Transcript – Dentology Podcast with Sarika Shah
Episode release date – Monday 6th January 2025
Andy Acton (00:01.507)
So here we are, we are back for another episode. Christopher, how you doing?
Chris (00:04.957)
Yeah, well, it’s it’s brilliant. It’s a little bit unusual though, Andrew because you are not to my left This is like a bit of a I feel a bit like ant and dec without dec or ant It’s like a bit weird really. It’s a how many of these have we done 170 or something?
Andy Acton (00:10.55)
I’m not, I’m not, I’m working from home today.
Yeah, it’s funny We’ve done a hundred and seventy odd and it’s it’s I think We had a couple of occasions where we’ve not been together, but it is unusual. It is unusual. It does I was gonna say it feels slightly odd. So I Should be looking to my right for the It will it will we’ll we’ll see how we go We’ll see how we go We are and and this week
Chris (00:27.137)
It is i’m gonna keep looking over my shoulder. That’s the thing and I go you’re not there Yeah, it’s gonna be quite weird really that’s how I feel like ant without deck or I never know which ones are short and a big one, but Anyway, but we are here
Andy Acton (00:44.072)
Yet another fabulous guest. They keep coming, don’t they? We are so lucky and privileged. No, not at all. So this week, we have a Sarika Shah. Sarika is a dentist and also principal of the Platinum Dental Care in Canary Wharf, London, but also starts a new project called Flourish as a Female, which we’ll find out a bit more about as we go through our conversation. Hello, Sarika, how are you?
Chris (00:46.927)
Yeah, no pressure, Sareeca. No pressure at all.
Sarika Shah (00:49.908)
Yeah.
Chris (01:03.965)
Yeah, interesting.
Sarika Shah (01:07.776)
Yeah, really well. I’m so excited to be on here today with both of you. So thank you for having me.
Chris (01:10.941)
Thank you. We are so excited that you slaughtered us in considering you tell us you’re disappearing later on today. So yeah, flip.
Andy Acton (01:13.387)
Now we’re excited too.
Sarika Shah (01:20.864)
all packed, ready to fly out this evening for my Christmas holidays. So yes, you’re the last two and the most important people on my schedule today.
Chris (01:23.197)
Good, good, good, good.
Chris (01:29.981)
bless you right, right if that’s not going to put you to the top of the rankings nothing is
Andy Acton (01:30.189)
Well done, well done.
Sarika Shah (01:35.49)
Andy Acton (01:35.884)
I’m looking forward to our conversation because I’ve met you and your husband Rishi who’s also involved in the business so many times at different events but the nature of dental events is it’s kind of it’s very kind of sound bitey. You get to talk to somebody for a few minutes and then you kind of get dragged off in another direction or you talk to somebody else and one of the beauties of a podcast is the long-form nature of being able to have you know 35, 40, minutes to talk about you, your life, what you’ve done, how it’s going.
Sarika Shah (01:41.41)
Doesn’t
Andy Acton (02:04.043)
That’s what we’re going to do today, which I’m looking forward to. So to start with, can we kick off with how your parents set you up when you were young? How did they set you up to be the future person? when you grew up in Kenya and moved to the UK when you were 16. But what did that look like? What was the childhood like for the young Sarekha?
Sarika Shah (02:25.73)
Gosh, you know what? You always reflect back on your childhood, don’t you? And I have to say I’m really privileged because I had the most incredible childhood. Not only did I get to grow up in a fantastic country and I got to explore the outdoors so much, I had freedom in my childhood to go out and play with my neighbours outside and enjoy the weather. We had good weather all year round.
fantastic schooling and great teachers. So yeah, it was generally such a brilliant childhood to have and have such great memories. But you know what? My parents, they played such a huge part in who I am today. And I can, you know, I can’t thank them enough because, you know, parents really influence. They influence you in those younger years, don’t they? And I was really lucky to have a father
Chris (03:10.699)
Mm-hmm.
Andy Acton (03:15.582)
Hmm.
Chris (03:18.141)
Definitely.
Sarika Shah (03:23.34)
who loved his sciences, he was an entrepreneur, always came up with exciting ideas, loved science and space and mathematics. And so we always had interesting conversations around that. But I saw him set up his businesses and I have such distinct memories of being there, especially with his second business and how excited he was to set that up. And I watched him work really, really hard. I watched him
Chris (03:42.214)
Mm-hmm.
Sarika Shah (03:53.494)
build his business from scratch. And I have memories of us, my brother and I being really young and being quite involved with the business side of things as well. And really trying to be part of that excitement and part of that growth as well for him.
