Why is dentistry considered one of the most stressful jobs in the world?

Everybody hates dentists, but this is going to be the first dentist that you'll love. I'm here with my P1 client, Vicky Samios, who helps dental practitioners get out of the rat race. But why is this relevant to you as a coach? If you're watching this, or as an entrepreneur, because she ran 3 successful dental practices, which in my opinion, brick and mortar is way harder to become successful in than online businesses. And so I'm going to pick her brain on some of the things that worked in brick and mortar. And now she's transitioned to coaching dentists. And, and there's going to be some correlations there, which if you understand the principles there, it'll help you grow your coaching business faster than ever before. Because if you can make it in brick and mortar, then online is technically a lot easier because there's much less risk, much less cost. You don't have to deal with government bureaucracies, you don't have to deal with landlords, rent, all that kind of stuff, and stock and equipment. And so, Vicky, welcome to this channel here. So I appreciate you for coming on. Um, maybe a bit of a background of how you started and why you became a coach.

Oh, that is awesome. Yes, I'd love to share that. Thanks, Richmond. So I'm a mom of 3. Um, I hit a point in my career where I was super burnt out. Didn't realize, right, for years. And I'm talking like over 6 years. Um, I had even moved to the country and set up a practice there, really successful, hit a million bucks in the first year, had to hire my team. And you can understand in the rural setting, it's much more difficult to find anyone with skills. So I taught people from scratch what they needed to know and how to perform and help be a team in, in the industry and in my business. Um, and so for me, I hit a point where I just knew that it was time to create a life that I loved. I wasn't loving the circumstances. I wasn't loving how my relationship was with my husband. I wasn't loving or enjoying being a mom, and I'd worked so hard to be a mom. Gone through IVF for all my 3 children, um, and would love another one at some point, I think. I don't know yet, we'll see. Um, so with that in mind, I thought I need freedom. So freedom to me means a lot of things. And for me, I, I met the right people. Again, networking, really important. I have the right friends in my network. And I met my beautiful friend Eleni, who's a business performance psychologist. And so she started my journey on coaching. She's like, why don't you go and look at this course or these courses, have a look at that. And so I got the what I needed. And I know it's so taboo even still to this day. I've even got family members who don't believe in my mission to go, what's coaching? It's not a real job. You know, and you've got to ward them off and put your shields up. So I'm like, I'm a warrior. This is good. So there came a point where I had moved from the country, COVID had hit, we had sold the practice. Buyers came to us and we were told, I was told, you will never sell your rural practice. This is people in the town, professionals, other health professionals. But because we'd built and I built such a good business that it was like a little gold mine or a diamond for someone, and I was ready to go. And so I decided to put myself first. And at that moment, we had just— we'd moved to Sydney, had a few business deals fall through with my husband, my husband Peter. Um, and at that point he wasn't in the business yet. So we had just renovated. We, we— so I'm in my building right now in Newtown. We bought the building, big loan, still have the big loan, um, and thought This is what I knew, do a third dental practice, you know, that's my way to make money. Then I thought, no, I've been kind of curious about the coaching, you know, let's, let's get into it. So I then, so sitting in my bed one night and I go, I need help. So I was Googling, Googling, and I found a company who said, hey, we can help you figure out your next steps. And that for me was another catalyst. So I was getting all these signs of curiosity. And the reason it's important is because I, I knew at that point I'd hit rock bottom and sometimes it takes us to hit rock bottom. And yeah, The money I was making in my practice was great. However, my body was giving me a lot of signs. Carpal tunnel, my hip hurt. There was no reason for my hip to hurt. Apparently got x-rays, did everything, and I decided to put myself first. So this self-leadership concept for me was the first thing that made me choose me. And then I thought, I have knowledge, I have skills, I want to help other people. And so coaching for me was born. It's been a journey. So I was back in 2021, 2020, 2021. I even went and studied a bloody third degree thinking that that was the answer because that's how I was indoctrinated, right? And then I realized, no, Vick, you're really silly. You're pregnant with your third baby. You've just been through IVF again. You, you nearly didn't go through that implantation because COVID was restricting all the surgeries that were elective. And then I thought, I did one, one semester of it. I'm like, no way, this isn't the right thing. So coaching has been such a blessing for me. And I know I'm also helping others who are also in my industry who want to become coaches too, which is really cool. Or other health professionals, because there is a way forward. There is a different way to what you know and what you've been told by your parents, by those around you. Um, and yeah, that was a long story for a short, uh, question. So thank you, Richmond.

