64 ::: Behind the Smile: Dr. Brian Harris on Pioneering Cosmetic Dentistry and the Secrets to Lasting Impact

Shawn Zajas (: 00:01

Okay, so today I could not be more excited to be with Brian Harris, Dr. Brian Harris. So Brian, before I set you up, I just want to say thank you so much for letting me interview you today.

Dr. Brian Harris (: 00:14

man, it's an honor. When you reached out, I know we had to find time to juggle our schedules a little bit, but I absolutely wanted to show up and just be here with you and talk about whatever it is that really we want to talk about. I feel like every time we're together, there is always something valuable that comes from the conversation. So excited to be here.

Shawn Zajas (: 00:37

Is it okay if I say Brian on the podcast? Okay, so the reason why I have this podcast, it's because my contention is, like, I know dentistry is going to be great in 10 years. Like, that's not a question of mine. But I'm curious, is the listener going to be part of what makes it great? Because I go to lots of shows, I connect with different influencers and innovators like yourself. And...

Dr. Brian Harris (: 00:40

Yeah, I would prefer that. That's great.

Shawn Zajas (: 01:06

There's like synergy that can happen. There's all this confluence that can happen when you meet other people and all of a sudden you see what they're doing and next thing you know you end up on a board of theirs. But I know there's still people that are on the sideline. And maybe they're in the game clinically. But between the lines of what we're saying, they realize, wow, there's still a dream that's on my heart. There's still something that they were made for that might check the box in more of a missional or fulfilling way.

And yet they hear that voice on their shoulders that says, well, not, not yet, or you're not ready or why you, or why, why would someone follow you? And that's why I'm fascinated, Brian, by people that innovate and influence like you. And, I, I'm like, gosh, where, where do we even start with this? you've built up and sold even product companies.

You're at the top of your game clinically. You built a software company in Smile Virtual. You lead successful masterminds. And from what I understand, there's some legacy component in terms of your dad was a dentist. Where do you want to start this journey in dentistry?

Dr. Brian Harris (: 02:23

I think we start with the journey. I think we go back and I'll try to keep my story short, but I would love to just kind of start with kind of where I started and then I think naturally to progress to the other stuff you cool with that.

Shawn Zajas (: 02:38

Yeah, yeah.

Dr. Brian Harris (: 02:40

So for me, my journey within dentistry really started, I would say probably mid 90s, early 90s. And my dad was a general dentist. I think he enjoyed what he did, but didn't like love it, love it. And it was right when kind of the first live patient cosmetic dentistry course was happening.

at the Baylor Aesthetic Continuum in Texas. And he got invited to go out to that and he went and he was there with some of the greatest innovators in cosmetic dentistry.

from that, these doctors that kind of formed this initial group, they went on to create a group called PacLive and he taught there for a number of years. I apologize, let me backtrack. Went on to create a group called LVI where he taught for a number of years and then that, a couple of groups branched off and then he went and taught at PacLive. And that was happening in San Francisco when I was in dental school. And so at an early age,

as a dentist, I got exposed to like this other world of what dentistry could be. And I think that's kind of where it started. It probably started in the 90s when he went to this course and he came home and was like, he started dressing different. I noticed like he was more passionate about what he was doing because he wasn't just, you know, drilling and filling. He was like changing lives. And so I think that was probably when I was like, this is kind of a cool thing. Like I could do this and.

came out of dental school in: 2005

Shawn Zajas (: 04:50

So is all you ever knew though growing up was my dad's a dentist?

Dr. Brian Harris (: 04:56

Yeah, I mean, it was just part of, I mean, we would, my mom would make us go to work with him in the summers, like take turns, probably so we weren't driving her crazy at home, but we would work for $2 an hour. I mean,

I was like sterilizing instruments. I look back now, I'm like, man, that is just like, you know, I mean, be put in prison for that today. You know, having some 13 year old kid doing all your sterilization in the dental practice. But I like that's what I did every summer. And so it's really all I've ever known.

Shawn Zajas (: 05:28

I mean, there's such a popular sentiment, and I'm sure it was still there at that time of like, yeah, but Brian, pursue your own life and discover your own path. And there's something so counter -cultural in this sense of honor of like, yeah, but I like my dad and he's pioneered and he's doing something great. If he's showing me a way that seems fulfilling, why not? Did you ever have to battle that?