Chris (04:04.029)
Hmm.
Chris (04:09.853)
When did you when did you come to the UK?
Sarika Shah (04:12.608)
I came to the UK when I was 16, so straight after my GCSEs.
Chris (04:16.445)
Right and what year was that? I’m not saying I’m trying to find out old you are. wow okay and why did you come here? Why did you sort of your parents?
Sarika Shah (04:18.914)
1998. 1998. Yeah.
Sarika Shah (04:26.626)
So do you know what? was just an educational opportunity. I think that’s what it started off as. I went to an international school in Kenya and my parents, they came up with it. They found this opportunity for me to go to a fantastic school, a boarding school in England. And actually my uncle had been to this school in the 80s, ironically. so, yeah, they came up to me one day, got me sat down.
Chris (04:30.416)
Right, okay.
Andy Acton (04:47.559)
Wow.
Chris (04:47.63)
it will.
Andy Acton (05:04.018)
Cool. Sarika’s gone.
It was exciting opportunity.
Chris (05:09.861)
It’s such an opportunity she left.
Andy Acton (05:11.835)
yeah she did say that her connection wasn’t great in fairness yeah i don’t i have i have well i know exactly what it was drew drew was laughing so about my phone’s landscape and i unlock it with my face so i i did yeah i did i had to do that to unlock my phone
Chris (05:15.643)
Yeah, yeah, it was a bit choppy.
Chris (05:32.861)
I just looked up thought what a brilliant picture though. Yeah, it’s not always hate during she’s gonna come back again
Andy Acton (05:42.599)
I don’t know whether we can let her back into this existing session or whether we need to restart it. I’m not sure to be honest.
Chris (05:54.575)
Yeah, whether she can follow the link and we just let her back. hang on. She’s back. She’s back. It’s Hello, it was so exciting you left It was such an exciting opportunity that I left
Andy Acton (05:57.551)
here we go, she’s back.
Sarika Shah (06:00.111)
there you are. Did I just get totally disconnected? My laptop couldn’t take it.
Andy Acton (06:00.955)
Hello.
Andy Acton (06:06.054)
So I was gonna say, so let’s recap. You are sitting around the dining room table. Your parents said we have this really exciting opportunity for you. Pick up the stories from there.
Sarika Shah (06:19.485)
Yes. And so they had this exciting opportunity for me and they said, look, you know, this is going to be life-changing for you. And remember that I was, you know, I was 16, I think I just turned 16 or I was probably 15 at the time when that opportunity came up. And so it was a really big decision for me to make, but there was something in me deep down inside and I just wanted to experience something new. And yes.
Chris (06:19.783)
Yeah, brilliant.
Chris (06:39.783)
Yeah.
Chris (06:47.185)
So all on your own. This is you came all on your own. it’s not. Yeah.
Sarika Shah (06:49.319)
Can you imagine, and this is a completely different country, coming from a developing country in East Africa all the way to England. I’d only been to England once before in my life when I was seven years old. So it wasn’t like I knew anything about England either. So it was a really big jump, but yeah, a fantastic opportunity.
Chris (07:07.677)
Mmm.
Andy Acton (07:10.516)
When your parents told you and they presented it as an exciting opportunity, what was your immediate reaction, your instinctive response when they told you it was an exciting opportunity? Did you think this sounds crazy and terrifying or did you jump on it quite quickly?
Sarika Shah (07:24.711)
you know what, I have a distinct memory of this. And I think it was that excitement bubbling up inside me. And I remember feeling excitement and scared at the same time. It was like a bit of both. It’s like that feeling that you have that I felt so many times since then as well. you know, when the business opportunity came for the practice, when I’ve been standing on that platform just before I have to bungee jump, you know,
Chris (07:31.282)
Wow.
Chris (07:36.893)
A little bit of trepidation, yeah, must be,
Andy Acton (07:37.131)
Yeah.
Chris (07:53.757)
I was going to say it’s bungee jumping, isn’t it? It’s that sort of a woo-hoo.
Sarika Shah (07:54.589)
So, you know, it’s that fear of excitement, the thrill and the fear all at once. So, yeah, it was brilliant.
Andy Acton (07:55.167)
Yeah.
Chris (08:05.691)
And what was it like when you landed and went to school? it like horrendous? Was it really good? Was it a bit unpleasant? How did it sort of work?