Great story too, by the way. You touch on a really powerful point there about, you know, you get a third degree and, um, I don't know who said this quote But if no one said, I'll just take ownership of it. If you don't make decisions for your future, then the world will make it for you. And the world is based on cultural conditioning, on their own agendas, not yours. And the reason why I'm guessing you got that third degree is because it's what you have to do. It's the good girl, good boy story. I went to optometry for 5 years and then, um, studied and then they released this other degree in optometry where you could come back and become therapeutically endorsed and went back to study more to get another degree on that and because that's what you're meant to do. That's what you're meant to do. So be very careful and cautious of why you're doing what you're doing. So question about, it's funny you talk about freedom. People going to business for freedom only to realize behind that sign is jail. Can you talk about that and how you got out of it?

The golden handcuffs are real. I've been there, and people think I'm silly for going into another business again. And I nearly got trapped again, right, working chairside, because everyone wants to come and see me.

And I'm sure I'll just—

and so it took me two goes to get off chairside. Finally this year, I took myself out of being chairside. And what I realized is I am a mentor. I'm just naturally someone who loves to teach, and I've been mentoring grads, mentoring my team, mentoring those who have never even been in my industry ever in my business. And I've had them go on and become specialists, go on and become practice managers or a whole therapist. It's been really rewarding. And I realized that in my business I was basically coaching. So why not continue that? That's what you do as a business owner, right? And being trapped chairside, you've got to start listening to your body because wellness is massive and we tend to ignore And this goes beyond self-care, right? Beyond self-care. It is because with a lot of health professionals, dentistry particularly, it's mental and physical, right? And you forget the creative side of you. And a lot of my clients are like, oh my gosh. And I was the same. I went through 8 years of uni and all the things I love, like art, like music, which I was really good at, languages, just got cut like a knife. And then I also realized the other day My Greek community, for example, why did I cut that off? Like, I was— it's part of my identity. It's really important to me. So for the first time this week, we took our kids Greek dancing and they're 7, right? It was funny, like they barely danced, but it was like really important to us that they then get into our culture too. So you forget all that, right? Having a business can consume you 24/7 if you allow it to. And I've put that disclaimer there.

Wow, that's so cool. Um, you're so right, you know, as a health professional, you are constantly coaching when it comes to patient management, isn't it? Like, it's— you, you're constantly coaching them on, on hygiene, on their stories, on their— sometimes you may even give a management plan and they're like, oh, but that won't work because of that. So can you talk to me around maybe some of the misconceptions that your clients face, or before they start working with you? What are the misconceptions about like, I could never be free, I can't, my spouse would never support, any misconceptions and limiting beliefs that you hear time and time again that come into your world?

Yeah, so I hear a lot, you're inspirational, right? And then I go, okay, well, I offer my olive branch of like, there's help here, you can do what I'm doing. And I just find it too hard, too much effort, because they're used to working per hour. So trading time for money. And I know we we talk about that a lot. It is so prevalent. So they think, well, that's what I know. Plus there's this guilt of, but I've studied this, I've been doing this, and I've been in healthcare for over 24 years, right? I was a pharmacist before this. I left pharmacy because I didn't like it. I knew from day one, but I persevered. And it's like you've got to push yourself to do something because you committed. There's no flexibility. There's no allowing yourself, hey, I actually don't really enjoy the whole package of this. How can I branch off or think laterally and, and make my life mine and create it and create my world.

Wow. Okay, because I can relate to that because I did feel like it was such a waste when I let go of optometry. I can definitely relate. So if you're watching this and you're— and you're not just— maybe not just a dentist or an optometrist, but you're transitioning in your life right now from one career to another, and it might be a similar career, but transitioning and you spent years studying or a decade in that career or learning and then you're thinking, ah, it's such a waste. And it's good. It's a good trait to be committed and follow through on your commitments. But there comes discernment of when to let go and move on to the next chapter and know that that was a season and the season's done. Correct? So How do you know when the season is done?

When every bit of your body tells you, when you're sitting in your clinic like me, January this year, I had to step in one day and I had to run back upstairs and say to my husband, I effing hate this, this is shit, I am done. That's how you know, because I was ignoring it and you know, you push yourself, you're like, but I'm the owner and if I'm not in the chair or if someone's not in the chair, we're not making money. So that, that day I said, this is the last time I'm doing this. And that was massive because in my own business, I don't even want to go chairside.

Wow. I'm sure so many people that are watching this right now can relate. And even if you, you should not have that feeling in the job that you plan to do for the rest of your life. Yeah. Wow. Okay. This has been super useful. I want to touch on one final thing before we talk about, cause you run this one-on-one tiny challenge with dentists. Is that correct?

I sure do. And you know what? I'm calling it the Freedom Challenge now. The free, right?

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. 5 days to get out of jail.

Yep.

You should use that. That's pretty good. The Freedom Challenge, 5 days to get out of jail. Here's your get out of jail card.

That's what it is. And it doesn't mean dump your business, right? It means let's make it more efficient for you and make your role in it what you want.

Of course. Of course. Of course. Of course. Of course. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Secretly, Vicky just wants to buy your practice.