Dr. Brian Harris (: 05:57

Not really. I mean, I see it differently now where I see I think there's two parts to that. Like I fully believe in like chase your dreams, do more of the stuff you love. Like don't be in a don't be boxed in even within our own profession. Like don't be boxed into to do anything in dentistry just because that's the way it's always been done. But then I also see like massive value in following the path of least resistance. You know, I think every one of us.

Like there's a path that will get us to where we want to go much faster. And if you can somehow take what you love to do and then say, okay, what's that path of least resistance like and do that? I think it's kind of the best of both worlds. You know, I think sometimes what makes it difficult when you're trying to do something too different or too unique or be too much of an individual, you know, you're blazing your own trails and it's not easy. It's not easy doing that.

Shawn Zajas (: 06:55

Well, yes, on one hand, I see this like there's this inheritance. You see this like your dad has paved this ground and it's easier for you and your brothers to follow suit, learn from everything he's had to share. And at the same exact time, you see in this moment, which seems like a pretty formative moment, something is coming alive in your dad as this new thing is happening in dentistry. And you're seeing he's not just now even identifying himself, maybe on an identity level as a general dentist.

but there's this spark of like, ooh, almost like this entrepreneurial spark of there's something more than just I'm a general dentist. I'm now able to, like you said, step into this maybe more of a cosmetic role where I'm able to lift and transform people's lives in even more meaningful ways. Is that kind of how you describe it? It went from, I don't know, ordinary to all of a sudden it's like, ooh, there's more that I can do.

Dr. Brian Harris (: 07:52

Yeah, that's exactly how I would describe it, I think.

There was a term in dentistry for a while used called the super GP and everybody was promoting that of like, hey, you should be a dentist that knows how to do everything that way. You don't have to refer anything out. You can keep everything in house. It's better for the business. And I think it's actually, you know, when you think about that concept of being a super GP, what that really means is like, you know, it's like an inch deep in a mile wide, right? It's like you are, you're kind of like a little

bit good at everything instead of being like an inch wide and a mile deep and saying like actually no, I just want to be like the best at this one thing. And I think one of the things that dentistry offers us is it's such a progressive field and it's such a massive there's so much opportunity out there that dentists can get to a place where they say like, I just really want to do more of this and I want to be the best at this.

And I think the faster you recognize that, you know, when you go an inch wide and a mile deep and you become the best at what you do, it's the fastest way to grow your business because people want to be, you know, seeing the best. And that doesn't just mean cosmetic dentistry. It could be sleep apnea. It could be all on four procedure. It could be, you know, it could be computerized dentistry. You know, biolimetic dentistry. It could be

I mean, whatever really you want it to be, I think the more specialized you are, the more sought out you become.

Shawn Zajas (: 09:33

So so much of your, I don't know, understanding of dentistry and understanding of even business, it sounds like, I don't know, probably a lot of it came from your dad. How much of that was simply modeling versus like actually intentional mentoring?

Dr. Brian Harris (: 09:49

I think the main thing I was able to take from my dad's example was, you know, he always taught us like, just take really good care of people. Like if you take great care of people and if you always do what's right, the success will follow. I think the one thing about my dad though is he's also very practical, very safe, very like...

you know, just stay in your lane. Don't don't over complicate things. And I would say the one the one area where I've been able to maybe step outside of that and almost kind of create my own identity as a dentist is that I've always just had this desire to like shake things up a little bit and this desire to push the norms and see what can be created. And so.

Dentistry gives a sense of security, the safety net where I can always be a dentist and also the sense of the ability because that base income and that safety net's there, it allows me to go out here and play over here and try different things out and succeed in some and fail in some. But I think it's one of the benefits we don't talk about often enough is when you have a...

a profession that you're in that is safe and is predictable, it lets you take risks in other areas that sometimes others can't take.

Shawn Zajas (: 11:21

So let's go deep into one of those. So let's say, here you are and you realize you are a pioneer. You want to shake things up a little bit. You want to do things differently. So in this place of when all of a sudden there was a little bit of opportunity for you, is this still a place of tension where, where you you're excited to do it, but you're still having to grapple with risk and uncertainty and you're still scared. Or are you just in that place of like your zone of genius where it's like,

man, it just seems like play the whole time. Like you're not even worried about worst case scenario. You're not, it's not hard for you to get out of the boat. It's not hard for you to take the leap. When you're actually on the precipice of that, like how do you, is that still a tension for you or is it just natural?

Dr. Brian Harris (: 12:09

No, it's almost, it's not attention. It's almost a problem where I...

