AME: On Never Doing Anything

[00:00:00] Alan Mead is a dentist with too much time on his hands and too much recording equipment

[00:00:15] in his basement. Armed with an obsession to bring entertaining and informative content

[00:00:20] to the dental world in a way that's never been done before. I give you the Alan Mead Experience.

[00:00:27] Well, hello and welcome to another episode of The Alan Mead Experience. I'm your host

[00:00:33] Dr. Alan Mead. I'm a dentist, podcaster and a big talker. You'll find today's episode

[00:00:41] is a really quick one. It was actually the first episode or the first recording

[00:00:45] I made at the Chicago Midwinter this year. I literally had just kind of found the podcasting booth,

[00:00:50] which was excellent and set up. And some friends of mine literally walked by. It's kind of like a fish bowl.

[00:00:57] It's like a room kind of off to the side at the midwinter. It's got old glass sides with plexiglass.

[00:01:03] You can see through it. It's really cool. So I like waved some friends down and they came in.

[00:01:08] It was really fun. We had a quick conversation. So I talked with Tom Brown, Vanessa Vitagliano

[00:01:14] and Mike Sula, each one of them kind of representing their own thing. And I put their thing in the show notes.

[00:01:20] You guys can check them out. We had a good time. And one of the funny things is that Tom and I had joked about

[00:01:27] they were representing a really cool product a couple of voices dentistry's ago.

[00:01:31] I sat down with them. We had a really funny interview and they really, they were ready to like let me try this.

[00:01:36] It was a fantastic idea. So many of these things are fantastic ideas and what a lot of people that have tried to work with me

[00:01:44] realize is that I never do anything. I never pull the trigger on stuff. Stuff's a great idea.

[00:01:50] And I rarely follow through. The idea of having to make that change in my office is a real struggle for me.

[00:01:55] There are occasional things that I go ahead and pull the trigger on, but not many.

[00:01:59] And that's sort of the joke amongst us in this short little interview.

[00:02:03] Why don't you guys sit back, take a listen to a funny little interview from Chicago Midwinner

[00:02:08] and we will catch you next episode.

[00:02:10] Very dental people. Welcome to the first recording of the 2024 Chicago Midwinner.

[00:02:17] I run into some people that I've known at the meeting we used to call Voices of Dentistry

[00:02:23] and just some friends. So welcome to the show Tom Brown. Vanessa, I'm Vitagliano.

[00:02:29] I got it. I got it. And Mike Sula. So I've seen these guys, they've worked for different places at different times,

[00:02:35] but they were walking by this beautiful. It is. I wanted to mock it a little bit.

[00:02:42] It's the podcast. What is the podcast? Lounge. They always do lounge. Lounge sounds sort of seedy.

[00:02:49] Yeah, like we should be smoking. There's no couches. I feel it. Yeah.

[00:02:53] It's pretty cozy. Exactly. Maybe like a recliner. Yeah, I like that idea.

[00:02:59] Right? Someone delivering drinks and maybe light or dervish something. Maybe a massage chair. I don't know.

[00:03:05] I'll be in for that. Yeah. So we are on the floor at the Chicago Midwinner and clearly this is slightly quieter,

[00:03:11] only slightly quieter than the floor, but this is going to be okay. I think. I haven't been there.

[00:03:15] I literally, so we have a couple things going right now. First off, I burned my finger terribly last weekend on a bacon pan,

[00:03:26] one of those microwave bacon pans. I yelled loudly and I had a big huge blister. It's great.

[00:03:31] The blister popped. And now I'm bleeding all over everything. Like I said, everything that I touched looks like a crime scene.

[00:03:38] And now I have some cycling gloves and I have this like, so this is now my thing. Right hand red cycling glove.

[00:03:44] It's kind of hot. You're like Michael Jackson. It is. It is. It is. It's my thing now too. So I don't put all your blood, sweat and tears and everything.

[00:03:50] I do. I do. Literally. He did shake all of our hands first before he put the glove on now.

[00:03:55] Now, Alan, the question is, was the bacon still worth it? Of course it was. That's bacon, right?

[00:04:02] I literally made another pan moments later. I have two teenage boys and it's just the three of us up there.

[00:04:11] I think we did a whole, like the whole weekend was just bacon pretty much. That's what we do.

[00:04:16] All right. So Tom, what are you up to now?

[00:04:19] For the last few months, I've decided to get into more of the consulting space in the dental industry.

[00:04:26] But I'm actually consulting with businesses that sell into the dental space.

[00:04:31] So I'm here today representing...

[00:04:33] So you took the first few years to learn about us suckers and now you're using it to help other people.

[00:04:38] I know all the tricks. I know all the tricks.

[00:04:40] So I'm representing a company called MyDentalSOP who was started by a consultant named Laura Johnston.

[00:04:47] She's now a former consultant because she stepped into the software side of things.