Sarika Shah (08:15.953)
No, was great. So what it was, we arrived in England, it was in like late summer and my results for my GCSE still hadn’t come out. And the position was all dependent on the results that I was going to get in my GCSEs. So I remember going to the high streets.
and my dad, because it was scratch cards, there was no WhatsApp, you know, so we had a scratch card and we’re all huddled up in this red phone booth on the high street. And I remember my dad calling my school and he had this piece of paper and a pencil and I could hear all the results being called out because he would repeat them. Obviously I couldn’t hear on the phone because he was on the phone, but he’d repeat the results and…
Chris (08:59.844)
I will, I will, I will.
Sarika Shah (09:02.109)
He’d just be writing them down, you know, and we were just ecstatic when I got the results and I made it. And the night before they did say to me, they said, I had the whole, you know, my bag with my uniform in there, which had cost a fortune at the time. And my dad said to me, well, both my parents said to me, they said, listen, don’t cut the labels off the uniform yet because, you know, it all depends on what you get tomorrow. And then if you get it, otherwise you have to return it. And it’s, and it’s, back to Kenya again.
Chris (09:24.145)
Hahaha!
Andy Acton (09:25.183)
Just in case.
Chris (09:28.842)
I love your cash conscious father.
Andy Acton (09:31.007)
We’ve got a draft eBay listing waiting for them.
Chris (09:35.655)
Yeah. I tell you what, just, I’ve got this lovely image of like that. How many, three or four of you crammed into a phone box with almost like one, you know, like one of those films where there’s someone’s like giving out a code and it’s like English literature. Hey, it’s a really nice way of, in a sort of bizarre way, apart from just getting a bit of paper. Does that mean, you cause you’re all sharing the experience. Yeah. It’s brilliant.
Sarika Shah (09:36.413)
Exactly.
Sarika Shah (09:42.084)
Yeah, three of us.
Andy Acton (09:48.489)
Yeah.
Andy Acton (09:56.544)
Mmm.
Sarika Shah (09:57.853)
This is it. Exactly. And you know, they’ve been such a big part of my life until then and a big part of my success, I think, with that fantastic upbringing I had as well, you know, when you don’t realize how people or parents have contributed to you until you’re much older and you reflect back, you know, and you see exactly how they’ve influenced you, you know. So it was great. It was great. And just to answer your question, Chris, I mean, you know, going…
Chris (10:10.109)
Hmm.
Chris (10:17.405)
Hmm.
Andy Acton (10:17.854)
Yeah.
Sarika Shah (10:26.427)
going up to the school, the school was in Kent’s and it was just, it’s in a stunning location and you know, walking to my boarding house and it was a six-form boarding house, all international students. So everyone in my year was new, which was a great positive. So we were all there, all new, all ready to make friends, all from different countries. So, you know, we were experiencing the same thing, which was fantastic.
Chris (10:47.997)
which is great.
Sarika Shah (10:52.398)
I’m still in touch with so many of my friends from school as well. We made lifelong friendships. So it was a great, great part of my life.
Andy Acton (11:01.471)
Hmm.
Chris (11:01.501)
I’ll you what it shows doesn’t it, I’ll just think about it, it shows how much really technology has changed. If anything that’s a real simple one isn’t it, know that’s only what’s that 98, what’s that 26 years and you were in a phone box. You were in a phone box with a FIFA fan. I mean that’s not actually that long is it?
Andy Acton (11:12.83)
26 years, not that long really. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
Sarika Shah (11:14.887)
Yeah, can you imagine?
Andy Acton (11:21.213)
Yeah. Sarika, when you came over to go to boarding school, were 16, you were going to do your A-Levels. Did you already know at this time that you had chosen subjects to be a dentist? Was that already predetermined? No.
Sarika Shah (11:21.415)
Yeah.
Sarika Shah (11:35.965)
Absolutely not. Because there is not a single person for generations in my family on either side that has gone into a career that has anything to do with healthcare. Not a single person. So I was the first to make that jump. yeah, and you know, this was, thank you. It was, you know, really for me,
Chris (11:49.525)
Okay, interesting.
Andy Acton (11:50.205)
Hello?
Chris (11:53.585)
No exception.
Sarika Shah (12:01.821)
I had been surrounded by everyone and influenced by everyone that was in business or something to do with economics or accounts, but mostly entrepreneurs and business. So it was something so different for me and the subjects that I chose, I actually did the International Baccalaureate, so I had six subjects and the subjects I initially chose had nothing to do with dentistry at all. I had to change some of my subjects halfway through.
Andy Acton (12:09.928)
Mm-hmm.
Sarika Shah (12:31.549)
But it was really, I think, teachers at the school when I, you when I had open conversations with them and I said to them that, you know what, this is what I’ve been pushed towards, like influenced around, but I’m not sure if I really thrive in these subjects. And I’m so glad that I could have those open conversations with them because it was one of like my lead teachers, especially.
