Women Who’ve Sold Their Business Series: Dr. Debra King

Dr. Debra King:
I've always wanted my business to be on, to run on autopilot, and it never has. But that is part of my goal for these next four years, is replacing myself. Like, you know, bringing up my leaders in my practice so that they can continue on at the same level of excellence and providing for our patients when I'm no longer the one like, 'Oh, what about this? And what about that?' So that's really more what I view my role now for the next four years is bringing my leaders up and getting them to where they can someday run this practice without my input.

Kris Plachy:
So I am super excited today to have Doctor Debra King on the podcast here. Dr. King and I worked together, what, five, six years ago? I don't even know, maybe seven. Yeah, you know, it's such a trip. And I know we've stayed in touch, you know, on the grams, as they say. Right? But then you poked me when I said I was doing this podcast series on women who've sold their business, and I was like, 'Oh, my gosh, you sold your business'. This is so exciting. And so Dr. King has always been a favorite client of mine. I want to maybe every now and then talk about you to other clients.

Kris Plachy:
One of my favorites is when we had that conversation. I don't know if you remember this, but it's so pronounced in my mind where you said you would think, I'll forget you said that. Do you remember this? You would think someone who's 42 years old would know how to. I don't even know what we were talking about, but I'll never forget you said you would think. And I am like, no, you think.

Dr. Debra King:
Exactly.

Kris Plachy:
They clearly don't think because they didn't do it that way. Right? I don't know what the topic was, but it was. I think I even did a podcast on it because it's just one of those things we say to ourselves so insidiously, like, you think somebody would know how to do this, who's an adult, maybe not. So anyway, so welcome to the podcast. Thank you.

Dr. Debra King:
I'm so excited to be here, Chris.

Kris Plachy:
I'm thrilled. I'm thrilled. I love your jacket. Matches my lipstick. So you and I together make a good pair. So. Okay, so tell us about you. Tell us about what? You know what.

Kris Plachy:
Let me give you a little more context. Let's talk about why you got into the work that you got into, and why don't we start by talking about what is the work that you have built a life on?

Dr. Debra King:
Okay, well, I'm a cosmetic dentist. My practice is the Atlanta center for Cosmetic Dentistry. And I started dentistry. Gosh, I did the math this morning over 35 years ago. So I've had a really incredible career making people beautiful, because we all know the smile is the first thing that you notice when you meet someone. So it's very important. And I've always had this artistic side to me.

Dr. Debra King:
So when I became a dentist, this whole cosmetic dentistry side of dentistry was very new. So I was a pioneer in this. This part of dentistry. Right out of dental school, I worked as an associate for a dentist and learned kind of the basics and was very fortunate because he was going through this business program back then, it was called Quest. It then became Fortune Management with Anthony Robbins. But so I was just so fortunate so early on in my career to get some knowledge on how to run a business, because in dental school, they don't really teach you that. And, you know, at the time, I hated every minute of it because it was over weekends and, you know, very long hours. But looking back, it was one of the things that really helped me achieve what I've achieved over the years.

Dr. Debra King:
But, yeah, we. I have never really worked alone. I've always had other dentists in my practice, which I love. I love the camaraderie. And we're actually the only practice in the world that has four accredited cosmetic dentists with the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry. So we're the only one in the world. Yeah.

Kris Plachy:
You know, I want to ask you a question about that, because one of the things that is common for female founders across industry. So you happen to do cosmetic dentistry. I happen to be a coach. I have interior design clients. I have mental health professional clients. I have people who prepare meals, food. Right, whatever. And one of the, one of the constant or consistent roadblocks is nothing.

Kris Plachy:
Being able to hire other people to do what you do because there's fear, anxiety, maybe some slightly controlling behaviors ish, that they won't do it like you do. So I wonder if you can kind of pull, go into your recesses of your experience there and find out why that didn't stop you. Because it's part of why you grew. Right. Exponentially. Because you had a team, not just you doing this highly curated, elegant work. Right.

