Creating the Life and Practice of Your Dreams
ROB BRINKMAN , ASCENDANCY HEALTH
by Tina Cauller
Some people are gifted with a natural ability to innovate and improvise when solving problems . They are able to see the big picture and generate ideas . Rather than being paralyzed with fear by the unknown , they thrive in an environment of uncertainty . This kind of visionary is equipped to create smart , powerful solutions to tough problems .
Rob Brinkman is just such a person – a personality type that the Kolbe assessment tool describes as a Quick Start . Raised in St . Louis , he studied finance and economics while on a tennis scholarship and then was recruited by Edward Jones to open an office in East Texas . After six years there , Skandia asked him to join their U . S . division in Connecticut and he found himself on a fastmoving leadership trajectory . He was on the short list to be the next CEO when the company was acquired for a little over $ 1 billion . With that kind of buyout , Brinkman did what most of us would do in his position – spend time with the family , travel , and play a lot of golf . But , he was only 40 years old and recognized the need for reinvention . Fortunately , the innate characteristics of the Quick Start combined with his stellar finance background and skillful leadership put him in a unique position to bring a vision of his own to fruition , and he founded Ascendancy to help professionals create the life and practice they ’ ve always dreamed of .
Ascendancy is a cohort of experts who understand the unique challenges independent practice owners face and build individualized solutions on a broad base of expertise . Brinkman ’ s business acumen and experience have equipped him to help dental professionals in all stages of their careers and his firm now manages more than $ 1.4B in client assets . Of the 500 + businesses taking advantage of the mentoring and coaching services this year , nearly half are dentists .
Brinkman explains , “ There are countless management and operational service firms out there , but the give-up is substantial . You need help balancing the financial and business components of your life and practice , not a takeover . Ascendancy opens doors for dental professionals because while they may already be working with a CPA , attorney , insurance and investment professionals , banker , and life coach , those experts aren ’ t working in concert or even speaking to each other .”
NAVIGATING THE 4 STAGES OF YOUR CAREER
Brinkman describes the four stages of a dental career and how Ascendancy mentors and coaches dentists so they can navigate their way through each phase with dramatically improved efficiency and success .
“ The practice and adult life of a dentist ascends through four stages . In the first stage , as young dentists graduate from dental school , they are often saddled with student debt and although their education has prepared them to care for patients , it seldom includes much business training . At this stage , dentists must choose whether to join an existing practice or purchase the equipment to launch one of their own . We help dentists make informed choices and manage debt wisely . We also help them get a handle on basic accounting and bookkeeping , HR , payroll , and office management . We help them attract , engage ,
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