September Proofs Editor's Note

By Kevin Henry
Editor, Proofs

I spent the weekend in Philadelphia and New Jersey, catching up with some old friends and making a new acquaintance in Jay Geier, the man who oversees his Scheduling Institute out of Atlanta and lectures around the country to doctors on matters of finance. I found his talk very interesting and informative, particularly when it came to the economy and the mindset that dentists and team members should have today.

First, Geier believes there are three areas where dentists must continually invest — marketing, human capital (employees), and space and equipment. He is a firm believer that dentists should stay 12 to 18 months ahead of their needs when it comes to space and equipment (of course, this is where I thought of you, a reader of Proofs, and your business).

Second, Geier is a strong believer in what he calls the "two-economy system." Basically, he believes there is an economy dictated by what everyone else does and there is an economy that you and you alone control. While the newspaper and nightly news may be telling people the economy is going south, Geier tells his audience to insulate themselves from those negative economic thoughts and focus only on what they can control. While dentists may not be able to control what is happening in the Middle East or which direction the stock market is heading, they can certainly control their own expenditures and attitudes. Geier told his group in Cherry Hill, N.J., "The eyes only see and the ears only hear what the brain is looking for." If you're looking for things to be bad or good, they will match your beliefs.

My point of this editor's note is not to tell you that Geier is the "end-all expert" in the consulting world, but rather to tell you what he is telling his clients. Go out there and don't be afraid to spend money on your team members and equipment. Don't hold back when it comes to updating your office. These are good words for you, as the sales rep and manufacturer, to hear and pass along to those people with whom you come into contact.

The sky is not falling ... unless you want it to.

Speaking of the economy and the outlook for 2011, I'd love to know what you think about the current atmosphere and how it's affecting your clients and business (if any). Please take a moment to fill out our Proofs "State of the Industry" survey by clicking here. Your answers will help form the basis for the November cover story. Thank you in advance for your help.

Also, I hope you've received the September print edition of Proofs by now, complete with some good information on trade shows (including the 2011 meetings calendar) and the international dealer directory. Along with those articles, I hope you'll have a chance to read my editor's note and my view on the ADA Annual Session in Orlando. You can read it by clicking here.

I have a couple of weeks at home before heading to Orlando for the ADA meeting. If you'll be in Orlando, I hope you'll say hello and let me know your thoughts on Proofs, the economy, or whatever else you'd like to chat about. I'd love to hear from you.

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