The Everything Dental Rep

So many people spend their health gaining wealth, and then have to spend their wealth to regain their health

Fitbit - an excellent health tool!

 

Hi all!

 

I was down in Arizona this Christmas and I went out for some boxing day sales to buy new pants.  My ‘normal’ waist size is about 33…but I admit the pants were getting a little snug.  It’s funny how you can stay more or less the same weight and yet your body shape changes!!  I started trying on size 35 pants and told myself it was ok if I was getting 1” or 2” on my waist every 10 years…we are all getting older…blah, blah, blah.

 

I walked out of the dressing room disgusted with myself, and didn’t bring home anything but new underwear and socks…..but I DID go to Best Buy thinking buying some new little electronic gadget may make me feel better…

 

And I came out with a product called a Fit Bit.

 

The fit Bit is a high end Pedometer, wireless sleep tracker, connected calorie counter…it was exactly the motivation I needed to get serious about getting rid of that flab!!

 

I started making sure I was getting close to 10,000 steps per day – and I also soon realized exactly how bad my diet really was.  Even the days I didn’t think I was eating much – I learned that I was eating the wrong things! It didn’t take much for me to adjust my lifestyle.  I have been a bit of a fitness nut all my life…I was just a little off kilter and kind of lazy actually.  Accepting that I could get into this kind of shape! YUCK!! So I adjusted my protein up and my carbs to mid level (hey we own a bakery – and the stuff is like crack!).  I started eating something nutritious every few hours – so about 4 – 5 times per day but much smaller meals.  Cut down about 700 calories a day and increased my cardio to 40+ minutes per day.

 

And I lost 16 pounds in 6 weeks! Now 2 inches on the waist….but not quite happy there yet.

 

My new goal is to gain back muscle I used to own.  And that is a HUGE commitment! It takes dedication to lifting heavy. And I will.  I forgot how good it makes me feel, not just physically – but mentally.  It helps me with confidence.  There are no real downsided other than finding time – but HEALTH is one of the most precious things we have.  It amazes me how many people wait until they have major issues before adjusting their lifestyle.  HEALTH is a gift, I plan on making an investment…

 

How about you?

 

Smile!

Warren Bobinski

Success in Dentistry and Life

We all want to feel valuable.

 

“We all stumble….every one of us. That is why it is a comfort to go hand in hand” Margaret Mead

 

That staff member asks for a raise as a way to feel more important and valuable.  So often I get calls from staff members looking for another job.

 

And you know what……It’s NEVER been about the pay.

 

And yet, when I sit and consult with many of my doctors – it’s the number one thing many are thinking about!!

 

Think about how you want to be treated when you are performing.  Do you like it when someone doesn’t respect your treatment plan.  Questions your work?  Thinks you are overpaid for what you do? Tells you how to do dentistry, and they decide to pay you what THEY think it’s worth, or will just go somewhere else if you don’t do as they say.  What if they just think ALL dentists are the same, and think they should just go save a buck?

 

We are all human.

So think….

 

Who would you work harder for? Provide the highest quality of treatment for? That person who respects you,  is happy to pay you what you ask, accepts your treatment plan and advice?  Or that person who grinds you and tells you from day one they are just going to “get a second opinion” to make sure you are giving them good advice?  Maybe they will just ‘shop around’ to see if they can get a better deal…and they probably can. But will it really be the same as what you do?

 

Interesting things I know…

 

Most offices with high turnover pay the highest wages. Did you know that?

Most offices with the highest overhead also have multiple sales reps. Ya, that’s a plug for me. But my guys who check RK house and compare to the majority tend to be in the most desired ‘positions’ (low overhead, high production)….I don’t believe it’s a fluke.  I am proud of it, and proud of you, my friends for getting there!

 

Soooo…..

 

The golden rule of treating others how you would want to be treated yourself…..it seems too often forgotten while ‘doing business’.  “It’s just business”…..is it really?

 

If you want staff to perform – make sure they feel the respect for what they do.  Give them some freedom and understand they don’t live to work, they work to live.  The most passionate people find a way to enjoy what they do – get a sense of accomplishment at the end of the day, and the true reward is not really the paycheque (albeit, it is one way to show people how much we value them – it isn’t the only way).