Andy Acton (12:54.447)
in me.
Sarika Shah (13:00.485)
in my boarding house, she was the one that brought it up. And she said that, know, Sarika, you look like, you’re doing really well in your chemistry, your physics, your biology, and maybe you should focus on those subjects. And have you thought about a career in this sector? Have you thought about healthcare? So that’s where it all started. And I was looking at various options then, because suddenly it was, there wasn’t one thing. So I was looking at medicine, I was looking at dentistry, was looking at pharmacy, optometry.
Chris (13:25.777)
Hmm.
Sarika Shah (13:29.981)
And what she said is the best thing to do is go and get some work experience. So she took me to, you know, the pharmacist, the optometrist, the dentist and the doctor on the high street. And she said, she arranged some work, you know, like work shadowing and yeah, I will never forget the experience I had with the high street dentist. was, he sold it to me. He was absolutely, absolutely brilliant. And you know, I feel like
Chris (13:44.029)
That’s brilliant.
Sarika Shah (13:57.905)
I learned so much from that experience, but I just found it so exciting. And I remember him saying to me that, do know what? Dentistry is such a great profession for a woman. It’s such a great profession for a woman. you you have so much choice when you come into dentistry. You know, there’s so many areas that you can grow into. And I think that that did it for me. And then, yeah, that’s how it happened. I actually changed my UCAS form right at the end and then applied for dentistry as well.
Chris (13:58.556)
you
Chris (14:02.855)
Hmm.
Andy Acton (14:03.151)
Mmm.
Chris (14:24.325)
Wow It’s that lovely. It’s that lovely thing isn’t it? It’s lovely to hear one person You know if that person hadn’t have said that to you would you have actually you know, it’s it’s fascinating Was that sliding doors moment? Isn’t it? I always think that and it and it’s quite interesting isn’t it that that’s probably that person you’ve been able to say Thank you, but there’s quite often people That have had that influence on us that we haven’t been able to say thank you to it’s fascinating one person could say one thing steer you down one path and then
Andy Acton (14:36.6)
Yeah, yeah.
Sarika Shah (14:36.816)
Exactly.
Chris (14:54.109)
That’s the path you follow because they brought something you never thought about. That’s a really lovely story.
Andy Acton (14:55.578)
And I think that’s that and I think that’s the power of communication isn’t it you you often have no idea how you can just drop a little comment and it could either be positive or negative or you might have said it neutrally but it might have been received in a positive or negative way and it has an impact on that person. The amount of people we talk to they go yeah I wanted to prove a teacher wrong you know they said I’d amount to nothing and I wanted to prove that person wrong and that teacher may not necessarily have even given a second thought to the comment that they made.
Chris (15:12.38)
Yeah.
Andy Acton (15:25.453)
But that in, you you’ve put that coin over and that teacher gave you the idea and went on to arrange work experience. And you had a positive experience with the dentist on the high street. And the next thing is you’ve changed your UCAS form. It’s wonderful.
Chris (15:33.948)
Hmm.
Sarika Shah (15:39.325)
But this is it. You what happened is my environment changed completely. And we don’t realize how much our environment influences the choices, the way we think, and our actions and our decisions. And my environment completely switched where, again, not having mobile phones, I’d speak to my parents for 15 minutes once every two weeks from a phone booth.
Chris (15:59.345)
Hmm.
Chris (16:04.08)
I will.
Sarika Shah (16:05.847)
And so suddenly all my teachers, my new friends, they were the ones that were influencing me. They were the ones that I was learning from. And they became a big pivotal part of my life at that specific time. And really that conversation as well, we were just having a cup of tea with this specific teacher in my boarding house. And she said, well, how’s everything going? Are you missing your parents? It very casual conversation.
Chris (16:07.452)
Ha ha ha.
Andy Acton (16:13.771)
Yeah
Andy Acton (16:20.407)
Mmm.
Sarika Shah (16:32.453)
And then it went on to, how are you finding school? I went into this whole conversation and then that’s where all of this stemmed from. So it’s really interesting how life can literally change just from one conversation.
Chris (16:41.181)
Hmm.
Chris (16:48.325)
Yeah Yeah, one one interaction with someone makes a can make a massive difference, can it?
Andy Acton (16:48.491)
Mm. Yeah.
Yeah. So you’re in boarding school in Kent, but you then choose to go to dental school in Manchester. So you then go to the other end of the country and Kent and Manchester, they’re quite different. And I know England isn’t a big country, arguably it’s a small geographic space, but they are quite different. What was the thought process? Yes. And whether, so what, was the thought process around going to Manchester?
