anymore because that machinery [00:56:35] of the GDC and dental law partnership and no win, no fee is [00:56:40] no longer what it was.

[Both]: Oh, really? Yeah.

Payman Langroudi: And that message hasn’t gotten through. I thought it’s [00:56:45] just gotten worse and worse. It’s just getting worse continuously.

[Both]: Yeah.

Payman Langroudi: So did I because you just imagine these these things just get [00:56:50] worse. Yeah. But he said it’s significantly better than it was in 2015, 2016.

[Both]: Interesting. [00:56:55]

Payman Langroudi: And uh, he.

[Both]: Was saying changed.

Payman Langroudi: Well no win, no fees changed. [00:57:00]

Simon Chard: In what way is it now. No. No longer, no way, no fee.

[Both]: I didn’t get no win.

Simon Chard: Some fee. [00:57:05]

Payman Langroudi: The business model around no win, no fee isn’t as compelling as it was. Okay. And so [00:57:10] for for a company like Dental Law Partnership, it doesn’t make as much financial sense to [00:57:15] go after it. And at the same time, at the GDC, there were empire building was what he the [00:57:20] way he called it, making it, making it just a bigger thing. And that’s [00:57:25] that’s stopped and it’s shrinking and it’s important this sort of information gets out. Right?

Simon Chard: Yeah, [00:57:30] absolutely. I mean, that, that that will definitely make people feel better because I think fear of litigation [00:57:35] is, is got to be the number one concern for, for most certainly for most young dentists, [00:57:40] if not all dentists, I think I mean, my understanding of the figures is that you’ve got a 1 in 2 [00:57:45] chance of being. Of having a case against you as a as a practising dentist anymore. [00:57:50]

Payman Langroudi: He actually said that. He said they used to start their lectures with that.

[Both]: I remember.

Simon Chard: Mark [00:57:55] Woolford. That was when we first started at uni was like, you’ll get sued at some [00:58:00] point in your career.

[Both]: Get ready for.

Simon Chard: It. That was like the opener.

[Both]: Yeah, yeah.

Simon Chard: Welcome [00:58:05] to dental.

[Both]: School, he.

Payman Langroudi: Said actually they were guilty of using that opener so that people would really [00:58:10] pay attention to their lectures.

[Both]: I don’t know if it worked. [00:58:15]

Payman Langroudi: Um, okay, let’s get to that, uh, [00:58:20] happiest day of your life question.

Simon Chard: Happiest day of my life.

[Both]: Yeah, we were.

Payman Langroudi: Talking about [00:58:25] this. I was sitting with Dipesh and, uh, someone. And we were saying not to be [00:58:30] in your 20s has to.

[Both]: Be, um.

Simon Chard: I mean, are [00:58:35] we gonna exclude, like, the obvious ones, like children’s birth and wedding? Like, [00:58:40] take those ones out?

[Both]: Yes, because.

Simon Chard: They’re too obvious, right? It’s like [00:58:45] it’s almost cliche. Yeah. Um. Oh, [00:58:50] gosh. I mean.

[Both]: Trying to think there’s so many ways.

Payman Langroudi: Of looking at that, isn’t it? There could be a day of relief. [00:58:55] You found out your sister’s cancer had gone. You know, it could be like that, but even that’s a cheat. [00:59:00]

Simon Chard: Well, the answer you really want is [00:59:05] like, there’s this one massive rager, you know.

[Both]: That went until 6 a.m.. [00:59:10]

Simon Chard: We saw the sunrise.

[Both]: It was that for me?

Payman Langroudi: It was that. It was. It was a B for like 2002 [00:59:15] or something.

[Both]: I my my.

Simon Chard: First thoughts went to Ibiza as.

[Both]: Well, interestingly. [00:59:20]

Simon Chard: Um, but it was actually only a couple of years ago that we had a. Yeah, just an amazing time. [00:59:25] It was actually cause we had, we had kids, but then it was like, uh, three [00:59:30] couples away without the kids in Ibiza there just for four days. And, [00:59:35] and it was just, it was just. Yeah, it was just glorious.

[Both]: What do you do? The kids. The grandparents [00:59:40] with the grandparents?

Simon Chard: Yeah. Back at home.

[Both]: Oh. Very lucky. Yeah, it was good.

Simon Chard: It’s good. Can’t get can’t [00:59:45] get away with that too much. Especially not with three kids. I don’t know who’s going to take my three kids.

[Both]: I’m not brave, man. [00:59:50]

Payman Langroudi: Um, most difficult day.