It is so that the innovation side of things and the risks and the creation side of like taking an idea to actually something that comes to fruition is like, that drives me. I mean, I would say that's, it's almost like a drug for me to where like I thrive in that environment. And I'm not saying that's always a great thing. That whole like ready, fire, aim approach is...

can create stresses in your life and it can create chaos at times. But I thrive in that environment of seeing an opportunity and really seeing a pain point within a process or the industry. And then also seeing a resolution and being able to say, you know what, there's opportunity there. There's so much pain around that process. We could change that and it could change the lives of...

dentists, patients, you know, everyone. And so that part does excite me almost to where I have to like control it at times and, you know, just make a list of great ideas that I'll never get to just to get them out of my head, but also focus on the most important.

Shawn Zajas (: 13:29

spoken like a true entrepreneur, which I don't know if you've ever identified yourself like that early on. Like, I don't know if you're like, I'm going to be a dentist, but I'm going to be an out of the box entrepreneurial dentist. Like, was that something that you embraced at like an identity level or you didn't have a word for it?

Dr. Brian Harris (: 13:46

It's funny you asked that because I was actually, I just recently changed my bio on my Instagram page of like, I try to change things up from time to time. And I sat and like struggled with that, that thought for like 15 minutes because there's part of me that's like, I take pride in being an entrepreneur and I take pride in taking the risks. But, but I also was like, do I want to put entrepreneur in my bio? Like there's, there's this, there's this thing that comes along with that sometimes that.

I don't know what it is. It still feels uncomfortable for me to call myself that, you know, although I believe I am. I don't know why it feels uncomfortable to say that.

Shawn Zajas (: 14:28

If you can't put that in your bio, I don't know who can.

Dr. Brian Harris (: 14:32

I know, do you get what I'm saying? Like it just feels funny to me. I don't know what it is, but just, you know, I'm like, I'll just keep it boring and simple.

Shawn Zajas (: 14:41

Yeah, so maybe, maybe, no, I could be wrong on this, but I think there's a part of the way that you're wired that isn't wanting to, you care so much about impact, but you don't care about the fluff or the pretentious, like, you know, the marketing or the positioning side of things. But at the same exact time, it's like nobody wins if you were to downplay yourself.

and that's one of my messages to people. It's like in that realm of abundance and, and my abundance mentality isn't really just about money. It's actually much more about people's gifts. It's like you, you're one of a kind. And if you own and occupy that light that only you can shine, it's like, you're not taking away from anybody else because only you can be you. And if you just happen to be an out of the box, pioneering, innovative, entrepreneurial dentist, that's you. Like I.

you have permission, a thousand percent to just own that and not worry about the way that might come across that other people could perceive as like, do you know what I mean? Like incongruent with the fact that you're rooted and grounded in humility. And that's just you. And anyone that knows you, knows that.

Dr. Brian Harris (: 15:58

well, thank you. And I do think I think there's something to that. I think part of what I attribute my success to, especially like on social media and different social platforms, is I've always tried to really make everything I do about the people I serve. You know, so like if you go to my Instagram page, you're not going to see many pictures of me. You're not going to see a ton of selfies. You're not going to see, you know.

Shawn Zajas (: 16:25

It's not like you traveling, it's not you jet setting, it's not you living your best life now. Although you are living your best life.

Dr. Brian Harris (: 16:30

It's not me in front of my cars, in front of my house. You won't get any of that because I don't think that really brings value to anybody's life where what I do try to focus on is the transformations that happen in my patient's lives because of the gifts that I've been given. And I try to focus on the transformations that happen in doctor's lives that I've been able to work with and mentor. And...

I just have found whenever I keep the focus outward and I keep the focus on really those that I'm serving, it just works. And so maybe it's not wanting to be too self -serving. But yeah, I don't know.

Shawn Zajas (: 17:15

if that's one of your struggles.

Dr. Brian Harris (: 17:18

Lot of lot to unpack there.

Shawn Zajas (: 17:21

t's go back to your story. So: 2005

Dr. Brian Harris (: 17:52

It was pretty soon after. So one of the things that that doctors listening or any professional listening needs to know that, you know, you have to put yourself out there. You have to take risks. Sometimes sometimes it works. Sometimes it doesn't. But when I when I kind of connect the dots going backwards, I look at some things that I tried or some things that I did that weren't necessarily great business ventures or.

massive financial wins, but like everyone was like a step to where I'm at now. So soon after dental school, I got this idea that, you know, there was, I think it was Gordon Christensen came.

taught a CE course in Arizona and I missed it because I just didn't even know he was coming. And I thought, and there's got to be like one place that you can go and see all the different CE courses in dentistry. And I looked out there and there wasn't. And so I started this, this probably my first venture, this company called DCE Dental, which was a online aggregation of all the CE courses in dentistry.

