Walk with me into a clinic on the brink of change. A new practice has just been bought, job descriptions are being rewired, and a well‑meaning consultant hands over a tiered pay scale that looks sensible on paper: pay more for experience, less for newcomers. But behind the neat columns and numbers, a different story is unfolding—one that determines whether this place will thrive or merely survive.

In this episode Brian Wright sits down with a doctor to dismantle a common myth: that hands‑on skill alone justifies higher pay. He introduces us to Judy—a brilliant, seasoned assistant who knows every procedure but refuses to be coached, sows discord, and drains the team. Then there’s Susie—a rookie with a bright attitude, relentless work ethic, and an appetite to learn. Which one should you invest in? Which one will make your practice an elite people business?

Through candid coaching, real examples, and a leadership lens honed by Navy SEAL‑style trust and performance principles, Brian rewrites the hiring playbook. This episode reveals how pay structures that reward performance on paper while ignoring trust, coachability, and culture actually sabotage long‑term success. He shows why transformational leaders must prioritize mindset, training, and the invisible attributes that make teammates lift each other higher.

Expect clear, provocative advice: stop paying a disruptive high performer more simply because they hit metrics today. Start paying the people who bring energy, ownership, and relentless improvement—because those are the hires that make a business hum regardless of economic swings or external pressures. You’ll hear practical scenes from the trenches, leadership truths that sting and liberate, and a strategy for turning new hires into devoted teammates who help your organization dominate its space.

If you want to build a culture like Michelin‑star restaurants and five‑star hotels—an organization that thrives no matter the market—you’ll want to listen close. This isn’t just about wages; it’s about rethinking what you value, how you develop people, and how you lead so your entire team becomes your best marketing investment.

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About your Host

"Brian Wright is a combination of Marcus Lemonis from the Profit and the entire Shark Tank Team." Dr. Staci Frankowitz

Welcome to The Brian Wright Show. A podcast dedicated to entrepreneurs, their team members and their families but for anyone wanting to transform their life, career and/or business in the new economy. After eight seasons as the host of The New Patient Group Podcast, the show has been rebranded to The Brian Wright Show. The Brian Wright Show Audio Experience is hosted by globally renown motivational speaker, business consultant and life coach, Brian Wright. He is a trusted consultant and speaker for some of the biggest name entrepreneurs and corporations in the world, including AlignTechnology, the makers of Invisalign. He has been featured in Forbes, CNBC and The National Journal. He is currently the Founder & CEO of New Patient Group and also WrightChat. He is married and has two children.

"Brian Wright is the Tony Robbins of the new economy." Stephanie Solomon - Author

Today's Episode

Walk into an orthodontic practice that looks like any other—friendly faces, steady appointments, yet stuck in the old ways. This episode follows a leader who refused to accept “we’ve always done it that way” as an answer. After a powerful onsite training, ideas meant to reshape the patient experience were quietly ignored—until one doctor chose to act.

Instead of shrugging and hoping for change, she carved out one hour each week: a hard-edged, purpose-built Operational Success Meeting. She gathered her team, set a clear expectation, and promised support while demanding immediate implementation. She role-played, stumbled through scripts, held people accountable, and pulled the team through the discomfort of change. What followed was not overnight perfection but steady, visible progress: new greeting rituals, high-value welcome tours, practiced phone calls, and confident treatment conversations that started to move the needle.

This episode reads like a leadership masterclass disguised as a single case study. It shows how the real work of transformation is less about clever ideas and more about disciplined practice, ruthless clarity, and courageous accountability. The doctor’s decision to lead from the front—practice first, refine later—turned theoretical strategies into daily habits that staff adopted and patients felt.

Whether you run a clinic, a restaurant, or a startup, this story is a blueprint: set the vision, time-block practice, role-play relentlessly, implement fast, and then perfect with consistency. Hear how small, deliberate leadership choices created momentum, stopped pushback cold, and began building a truly famous brand—one interaction at a time.