 

It works well with staff, and you almost always get back what you give.   Every high performing office rewards staff, pays ‘average’ but allows staff to show their skill and doesn’t dictate.  They find the right spot on the team for each team member. They have fun.  They often play together and pursue the passion for the profession together….

 

Production is more valuable than Deduction

 

Watching your expenses is important.

 

But stressing about dollars to save dimes is not good.  It is a path to mediocrity.

 

Instead focus on the end result.  Performance and time is everything in this profession.  If you keep your eye on constant improvement, time and proper staff management – the expenses will ALWAYS fall in place.

 

Did you know that wasted product and time  IN THE OFFICE will cost you more than you could ever save by ‘shopping around’.  Go ahead and see how much a wasted drop of bond costs….or two minutes of time wasted instead of performing chair side.  High performing staff will earn your practice much more relative to pay than an inexperienced person would for a few bucks an hour less.  You know it. 

 

The offices with the highest performance work as a team.

 

Every team member knows their job.  They are motivated to do better by the other team members doing better.  It’s a much easier goal to accomplish with a clear path.

 

Team meetings are valuable and necessary.

Having a goal is important, or you are on the path to nowhere.

With no sense of direction, you get no sense of accomplishment –and the team flounders.

 

KISS

 

When things are running right – it just keeps getting better.

 

It takes a bit of work to get on the right path – but once you have it figured out, it can become a self propelling machine.  The beautiful thing in our business is the amount of shared success stories.  It’s easy as a consultant (not a Salesman)  to help find ways to increase your production.  Most of the ideas are NOT just ‘let’s wing it’.  Since I know most of you so well, I can help find ways to get you where you need to be…..and that’s what I really do. Consult.

 

Someone told me the other day they didn’t understand how it was better for them to only have one ‘salesman’ to work with.  They felt it would be more advantageous to have us compete with each other.

 

We are not different, I always ask….when you are good at what you do – and you know the TRUE value of your services, and what you would do in a strong relationship you are trying hard to develop for life….how hard are you going to work if every step of the way your skills are questioned?

 

My commitment to you (sorry for the self promotion) is a lifetime commitment.

 

I have been there from the time of graduation, through staff changes, kids growing up – graduating, going on to build their own dental practices, selling practices.  There are not many other team members that are there from day one to the day you retire.  That kind of commitment is what you get from me, and it means ALWAYS doing the right thing.

We all want to feel valuable….

 

Have a great weekend my friends!

 

Smile!

Warren Bobinski

Success in Dentistry and Life!

 

PS –Dr. Gordon Christianson just “friended” me on Facebook….I thought that was pretty cool!

“A Successful man is one that can find a way to build a house out of the mud, sticks and stones that were thrown at him by those who didn’t believe”

Is it more important to add 3.8% to your yearly sales or your wages than to do the right thing?

Would you get rid of employees just to increase profitability, or would you take a little hit as an investment towards a stronger future with these people you once believed in?

Would you be willing to make another colleague look bad – point out their faults just to make yourself look better and get that raise?

Would you take short cuts to make it look like you are performing at a level that is not real? Pump through quarterly profits to increase the stock price so you can sell your personal stake and take advantage of others who don’t know any better? Or kiss the bosses ass while you really are out only for yourself and would take his/her place in a flash?

On your way to increased sales, did you do anything you had to do….or did you sometimes have to pass up a sale to maintain your integrity?

Are some people too busy on the road to success to realize there is a poor man lying by the side of the road beaten that may need some help?

Can we get to a world where true success is measured in loyalty? By rewarding only the people and companies that do the right thing – not just focus on profit, but focus on people.  Can a measuring stick for investors be based on companies that make long term commitments to making the world a better place and being as loyal to its’ people and the environment as the people and the environment are to the company?

Can success be measured in companies that have a sincere desire to do the right thing, and believe that doing so will increase brand loyalty, and in the long term profitability – profits which are re-invested in growing the company and offering more opportunity for the right people?

 

What if companies stopped believing just the next quarter has to be the best one? What if they thought long term we need to do the right thing, and it may mean taking a step back to re structure?

They say companies are not people. I say they are.

I say all business is personal.

I say success is not measured in how much more money you made, but in the way you thought differently to get there, and how many people you helped along the way.

Sometimes a success can be measured in a….

 

Smile!

Warren Bobinski

Success in Dentistry and Life.