I went to Wells Fargo, I took out a $50 ,000 loan. This is like right out of dental school. And I signed a lease on the space and you know, we had, at that time I had two kids, one was still really young and we just started aggregating all the courses. I hired a developer and we ran that thing for probably three years. It ended up, Dental Town ended up using it as their online course directory.

And then it kind of just fizzled out. But from that came the opportunity. I started getting asked to speak on different stages in dentistry is kind of like this innovator, this young dentist, but that had kind of his hands and all these different courses because I was able to go and take some of these courses for free because I was aggregating the courses. And so just that one risk, that one little thing I decided to do, you know,

Dr. Brian Harris (: 19:59

started to give me somewhat of a presence with the dentistry and from that, then that grew into becoming a, a, a Sarek trainer for Serona for a number of years. And then, and then speaking on the lecture circuit for some of the biggest companies for a number of years. So it was, you know, there is, there is the sequence of events that happened to get me to where I'm today, but all kind of started with maybe that, that one risk, that one idea.

Dr. Brian Harris (: 20:30

Interesting looking back on it now.

Shawn Zajas (: 20:32

Yeah, and I think so many people. So this is personal to me because I spent like five years trying to almost come up or cook up a home run in the boardroom with my dad. And instead of actually letting the market tell me, this was a good idea or a bad idea, we just kept trying to perfect it and, is this going to work? we don't really know if this is going to work. So maybe this will work. And...

It's like we were so insecure about what the idea could be that it's almost like we just kept, it's like the longer we kept it in the cage, we just felt more pressure to almost have to make it win. And I realized when we finally launched it and it failed, that I had, I just in five years learned one thing about one idea that took us who knows how long, that it didn't work and that it wasn't.

aligned with the market. And I'd rob myself of five years of potentially learning a hundred times more if I just would have interfaced with the market, if I just would have launched, if I just would have tried, you know, got together some sort of MVP, you know, minimum viable product and seen like, is there a market for this? And that's why it's like my encouragement to so many people. It's like, you don't get clarity ahead of time. Like that's why so many business schools, they kind of mislead you.

You need to come up with this crazy business plan and have everything perfectly figured out beforehand. And it's like, that's just not reality. The way I can think of it is almost like a boat in the harbor and yet all around you in a foreseeable distance is just fog. And you have to trust your intuition and decide to still take up the anchor and head into the fog, into the, what you can't see and only, you don't know how thick it is. And then only.

After that, do you actually start getting clarity and you can see what's on the horizon or what's up ahead, but you almost have to bet on yourself without getting this perfect certainty. And that's where hopefully if there's anyone listening that's like me, that's waiting for perfect certainty, I just want to like bust that bubble and be like, it's not going to come. There is no perfect safety in this perfect plan. Like just go for it. And here, your story is a perfect example, Brian. You had no idea that because of...

Shawn Zajas (: 22:54

this one venture, all of a sudden now you get positioned as like you said, this young dental innovator that's really moving. Cause people sense the momentum. People sense that energy of, wow, he's doing something different. Even if that's not a blockbuster. And even if that's not working like crazy, he's in motion. so I imagine that was just, that made it that much easier for you to just kind of take whatever opportunities opened up from that.

Dr. Brian Harris (: 23:23

Yeah, it's almost like I've heard the same analogy of like, you know, when you're forced to that decision, like the fork in the road, you go one way or the other. And let's say you choose a path and then you realize.

you know, it's a dead end. You know, to me, it's like, great, you know, now it's just more certainty that, hey, this isn't the direction I was supposed to go. The faster you get to that dead end or that cul -de -sac and turn around and go back out the other way and take the next road, like you have to experience some of that in business to succeed. And that could be at the most simple level as a dentist, whether it's like, I'm going to start offering this. And then you take all the CE and you do it. And then you realize like, actually,

I don't love doing that, you know, and you can't like get stuck in that. You have to just see it more as like, okay, hey, I learned a lot. What I know now is I don't love doing that. So I'm not going to waste any more time trying to do those types of cases. Like I'm going to go focus on this stuff that I love. And so it's all learning. It's all progress.