Dr. Debra King:
Well, I think being a woman and a mother really drove that part of me because I never wanted to just have my own practice. I wanted to have someone that could cover for me. And, you know, if there was a school play, I didn't have to miss it because I had another dentist that could help me. Now, having said that, like, a lot of business owners, I went through many failed partnerships that were disaster. But finally, I think I learned from every one of them, and I learned how to put together a partnership that was a win win. And I'll never forget the very first doctor that worked for me. And this was back 30 years ago when I really, I didn't have a lot of dentistry to do. And I'll never forget that one day I was in there, and I was basically doing a cleaning on a patient, and my associate was doing this big, expensive procedure, and I was like, what is going on here? Like, I'm the one at risk on the mortgage, all this paying bills.

Dr. Debra King:
And, you know, you have to learn from every situation. And I finally, over the years, put together a kind of package deal, you know, for lack of other words, of setting up a partnership for keeps. And, you know, Dr. Charlie Cooper has been with me over 15 years now, so. But, you know, we had to have certain understandings. and one of them, when he first came in, and this was back when we, we had, we were doing cosmetic dentistry, but I was the only one doing it. We didn't have that much to do. Like it was, you know, there was enough for me, but not for more doctors to do it. And so in the very beginning, one of the deals was, look, I'm helping enroll other procedures for you, but if there's cosmetic, that's what I want to do. And it was the first time, you know, that we had that understanding.

Dr. Debra King:
And now, of course, he's doing way more cosmetic dentistry because we grew and grew and grew, and now we even have two other doctors that are doing cosmetic. But it kind of, you had to have things in place that set you up for success for the long haul. And my second doctor's been with me over ten years. So, anyway, so you kind of have to learn from what didn't work and then create a situation that's a win win for both of you.

Kris Plachy:
Yeah. I hope people are listening. Because I think what happens is we try that. We try to hire a person, whatever it is, right, who will do the thing, and then they do fail, a lot. And then we maybe don't ever do it again. Right. Because it's too hard or it's too frustrating or it's too much liability. Right.

Dr. Debra King:
Or it's just easier to do it yourself. Exactly. There's a lot of that. I also felt like I really had to push my other dentists. Like I mentioned, we're the only practice with four accredited dentists. Well, really, most of the doctors weren't just like, yes, I want to go because it's a grueling process, and I really pushed them to do it. Now they're so glad. But there was this level of excellence that I wanted all my dentists, all the dentists that worked with me to be able to give to our patients.

Dr. Debra King:
So there's a little aspect of that, like, okay, I have this credential, and I want you to also have it. And then sometimes you have to kind of, you know, push them a little bit.

Kris Plachy:
You have to believe it for them.

Dr. Debra King:
When they believe it for them. Yes. Like, I know you can do this.

Kris Plachy:
Yeah, I love that. But that's, that's, that mentorship part of leadership that I think is. Is often overlooked. Like, to me, that's the gift of leadership, is is watching people grow who you've invested in. That's such- and now they get to live these incredible lives doing this incredible. Right.

Dr. Debra King:
Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Kris Plachy:
But you gotta be willing to walk through all that icky part of people not working out and customers being upset. Right. That they don't like the work they did. I mean, I'm sure you've been through all of it, and so. But if the vision is clear, and I know we were talking about, before we start, hit the record button. Right. Like, you and I both share a deep commitment to being involved in our kids lives. Your kids are much older than mine now, but when your kids were younger.

Kris Plachy:
Right, like, you wanted a life that allowed you to go to their games and be a part of the things that they were. Yeah.

Dr. Debra King:
It was really important to me, you know. Because my, both my boys played football at Auburn, and so you, you can imagine football started at five or six years old. And so all through high school and college, like, I didn't want to miss a single game. And it's really hard to do that if you're a sole proprietor and you've got employees that need to work and you need to provide for not only your family, but their families. And so that was another reason why it's so nice when you can find like minded professionals that share your values and your. Your skills, you know, so that you can provide for your patients.

Kris Plachy:
Yeah, that's so good. I just think it's a great. You know, when, when
I was just in, in Disneyland this past weekend. I know you know that because I post my pictures. I'm a huge fan of Walt Disney. I've talked about it a few times. I'm always struck, you know, when Disney is, is just filled with memorabilia of him.

Kris Plachy:
Not just Mickey and all the characters, but of him. And I always think if a guy could do that, right? He, I just was reading, he died at 65. His park had only been open, like, I think, like twelve years or something before he died, I can't quite recall, but the sheer vision that he had and the willingness to allow people to take that mantle and then the promise he created because of that vision. Right. Has. Has lived so exponentially beyond him.

