In Episode 2 of Ownership Awakened, I sit down with Dr. Mark Costes — dentist, entrepreneur, multi-practice owner, and founder of the Dental Success Institute. Few people have mapped out the ownership journey as clearly and honestly as Mark, and this conversation gets straight to the fundamentals every dentist needs before stepping into ownership.

We break down the critical elements that shape your success long before you open your doors:
• Developing the mindset shift from clinician to CEO
• Understanding the true financial, emotional, and personal cost of ownership
• Building systems, leadership habits, and operational clarity early
• Avoiding the traps and blind spots that derail new owners
• Designing a practice that supports your ideal life, not consumes it

If Episode 1 focused on readiness, this episode focuses on structure — the foundation, framework, and strategic thinking required to build an ownership path with intention.

Whether you're exploring ownership for the first time or already in the trenches, this episode gives you a grounded blueprint to make better decisions and build a more resilient career.

In the very first episode of Ownership Awakened, I sit down with one of the most influential mentors in dentistry and entrepreneurship: Alastair Macdonald. If you’re thinking about practice ownership, building a business, or stepping into a new season of leadership, this episode sets the foundation for everything this podcast is about.

Alastair is known for his ability to cut through noise and expose the difference between fantasy and reality in ownership. In this conversation, we break down the mental, emotional, and strategic frameworks every new owner must understand before they sign a lease, hire a team, or expand beyond the operatory.

This episode covers major themes that most dentists never hear until after they’re overwhelmed:

• Why ownership doesn’t make you free—discipline does.
  Alastair explains why freedom isn’t the starting point of ownership; it’s the outcome of becoming a more capable leader.
• The “Seasonality of Success” and why you must expect turbulence.
  Every practice goes through predictable cycles. Knowing them upfront helps you avoid panic, bad decisions, and burnout.
• The psychology of responsibility.
  Ownership magnifies who you are. We discuss how to grow your capacity before you grow your practice.
• Why courage matters more than clinical skills.
  Fear, hesitation, and perfectionism quietly sabotage more dentists than clinical limitations ever will.
• The difference between pressure and problems.
  Pressure is required. Problems need solutions. Alastair teaches you how to tell the difference.
• Money, risk, and the real metrics that matter.
  A beginner’s guide to understanding opportunity cost, asymmetric risk, and why your first business decisions set the tone for the next 10 years.
• Protecting your family while pursuing a dream.
  Ownership affects your spouse and children more than it affects you. We talk about communication, expectations, and the personal cost no one warns you about.

We also go deep into my own ownership journey—why I’m starting a practice now, the doubts I’ve carried, the mistakes I’ve made, and the vision that fuels this podcast. Alastair challenges me directly on the beliefs holding me back and helps me see where I’m underestimating myself.

If you’re a dentist who wants more: more autonomy, more leadership, more clarity, and more control over your future—this conversation gives you the blueprint. It’s honest, grounded, and practical. No fluff. No hype. Just the truth about what it takes to build something meaningful.

This is the episode to listen to before you sign a loan, hire an associate, buy into a practice, or take the leap into ownership.