Sarika Shah (16:54.589)
Absolutely.
Chris (17:14.269)
Very different accents.
Sarika Shah (17:23.153)
Well, you you’ve got to remember that at this point in my life, life is just a big adventure for me. You know, I made this like massive jump, this massive shift and you know, the world’s my oyster. I can just go anywhere. And boarding school completely changed me. You know, I remember my father saying to me the first time I went back on holiday, said, you left as a girl and you’ve come back a lady.
Chris (17:23.771)
music scene.
Chris (17:30.138)
was the music scene.
Andy Acton (17:31.457)
Ha!
Sarika Shah (17:48.029)
And it completely changed me. I became so independent where I was completely reliant on my family for everything in Kenya. I didn’t do anything in Kenya, not even like, I didn’t do my laundry, didn’t wash dishes, didn’t do anything. And I had to then suddenly learn how to do everything over those two years. So I grew up, I grew up really quickly and I just realized, well, do know what? The world’s my oyster, I can do whatever I want. And I applied.
Andy Acton (17:48.308)
Hmm.
Chris (17:48.999)
Yeah.
Andy Acton (17:56.223)
Hmm
Sarika Shah (18:15.813)
to a variety of universities, London, King’s College being one of them, Bristol, Cardiff and Manchester. And I remember going for interviews for all of them, but when I went to Manchester, was the cab driver that sold it to me from the station all the way to university. Do you know what? was so lovely. He was so chatty, he so happy. I just loved the vibe of the university. The fact that it wasn’t fully campus, it was part city, part campus.
Andy Acton (18:32.36)
Hahaha.
Chris (18:41.052)
Wow.
Sarika Shah (18:45.629)
and everyone was just friendly. Everyone was really welcoming. And for me, that was really important. It was really important that I felt comfortable where I went. And I just thought, you know, having a look around and at all the universities, I thought this is going to be the best fit for me. But again, it was a matter of, am I gonna get in or not? So again, we were at Crossroads and I remember being in Kenya on holiday.
Chris (18:54.023)
Yeah, welcome to the North.
Andy Acton (18:54.025)
Mm.
Andy Acton (19:03.561)
Mm.
Sarika Shah (19:12.443)
when I got the acceptance for Manchester, so I was over the moon.
Chris (19:15.271)
Well, at least you didn’t have a bag full of school uniforms. So that’s all.
Andy Acton (19:17.459)
billion.
Sarika Shah (19:19.069)
Exactly. But still, I was an international student, so international school fees for university. So it was all like, well, if you don’t get in, then it’s coming back to Kenya again. And I had to keep my options open. Just as I did for schools, I had to keep my options open for universities in Kenya as well. And maybe I was looking at exploring Australia as well.
Andy Acton (19:20.222)
Yes.
Andy Acton (19:25.297)
Mm.
Chris (19:27.729)
Yeah, definitely.
Andy Acton (19:27.825)
Yeah.
Andy Acton (19:32.563)
Mmm.
Chris (19:39.942)
But.
Did you apply for dental in Kenya as well then?
Sarika Shah (19:47.461)
I hadn’t yet, but I was looking at universities. I was looking at universities. did my SATs. I applied to the US as well. I applied to UPenn. And I was looking at universities in Australia as well. So I wanted to keep all my options open.
Chris (19:50.404)
Right, okay.
Andy Acton (19:50.898)
Mm.
Chris (19:58.363)
Wow.
Chris (20:02.129)
Well you were hedging your bets weren’t you? Keeping your options open, it’s true.
Andy Acton (20:04.508)
Well, you, you, that sense of adventure from Kenya to Ken to Manchester, looking in America and Australia, and then, and then your, your sense of adventure continues. Cause when you finish then to school in Manchester, you then do VT over in Norwich. So you really are bouncing around the whole country and you stayed there for quite a while, didn’t you?
Sarika Shah (20:10.225)
Yeah.
Chris (20:10.589)
Flip.
Sarika Shah (20:18.418)
I did.
Chris (20:20.879)
So you either you either really like train journeys or you like driving
Sarika Shah (20:25.297)
This is it. I’m like the nomad, exploring, as I go along. But yeah, just yeah. that was that’s a whole that’s a whole other story of how I got my job as well. Do you want to know? So, you know, again, just being an international student and you know that I would always get the the lowest preference. So I’d always be the.
Andy Acton (20:29.028)
haha
Chris (20:32.285)
Well.