Simon Chard: First [00:59:55] thing that comes to mind is I don’t know if I should say this, but anyway, megs [01:00:00] and I had a break when we were at dental school and that that day when [01:00:05] we broke up, like partially, well, kind of kind of at that point fully, [01:00:10] but didn’t end up obviously being fully. That’s probably the day that comes to mind [01:00:15] if I have to pick an isolated moment of intense despair. [01:00:20] Within living memory. I mean, as you say, the day I found out my sister had cancer would probably trump that. But [01:00:25] I don’t really remember that. Um, the one with megs is probably more, [01:00:30] more memorable just with regards to proximity to.

Payman Langroudi: Now let’s talk about [01:00:35] her. She’s very special, very the kind of person that makes you feel special every time you talk to her. And [01:00:40] now she’s obviously in a massive juggle, right? Because she’s she’s fronting the [01:00:45] practice more like she’s more operational operationally.

[Both]: Certainly. Yeah.

Payman Langroudi: In [01:00:50] the practice than you are.

Simon Chard: Well, I mean, we have different roles, but yes, from an HR [01:00:55] point of view, from.

[Both]: A the nitty.

Simon Chard: Gritty, from the nitty gritties point of view, I’m more involved [01:01:00] with the clinician mentorship and and clinical progression. [01:01:05]

[Both]: Happens.

Payman Langroudi: Every time she goes on maternity leave. Who takes over?

Simon Chard: We’ve got a very [01:01:10] good practice management team. I’ve got two fantastic practice managers that have been with us for, well, one of them [01:01:15] is like my second mum. She was there before my parents even bought the practice, so she’s been [01:01:20] there for what did she say today? I think she started when she was 18 and I won’t tell you how old she is now, [01:01:25] but she’s been there for about 40 years. And then another one who’s been there for 20 years and [01:01:30] then my, my TCO Gemma is also fantastic. So, um, [01:01:35] I shouldn’t say any names. People start poaching your staff.

[Both]: Yeah.

Simon Chard: But [01:01:40] yeah. So I think that we’ve got a great admin team. A lot of the systems that we’ve got in place in the practice are very [01:01:45] well sort of tried and true. So as a general rule, it works well. But I mean, I know what makes us like [01:01:50] she’ll be on maternity and she’s going on maternity for a year, but she’ll still be running things. [01:01:55] Really.

[Both]: How much have.

Payman Langroudi: You changed the practice now that you’ve had it for a few years? Have you [01:02:00] systemised things that weren’t systemised before?

[Both]: Yeah, a lot more.

Simon Chard: Systems, a lot more systems, [01:02:05] a lot obviously a lot more digital just everywhere. Uh, a lot more communication with the [01:02:10] patients. We’ve got in-house social media now. So yeah, just really, really [01:02:15] implementing sort of key systems, a lot more of sort of a formal mentorship system [01:02:20] for the associates, really sort of pushing them, saying, what are you [01:02:25] what do you want out of this? What are your goals? What’s your five year plan? How do [01:02:30] you want to sort of show up and excel clinically? Yeah, trying to approach [01:02:35] it from that, from that sort of way. How many.

Payman Langroudi: People is it now.

Simon Chard: Total in the practice? Uh, 32. [01:02:40]

[Both]: It’s a lot of humans. Yeah.

Payman Langroudi: It’s a lot of humans.

[Both]: Yeah. Which is the.

Simon Chard: Hard part of anything. [01:02:45]

[Both]: Right. Yeah, yeah.

Payman Langroudi: And and so have you thought of number two or. Not? Quite. [01:02:50]

Simon Chard: Uh, yeah. I mean, I’ve definitely thought about it. I’ve been thinking about it since I was an undergrad. [01:02:55] Yeah. Um, it’s always been in the back of my mind. [01:03:00] To have a chain of practices now is not the right time. I [01:03:05] don’t think there’s any great rush for it, for me to sort of scratch that itch with [01:03:10] regards to building something that has scale and [01:03:15] that has impact. And yeah, obviously the kids, as I say, are we’re [01:03:20] about to be outnumbered. So we’re just going to see how that settles in and then, uh, then make a call from there. [01:03:25] But Meghan and I are both both on the same page. I think that we we feel that the model [01:03:30] that we’ve achieved at Rocky Lodge, we can we can now start to replicate and build out. [01:03:35] I think we’ve got some really unique ways of looking at dentistry in the next 5 to 10 years, [01:03:40] again, sort of looking at what’s coming down the pike and looking at what’s going to be the next, the next [01:03:45] big growth area in dentistry. And yeah, I think we want to implement that in multiple other locations. [01:03:50]

[Both]: I know.