Shawn Zajas (: 24:32

I just think it's amazing. Like it's almost paradoxical that you experiencing this success, you know, getting the stage, being very entrepreneurial minded, still had such a crazy, amazing, solid commitment to clinical dentistry. And yet you were able to almost cultivate both passions simultaneously instead of like neglecting one at the expense of the other. You know, it's like here you are speaking and you're developing as this, this

incredible business person that I think those skills are pretty much at odds with clinical dentistry. Like the two don't coalesce and it's like, if you're great as a clinical dentist, then you'll be great as an entrepreneur. Like those are mutually exclusive.

Dr. Brian Harris (: 25:16

Yeah, for sure. I would argue almost like opposites. It's like it's two different, it's really two different mindsets. It's almost like, I mean, it's not. To me, you can be successful in both in it's having that attitude of being willing to put yourself out there and...

Shawn Zajas (: 25:18

and yet... r -right, right!

Dr. Brian Harris (: 25:40

like seeing what you learn along the way. I can tell you now, geez, all of that really prepared me for my real bigger pivots that I made within business and the practice, probably six, seven years ago. I feel like it was all preparation for some of the bigger moves that I made that have made a drastic difference that I would have never been prepared for if I hadn't gone through some of the other stuff first.

Shawn Zajas (: 26:09

Now, people might have found out about you the second one of your ventures really took off, right? And that's where they're kind of thinking, man, if I could be lucky like Brian Harris, you know, and just kind of almost become this overnight success. But like you just said, you had already done all those things that prepared you. So when this next opportunity came, you just were that much more suited. You knew what some of those lessons were not to repeat.

And that's where it's like this idea that you're gonna come out of the gate and strike gold like Zuckerberg. I feel like it's just such a misnomer. It's like the sooner you engage on that journey toward whatever it is that's in your heart that you're feeling. Like I almost feel like it's a stirring. And it's like everybody needs to be honest about what stirs inside of them. And when they look in the mirror, they are the only ones that know whether they're actually listening to that, like still small voice.

and being true to themselves or whether they're just kind of still faking it and playing it small. And I feel like that's one clear thing. No one that knows you would ever be like, yeah, Brian Harris, he plays it small. Now tell me, was there a time where, I don't know, maybe you had an unexpected failure or things didn't pan out as well as you thought they would and you had to readjust expectations or it was hard to get back on the horse? Like, did you ever get knocked off the horse?

Dr. Brian Harris (: 27:37

been off the horse more than I've been on the horse. Yeah, sometimes you just don't know what you don't know. And the unexpected comes, I think the unexpected comes from just not knowing, especially when you're trying to do something new or innovative. There was a time where I probably spent close to $300 ,000 building out a

a new version of Smile Virtual and building out all these features because there were things that I thought would be cool and I thought the users wanted and we launched it. And what we found out is everybody wanted to use the old platform. They didn't want to use the new platform almost so much so that we had to just like shut the new one down. And I was just so shocked by all of it because I thought, how is it that this...

initial MVP product, you know, how is it that that's the one that everybody wants to use? And what it came back to is just the idea that it's simple, it's straightforward, it gives them exactly what they need and allows them to do it in a very simple way instead of over complicating everything with a new platform. And so there's times where you learn the hard way that what you think your customer wants isn't necessarily what they want.

Shawn Zajas (: 29:04

And that's almost like I'm getting free consulting here because as people that are visionaries, it's almost like we think it's better to add every little possible thing. And yet that 80 -20 principle still applies here. 80 % of the impact of what you're making is going to be from 20 % of your product. And keeping it simple, instead of thinking you have to add every little feature of bell and whistle here,

And the next thing you know, it's like, well, what is this? Or you kind of lose it. But yet as the idea people, it's like, wow, this could be. And I think that's one of the hardest things is not falling in love with the complexity of your idea and letting, like you're saying, almost like the end user that you're trying to serve. And I think that's what's amazing about you, Brian, is that everything, even like what you were saying about your Instagram, it's all about impact. It's all about the people you're serving.

It's all about helping them and staying aligned to that. And I think that's probably one of the greatest takeaways that any entrepreneur could ever get. It's like, it's all about who you're serving and not about like, what's the point of making some advanced, complicated, crazy software? Is it just to feel good about it? It's like, if it doesn't add to the user experience or doesn't help with good outcomes. but I'm pretty sure that was a tough pill to swallow, especially after that investment.

Dr. Brian Harris (: 30:31

It's terrible. But it's funny. I'm not afraid of failure anymore at all. There's things that have happened even since that that I'm like, okay, that sucks. And if I sit with it too long and recognize the time and energy and the sacrifice and I think about how much of my life I gave up for this one thing and then have it not go as planned.