Chris (20:42.361)
Yeah, yeah.
Andy Acton (20:42.383)
Yeah, love to, love to.
Sarika Shah (20:51.901)
you know, at the bottom of the list in terms of acceptance. Yeah, because the rule was that they, all VT trainers had to have a set number of interviews, but they had to give British citizen graduates first preference. So, and I needed a visa, I needed a working visa with whoever took me on. So, you know, I had to apply to maybe four or five times as many jobs, and this is three or four months before my final exams.
Chris (20:54.915)
Okay, that’s interesting.
Sarika Shah (21:20.283)
and then trots around the country, all around the country to go for interviews. And at that time, I don’t know what it is like now, but it was job shops at the time. So each deanery had a job shop where all the VT trainers would come in and they’d do like mini interviews and you can swap your CVs. And exactly, was literally like that. It really was. And so I had to go to every single job shop.
Andy Acton (21:25.712)
Wow.
Chris (21:38.66)
speed dating.
Dental speed dating. How about that?
Sarika Shah (21:49.789)
So yeah, and at that time again, know, no one accepted CVs and cover letters through email. I had to print every single one out in the library at university.
Chris (21:59.003)
you’re coming up to your finals aren’t you? That’s timing with your finals as well. you’re sort of like… nice.
Sarika Shah (22:02.811)
Yeah, it was about three or four months, probably Jan Feb time, that year, 2006. And then I went to the East Anglia Deenery job shop and I’d been around everywhere and I thought at that point, I really thought, okay, I’m not getting a job. I was ready to call my dad and say, I’m really not getting a job, I’m done. Because I think it was one of the last job shops as well.
Chris (22:08.367)
flippin’
Sarika Shah (22:28.001)
And I said, I thought, okay, and I was wearing these really high heels. I was done. I was exhausted. I just wanted to focus on my exams. it was like in a hotel and they had like a hotel bar. So I thought, right, I need to have a beer at this stage. So I went to the bar and ordered a pint. there was, you know, I thought it’s like four o’clock in the afternoon, I’m done.
Chris (22:49.085)
I like your style. I like your style.
Sarika Shah (22:57.757)
And I had to go back to London and then Manchester again. And then there’s this gentleman standing next to me at the bar and he just ordered a pint. And we just started talking and he said, like, you know, and he said, yeah, I’m a VT trainer as well. I’m based out in Norwich. And then we started talking and said, well, I’m looking for a job. And he said, well, it just happens to be that I had accepted someone, but she’s accepted a job somewhere else. And then he said to me, what are you doing tomorrow?
and I said, I’m free, and he said, well, why don’t you come over to Norwich and I’ll show you around. And he showed me around, there was a group of practices, showed me around, and then took me out for a pub lunch, and over another pint, we signed my letter of intent, and that was it, and he offered me the job.
Chris (23:42.94)
What?
Chris (23:46.653)
flipping it. Now that’s a lovely story. What about chance meeting in a bar over a pint? In your high heels. There we go, ladies and gentlemen. If you’re listening.
Andy Acton (23:46.858)
By the way.
Sarika Shah (23:50.951)
There you go, right? So never skip the ball. Just never skip the ball.
Andy Acton (23:56.168)
never skipped the bar. Also, it just shows, doesn’t it, that it’s never over till it’s over. You you were probably feeling a bit despondent and you kept applying and nothing was happening. And then, and then you got got a break. And as a life lesson for you, but for other people listening to this, you know, to have that kind of tenacity to just keep going. You never know when that breaks going to come.
Sarika Shah (24:03.889)
Yeah.
Sarika Shah (24:16.753)
Yeah, and I’ll tell you what, and hard work always pays off. Definitely in my experience, I’ve had to work, I had to do the extra bit at every stage of my life and it’s just created really good habits and I really believe that even if it’s not worked in that moment, it will pay off down the line. You will get that payoff at some point. never stop putting the hard work in, never stop believing in yourself and don’t…
Chris (24:17.597)
We talk about resilience, don’t we?
Andy Acton (24:19.146)
Hmm.
Andy Acton (24:23.03)
Hmm.
Sarika Shah (24:45.607)
completely give up, know, like always look at other options. There’s always something out there.
Andy Acton (24:50.347)
Yeah, so you did your BT there, you were there for seven years, you then did your MSc in restorative dentistry at Eastman. I’m interested, obviously you come from a long line of entrepreneurs and business people in your family, yet you’re now doubling down big time on your clinical learning. Did you in those early days do anything to support your learning and understanding of the business of dentistry at all, or was it purely clinical?