Kris Plachy:
And I just think that's such a wonderful legacy. And I don't think all of us are Walt Disney, but I do think it's just powerful to remember that he was just a dude who drew this character named Osborn, and then it was his name Osborne, and then it turned into this like-

Dr. Debra King:
Yeah, well, he had a vision. And, you know, a lot of times we have good ideas, but I, you have to put them, you know, you have to make them happen, you know?

Kris Plachy:
Yeah. You have to believe yourself enough to believe that other people will believe you.

Dr. Debra King:
Right.

Kris Plachy:
That makes sense. Okay, so here you go. You've built this gorgeous business. You and I met when you were at a real intersection of your business's growth. And you and your wonderful CEO at the time, who I worked with as well, were really trying to figure out. Okay, what were we trying to figure out? How do we do this without killing ourselves? Is that?

Dr. Debra King:
That was a little bit of it. Yeah.

Kris Plachy:
Yes. Yeah. How do we, how do we grow? And you. And it doesn't require as much of you, and yet the work is still amazing and. Right. Like, really crafting that leadership part of the business. Right.

Kris Plachy:
Not just focused on the client, but really on the culture and the environment that people worked in. And. Right, because you had been doing that, and then you grew so much that that becomes like, there's a whole other level involved there. Yeah. Yeah. So then. So then that got kind of worked out, which was cool. And you and your CEO, Jamie, at the time, got a lot of really good things in place.

Kris Plachy:
And so then let's talk, talk about what started to trigger you or make you think. "I think I might want to start thinking about selling"?

Dr. Debra King:
Well, I knew that a business like mine was going to only be desirable to a small, like, realm of people. And, you know, even though my partners, you know, they. They didn't own the practice, but I always referred to them as partners, but I guess technically they were really associates. They were not interested in purchasing my practice, and it was a pretty large practice, and I knew that I was going to need to stay on for many years, you know? So I just started thinking, what was my five year exit strategy? I just started, like, looking into it. Like, I felt like I needed to educate myself because, you know, at that point, I was thinking it might still be three or four or five years before I start this, but then I'm going to have another five years, and I'm 62 years old. I'm a little older than you, Kris, and.

Kris Plachy:
Which I don't believe anyway, but okay, whatever.

Dr. Debra King:
But, you know, so I just. I just wanted to start educating myself. So I hired an accountant and, you know, got my books in order. Not. Not that they were not in order, but, you know, when you're thinking about putting your practice on the market, you have to do the accounting, where you take the legitimate owner expenses to the side because the new owner would not have it. So I just started that process, and then it just kind of flowed. And I met someone that I felt would a company, I would say a larger company that I felt that I could work with because it was very important to me. There were several things.

Dr. Debra King:
One, I wanted the legacy of what I had created to continue on even into the next generation. And then I wanted to make sure that my team and my doctors were taken care of, even when I exited to the right or the left, or whatever that is, you know, but those were really important things to me. And so I did a lot of due diligence to find a company that I felt would continue keeping things the way that we had done them and continue taking care of my team. And I don't know if that's common with a lot of women entrepreneurs and maybe not as much with men, but it was very important to me because, you know, they're like my work family, and. Yes, you know, and I take that very seriously.

Kris Plachy:
Yeah, well, I do. I do think that, I don't know if it's a male female thing or it's just. What was your origin story? Because I do know that there's some people who start companies with it without any ill intent. It's just that they want to build a business so they can sell it. And I think a lot of, at least the women I work with, they didn't start businesses thinking they would sell them. But then along the way, you realize, oh, I've built quite an asset here. I should probably sell it. Right.

Kris Plachy:
And your story is so much like most of the women that I've talked to in that you make that decision, and then you have to go about the business of getting educated. And I do believe that the education process, the resources available that are at least targeted and marketed to women are minimal. That doesn't mean that the resources aren't available. It just means that I don't think we see or hear them much. Whereas, you know, and call that the algorithm, call it whatever you want, call it who's on the golf course and who isn't, whatever you want to call it. Right. We just aren't necessarily socializing in an environment where we get that information as easily as a lot of men do. And so I don't think that means it's not available again, I just think it means we have to kind of say, oh, wait, I want to explore this.