It'll drive you crazy. You kind of just learn to like, okay, next, let's move on. Let's not look back. If you can change it, great, let's talk about it. But if not, don't waste any more time thinking about it. It's not serving anybody.

Shawn Zajas (: 31:18

So I'm really curious your perspective on this. As resources have come in from your ventures and as you've just had this like amazing reputation, people trust you, your influence has grown. And now it's like, almost like the world in some ways opens up to you. What is your plumb line for evaluating ideas?

or future directions now? Because it's almost like with more freedom and more possibility, you probably have to even be more discerning about what to say yes to because time is probably the most sparse resource that you have that you're guarding time with your family, with those that you love the most. So how do you go about handling that?

Dr. Brian Harris (: 32:16

Yeah, I think it's really important with any decision like that to really think about the end game. What are you really trying to achieve? And so let's say an opportunity presents and it's a great business opportunity and it could...

It could make me a lot of money if everything goes great. You know, I try to step back and look at like overall impact. You know, is this something that just has a potential to impact me in my life or is there potential here to help impact a lot of other people at the same time? So the elite academy is a great example of that. So it's the it's the mastermind group that I run. There's financial benefit to me doing that because doctors pay a monthly fee to be a part of it.

But I never once have really thought about that side of it. I don't think about the revenue that comes in from that because the...

The real benefit of that group is when I can have impact on other doctors in their lives and it helps elevate them and now they can go and do the same thing for their patients and all these lives are changing and people getting new smiles and it's that whole concept of the difference the difference makes. Yeah, I can make an impact and make a difference in one doctor's life by coaching and mentor them.

But it's that difference that makes where I think really it gets exciting because now it's more a matter of me helping one, they can go help many. It just increases your overall impact. And so that's the stuff that really excites me now. Does this idea have the potential to impact the lives of many more people than just like one or myself? And if so, then I consider it. If not, I've started actually making

Dr. Brian Harris (: 34:11

I've got a little notebook of all the things that I say no to, whether it's lectures or business ideas or patients wanting to work with me. And that's my way, that's how I'm tracking my success now is the things that I say no to versus the things I say yes to because the more things you say yes to really rob you of time and opportunity if it's not the right yeses.

Shawn Zajas (: 34:39

That is so profound. So you see a lot of dentists, you work with a lot of dentists. What do you feel like are some common maybe mindsets that are keeping them back? I mean, you could take it in the negative or mindsets that you feel like they need to adopt, common ones to help them get to the next level.

Dr. Brian Harris (: 35:06

I think the biggest one is this idea of scarcity or competition or I think for example, I think there's let's take cosmetic dentistry. There's millions of people out there right now, self -conscious of their smile that have not gone in for a console because they don't know who to trust. They don't know what to do. They don't know what things cost. So they're doing nothing.

Right. And so you have all those people out there, you know, that that if it were possible, they probably would do something with their smile, but they're not because they're stuck. And then you have dentists over here that are feeling the sense of competition in their city or their town of like, you know,

So -and -so is going to get the console and we didn't get them or somebody doesn't move forward with treatment, you know, and it's that stress of like, I wonder who they're going to go see or just this feeling of like not being in control of their own success where, you know, that's more of a mindset of like, just.

waiting for people to come to you and hoping that you can convince them to say yes, as opposed to like being out there serving the people that are really looking and then having an unlimited amount of dentistry to do because of that. So I would say it's to answer your question, it's more of that scarcity versus abundance mindset of getting doctors to recognize that the only one standing in the way of your success is you. And it's just a matter of how much time are you willing to put into

you know being more seen and being being seen as the one that people should go see and You know, I mean we can talk for hours about that alone But I would say it's probably that like they're in their own way and they don't even know it and when they can get out of their own way It just like unlocks this this potential for massive success

Shawn Zajas (: 37:06

So, Brian, I see you as a very courageous individual. And yet I'm curious from your perspective on this journey of yours, which part of it do you think requires the most courage from you?

Dr. Brian Harris (: 37:22

I think from the standpoint of courage, I think it's...

I think it's again, it's it's not listening to that voice in your own head that tells you you may not you may not be good enough or.

Shawn Zajas (: 37:40

You still hear, okay, so you're human. You actually still hear that.

Dr. Brian Harris (: 37:43

Yeah, I mean, that whole imposter syndrome is like a real thing. You know, it's like, for example, you'll finish a case, everything goes great. And then let's say you post it on social media and you're like, man, I could have done a better job. You know, I could have, you know, that buckle quarter on the left side is a little bit more full than the right side. Like, I should have seen that in the temporaries. And it's like you...