Sarika Shah (25:09.021)
Thank
Sarika Shah (25:17.117)
No, it was purely clinical at that stage. And I remember having lots of conversations with my father and I said, do you know what? Like, I really find the business of dentistry interesting. The great thing was where I was working at my VT practice, there was four partners and I had a really good relationship with all of those four partners. Strangely enough, mostly because I’m a golfer and I play golf and they’d have golfing events.
And I get to have these fantastic conversations about the practice and the business side of the practice on the golf course with them. And I said to my father, said, I’m really interested in the business side of things. But he always said to me, everything at the right time. He said, you’ve got to make sure that you master your clinical skills and you’ve got to make sure that you’re consistent with your clinical skills because the last thing you want is to invest in a practice and then realize that you’re
Chris (25:44.381)
Okay.
Sarika Shah (26:12.487)
you don’t have the skills to support yourself on the clinical side. And the other thing he said to me as well is that you also then have to master the other skills. And really, this is where I learned about leadership. And he said that you have to learn how to be a really good people person and a good leader. And you’ve got to start practicing from now. Yeah. And he said, start practicing from now. Work with your nurses, work with the team within your practices.
Chris (26:32.253)
He’s a wise man, your father, isn’t he? Yeah, mister.
Andy Acton (26:34.887)
Yeah.
Sarika Shah (26:42.267)
you know, really hone in on your leadership skills and then slowly start to understand the business side of things, the finance, you know, how to build relationships with people. So, you know, he started to, it’s what some people call skill stacking and he didn’t use that phrase, but that’s what he was trying to do with me. It’s like, you know, build your skills one thing at a time and stack your skills until it doesn’t have to be the perfect time, but until it’s the right time for you to then
start your practice. And he was quite, he said that you need to do this on your own as well. And I knew what he meant. He meant financially that, you he said, you you need to earn enough to then build enough of a pot to then invest in your practice. So, you know, and I’m so glad he did that because it’s mine. It’s my own. I never had to ask him for money for it. And yeah, and I’m really proud that I did it on my own. Yes, he is.
Chris (27:19.773)
Mmm.
Chris (27:29.447)
great.
Chris (27:35.303)
Hmm.
Is he still with us? he still alive? Yeah, I bet he’s proud as he sort of… when you look at the things you’ve achieved, I’d imagine it’s a like a, yeah, well done, girl.
Andy Acton (27:45.604)
yeah.
Sarika Shah (27:49.933)
absolutely, you know, and I talk about my father a lot, but my mom had such a huge influence on me as well. You know, she’s very artistic, but it’s her high achiever mindset that I think she had that I feel like it’s the influence or I’ve inherited it genetically. I don’t know what it is, but you know, it was that side of it, which was so important, I think, you know, with the other skills that I’ve collected along the way.
Chris (28:08.391)
Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha.
Chris (28:17.531)
Yeah, brilliant.
Sarika Shah (28:18.455)
and for me to have the right type of mindset as well. So she’s a very strong woman and she had such a huge influence on me.
Andy Acton (28:25.127)
Mm.
Yeah, you touched on leadership. And in 2017, you bought Platinum Dental Care in Canary Wharf. Was it always your plan that you would be a principal one day? Was that always where this was heading? Was it like, I enjoy working with people, I enjoy elevating them, empowering them, but to do that well, I really have to be a principal? Was it something that was a natural extension of where you got to in your career?
Chris (28:35.773)
you
Chris (28:40.509)
Hmm.
Chris (28:54.811)
Yeah, interesting question,
Sarika Shah (28:56.093)
You know what? I think so. I think I always wanted to own my own business. I think that’s what it was. And I think being a dentist, I think being a practice principal was the first step. I think that the skills you learn being a dentist, can do so much now in our field, right? You can own a business that is dentally related, but isn’t necessarily a practice. And I think you can do so much.
Chris (29:11.677)
Mm.
Andy Acton (29:17.67)
Hmm.
Sarika Shah (29:24.881)
the business side of things I just found really interesting. It was in my blood. It was in my blood. And I just found it really interesting. And I never went down that career pathway, but I went into dentistry. But the great thing was is that you can be an entrepreneur and a dentist at the same time. And I’m so glad that that high street dentist, he almost kind of said to me that you can do so much with this career. And he was so right that there are so many avenues that you can take.
Andy Acton (29:29.999)
Yeah.
Chris (29:42.279)
Hmm.
Chris (29:50.429)
Hmm.
Sarika Shah (29:54.309)
and still have fulfillment, still feel and still see success. So I think it’s a great career.