Yeah, that's it. I'm an investor. Let's go.

Yeah. So talk to me about the trading because we'll talk about your one-on-one challenge because that's so cool. I don't think anyone in the world right now is doing a one-on-one challenge and it's free. Is that correct?

It is free. Absolutely.

One-on-one 5-day challenge for dentists. One-on-one with Vicky Samiosios. That's crazy. So send her a DM. I'll talk more about how you get more details. She can only take on 3 a week because it's this one-on-one schedule and she's only limited spots because it's actually her that's doing it. But before we talk about that, can you talk about trading time for money? That I think that's useful. That could go for an hour, but let's like in 2 minutes, Talk to, talk to me about that or talk to the audience about that.

Life is precious. Your time is precious. Time with your family is even more precious. Time with yourself is like number one. So what are you trading by being in the chair? You might be making $3,000, $4,000, $5,000, $6,000 a day. Not making, right? That's going in your practice or in your business. You're making a cut of it if you pay yourself. And then you think, well, is there something else?. And if you've got that, that niggling feeling, you know, and I had that for a long time. I think I even had it back when I had left pharmacy, but I just wasn't around the opportunity and my eyes weren't open to what's possible. So anything is possible and travel. I went to Funnel Hacking Live this year. I just had this urge to go. I saw you there, Richmond. I was so, so amazed. Um, and I honestly went there just because I needed to see. Sometimes you need proof. Let me be your proof. Let me show you what's possible. And yes, you'll get judged. Who cares? Even by people close to you. Um, how much do you trust yourself? Because that is what matters.

Wow. So what I'm hearing is there's a way to be free without sacrificing the things that you already value. Is that what we're talking about?

That's right.

Yeah. Yeah.

And, and knowing what you value in your life, um, you've got to allow yourself, give yourself that permission to do that because you're so stuck in this cycle you've forgotten yourself. And I can tell you, I had a big identity crisis for a long time because I'm like, I was introduced by my friends as, oh, this is Vicky the dentist. But I always thought, I'm more than just a dentist. This is not my identity. So if you are, if you're struggling, or if you've got this question mark over, well, I'm at crossroads, where to next, what do I do, I'm financially stuck here, I've, I've invested decades or many years in this direction, uh, I just want to give you that courage to at least explore and to see what's possible for you.

Yeah, my guess is if they're watching this right now, then they're at least curious as to how this can benefit their life too. One final question, as you were talking about that, I'm guessing, I'm guessing there are some ways where you can even, um, get your spouse on board too with the journey. Is that correct?

Absolutely. You've done yourself Yeah, it is so important. Like, my husband's non-dental. He came from a radio background, has won massive awards, um, and real estate background. But this— yeah, sorry, great voice. Great for voiceover.

Rich.

Yep, great for voiceover. He's, he's MC'd, he's done everything. He's amazing.

Oh wow.

Yeah, very beautiful voice, um, and very beautiful personality. And, uh, he decided— he saw actually one of my, my son when I was pregnant with my second son. He saw my son, this was in the country, sleeping under the reception desk, and he thought this cannot be happening because our relationship was also going in a different direction. And this is a thing that a lot of us health professionals tend to forget and tend to not put energy into. And it's really important that we do because at that point we decided us— because he was driving an hour and 40 minutes each way to Dubbo from Coonabarren, and it was leaving in the morning before I'd even get up, before 5 AM. And I thought, this isn't life, and I need support— mental, physical, spiritual, all of it. And my person and I are going further and further apart. And it's hard to admit that. Um, and so we together, for us, realized that we needed to join a mastermind and work on ourselves as well. And so I offer that too.

Absolutely.

It is so important. You need to have your partner alongside you because it's way easier, way easier. That resistance there will make your life far harder. So I absolutely love to help them see the potential of what your life can be like together. I'm no relationship expert, but I can pass you on to those who are, some of my beautiful friends here.

Oh, well, I'm sure, I'm sure you have some ways of dealing with difficult conversations because you would have had to do it in the past, um, running a business, you know, as a married couple. So, um, Vicky, this has been super useful. So how do people reach out to you? Like, I know they can send you a direct DM. If you want to send her DM details of her one-on-one Tiny 5-Day Challenge, one-on-one with her. No one else in history is doing it, and there's only limited spots. They can send a DM, just details, but then watch this. But also, is there another way?

Sure, you can visit Vickysamios.com and you'll find me there.

And you'll find Vicky Samios.com. Okay, easy. Nice. All right, Vicky, congratulations on everything that you've done, and it was really fun hanging out with you in Las Vegas. So I'm so glad you came. We just had a blast. To, uh, I know from personal experience that you are not just an amazing businesswoman, but you're just an amazing friend and just awesome person to be around too.

All right, I appreciate all of this. Thank you.

Love it. All right, done. Well done, well done, well done, well done.