And at the same time, patients out there like life has been changed. They're so happy. They're thriving. But yet instead of celebrating like that success and that change, like you're still stuck over here on the book of corridor and thinking you could have done something better. And so it's being able to recognize that like it's not about me. It's not about the teeth. It's not about the case. It's about it's about the people I'm serving going back to that is.

I think is huge. It makes a huge difference. Otherwise, you can get stuck at always being over critical of what you're doing.

Shawn Zajas (: 38:45

I feel like especially when you're committed to excellence, right? It's like when you have these high commitments, it's like the excellence and the pursuit of perfection isn't meant to be a yoke that makes you feel inadequate your whole life. It's meant to be a skill and a taste that can help you shoot for something, but not meant to be this measuring stick that makes you always feel like you're less than. And I think that might be something that a lot of dentists, I think, are nuanced enough to know what excellence looks like, to know what they're shooting for.

And yet if they're only seeing the gap between what perfection is and what they're capable of, they're just going to feel like a failure instead of seeing how far they've come along because none of us are, none of us are, you know, perfect. Sorry. I don't know if you just saw that. Some moth just flew, flew into the, into the studio and I killed it. but yeah, I think it's just liberating Brian to hear.

Dr. Brian Harris (: 39:34

Yeah.

Shawn Zajas (: 39:44

that even with the things that you're doing and even with the things that you've done, that you still have to almost be like, no, like I don't need to listen to you. And that's what I'm hoping people will actually get right now. It's like, yeah, there is that voice on all of our shoulders that's like, yeah, why now? Why you? You're not this. And it's like, don't listen to that. You have permission right now to step up and start living the life you want to and pioneering the way you want to.

And that's exactly what you're an example of. I want to know what's next for you. You're a man of vision. You're a man of excellence. You're a man of great impact. What's on the horizon for you?

Dr. Brian Harris (: 40:28

Quick, quick comment and then I'll answer that. But I, you, there's a great book out right now called The Gap and the Gain.

And the whole concept is like what you just explained. It's this idea of like, how are you measuring yourself? Are you measuring yourself from where you've come in that gain in the success or are you measuring yourself from like the gap between where you are and somebody else that's out there? And just that mindset of always measuring yourself based on the gain and like where you've come from is a powerful concept. And so,

There's another book by the same author called 10x is easier than 2x. And yeah, yeah, Dr. Hardy's fantastic. And what I love about that book, you asked me like, what's next for me? I'm stepping back and looking at the things I'm most passionate about. I'm looking at like, okay, how do I...

Shawn Zajas (: 41:06

End of an hearty.

Dr. Brian Harris (: 41:21

How do I 10x like that in my life? Like right now, you know, I'm still, you know, I'm I'm booked out several months in advance with smile design cases. All I do is cosmetic dentistry and and I look at the cosmetic dentistry I do and I think, OK, how do I serve even more people and stay passionate about it and do it at an even higher level? And then I look at some of the speaking stuff that I'm doing and it's like, OK, how do I how do I take that and just like next level it? And so I've got some really

cool things that are in the works that are scheduled. I'll have to you have to bring me back on and I'll catch up on. But you know, things that I never thought we'd be able to like 10x or really go like next level on that that are in the works right now. And it's exciting. And I think I think everybody should always be pushing themselves to that next level. I think that's what keeps you motivated. That's what keeps you going.

Shawn Zajas (: 42:20

So if someone right now is a dental professional and yet the fullness, let's say, of what they feel like they were made for isn't expressed in the op, and maybe they're getting these stirrings, but they're not sure what to do, what would you say to someone that's in that place?

Dr. Brian Harris (: 42:40

I would say to sit down and take out a piece of paper and write at the top, like, stop, start and keep and just make a list of all the things that bring you stress within the business and just stop doing them. If there's procedures you're doing and you don't love doing it,

Like I don't think that serving you, but also I think that's like a real disservice to your patients, right? Who would you want to be seeing a surgeon that's performing on you that hates the procedure they're doing? I wouldn't. And so I think, I think it's the, it's the highest level of service possible to say like, you know what, even though this is something that can bring me, you know, financial success in my business, if I don't love doing it, then I shouldn't be doing it. And I shouldn't be offering it to my patients. So immediately stop doing those things.

things, and also under start, make a list of the things that you want to start doing, things that you know you've been needing to do for a long time before whatever reason you're holding back.

