Starting a business isn't easy. It’s filled with twists, turns, unexpected detours, and moments of doubt. As the founder of Dentistry Support®, I’ve lived through it all. But no matter how hard it got, I stayed focused on one thing: doing the right thing for an industry I care deeply about. Today, I want to share my journey with you—not just the highs but also the lessons I learned along the way. If you’re ready to take action on your own dreams, this is for you.|
1. Say Yes to Opportunities, Even When You Don’t Know What’s Next
When I was 17, I said yes to a part-time job at a local dental office, even though I had no idea what I was signing up for. That “yes” changed everything. Sometimes, the biggest opportunities come when you least expect them, and the key is being open to saying yes—even when you don’t know what the outcome will be.
What to Do Now:
Be open to the unexpected: Don’t wait for the perfect opportunity to come your way. Sometimes, the best things happen when you say yes to the unknown.
Start before you're ready: I had no training, but I jumped in and figured it out as I went. Don’t let not knowing all the answers hold you back.
2. Keep Going, Even When Life Feels Like It’s Getting in the Way
Life threw me some curveballs. I moved states, worked multiple jobs, supported my family, and struggled to make ends meet. I even put my dream on hold more than once to take high-paying positions that seemed like the right move. But I never lost sight of the bigger picture. I kept coming back to my vision for Dentistry Support®.
What to Do Now:
Keep your long-term vision in focus: Life will pull you in different directions, but always keep your eye on what you want to build.
Detours are okay, as long as you don’t quit: When life takes you off your intended path, look at it as a learning opportunity. Everything you go through can teach you something useful for the road ahead.
3. Serve the Industry with Integrity
I started Dentistry Support® because I saw too many vendors taking advantage of dental practices. No one seemed to understand how expensive it is to run a practice—equipment costs, turnover, the daily grind. Dentists were getting nickel-and-dimed, and I couldn’t stand for it. I knew I could create something that served them better and put my heart into making things right.
What to Do Now:
Build a business that solves real problems: I wasn’t interested in making money at the expense of the industry—I wanted to solve the problems I saw firsthand. Focus on serving your customers with integrity, and the success will come.
Always do the right thing: Don’t cut corners or take advantage of people. Long-term success comes from standing by your principles.
4. Act, Even When You Feel Unprepared
When I was fired from my C-suite position in Beverly Hills, I had a choice: wait for the next opportunity or take the leap and go all-in on Dentistry Support®. I chose the leap. I invested my life savings, spent six weeks driving between California and Arizona, and pitched my company over and over again, hoping to land just one client. That’s what it takes—action, even when you’re scared or unsure.
What to Do Now:
Don’t wait for perfect conditions: There will never be a perfect time to start. Take action today, even if it’s just one small step.
Trust your instincts: When you feel called to something, trust that feeling and follow it. Action creates momentum.
5. Start Small, Then Scale
When I started The Temp Group in 2013, it was all about job placement for dental offices. It wasn’t until we added eligibility verification that we really started gaining traction. By focusing on doing one thing exceptionally well, we built a strong foundation. From there, we scaled into other services, eventually becoming Dentistry Support® in 2015.
What to Do Now:
Master one thing first: Find the area where you can offer the most value and build a strong foundation before you expand.
Scale with intention: Once you’ve mastered your core offering, think about how you can expand in a way that serves your customers even better.
6. Involve the People Who Believe in Your Vision
From day one, Dentistry Support® was a family effort. My husband and daughter, who was only 11 years old at the time, helped me build this business. They worked alongside me, sending emails, helping us land our first clients, and supporting the vision every step of the way. I couldn’t have done it without them.
What to Do Now:
Surround yourself with support: Whether it’s family, friends, or mentors, find the people who believe in your dream and involve them in the process.
Delegate early on: Don’t try to do everything yourself. Empower those around you to take on tasks, even in the early days. You’ll be amazed at what you can accomplish as a team.
7. Rebrand When It’s Time to Focus
When we first launched in 2013, we were The Temp Group, offering job placement and eligibility verification. But by 2014, I knew where we needed to go: we needed to focus entirely on the dental industry. In 2015, we officially rebranded to Dentistry Support®, which allowed us to serve the industry in a much more focused way.
What to Do Now:
Don’t be afraid to pivot: If your business starts evolving in a new direction, embrace it. Rebranding to Dentistry Support® allowed us to fully focus on the dental industry, which was exactly what we needed to grow.
Stay true to your purpose: No matter how you evolve, stay true to the core of what you set out to do.
Final Thoughts: It’s Time to Take Action
I didn’t build Dentistry Support® by waiting for the perfect time or having all the answers. The truth is, success rarely comes to those who sit idly by, waiting for circumstances to align perfectly. Instead, success favors those who take bold action and trust their instincts, even when the future is uncertain. I learned early on that hesitation can kill dreams, and often, the greatest leaps forward come from pushing past fear and diving headfirst into the unknown. This principle of taking action before you feel fully prepared aligns with research on entrepreneurial behavior, which shows that calculated risk-taking is one of the key traits of successful business founders (Rauch & Frese, 2007).
Your journey is yours alone, and no two paths to success look the same. However, one common thread among those who achieve their goals is their ability to remain focused on their vision, no matter how many obstacles appear along the way. Maintaining focus allows you to stay resilient through setbacks and stay committed when challenges arise. As Jim Collins emphasizes in Good to Great, “Greatness is not a function of circumstance. Greatness, it turns out, is largely a matter of conscious choice, and discipline” (Collins, 2001). Making that conscious choice every day to keep moving forward, even when it feels difficult, is what separates those who succeed from those who stop short of their potential.
I hope sharing my journey inspires you to take the next step toward your own goals—whether you're launching a business, building a team, or simply striving to improve yourself. The best advice I can offer is to stop waiting for the stars to align or for the perfect opportunity to present itself. You don’t need to have all the answers, and you don’t need everything to be flawless. What you do need is the willingness to take action today. Take that leap, trust your instincts, and believe in your ability to create something amazing. As long as you stay true to your vision, the rest will fall into place.
References
Collins, J. (2001). Good to great: Why some companies make the leap... and others don't. HarperCollins.
Rauch, A., & Frese, M. (2007). Let's put the person back into entrepreneurship research: A meta-analysis on the relationship between business owners' personality traits, business creation, and success. European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology, 16(4), 353-385.
Disclaimer:
To learn more about Sarah Beth Herman, the author of all free training content you can read her bio here. These materials are intended to provide helpful information to dentists and dental team members. They are in no way a substitute for actual professional advice based on your unique facts and circumstances. This content is not intended or offered, nor should it be taken, as legal or other professional advice. You should always consult with your own professional advisors (e.g. attorney, accountant, or insurance carrier). To the extent, Dentistry Support ®has included links to any third-party website (s), Dentistry Support ® intends no endorsement of their content and implies no affiliation with the organizations that provide their content. Further, Dentistry Support ® makes no representations or warranties about the information provided on those sites. You can view our privacy policy and terms and conditions by clicking those pages in the footer of our website.
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