 

 

What makes you invaluable?

Let the world know you as you are, not as you think you should be, because sooner or later, if you are posing, you will forget the pose, and then where are you?

Getting that job done just how the
boss wanted?

Being on time every day?

Do what is expected of you?

Kissing ass?

 

What if you became a key person where
you work, or at your profession?

 

How could you do that?

 

By becoming invaluable.

 

Of course you need to show up on
time, get the job done. Do what is expected of you.

 

Those people keep their jobs
(usually), their business does average. The average rep or employee or business
owner makes his average sales or leaves the office the way the boss (or the
customer) wants. Starts at 8 and finishes at 5.

 

Yawn.

 

Think about this. 

 

What really makes for success?

 

The business that decides to create
something exceptional? That offers something that nobody else has? That decides
they will never please everyone – and focuses instead on becoming the best at
what makes them different and makes them happier doing their jobs?

 

It becomes self propelling.

 

The person who pursues their job or
business and doing it the way they want is happier.  More motivated.

 

And if they are doing it right…more
successful.

 

So what makes you so different than
that guy across the street, or the other person working next to you?

 

What do you bring to the table that
nobody else does, that only you can do?

 

Are you doing it for the right
reasons?

 

Are you only doing it to keep your
job, or because of your sincere desire to be the best at what you do?

 

 

They say….to be happy you have to
work for yourself.  That can apply even
when you work for someone else…

 

It means doing it your own way, and
your passion will soon make you invaluable and a success….

 

Smile,

 

Warren Bobinski

Success in Dentistry and Life.

Conformity.

The reward for conformity was that everyone liked you except yourself.  ~Rita Mae Brown, Venus Envy

You don’t get harmony when everybody sings the same note.  ~Doug Floyd

We are born to be ourselves.

 

The people that succeed in this world
are mostly true to themselves.  They have
ideas and won’t let others sway them.

 

How often do you hear of leaders that
break the rules?

 

It takes guts and determination to
colour outside of the box.  Other people
don’t appreciate the discomfort. They can’t understand how colouring outside
the box can lead to any success when the majority of people who have succeeded
before.

 

But without these people in the world
- we would never have progressed beyond our caves!

 

Not everyone is born with this
determination. 

It’s very hard work, and often more
than just un comfortable. It is probably miserable, since few will support the
crazy ideas, the failures. 

 

It’s much easier to conform.

 

Does it make us happy?

 

Does your heart beat faster when you
take some risk?

Does your adrenaline pump through
your veins when you get excited about an idea you have?

Does passion fill your soul when you
love something so very much?

 

What’s stopping you?

 

If you want to succeed, you can maybe
take some inspiration from leaders before you. 
Many wise people I have spoken to would say

 

“It’s what makes you different
that makes for success!”

 

Celebrate your differences.

Evolve from your failures.

Never give up, but learn from your
mistakes.

 

Conformity leads to an average life.

 

Be what you were born to be…..

 

Smile!

 

Warren Bobinski

Success in Dentistry and Life.

Before setting up this new business, I searched high and low for information. I wanted to create an outstanding business plan for the bank.  It was really difficult to find numbers on opening a small bakery.  Pretty much impossible. Other bakers from other cities really helped us out – but there was nothing concrete about what we were seeing. We looked at some businesses – but they didn’t really match the exact model we were trying to create.  And those that did were not very profitable, and I didn’t want to believe what I was seeing.

So I have been pretty straight from day one and started the blog – and started posting on Facebook.  Not as a way to complain about the perils of opening a bakery. Not to have people feel sorry for me, or even proud of the accomplishments if we make it.  Just to help guide others ALL along the way on what is working and not working. Hopefully to inspire others to take a risk and persue their passion. Open their own business. Contribute to the world.

If you follow me, or are a friend – you KNOW to get financing what I put on the line.  I didn’t have to at my stage of life. I could have taken the easy road and looked at retirement in 15 years no problem.  But I REALLY wanted to do something that might make a difference to the world.  If you have known me for years – then you also know it wasn’t that long ago I could have declared bankruptcy, had major financial issues and personal battles.  But then again, many who have known me for years don’t hear me complain very often. Its’ not my style.  