Payman Langroudi: Discuss that.

Simon Chard: But what do I [01:03:55] what do I think is the next big areas. Yeah. Uh, I think Airway’s going to be huge.

[Both]: Snoring. [01:04:00]

Simon Chard: More than that.

[Both]: Breathing.

Simon Chard: Yeah. Everything. [01:04:05] Everything to do with the airway and the connection of the airway with the mouth. I think if you speak to American [01:04:10] colleagues, I was in LA with sprint back in July with lots [01:04:15] of sort of really progressive cosmetic dentists. Everyone’s looking at their cases with regard with an airway [01:04:20] lens, I would say maybe less than 1% of UK dentists are thinking in that way.

[Both]: What [01:04:25] does it mean?

Simon Chard: It’s just the interaction between the mouth, the teeth [01:04:30] and the airway. So I mean, for example, sleep apnoea is [01:04:35] one of the one of the most prevalent diseases and one of the least diagnosed. I think they say [01:04:40] there’s a billion people that have sleep apnoea, with the large majority being undiagnosed. [01:04:45] Dentists are in a perfect position to be screening those patients to [01:04:50] try and catch them before they do themselves serious damage, because if you look [01:04:55] at the statistics, the risk of a heart attack for someone with sleep apnoea is [01:05:00] significantly higher than that of someone who’s a smoker. Um, so, yeah, [01:05:05] um, you’re basically stopping breathing 40 times [01:05:10] a night. Yeah. Um, and the amount of stress that puts on your heart is, [01:05:15] is is huge. And so snoring and sleep apnoea. And [01:05:20] simply mandibular repositioning devices and those sort [01:05:25] of appliances is, I think, an entry level, um, I think [01:05:30] early inception orthodontics and the link between orthodontics and [01:05:35] airway is a really interesting space. I think working [01:05:40] with parents and kids to look at mouth breathing and the impact that [01:05:45] that has on skeletal development, I think is a really interesting space and that’s [01:05:50] been largely demonised by the UK market, I think. [01:05:55] Are you familiar with The Muse and all those sorts of guys? There’s something in all of that. There’s a lot of [01:06:00] research in there, a lot of stuff. If you read into it around breathing and around facial [01:06:05] development that I think is really interesting and conservative and biologically respectful [01:06:10] and cosmetic and can make a really big difference. And I think dentists, we’re in just [01:06:15] this fantastic position. We’re the only healthcare provider where we see patients twice a year [01:06:20] when they think they’re healthy. Yeah, no one else does that. So why aren’t [01:06:25] we screening them for.

[Both]: Whatever for.

Simon Chard: Things in our area or even screening? I mean, [01:06:30] for example, we take Bloods before I do any implant and [01:06:35] we check for blood glucose, HB one AC and um, and vitamin D levels, [01:06:40] because we know, looking at the research, that if they have a high blood glucose level or they have [01:06:45] a deficiency in vitamin D, they’re far more likely to show a failure rate of their implants, 7,580% [01:06:50] of patients are vitamin D deficient and 1 in 20 [01:06:55] have got undiagnosed diabetes. Why is everyone not doing this? This [01:07:00] is a point of care blood test that costs minimal [01:07:05] and can make a demonstrative impact on your patient’s life, and [01:07:10] increase the success rate of your procedures that you’re carrying out. I mean, if you’re trying to solve [01:07:15] periodontal disease and the patient’s got blood sugar levels through the roof, good luck with that one. I mean, it’s you’re [01:07:20] going to struggle. So I think that whole link between systemic health, [01:07:25] what you might call biological dentistry, airway and the interaction [01:07:30] between all of that and what we’re doing in the mouth, I think, is that’s I think where dentistry [01:07:35] is going in the next few years, and that’s where I’m going to be focusing my own efforts. [01:07:40]

Payman Langroudi: Interesting. Um, who’s who’s been an inspiration in that way of thinking? [01:07:45]

[Both]: Kyle.

Simon Chard: Stanley. Miguel. Stanley. All the.

[Both]: Related. [01:07:50] Not related at all. No, no.

