Just Two Minutes: In the Hallway

Bite-sized dental wisdom in under 2 minutes.

You know what helped me build great systems in my first startup?

It wasn’t some perfectly color-coded binder of SOPs.
It wasn’t because I’m Type A (even though I am).
And it definitely wasn’t because I had a big office with glass doors and a private espresso bar.

It was because I didn’t have an office at all.

My “doctor’s office” was literally a chair and a desk… in a hallway.

No door. No privacy. No hiding.

And you know what that meant?
I couldn’t retreat.
I was in the thick of it - all day, every day.
Answering questions. Fixing mistakes. Watching systems break in real time.

And yeah, it was chaotic.
But it was also one of the best things that could’ve happened to me.

Because you don’t build great systems by locking yourself in the back and hoping things magically work.
You build great systems by being close enough to see what’s broken.

That’s where most dentists go wrong. They build the office of their dreams…
Then immediately disappear into it.

They say they have an “open door policy” - but the door’s always closed.
And the team? They stop bringing problems.
Because the doctor’s in a meeting. Or on a call. Or just… not available.

But you don’t fix what you don’t see.
And you don’t lead a team you’re not willing to stand next to.

But before you build a scalable company, you need a tight feedback loop.
That means being in the mess.
Answering the same question five times.
Fixing the same mistake until the system holds.
Listening. Testing. Adjusting. Repeating.

You can’t do that from behind a closed door.

So yeah, my hallway office wasn’t glamorous.
But it forced me to be present.
To see every broken thing.
And actually do something about it.

Now, don’t get me wrong.
There are moments when you need to step away.
You’re not just the operator. You’re the founder.
And the big-picture work - the real strategy - doesn’t happen between patients.

Sometimes you need to leave the building.
Sit down.
Put your CEO hat on.
And ask yourself where you’re actually going - not just what’s on today’s to-do list.

But if you haven’t earned that step-back yet?
Get in the hallway.
Fix what’s broken.
Then scale it.

-Dr. Alex

P.S. This is most dentists’ open door policy.