[00:04:52] Basically it's a digital platform for all of the dental practices, standard operating procedures.

[00:04:58] Okay. And that's the SOP.

[00:05:00] SOP. Look at that branding. Isn't that awesome? It's MyDentalSOP.

[00:05:05] It's got content in it, but you're not buying it for the content.

[00:05:08] You're buying it for the platform and the framework.

[00:05:11] It's fully customizable.

[00:05:13] And right now we've already gotten close to a dozen consultants that are now using this platform to get their content out there.

[00:05:21] Pretty exciting.

[00:05:22] So before I go to Vanessa, we'll tell a little story.

[00:05:24] I had Joe who's over here taking pictures. They better be good, Joe.

[00:05:29] In Tom on a podcast at The Voice of Dentistry a couple years ago where they sold me on a product I thought was really amazing.

[00:05:35] But I did tell them. I said it doesn't matter what you say. I'm not going to do it because I never do anything.

[00:05:39] And I was this close to maybe doing something. I didn't do it.

[00:05:42] Obviously I didn't do it. I never do anything, but it was a great product.

[00:05:45] So and I feel like that's now my thing.

[00:05:48] That's your MO.

[00:05:49] I like literally listen to the pitch. I love the stuff. Never fall through the name.

[00:05:53] It's sort of a good analogy for my life actually.

[00:05:56] There you go.

[00:05:57] Vanessa, what are you doing?

[00:05:59] So I actually took a bit of a sabbatical.

[00:06:02] Nice.

[00:06:03] So the last five or so months been kind of traveling. I was in Southeast Asia for two months.

[00:06:08] I saw. I followed all of your. I saw it was really cool actually.

[00:06:11] Oh, it was amazing. So I just got back to that. So back to the cold Midwest.

[00:06:14] But I mean the weather today in Chicago is amazing.

[00:06:18] Yeah. I was hoping no one's saying it. No one would notice it maybe because it's been really good.

[00:06:23] I haven't. I ride mountain bikes and I've been able to ride more than I have in the past.

[00:06:29] But then the snow comes and kind of wrecks it.

[00:06:31] But I think maybe on the way when I get home, it might be okay.

[00:06:34] It's it has been weirdly warm.

[00:06:36] It has as the Westerners we know this is not normal.

[00:06:39] You don't want to say it out loud because you don't want to throw it away.

[00:06:41] You're going to jinx it.

[00:06:42] Exactly. Exactly.

[00:06:43] So you're living a life of leisure like that.

[00:06:46] Yes.

[00:06:47] Yes. And so I'm local here to Chicago.

[00:06:50] So I've come out to the midwinter meeting and put some old friends including New Island

[00:06:54] and just kind of see, you know, some opportunities out there.

[00:06:56] Is it the midwinter meeting like really expensive to sign up for if you're not a.

[00:07:00] God, I'm I've been a Chicago.

[00:07:02] I can say this.

[00:07:03] I've been a Chicago dental society member for probably 25 years.

[00:07:09] So it's cheap for me.

[00:07:11] Like my my my dues for Chicago dental society like 130 bucks.

[00:07:15] You figure if you get a meeting on that's cool.

[00:07:17] But right if you're not like a CDS member, it's like in your dentist.

[00:07:20] If God help you, if you're not an ADA member, it's like 900 bucks just to show up to the meeting.

[00:07:26] That's a hard sell.

[00:07:28] So here's the tip.

[00:07:29] Find a friend that's an exhibitor and get a pass from them.

[00:07:32] Yes.

[00:07:33] And then better if you're a dentist, if you're a dentist, salespeople won't bug you

[00:07:37] because they think you're an exhibitor and you're allowed to.

[00:07:40] So that's the best.

[00:07:41] That's Alan's move.

[00:07:43] He's in point.

[00:07:44] I love it.

[00:07:45] Move forward.

[00:07:46] I never do anything.

[00:07:47] And now I don't even have to talk to people.

[00:07:49] It's great.

[00:07:50] I just I just have a exhibit only did they put Dennis on my.

[00:07:53] So that means I'm going to get he's a marked man.

[00:07:57] He's a Mark.

[00:07:58] So Mike is with Studio 88 Mike and it was amazing because we obviously run into studio

[00:08:04] 88 a bunch at Voice of Dentistry.

[00:08:06] Mike hadn't been there.

[00:08:07] So welcome, Mike.

[00:08:08] What are you up to?

[00:08:09] What do you what do you want to get out of the Chicago midwinter?

[00:08:11] Yeah.

[00:08:12] This is unexpected.

[00:08:13] This has been great.

[00:08:14] I'm also local here to Chicago.

[00:08:17] So it's been it's easy to come in here, here to network.

[00:08:20] I've been in the industry for almost 15 years now.

[00:08:23] I joined Studio 88 just about three years back on the sales directing side.

[00:08:27] So yeah, just looking to make some contacts get our name out there.