Simon Chard: No, I’m not aware. Anyway. [01:07:55] They’re not. But, um. So yeah, both those guys are continuous inspirations [01:08:00] for me. Always sort of looking looking at what’s coming up next and not [01:08:05] afraid to stand up for what they think is right. And then just, just, just reading really, I mean, [01:08:10] reading around the topic and. Yeah, just it’s just as [01:08:15] I say, the the research is there. I mean, I’ve done my own training with shark [01:08:20] education from in Canada around airway and just really tried to educate myself [01:08:25] in the space because I think that, again, we’re so controlled by [01:08:30] dogma in this country, I think, and I just try to force myself to think outside the box a little [01:08:35] bit and just see what’s what’s on the periphery that’s coming in. I think that’s the the next thing that’s [01:08:40] going to be really important.

[Both]: Yeah. Miguel, uh.

Payman Langroudi: Every time I’ve read [01:08:45] anything by him, it’s always made me think, you know, and then I’ve spoken to people [01:08:50] who’ve been there and come up with some incredible stories of the types of patients he’s [01:08:55] seeing and and fixing for all sorts of systemic complaints. [01:09:00] Um, and you’re right. I used to work for a guy, Nick Mahindra, and he used to talk about the [01:09:05] effect of the bikes on your back. He was laughed out of a bunch [01:09:10] of I remember we were in sort of ate or something. Yeah. People say it’s crazy. Um, [01:09:15] at the same time, why shouldn’t your bike affect your back? It’s [01:09:20] like we think.

[Both]: Of course it does.

Payman Langroudi: You know, because we’re in the mouth. We think that’s all it is, right?

Simon Chard: It’s [01:09:25] isolated around.

[Both]: Here. Yeah, yeah.

Simon Chard: Nothing touches.

[Both]: It. Yeah.

Payman Langroudi: So it’s interesting [01:09:30] that that’s where you think it’s going to go in the near future.

Simon Chard: You can see it already. [01:09:35]

[Both]: Yeah.

Simon Chard: You can see it on socials. You can see where the where the interest [01:09:40] is. And as I say, there’s a lot of serious scientists showing really good research in [01:09:45] these spaces. And some of it’s just a reframing. And we’ve we’ve always known that periodontal [01:09:50] disease is linked with diabetes and vice versa. But we’ve not we’ve not [01:09:55] eloquently communicated it to our patients.

[Both]: In.

Simon Chard: A way that they understand. [01:10:00]

[Both]: Yeah.

Simon Chard: And I think that’s the beauty of social media. I mean, it’s such communication at scale [01:10:05] that, um, it facilitates the ability to communicate in different ways [01:10:10] to patients, which can only be a good thing for dentistry, because if we can’t incentivise patients to floss their [01:10:15] teeth for the fear of them losing their teeth, maybe if we could incentivise them by not dying, [01:10:20] that might get them to floss.

[Both]: Maybe it’s [01:10:25] true.

Payman Langroudi: I some clip came up for me where some guy was talking about this, and he was neither a dentist [01:10:30] nor he said, oh, you want to look up? Look after your brain, floss your teeth. Have you seen that one? No. [01:10:35] Yeah. And he was just talking about brain health. Yeah, but flossing your teeth was his thing. He [01:10:40] was talking about, you know.

Simon Chard: Well, I think they’ve shown, um, again, porphyromonas gingivalis [01:10:45] at the bacteria from periodontal disease. I think they’ve shown it in the brains of [01:10:50] Alzheimer’s patients, which is, um, fascinating.

Payman Langroudi: Yeah. [01:10:55] I mean, I was reflecting on on where dentistry has gotten to in society today [01:11:00] when I saw you on TV and then Nilesh on TV, and then someone [01:11:05] else on radio and thinking even [01:11:10] five years ago, we didn’t have that kind of interest level. I mean, you know, NHS.

[Both]: Is [01:11:15] a good thing, though. Well, no, it.

Payman Langroudi: Is a good thing. It is a good thing because NHS dentistry is being you know, there’s [01:11:20] been problems with NHS, there’s been queues around dental practices for ten years, 20 years. [01:11:25] That’s always it’s a thing right. That’s happened. And yet, you know we were never called [01:11:30] on as much as we are now. You know, there were some, you know, with PR [01:11:35] agents and all that. But I feel like when we’re, we’re more sort [01:11:40] of respected as not only the place where you go where it’s toothache. Yeah. You [01:11:45] know, do you feel that with the public.

[Both]: Yeah. I think, I think.

Simon Chard: Again, I mean, it’s [01:11:50] my view is that it’s social media. It’s broken down the walls between [01:11:55] professionals, for better or for worse, as we were talking about earlier. But it’s broken down the [01:12:00] walls and it’s it’s humanised the profession. And it’s given us more of an opportunity than ever to [01:12:05] educate our patients on things that are important for oral health. So, yeah, [01:12:10] I guess I think that’s probably the reason why.