Kris Plachy:
And I love that. Your example is exactly what I hear. It's like, oh, I thought I needed to figure this out, so I did. Which is what you've always done.

Dr. Debra King:
Pretty much.

Kris Plachy:
Pretty much how you roll, right? You're a smart woman. You're like, "I need, I need details and information". And you went and found them. And I love that you found an organization that you could do this with that felt like a home for your business, that felt authentic and right. Right? Because why, you know, after all that effort to-

Dr. Debra King:
I don't know, there's a lot of trust with that, too. Like, I'm only a year into this and I'm still holding my breath because that's a whole different animal, having someone that's involved in the decisions like I was used to. Oh, I want to hire that person. You can start today. And now there's a whole, you gotta, you know, there's just a whole process. So it is totally different. And I'm very optimistic, but I'm also kind of holding my breath because I know I've got another four year commitment, and I just, I just hope that it continues like it did this year, which they pretty much have just let us continue like we have been. But, you know, that could change tomorrow.

Dr. Debra King:
Like, and that's really a scary part of selling your business is, am I going to be miserable the last four years of my career? Like, you know, you worry about that.

Kris Plachy:
Well, and the truth is, it happens, so I have very real evidence of that. Right. And I mean, I've heard, like, I was just talking to another woman that I interviewed, and she said very plainly, some people buy you to put you out of business, and you don't even see it coming. And I'm like, well, there's a thing. You're the competition, and they don't want you in business. Right. And so, you know, I've watched that happen to someone. They plop someone in as a CEO who couldn't run it.

Kris Plachy:
And so the bummer is, is the buyout on the back end. And these are all things, you know, like the women that I've been talking to, we've seen all the packages. Right. Like cash up front, three month close, five month close. Five year close is very common. Right. The last withhold. Or, the other one I've seen now a lot. I have another client who's in the midst of this is the, it's a, we give you this much equity upfront, we hold it back and then we roll it and sell the whole thing.

Kris Plachy:
Right. So then you get double your equity or more when they sell your part of the business, plus the other businesses that they've acquired. So that's usually the VC or private equity model.

Dr. Debra King:
If that happens, like, there's no guarantees. Like it's the carrot that they can put in front of you. But, but, yeah, I mean, you have to also realize there might not be another dime past what you got.

Kris Plachy:
So do you like what you got? Right. That's the, like that is the ultimate question, is what you, what they're giving you to walk away right now, is that good enough? Right.

Dr. Debra King:
Because I know a lot of women entrepreneurs, and certainly for me, my entire retirement was tied up in my business.

Kris Plachy:
Yes.

Dr. Debra King:
You know, so that was a part of the factor is that I, you know, you just never know. It's an election year.

Kris Plachy:
You know, there's all sorts of stuff going on.

Dr. Debra King:
Yeah, yeah. And like, one of the worst case scenarios did happen to me where I slipped and, and hurt my wrist and I haven't been able to pick up a handpiece in months. So, you know, it's like, there's the best case scenario, but then you hate to be like Debbie Downer and. Oh, what, what are the worst case scenarios? But sometimes those things play into, you know, into play, so.

Kris Plachy:
Oh, you have to know. I
don't think that's Debbie Downer at all. I think that the lack of that is the problem. We tend to want to believe the whole, because who doesn't? We want to believe it. It'll be fabulous. But there's always going to be a hiccup along the way. So. I do, I love that, what you just said.

Kris Plachy:
It's like, if this is all that I get out of the sale, is this enough? Because otherwise, I do see, I do and have watched women hedge too much of their future and into the hands. And as an entrepreneur. Right. There can't be anything more frustrating than putting your own future financial success in the hands of someone else when you've been in charge of it your entire life. Right?

Dr. Debra King:
Yeah.

Kris Plachy:
Yeah. No matter what their promise is on the back end, like, I do see the both sides and the five year plan or the three year plan, one of the common, other challenges that I'll just throw out there, because I've heard it now several times, is as soon as you get involved, and I won't ask you to comment, because you're still work with them. Right. But oftentimes, when you get involved with a bigger company that acquires you, you start to realize how inefficient bigger companies are in their decision making, in how fast it takes to get things done, in how much they just need to have meetings after meetings after meetings after meetings, and they have to redo budgets, and they have to get approvals. And, you know, it's like I used to say when I worked in corporate, like, everybody spins plates and nobody ever eats a meal. Like, it's just always in the air.

