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7-Eleven flyers, $23k salaries, and the "3-Year Shift" 🦷
From "Anti-Startup" to OG: The 7-Year Journey of Dr. Hiral Patel
Ashley Joves
January 13, 2026
Hey!
What happens when a self-proclaimed "anti-startup" dentist sees a community of others doing the "impossible" and decides to join them?
In our latest episode, Collin sits down with Dr. Hiral Patel (Solid Smiles). Hiral is a true "OG" of The Making Of community, and she’s pulling back the curtain on the 7-year journey to a thriving practice.
The Highlight Reel:
đź“Ť The Chipotle Hustle: When the phone didn't ring for days, Hiral didn't wait. She hit the pavement with flyers at 7-Eleven and baskets of cards at local restaurants.
đź’° The $23k Reality Check: We get transparent about the money. Hiral breaks down her Year 1 salary and the "Three-Year Shift" where she finally felt like a successful owner.
🤝 Hiring for Heart: Why "talks normal and shows up" beats a 10-page resume every time. (Plus: Why she’s currently hiring a "non-dental" person to keep the office energy fresh).
🎗️ A 10-Year Victory: Hiral reflects on her father’s oral cancer diagnosis during her dental school years. It’s a raw look at the recovery—from hyperbaric "dives" to a miraculous happy ending.
We asked Hiral: "What is the one thing you would have done differently from the jump?" Her answer? She wouldn't have waited to market. Hiral admits she was "too cheap" in the beginning, thinking patients would just appear. She explains why she should have front-loaded her marketing budget and what it felt like to play catch-up while staring at an empty schedule. If you're counting on "word of mouth" to fill your first month, you need to hear this.
The Bottom Line: "The days are hard, but the years are good."
Hiral’s journey proves that if you have the fire to make it work, you will. Whether you’re door-to-door marketing or plucking "tongue hairs" from a family member’s skin graft (yes, we really go there!), this episode is about the grit it takes to grow.
LISTEN TO THE FULL EPISODE ON
See you in the op,
The Making Of Team
Connect with Dr. Hiral Patel: @solidsmiles
P.S. Don’t forget to leave a review on Spotify or Apple Podcasts—it helps other dentists find us and fuels this mission we believe in so deeply.
P.S. This episode is presented by our incredible sponsors Studio EightyEight, Dentistry’s Story-Driven Growth Agency. Reach out and see how they can combine custom creative with performance marketing to create predictable growth for your practice.
The Making Of has partnered with Net32, the dental marketplace that lets you compare vendors, brands, and pricing in one place. → Net32: www.net32.com/TheMakingOf