The Patient Is Always Right

Andy opens up about why most dentists are completely unprepared for business, from being taught zero finance at dental school to being thrown into ownership without a clue about HR, marketing or tax. He shares why he tells most dentists to buy, not build, and why so many reach breaking point eight years in, quietly wondering if it’s all worth it. From spotting the first signs of Owner Fatigue, to...

Dr Nisha Menon opens up about the moment that changed everything – the sudden death of her business partner that left her rebuilding from scratch. From training in Moscow at 16 without internet or mobile phones, to managing four care homes with 200 staff, to launching Niche Clinic during a pandemic - her journey is anything but linear. She tackles the biggest misconception in aesthetics head-on: w...

Natalie Kelly opens up about working 16-hour days during lockdown, going back to work 48 hours after giving birth, and why she hasn't had a single day off in seven years. She also shares why she left her corporate job to build her clinic from the ground up, and she tackles the non-medic vs medic debate head-on, explaining why she's done corrections on work from doctors, dentists, and nurses – and...

Dr Khilan Shah opens up about getting kicked out of university, catching dengue fever in Thailand, and rebuilding his career before launching Hampstead Dental Studio in the middle of a pandemic with a newborn at home. He shares the unconventional strategies that helped him grow the practice 8-fold in just 5 years – including why he spends 45 minutes with every new patient for free, why he never di...

Dr Nabil Jetha reveals why he nearly abandoned medicine completely after graduating into the pandemic, his unexpected detour to LAMDA drama school, and the brutal reality of building an aesthetics business from scratch. From being asked to "risk our lives" with inadequate PPE to discovering that "employment is a trap," Nabil exposes the shocking truths about NHS working conditions and why aestheti...

Dr Hannah Moore reveals the brutal reality of scaling an aesthetic business - from going through medical school to building a successful clinic while raising two young daughters. She exposes why every business owner she knows has been "sweating" about cash flow, the daily challenge of discouraging patients from unsuitable treatments, and how trusting your gut beats spreadsheets every time. Hannah...

Jackie G. Michaels, transformational coach and "joyful disruptor," reveals why 85% of the UK population has experienced burnout and how joy - not happiness - is the key to breaking free. From her own burnout 25 years ago to coaching high achievers today, she exposes the uncomfortable truth about people pleasing, why women struggle to charge what they're worth, and how presence trumps skills every...

Dr Magdalena Bejma delivers brutal business truths from her decade in aesthetics - why she's restarted her clinic three times, the patient who scammed her with Ferrero Rochers as a distraction, and her blunt advice for opening clinics: "Don't do it." She reveals why success is lonelier than saving lives in A&E, why she requires social media presence in staff contracts, and the device costs tha...

Sam Keen and Leighannah Tickner from Cutera reveal how they built their UK operation by doing something radical - actually saying no to sales when it's not right for the client. From launching AviClear for acne treatment to the American energy that transformed their British approach, they share why some clinics are doubling down during economic uncertainty, how to avoid being "everything to everyb...

Rachel and Zara from Cosmo Pro reveal why their device, the Icoone, is revolutionising wellness and recovery in aesthetics. From supporting healing just three days post-surgery to being safe during pregnancy, they're breaking every rule in the industry. Plus, why they think regulations can't come fast enough, how one clinic needed three machines because of patient demand, and the surprising truth...

Meet the ultimate power couple of private healthcare - Priyesh and Vina, the husband and wife duo behind Leamington Road Dental Practice and Priyesh Lad Aesthetics. From impulsively buying a dental practice on the way to the airport to building a multi-device aesthetic empire, their journey is anything but conventional. Vina shares the reality of taking over from established practitioners as a you...

In this reflective minisode, Jake and Laurie look back on the highs and lows of creating The Patient Is Always Right from scratch. From shooting four episodes in just two days to Laurie stepping up when Derek had to take a step back, this behind-the-scenes conversation reveals the reality of launching a podcast with zero experience. They reveal which guest had "the best patient story so far", thei...

In this unfiltered episode, award-winning clinic owner Kara Huggins shares her journey from being strangled by a teenage NHS patient to building Sanctum Medical during the pandemic while battling postnatal depression. Hitting "rock bottom" during lockdown, Kara candidly discusses signing a clinic lease while unexpectedly pregnant and managing mental health struggles. She calls out "too many indivi...

In this unfiltered episode, business strategist Richard Crawford-Small takes us from his Royal Navy days (where Princess Anne once caught him in his underpants) to his most painful business mistake: a venture that led him to a Swiss café where the Russian mafia, dripping in gold, awaited him with suitcase full of cash. With over 20 years of experience shaping the aesthetic industry, Richard shares...

With Ignite expert Jasmine. In this bite-sized minisode, Jasmine analyses two unforgettable dental reviews - from a poetic five-word complaint to a lengthy saga about a dentist who prioritised protocols over patient pain. With brutal honesty, she explains why the disconnect between dentists and patients often comes down to that dreaded "being told off" feeling we all remember from childhood check-...

Dana Smith delivers unfiltered insights from both sides of the Atlantic, comparing UK caution with American optimism in aesthetics. With over a decade of experience transitioning from orthodontics to laser technology, Dana explains why UK clinics fail when they fear transparency about money, treatments, and downtime. Her passionate breakdown of BBL as "the only scientifically proven anti-ageing tr...

Guest: Holly, Ignite's Communications Expert A residential building, a rude doorman, and Botox that didn't last – this mini-episode unpacks perhaps our most unhinged clinic review yet. Holly and Laurie dissect a scathing review from a patient demanding immediate Botox touch-ups before leaving the country, alongside the clinic's claims of harassment and threats. Through their candid analysis, they...

"I really thought I was going to make it big; dentistry was a backup option." Dr. Sugz Maha bridges the gap between clinical work and marketing with brutal honesty about his unconventional career journey. As one of the few people who truly understands both worlds, he reveals why most dentists misunderstand marketing while most marketers fail to grasp clinical realities. From his 13-year stint as a...

Guest: Holly, Ignite's Communications expert Your competitors down the road might have half the expertise, but they're stealing your potential clients with a content strategy." In this revealing minisode, Holly breaks down what happens when social media expectations crash into clinical reality. She analyses a review from a patient who followed a clinic for months on Instagram, only to have her hea...

I started selling celebrity autographs on eBay when I was eight years old." From her early entrepreneurial days to transforming her family's wellness business into one of Cumbria's leading clinics, Vanessa L Brown delivers unfiltered truths about the aesthetic industry that few dare to share. In this candid conversation, she reveals why she wouldn't open a clinic again if she had to start over, ex...

Guest: Jasmine from Ignite When a potential patient contacts your practice three times and still can't get proper help, is their negative review justified? In this revealing minisode, Jasmine – Ignite's dental expert with years of experience as a dental nurse and TCO – dissects a review from someone who never even made it to the dentist's chair. She explains why front desk interactions can make or...

"I believed rich people are bastards and only become rich by sh*tting on other people." Dr. Barry Oulton's raw honesty about his limiting beliefs brings a refreshing perspective to the dental industry. From overcoming his own financial mindset challenges to handling a cocaine-using patient in his chair, Barry shares the unfiltered reality of dental practice ownership. His provocative take on why p...