Payman Langroudi: So coming to the end of our time.

[Both]: Um, [01:12:15] in.

Simon Chard: Life or on the path.

[Both]: Of life?

Payman Langroudi: I [01:12:20] think I do have these business mid life crisis now, right? What’s the mid life crisis? [01:12:25] Okay, so I’m going to Morocco next week. Oh nice. There’s an opportunity to go on a, uh, [01:12:30] hot air balloon. Yeah. Have you been.

[Both]: Yeah. Yeah.

Simon Chard: Uh, in, uh, Tanzania, but. Yeah.

Payman Langroudi: Yeah. So [01:12:35] I’ve never been in one. Yeah. And I find this little moment thinking I may never get [01:12:40] the opportunity again.

[Both]: Like, come on, man, it’s like feeling.

Payman Langroudi: Type feeling type feeling. Yeah. I [01:12:45] could go right the following holiday. Yeah, but but the following holiday I might be somewhere where they don’t [01:12:50] do that. Yeah. Just that feeling. Yeah. Yeah. Anyway it’s not real in my, in that one. But [01:12:55] in business it is real. There are situations I’m thinking I may never be [01:13:00] able to do this x, y or z in business again. Yeah. And I’ve [01:13:05] recently understood the word the crisis part of it. The mid life always [01:13:10] got. Yeah. But the crisis part is really that right. That you think this is my last chance. Yeah. [01:13:15]

Simon Chard: And so what. And so you make rash decisions.

[Both]: Not necessarily sometimes.

Payman Langroudi: No, no the [01:13:20] crisis is should I or shouldn’t I. Right, right. Um, but it’s not necessarily you make a bad decision. You can make a good decision. [01:13:25] It sort of spurs you into action, which is what it’s done to me a little bit. Um, [01:13:30] but but I don’t know where this came up from.

[Both]: You [01:13:35] want.

Simon Chard: To tell us about the.

[Both]: Ferrari you bought? Yeah, yeah. The leather trousers.

Payman Langroudi: Maserati? [01:13:40] No. Yeah. We’re coming to the end of our time, so, um, I’m [01:13:45] going to end it with the usual questions. Deathbed. [01:13:50] Yeah. Three pieces of advice. For your friends and family. [01:13:55] What would they be?

[Both]: Ooh, that’s a toughie.

Simon Chard: First [01:14:00] one would be, um. I’ve [01:14:05] got to put some stoicism in there. So memento mori. So remember death. Always [01:14:10] remember how short life is. Second one would be. [01:14:15] Cause a difficult one, isn’t it? [01:14:20] I guess second one would be always know [01:14:25] why you’re doing what you’re doing. So reinforcing that sort of life [01:14:30] purpose and spending time on that and analysing it. And [01:14:35] then the third one. Just do epic shit and have fun.

[Both]: Like [01:14:40] seize the day.

Simon Chard: Yeah, I think, like, [01:14:45] I don’t know, I spend so much time pondering the meaning of life and thinking [01:14:50] about things like legacy and that sort of thing, but in reality, no one will know. No one will [01:14:55] know about you after three generations. And so really, you need to [01:15:00] live your life for yourself, your loved ones, with purpose, [01:15:05] with pride and enjoy yourself. I think that’s that’s how I try to live my [01:15:10] life. So that would be the advice that I pass on to.

[Both]: My loved ones. [01:15:15] Very nice.

Payman Langroudi: Simon, it’s been a massive pleasure having [01:15:20] you here again. And I think I’m going to catch up with you every 3 or 4 years, because your rate of acceleration [01:15:25] is so high. Um, I wish you lots of luck with all of these different [01:15:30] projects, particularly Parler. Parler. As as someone who’s been through these hassles [01:15:35] myself, um, it’s always nice to see someone else kind of breaking through.

[Both]: Thanks, [01:15:40] man, I appreciate it.

Payman Langroudi: Thanks for coming. Cheers.

[VOICE]: This [01:15:45] is Dental Leaders, the podcast where you get to go one on one [01:15:50] with emerging leaders in dentistry. Your [01:15:55] hosts. Payman Langroudi and Prav Solanki.

Prav Solanki: Thanks [01:16:00] for listening, guys. If you got this far, you must have listened to the whole thing. And [01:16:05] just a huge thank you both from me and pay for actually sticking through and listening to what we’ve had to [01:16:10] say and what our guest has had to say, because I’m assuming you got some value out of it.

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