Episode 28
28: Rethinking the Work Day-The Straight 8 - Dr. Jake Kirby and Dr. Jerrod Crawford
Jake Kirby and Jarrod Crawford are dentists at Copeland Creek Dental in Texas. They are two rockstar dentists who have decided to get the most out of their time by skipping lunch and working a straight eight hours from 7 to 3. This schedule gives them more time and enables them to even spend time with the kids. In today’s episode, we are going to discuss how they did it.
You can find Jake Kirby and Jerrod Crawford here:
Copeland Creek Dental on Facebook
Show Notes
[01:33] Anyone who has ever been to one of my lectures knows that I love rethinking the straight eight. By working eight hours these dentists have transformed their hours and their lives.
[02:06] Jerrod has to go pick up his kids.
[02:35] It's awesome being able to pick my kids up everyday. Everybody that works here gets to be home at 3:00 or 3:30 and that is what life is about.
[03:44] Jake is going to stay and do the podcast.
[04:04] Expanded hours can grow your practice. You can build your practice on two things price and expanded convenience.
[04:36] Jake and Jerrod are brother-in-laws, and they work with their sister-in-law too. They wanted to create a family atmosphere in their practice.
[05:31] We want our team to show joy and love to our patients each and every day.
[06:05] A 7 - 3 schedule is something that Crawford did before because, he was in the Navy. This fit in our whole model of creating time with our families and being with the ones we love the most.
[08:56] They didn't consider the 7 - 3 schedule until fall. Crawford knew it would work, but it is a big shift for patients and team members.
[10:10] Every practice that has gone to the straight eight have grown. It's not about money it is because they love their lives.
[10:53] The team was shocked. They wanted to do it yesterday. They started January 1st.
[12:07] The would huddle at 7:45 and finish at 5:00 or 6:00.
[13:43] They have a 6:55 huddle and they work three days a week and 7 to 12 on Fridays.
[15:08] They just started calling patients and explaining the new schedule. It worked out fine.
[16:24] The advantage is now they have 7 AM appointments and lunch appointments.
[19:22] They do have 3 to 5 hours two times a year, but most patients like the new hours.
[20:18] They probably couldn't have made this transition until building positive relationships with their patients.
[23:05] A dentist could extend themselves all day everyday. Jake also has more energy working 7 to 3 straight. There is just a different energy spending your time more wisely.
[24:34] What a gift this is for their kids. Give your best energy to the things that matter most.
[29:07] Every person that Jake has talked to thinks these hours sound like the best thing ever.
[29:45] Policies and systems have to be tight to make this transition. Everyone is aware that they need to leave at 3:00.
[31:52] Patients paying first also became a regular policy for them.
[32:01] One issue that came up was the UPS guy came after three and they weren't getting their deliveries.
[33:06] Once you grab the why, all of the solutions come to the surface.
[36:26] Lunch isn't a great investment it's much better to leave work early.
[37:50] They do keep snacks in the break room and eat little things when they can.
[38:15] Younger dentists have every fear in the world, but they can't live in fear. It's a demanding, but incredibly rewarding career. You have to have a team and prepare for the adjustment. It might easier to transition for a small leaner team.
[40:19] You have to value the why about it and have an aggressive approach. They through about staggering, but it would send mixed messages.
[42:00] Jake has 30 or 40 years of practicing and having his evenings is amazing.
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