Dr. Debra King:
Well, and turnover. Like, you know, seeing, like, the people that were the face of the company, some of them are gone, and I'm like, okay, now who am I dealing with? And a lot of what I've seen, too, is, you know, okay, they're a big corporation, and they want everything kind of the same. But we're the unicorn practice. Like, we're not like all the others. And a lot of the things that they've implemented that supposedly help the smaller practices really just cause chaos. Like, even just. I'll give you an example. We use what's called the vault, where you can take your patient's credit card number, and it goes into this encrypted vault. So we can always charge, and hence, that's why we don't have large accounts receivable, because our patients pay before we get started.

Dr. Debra King:
Well, you know, they were having a hard time allowing us to continue that. And finally, one day, we had a huge celebrity in the office ready to do, like, a $25,000 case. And, you know, they, they don't carry a wallet. Like, they have people that handle that.

Kris Plachy:
Somebody else is in charge, literally. Yeah.

Dr. Debra King:
And they were a little irritated that, like, why don't you still have my credit card on file? And so finally, we call, like, they're wanting to pay. Like, this this thing is totally encrypted. It allows you to get paid up front. Why would you not let us have this? And finally they, they found a way to get around the policy or whatever. But, yeah, sometimes you're just shaking your head, like because you have so many things in place and that's why you became successful.

Kris Plachy:
Right. Which is why they wanted to buy you in the first place. Yes.

Dr. Debra King:
Yeah, exactly. So anyway, but like I said, there's been things but nothing major, but-

Kris Plachy:
Well, I think even people who work in these companies would tell you, yeah, it's frustrating, like, because I think usually on the front end, the people who are sort of doing the negotiations and they're part of all that, they want things to move too. And then they, then it's, it's just a nature of the beast. It's like anything, as soon as it gets too big, we just know there's it. People are now people start to fight and advocate for their own position and authority rather than necessarily what's best for the end result. Right. That's just, uh, I don't know, that's just humanness or something that's way beyond what we're going to do now. One of the things I know you also said at the beginning, before we hit record was now you're getting to do more sort of on the business instead of in the business work. And that's kind of fun and interesting.

Kris Plachy:
So what are some of the things now that you're doing more of, would you say then, since you're not doing the practice, as my one client said, bending over patients?

Dr. Debra King:
Yeah, exactly.

Kris Plachy:
Like, I don't know if that's such a great thing to say as a dentist, but I guess it's a thing. Dentists.

Dr. Debra King:
Yeah, yeah. Cause, you know, you're working upside down most of your career, but yeah, it's been kind of fun. Cause it's almost felt like a second career. Like I always was very involved in the business side of- but I was like a full time hands on dentist and then a full time running the business and it was like working a double, you know, two jobs at once. And so now that I have other dentists that are so highly skilled and qualified and because I had this injury, I'm actually enjoying this other side. And like, I'm involved in every aspect, hiring, training, just mentoring, marketing, implementing ideas because I think, you know, you probably know this more than anyone. Like, you can have great ideas, but if, if you don't make sure they get implemented, you never get ahead. And that's a big struggle, you know, like, and sometimes, you know, we laugh because I'm like, if we get a good idea I'm like, okay, we need to put this in effect today.

Dr. Debra King:
Not, you know, like, don't wait till next week's meeting. Like, let's talk to the key people and let's start it today. You know, so there is this immediacy because sometimes if you wait a week, then other fires come up and you never even get to that. So.

Kris Plachy:
So, yeah, well, that's that entrepreneurial thing that we do, kickstart, like. Right. Because first of all, if I don't get it implemented today, I'm, forget about it. Tomorrow-

Dr. Debra King:
Yeah.

Kris Plachy:
Also, usually you have a pretty good idea and you don't want anybody else implementing something before, right, before you've had the chance to do it. How big is the team now that you're overseeing in this business that you have?

Dr. Debra King:
We have probably a little under 25 total, including the doctors.

Kris Plachy:
Perfect. And so your location, nothing like that changed. Right? You stayed right where you are.