You know, just start and then the keep doing that's to me. That's like that's all the stuff you love. That's like, okay, these are my top five procedures that I love doing in dentistry. I'm going to keep doing these and I'm just going to do like more of that. I think that exercise alone is huge and the most important part of that exercise though is what comes next and it's just the action. You know, it's stop, start, keep and then at the bottom.

st,: 2024

Shawn Zajas (: 44:36

And it's like, yeah, if action doesn't come out of it, then basically what you're saying is like, you're not willing to bet on yourself. And that's almost like the greatest vote of like, if you can look in the mirror and yet you're not willing to say, yes, I will invest in that person. I will actually say, yes, I will trust that that person has permission to follow their heart, regardless of what happens. It's like, then you'll feel trapped.

If you're not willing to at least just, just go for it, you know? And it's almost like you didn't know when you first took that step of creating that CE software or whatever it specifically was that, you know, a decade or whatever later you'd be leading a mastermind, running a successful software company, being on the board of companies, having successful product companies while still at the same time being this respected clinical dentist. Like you had no idea.

You just took the first step that made sense to you. You didn't, you didn't mastermind it all and have it completely figured out. Now, if someone's listening and they're like, my gosh, I want to work closer with Brian. I mean, so where would they find out more about, let's say smile virtual or where would they find out? I don't know if they're allowed to find out more about the elite academy. Is that kind of like a, is that a public facing thing or is that kind of just behind closed doors?

Dr. Brian Harris (: 45:58

It is more kind of behind closed doors, but no, I mean, so here's the deal. I'm always looking for doctors that see things differently. I'm always looking for, you know, I think it was John Mooney that said, I could be wrong, but you know, it's a lot easier to take somebody.

that already knows how to win and just show them how to win more than it is to take somebody who's used to losing and trying to show them how to win. And so I'm always looking for doctors that are hungry, that are excited about creating more in their own practice in life. And so I would say just reach out to me personally. Probably the easiest way is through social media, Instagram, just at Dr. Brian Harris or just drbrianharris .com is my website.

which is drbryanharris .com, or they can just bug you and then you can connect them with me either way.

Shawn Zajas (: 46:53

Sounds good. Okay, so Brian, here's the last question. I think you're ready for it. So you're walking down the street and off in the distance you see 18 year old Brian and you know you only have a brief moment to communicate one sentiment to him. What do you share?

Dr. Brian Harris (: 47:13

Dang, dude. That's a great question.

Dr. Brian Harris (: 47:20

I would say, I think there's something that lives inside of all of us. There's that voice of like...

Dr. Brian Harris (: 47:31

I actually used to say often, you know, like sports is a great example. I was always kind of just kind of good at everything, but not like really good at one thing. And so I think I've always just in my mind, I've told the story of like, I'm just kind of, I'm average at everything and I've been happy with that. But I think if I could go and talk to myself then.

You know, I would just like sit myself down and say like, hey, like you have the potential to do so much more than you think you do. And like, just believe in yourself. You know, when you have those moments of like.

that's not me or I'm not good enough, like really like take the risk, believe in yourself. Like I feel like if I would have done that even more early on, you know, who knows of where I'd be now, but I think that would probably be the conversation I'd have is just.

you know, everybody in this life has a certain set of like talents and things that they've been blessed with. And it's like figuring out what that is as quickly as possible. And then just like really going all in on those things is the fastest way to not just create more success in your business, but also to just like really like love yourself, love your life and create more meaningful purpose in life in general.

Shawn Zajas (: 48:53

I mean, that's like the perfect cherry on top of this whole episode where it's like, if there's anyone that's just wondering, it's like, you're like, believe in yourself, go for it. Find out what it is that makes you come alive. Like, what is that gift that you have? What is that light that only you can shine and do it? Like, go for it. Like, Brian, it has been so easy to honor you as an innovator, as an influencer, as someone that's just making massive impact in our industry and...

I'm always so in awe of just the way that you have such a power of your presence, but yet you also have such humility. And there's such a generosity of spirit that you just pour out for the benefit of all. And thank you so much for just pouring that out, being so generous and just sharing who you are with me and with my audience. I just want to say thank you so much for letting me interview you today.

Dr. Brian Harris (: 49:48

Shawn, thanks for having me, man. I feel the same, honestly feel the same way about you from the day I met you. I don't know that I've met anyone else in the industry that's as authentic, as real, as personable and consider you a great friend and somebody that I really look up to. So thanks for having me, man. It's been good.