What happens when your "grand opening" timeline shifts from months to years? In this episode, Mike talks about the frustrating "hurry up and wait" phase of building a practice from the ground up. From the "telephone game" of communicating through brokers to the stress of watching bank pre-approvals expire before construction even begins, this is a candid look at the delays and hurdles nobody warns you about. Whether you are currently stuck in the middle of a build-out or just beginning to scout locations, this update is a raw reminder of why a solid Plan B is just as important as your dream floor plan.

In this episode of Ownership Awakened, Dr. Mike Lundy sits down with Dr. Chris Green, founder of the Practice Launchpad and veteran startup coach, to break down the most critical decision in starting a dental practice: choosing the right location.

Chris shares how he approaches site selection, why lifestyle should come before spreadsheets, and how to properly interpret demographic data beyond surface-level numbers. They dive into dentist-to-population ratios, income levels, homeowner stability, and age distribution — and why understanding the story behind the data matters more than the data itself.

Mike and Chris also tackle competition analysis, explaining why simply counting nearby dentists is meaningless without evaluating wait times, online presence, and DSO vs private practice dynamics. They discuss the continued importance of visibility, the reality of projected growth versus existing population, and the value of the “windshield test” when evaluating potential sites.

Whether you’re considering a startup, acquisition, or simply thinking about practice ownership, this conversation offers practical, experience-based insights on how to stack the deck in your favor from day one.

In this first Ownership Update, I share where I’m at in my ownership journey and how I’m applying the advice I’ve been learning from mentors in real time. I walk through the process my wife and I used to choose Colorado—then narrow down to a specific community—starting with lifestyle and long-term fit, and moving into a practical market search.

I break down how I approached location selection step-by-step: working with a broker and a third-party demographics company, running macro and micro analysis, and physically driving potential areas multiple times to see what the numbers don’t show on paper. I also explain how the market itself helped clarify my decision between acquisition vs. startup, and why I’m currently leaning startup based on the type of community we chose.

Finally, I share a few hard-earned lessons—like not rushing big decisions, not falling in love with a single site too early, and how visibility and real-world feel can change everything. Next episode, I’ll get more tactical and walk through what’s happening with LOIs and negotiations as this vision starts to become real.

If you’re early in your ownership journey, I hope this gives you a practical roadmap—and a mindset—for making one of the biggest decisions in the process.