Dr. Debra King:
Yeah. I'll show you a picture of our office. It's a beautiful office.

Kris Plachy:
It's so, I just remember, maybe you've redone it even since I talked to you last. But, you know, one of the things that's, as you're pulling that up and people can always find you. What's your website?

Dr. Debra King:
It is the Atlanta Center for Cosmetic Dentistry.com. Look, can you see that?

Kris Plachy:
Oh, look at that. It's just like, there you go. Like a big stately plantation home.

Dr. Debra King:
Yeah. And we actually built this from scratch.

Kris Plachy:
Oh, it's so beautiful.

Dr. Debra King:
I guess like in 2000. So it's 8,400 square feet. It's just like a southern mansion.

Kris Plachy:
Yeah.

Dr. Debra King:
It's just a beautiful facility to work in. So we're really proud of that.

Kris Plachy:
Yeah. From the moment people walk in. Right. The experience begins. So it's not like walking into your dentist's office with piped in jazzo music. And, you know-

Dr. Debra King:
Our reception area looks like a living room with a limestone fireplace and wood paneling and coffered ceilings. I mean, we wanted, from the second that they walked into the office for them to feel at home. The foyer is black and white, checkerboard, marble. Anyway.

Kris Plachy:
But why did you do that? Why did you? Because this is the stuff that always fascinates me. Right. Because you could have opened up a location in a strip mall. Do you know what I'm saying? Like, you could have, but you didn't. I mean, you probably were somewhere in an office building first and then you made this decision. So why?

Dr. Debra King:
Well, there's a saying that I heard years ago that you want to create an environment where people are comfortable paying for the best. And, like, I wanted to be the best cosmetic dentist. I wanted to create the most beautiful smiles. And people do look at the whole package, you know, the team and, you know.Like, sometimes you can walk into an office and you could cut the tension with a knife, you know, and, like, we pride ourselves in teamwork and we really, truly love each other and work well together. And, you know, like I said, our dentists are the highest credentialed in cosmetic dentistry in the world. And, you know, we just wanted to create an environment where people, when they walk in the door, they're like, "I think they know what they're doing". You know, "I think that they might have done this a time or two before," and we just want to communicate that from the very first.

Kris Plachy:
I love that. And again, I think that it's a, you know, one of the things that's interesting to talk with you, Deb, is, like you. I think you even take for granted that you think like that because so many other people don't. And so I know this isn't as much about selling your business, but it does speak to the depth of your vision that it wasn't, it wasn't just about being a good dentist. It was about creating this whole lifestyle experience that people would have by being affiliated.Which I think makes a big difference also in then making that decision to sell and who's going to buy and who's going to represent that going forward. So I'm always intrigued by the little decisions that people make that, you know, I mean, what a beautiful idea. But why? Right? Like, what was the driver behind that? It still continues to speak to you even in the decisions that
you're making today.

Dr. Debra King:
Well, and I really push my team and encourage my team and really anyone I come in contact with, like, whatever you want to do in your life. Like, don't be mediocre, you know, like, whatever it is you're passionate about, what can you do to be the best in that field? And you're going to enjoy it much better if you do. You know, I think people that just show up and put in their 8 hours, they're miserable, you know, whereas if you are you good at what you do and you know it and you're changing people's lives, that's where the joy in life is.

Kris Plachy:
Yep. That's where the, what the strut comes from, right? It's like, okay, I have got, at least I have this figured out exactly. I may not know how to do any of that, but I could do this really well.

Dr. Debra King:
Exactly.

Kris Plachy:
Helps compensate for the things that we haven't become excellent at yet, which I know my list is big. Okay, so I have a question for you. I know where I could talk to you forever. So one of the things that every single person I've talked to so far has told me that I did not expect. So this is why I'm going to ask you. But you're still working there. So I don't know if this will apply to you. But they, every single one of them said in some way, shape or form, nobody prepared me for basically the existential crisis that would happen when I actually sold my business.

Kris Plachy:
Like, the feeling that it wasn't mine anymore. Yeah, I'm curious.

Dr. Debra King:
I haven't really experienced that yet because I still do own part of the business still. And I still have at least four more years of a commitment. So I'm nothing quite there yet. I do have, you know, things in the works. Like, you know, where do I want my retirement home? And, you know, I'm kind of looking down the road of what am I going to do? Because being a cosmetic dentist is such a big part of my identity and such a big part of what fills my day. And, you know, there's only so much pickleball or.