Why did I do this when I finally got myself on the road to being in a good place.  Why take a risk? I’m not doing this to double down on my stake in life. You know why I am doing this – as stupid as this sounds to some of you?

I dream of helping others.

I dream of making their dream come true. To own their own business. To pursue a passion for what they do in life, and not go to ‘work’ every day until they die.

That’s where the story begins….and this story hopefully never ends but becomes an ever reproducing thing with many of the people I hire going on to own their own bakeries, cafes, whatever!! If I don’t make a dime but see people really happy about what they are doing – I will FINALLY feel like I have contributed something valuable to this world.

So – on to my RANT…

I am learning I have to not worry about what people think. 

We are facing critics of our bread prices, our quality, our hours, our size – a million “you know what you need to do’s”. 

I just want to show them the math and help them realize – you put your house on the line, work 15+ stressful hours per day, and we are not gazillionaires with a 100,000 square foot supercenter. We have limited resources and it takes back breaking all night labour in a bakery just to make a little bit of stuff! We aren’t Superstore or Safeway….

We are a small business with 1000 square feet with under 10 employees.

Our
prices are higher because we bake from scratch, and we want to pay our bakers what we think they are worth (which is only around the $20 per hour mark)- not what abusive conglomerates think they are worth (which in many stores is under $15 per hour!). 

And even at that – and after hugely long shifts, and selling out every day – that just pays the expenses.  This is a high volume, high risk, low profit business done for the reward of having someone LOVE that sourdoughbread, for the OMG look when someone bites into your coconut macaroon, or tells a friend they just HAVE to try that VEGGIE bread….We could have taken the easy way out, but we want to break the rulz. 

Its’ our motto. 

We don’t want to compete with other little bakeries. We hope to help them out. We hope to educate the public about a better product, to steal the thunder from the grocery store and coffee chains. And yet some of our first and worst critics have already been other bakers.  Don’t they get it?? My god – they should for what they had to go through to open and stay open!  Hello – let’s work together! Let’s help build each others reputations – let’s offer neighborhood bakeries with passionate bakers. Lets’ make sure they can get the local support and pay the bills and maybe even make a decent living!

I had to clear my mind.  I LOVE what I do – and I am NOT afraid of hard work.  I am really quite in my zone, finally running out of time to have my mind thinking of a milliion new projects to start. 

Hot Racks Bakery hopes to become a local owned (and not by me – but by the bakers I hire and hope to help become owners of their own!) neighborhood bakery offering passionate products – amazing NEW recipes with loyal followers.  My idea is not to be rich, but to help others realize their dreams.

Now maybe a few critics will understand what we are about and pay the extra buck for bread, find a way to be understanding when the product isn’t always perfect (but be good enough to help us get there instead of blasting us in public).  Maybe they will bring back small business opportunities and get to know the local neighborhood trades people working all night to bring them a fresh bake.

Smile!!

Warren aka Money Racks

Remember Steve Austin, the $6 Million dollar man? I always wanted to be that guy, and I almost was two years ago my sales for the year were just shy of $6 Million dollars. It was the 2008 sales year, also the year my company cancelled the National Sales Meeting where they give out the awards.

“Dream no small dreams, for dreams have the power to move the hearts of men”

Another rant about opening our new bakery – check out the beautiful sign by Wolfecraft – my design from a napkin put into life by a great sign company!

Ever meet someone who should probably
quit their job or definitely be fired? 

It wouldn’t be a bad thing. It’s a
good thing, because so many people go to work and hate what they do all day and
it shows.

Last week I was blogging about the
top 10 ways to suck as a salesman (get your head out of the gutter).

I
wrote this from a customer perspective. 

 

While setting up our Bakery – we had
these crappy salespeople more often that not. If you are now pissed off
because you just identified yourself  - I make no apologies.  Maybe I just helped you.  Perhaps you need to thank me for pointing out why you are having trouble ‘closing’ and take some notes or quit and find something that you love to do instead! 

The whole process made me realize there
is plenty of opportunity! It could be just the Saskatchewan thing, but then again we did travel to Alberta.  The best part of the whole process was Teretech who was very good at what he does – its’ just unfortunate we couldn’t find that service level here at home.  Either way, there is still opportunity and I think even Mark from Teretech would agree!