[00:08:31] I had Josh on a while ago.

[00:08:33] He was a good podcast, but I can say Studio 88 has the best swag.

[00:08:38] The hoodie that I got.

[00:08:40] I don't know if it was last year.

[00:08:42] Is the softest hoodie on the face of the earth?

[00:08:45] Yeah, I have one too.

[00:08:46] It's amazing.

[00:08:47] It's amazing.

[00:08:48] If you are into marketing, there it is.

[00:08:50] I've got those socks too.

[00:08:51] So here's the thing.

[00:08:53] Yeah, branding.

[00:08:54] You think he knows anything about branding?

[00:08:56] But like what's funny about that is if I were ever to make swag,

[00:08:59] I would have to figure out where you guys go and probably no cost is too much

[00:09:04] because that is the go-to swag.

[00:09:06] It's so dumb, but it's true.

[00:09:07] And everyone asked me what it is.

[00:09:08] And like, are you a dentist?

[00:09:09] And they're like, no.

[00:09:10] And then it doesn't make any sense.

[00:09:12] But I wear it everywhere.

[00:09:13] I wear it everywhere.

[00:09:14] It's the best swag ever.

[00:09:15] It's really good.

[00:09:16] It is great.

[00:09:17] Are you guys exhibiting here?

[00:09:19] We're not.

[00:09:20] Yeah, just here for the fun.

[00:09:21] The local thing.

[00:09:22] Yep.

[00:09:23] The local fun.

[00:09:24] And it's kind of like a reunion for us too because we're all in Chicago.

[00:09:27] Different places.

[00:09:28] We were all at office site together.

[00:09:29] Then we were at local med, DI, all of this.

[00:09:32] And now we come together and we've all got different things

[00:09:34] we're working on right now.

[00:09:35] All of them pretty exciting.

[00:09:37] And we get to come together, share some notes, run some old friends.

[00:09:41] And we didn't have voice to dentistry this year.

[00:09:43] So like that's normally where we run it.

[00:09:45] Yeah, I would have gone to voice to dentistry for sure if it was there.

[00:09:49] Yeah.

[00:09:50] Moody and I are talking.

[00:09:52] We're talking about something.

[00:09:54] Nothing concrete yet, but it's kind of too good of a meeting not to do.

[00:09:59] But maybe it'll be a different form, I'm not sure.

[00:10:01] Something about the hotel not gouging as much.

[00:10:04] Can I give you one suggestion?

[00:10:06] Don't think about it as a product.

[00:10:08] Otherwise you just will never do it.

[00:10:10] Exactly, you're right.

[00:10:11] As long as Moody does it for fun, I can just say a couple things

[00:10:14] and let someone else do it.

[00:10:16] Do you see Moody's new vineyard he's got?

[00:10:19] Oh yeah, I mean how can you not?

[00:10:20] He's got his own Instagram, everything.

[00:10:22] It's pretty cool there.

[00:10:23] But I mean he's still pretty active with Pathway.

[00:10:26] I don't know if they're exhibiting here, but it wouldn't

[00:10:28] shock me if we saw him here.

[00:10:30] I ran into here the last time I was here.

[00:10:33] Just on the floor randomly.

[00:10:35] Awesome.

[00:10:36] We got to work with him on the branding and website for that.

[00:10:39] For the vineyard?

[00:10:40] It's been really cool.

[00:10:41] Oh nice.

[00:10:42] So we had our team out there, they loved it,

[00:10:44] got to drink a lot of that great wine.

[00:10:46] I'll work for free.

[00:10:48] He's like just send me out there.

[00:10:50] Did you do a fireball shot?

[00:10:52] Cause that's where he always...

[00:10:54] I'm going to stick my neck out.

[00:10:56] I'm going to stick my neck out.

[00:10:58] He doesn't really worry too much about fireball.

[00:11:00] It is vineyard.

[00:11:01] He does not.

[00:11:02] Which one of these grapes creates fireball?

[00:11:05] Whiskey.

[00:11:06] I don't know if that exists.

[00:11:07] Fireball is so lowbrow.

[00:11:09] You realize now that fireball is in every gas station you go to now.

[00:11:13] So it's the gas station brand of Cinnamon, Whiskey,

[00:11:16] and Voices Dentistry brand essentially.

[00:11:19] So yeah, so I'm pretty serious.

[00:11:21] He probably leaves the fireball at home for that.

[00:11:25] I got to get on a bus so I can go to the Hyatt

[00:11:28] for some Muckety Muck thing at noon.

[00:11:30] Nice.

[00:11:31] It's a short quick but the very first podcast.

[00:11:34] They got it done.

[00:11:35] It was great.

[00:11:36] It was nice to see you guys.

[00:11:37] We'll catch up with you later.

[00:11:38] I checked your hand but you're still bleeding.

[00:11:40] Yeah, but I bleed all of us out.

[00:11:42] Bye bye.