Kris Plachy:
No, there's never enough pickleball. Do you play pickleball?

Dr. Debra King:
Well, I did before I hurt my wrist.

Kris Plachy:
Did you fall playing pickleball?

Dr. Debra King:
No, but there's a lot of injuries with pickleball.

Kris Plachy:
I know. My husband's a physical therapist. You know, it's keeping him.

Dr. Debra King:
Oh, he's probably booming in business. It's pickleball.

Kris Plachy:
Oh, my God. I play every day if I can.

Dr. Debra King:
Yeah, it's so fun.

Kris Plachy:
I love my pickleball. So we'll have to have a pickleball day once your wrist is better. But. But it is an interesting question. So do you, you think that you're done after you are finished here? Do you think you're done having a business, or do you think there's another one in your future?

Dr. Debra King:
Well, you know, I have for many, many years. It's a joke around the office. We should write a book, and because we have so many stories. But I, but, so there's a possibility of that. I actually am getting back into the lecturing. I did that for a long time. And then when I missed one of my kids events, I was like, it's just not worth it, you know? So I put all my lecturing and instructing other dentists on standby, and now that they're all adults.

Dr. Debra King:
I actually am giving a lecture in November, so.

Kris Plachy:
Oh good.

Dr. Debra King:
I. Yeah, so. Because I feel like I have so much knowledge.

Kris Plachy:
Oh you do?

Dr. Debra King:
Experience. And you know maybe I can help others, you know, that are maybe a little earlier in their career. So I can see me doing more and more of that. And that's fun too, making a difference in a different way.

Kris Plachy:
Yeah, there's- I don't know if we ever talked about this, but it's still one of my favorite books. It's by Bill George. It's called True North. And he talks about the phases that we go through in our lives and he talks about kind of that the twenties are about, you know, whatever, figuring it out. And then the thirties and the early forties are about building and accumulating, right. Building our career, building our family, building our wealth, all of those things.

Kris Plachy:
And then we go into a transition of purging and letting things go and moving away from the things that we've built, which is so ironic. And then the sort of next phase of that is the give back. It's the real, it's when the purpose that we've had our whole lives becomes really the predominant focus and it's less about accumulating and more about genuinely, you know, legacy or, or infusing others with what we've learned.And so that, that's right on time, right for where you are. And you're such a pioneer in what you've done and you're a woman in a world that isn't dominated by women and you have worked on some really cool people's faces. So I would really love it if you'd write that book. I imagine what these people say to you under anesthesia. I'm kidding.

Kris Plachy:
Wouldn't that be funny? Yeah, but I think you have so much and that's so wonderful to be filled up by that, that, that gives you something to do. And I imagine a lot of those lectures and experiences could be in very fun, interesting places. I think you get some good travel in there. So if you had the chance to talk to, you know, several thousand people all at once about selling a business as a woman who created one, what might be the thing that you would want to leave them with, wisdom, or the idea, or the whatever.

Dr. Debra King:
Well I think, you know, definitely do your research. Talk to a lot of people that have gone through it. You know, there's no right or wrong. You've just got to do what feels right to you. But it is a, it's like, you know, it's your baby and to give up the control and the decision making after all those years of you being it. Like the buck stops with you. It's going to be a big adjustment. It really is. And, you know, I might have more advice a year or two from now on.

Dr. Debra King:
Things I'm having to deal with to get through my next four years. But I've just passed the one year mark, so I've got a little bit of insight. But it's going to be a big adjustment.

Kris Plachy:
Yeah. And I would imagine as you get closer to that end date, your role will continue to, I would hope anyway. There's a transition plan that might be ambitious, but a process by which you have less and less and less and less involvement in the day to day. Otherwise, the business will continue to be, too dependent.

Dr. Debra King:
Well, you know, I've always wanted my business to be on, to run on autopilot, and it never has. But that is part of my goal for these next four years, is replacing myself, like, you know, bringing up my leaders in my practice so that they can continue on at the same level of excellence and providing for our patients when I'm no longer the one like, oh, what about this? And what about that? So that's really more what I view my role now for the next four years is bringing my leaders up and getting them to where they can someday run this practice without my input.