 

-Bakery equipment and supplies 

-Sign and graphics companies

-Packaging vendors

-Bakery sundries vendors

-Telephone and Internet providers

-Point of Sale system salesmen

 

The good points along the way….our
flooring guy Steve at Beehive Flooring was excellent, I finally found a great
sign company Wolfecraft (Sheldon)that listened and gave us options with different
budgets.  But it was sure frustrating trying to find the right people!  

Our contractor Roger from Beuna Vista
was a guy I knew for many years and we had a great experience – on budget and
on time (sorry to my friends who may not have had that same experience with
him, but I don’t really know all the details!)

 

Sasktel really sucked – and I really
don’t like the big company syndrome they are suffering. Like phoning and
getting a message that just tells you to call back because they are too busy to
talk to you.  They finally came through
thanks to Lena – but they will likely be dumped unless I see better service
soon. 

(update – I dumped them. I called a
competitor who immediately got us a great new number 974-RACK, and booked our
install for the NEXT DAY instead of a month down the road long after I needed
to open! Not only that, they had a rep come by the same afternoon and a
technician! Very impressed, and cheaper!)

 

A few more good things I took out of
the experience, and why I write it all down. 
It helps educate me on my own chosen profession.  It inspires me to be better,  and I can identify with myself in almost
every one of those bad customer experiences. 
It’s just that instead of blaming the customer – I took another look at
myself and realized a few things….

 

First – I am about
relationships.  If you are a scammer or
want to treat me bad and you are only after a quick ‘bang and run’  - that’s not me.  I’m not that slutty salesman that can be used
and tossed aside like a wet napkin….

 

Second, I am sincere.  If I don’t think we are on the same page, or
if there is someone who can do a better job I am very willing to help you go
there. I will even hold your hand and help you cross the street and make sure
the other guy is ‘right’ before I leave.

 

Last, I frigging LOVE what I do.  Which is to help people reach their own
goals, inspire them to go to new places, and educate with the knowledge from my
27 plus years of ups and downs. 

 

At some point in my life I was every
one of those crappy salesmen….but one conviction I have is continuous improvement. As slow as I am to learn, it seems to be working and I now run a top 5% dental sales territory in my industry.

 

What will be next? What big fails am
I going to learn from still – the future is exciting!!  

Next week – the secrets of a $6 Million dollar man… 

Smile!

 

Warren Bobinski

Success in Dentistry and Life

 

Sometimes when people ask me what I do….I think the real way to define what I am is to say first, my goal in life is to share love and spread my way of thinking. I am a writer, of songs of thoughts – a philosopher if you will. I think about how I can change the world, and maybe inspire others to use their god given talents to do the same. I am inspired by music, by reading and educating and by you my friends…

What do I do? You tell me….

This song was inspired by thoughts of how people always seem to think there is something better that the person they already fell in love with.

I have always felt that its’ a selfish thing to start cheating.  Instead of taking the harder route of falling in love all over and over again with the person who originally made you happy – many people go for the ‘new and exciting thing’.  Only to find in time that they are in the same un happy situatiion.

Love takes work, not greed or selfishness.  You have to be in it for the other person if you are in it for yourself…..

Selfish is their heart

 

Capo on 3rd, (chords relative to Capo) C then Em followed
by G, D, C, Em for chorus

 

Stranger in the room
Is what I see
When did we lose touch
With our reality

Baby when we met
We were so in love
What happened to our lives
When did we give up?

Two strangers, fall in love
Go on with thier lives (now baby) and they become…
Bored with reality, that’s thier mistake,
I promise to try more (baby) everyday

Selfish is thier heart,
What’s good for me?
Breaks them apart now,
For eternity

Take on a lover,
Cause it ‘feels right’
Can’t see how much it now baby…
Hurts inside…

Two strangers, fall in love
Go on with thier lives – and they become…
Bored with reality, that’s thier mistake
I promise to try more baby, everyday

Two strangers
Fall in love
(but) work on it everyday – and they become…
MORE in love, YA! Almost everyday!
Till the end of time, my baby
Not selfishly, not selfishly…..

Songs and thoughts by Warren.

Some people tell me my songs are downers! LOL! I never intend them to be that way, but you write what you feel inside, from your own experiences.  I have been hurt deeply at many times in my life by people I thought were friends. I give all of myself to most everyone I meet and its’ so worth it – but once in a while you find a Selfish heart….