Kris Plachy:
But, you know, I think it's a, it's an interesting thing. This is just a side note for everyone listening and for you. When I had an event in Sonoma back in March with some of my Sage clients, and by the second day, they were all ready to punch me in the face because they were exhausted from the amount of thinking we got to be like, 02:00 on the second day, and they were like, do not ask me another question, Plachy. I'm going to punch you in the face. But what we did is we have a tendency to think a lot about what we do that makes us so good. Right. So in your case, this is how we approach cosmetic dentistry.

Kris Plachy:
This is how we approach onboarding a client. This is what we want that patient experience to be. Right. That whole thing. But what we don't do is we don't really solidify our leadership philosophy, the framework that we have in our brain for how we want to develop people, how do we want to identify leaders, how do we want to give feedback to leaders? And so I love this for you, right? Because from, of course I love it because I think it's a cool playground to develop leaders. Leaders are so fun to develop. Much more so to me than other people in an organization just because they have so much more impact.

Kris Plachy:
One leader. Right. But it's a whole new system to consider building. So you can teach someone how to reconstruct a face or a mouth. Right. How do we teach someone to lead in your, with your philosophy, but not as you.

Dr. Debra King:
Right.

Kris Plachy:
Because they aren't you. But they, but the philosophy can remain. The practice can remain. So I think that'll be fun for you to figure out. So. But I love that. And I think that's great feedback and advice for everyone.

Kris Plachy:
I do think the tendency is that a lot of people want to sell their business because they don't want to run it anymore. And I can understand that. Running a business is so hard, and it is quite depleting. And we do, I think, all have sort of a capstone on that, like, okay, I can't do this anymore. I don't want to. But the escape desire can't be the motivation.

Dr. Debra King:
Right.

Kris Plachy:
Or you'll compromise too much of what you've built. So the research, getting to know people, asking a lot of questions, not accepting that first person, whatever they tell you, whatever their advice is, not accepting that is the one way that it has to be. I think that's all really vital. Yeah. So I am so grateful to you. So we already put your website out there. If you need some reconstructive cosmetic dentistry, you should absolutely look up Debra. She is actually still on my list because one of my kids is missing an incisor.

Kris Plachy:
I think we've talked about this, and he's now 20. So we're at the point where I think, you
know, we're almost grown, right? And that's what we've been waiting for. It's funny because I have several. I have several physician and dentist clients. So I have a, I have a plastic surgeon client who I've always said if I ever needed anything, that's where I'm going. I'm going to Colorado. Right? I'm flying to Atlanta.

Kris Plachy:
If we ever need major teeth work. It's just good to have all these people so you can trust me when I tell you that very, very important people and super handsome and good looking ones have trusted Dr. King with their face. So that's good news. But I'm so grateful for you nudging me and for you taking the time with me today again on your beautiful porch. We've had so many conversations with you sitting there. It's just beautiful.

Dr. Debra King:
Yeah. It's my favorite room of my house.

Kris Plachy:
Well, thank you for taking the time.

Dr. Debra King:
Thank you for spending this hour with me. And, you know, thank you too, because you really helped me through a really difficult part of my life. And some of the advice that you gave me was just so instrumental in keeping my team together and just making it through to where I am now. So I just really want to thank you because you have such insight and wisdom and thank you.

Kris Plachy:
Thank you. We'll have to get you back to Hawaii one of these days.

Dr. Debra King:
I know, for sure. I would love that.

Kris Plachy:
Anyway, I could talk and talk about that. I'll hit stop recording you and I can keep talking about it, but thank you, Deb.

Dr. Debra King:
Okay, thank you.

Kris Plachy:
Remember that I asked you to be a part of my Catalyst podcast event, where I'm inviting you to become a visionary Catalyst, share the podcast link with women that you know. And as soon as you hit 20 shared links, clicks on those, we can measure that. I'm going to give you one of my bonus digital courses.

Go to thevisionary.ceo/catalyst. Get yourself registered. Grab the podcast link. Super easy, and please share it with women that you know that are leading in the world, because I'd love to be able to impact 20 million women. I know that when women feel more confident in who they are as leaders. It changes who they are in their lives.

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