Chris (29:56.957)
Hmm.
It’s interesting, isn’t it? sort of from all the people we talked to, you sort of have this. You’re a dent, you’re that you either can be a dentist who becomes a business person or a business person who becomes a dentist. Does that make sense? so I sort of get the feeling you’re the you’d probably have been a business person irrespective of what it was. But you happen to find yourself in dentistry. Yeah.
Andy Acton (30:24.004)
qualified dentistry. Yeah.
Sarika Shah (30:24.903)
Yeah, yeah. And you know, thing is that there’s so many aspects to business, right? And I just feel that to be an entrepreneur, you don’t necessarily have to be strong in every area. So my strengths were that I’m very creative, I’m very innovative, and I love people, I love building relationships, and that’s where my strengths lie.
On the finance side, not so much. I’m so glad I say it’s changed my subjects at the International. Best advice I was given. Not my strong suit, you know. you know, we’ll talk about how we’ve kind of developed platinum with my husband and how we are such a great team. But, you know, just a message to people out there that you need to have the passion, you need to have a vision, you need to have set goals.
Chris (30:55.559)
Ha ha ha ha ha ha.
Sarika Shah (31:18.833)
but you don’t need to be good at everything. Yes, there’s key elements that you need to know about and you need to have those foundations so that whatever you build doesn’t crumble, but I think you can learn skills along the way. So you don’t need to be ace at everything before you own your business. yeah, but.
Andy Acton (31:23.287)
Hmm.
Chris (31:34.78)
Hmm.
Hmm. I think that’s a great one for people to listen to is that you don’t have to do everything because actually you’re never going to be good at everything. You’re going to have your own personal strengths aren’t you that you go to and then you employ other people to do the other things and support you because that’s their strength.
Andy Acton (31:38.402)
Hmm.
Sarika Shah (31:46.855)
This is it.
Yep.
Sarika Shah (31:55.459)
Exactly. And there is someone else out there that is an expert in that specific field that can help you. But like I say, you have to have an overall know-how about it so that you do stay in control. But there are always experts out there that you can hire for whatever you need.
Chris (32:10.631)
Hmm.
Andy Acton (32:15.745)
Can you just describe what platinum dental care looks like now in terms of the shape of it? How many surgeries have you got? What’s the mix of conditions and services that you offer to patients?
Chris (32:16.697)
No problem.
Sarika Shah (32:25.915)
Yeah. Yes, this is it. Well, first of all, I’m so grateful that it isn’t just the most stunning building in Canary Wharf. There’s very few buildings. It’s one of the old docks. So it has a very, it’s not like a normal dental practice. It doesn’t have that clinical feel to it. And we took over and it was just a two-surgery practice at the time with, you know,
Chris (32:26.363)
and what it looked like when you took it over.
Andy Acton (32:28.266)
Yeah.
Sarika Shah (32:54.397)
I think two surgeries, probably five days a week, okay? That was probably running at around 80 % capacity. And then we went through two refurbishments over a period of two to three years, and we transformed it into a full surgery practice. And now we’re just a really busy full surgery practice six days a week. Yeah, and the team is brilliant. You we’ve grown the team. I’ve grown the team. Everyone who…
Andy Acton (33:09.313)
Thank
Chris (33:11.345)
Mm-hmm.
Sarika Shah (33:21.563)
has bought a practice or started their own practice understands that there is a lot of growth with time and you learn a lot. It’s a steep learning curve along the way, but the team, we grew from having two associates and a hygienist and a very small front of a house, well, only one practice manager and two nurses or three nurses. So now we have a team of 30 people. We’re a multidisciplinary team, specialist associates.
Chris (33:27.997)
Hmm.
Chris (33:33.309)
Hmm.
Sarika Shah (33:51.175)
fantastic DCPs, great nursing team, I know great front of house and admin team as well.
Chris (33:57.797)
I think Canary Wharf is one those places that has evolved so much. When you think at one time it was, was busy, well one time it was empty and then it came full of businesses. But what I think’s fascinating about Docklands and Canary Wharf is the number of residentials that are now being built, which must be great, which must be partly why you’re six days, you know, because you’ve not just office people, are you? Yeah, it’s amazing how it’s evolved.
Andy Acton (33:57.95)
Mm.
Andy Acton (34:05.522)
Yeah.
Sarika Shah (34:23.025)
Yeah, this is it. Yeah, absolutely. And I love that the patient demographic for me is just people like me. They’re all young professionals. So you really get to connect with them. They’re easy to communicate with. I understand what they like, what they dislike, what they need, what they want in terms of service. And you’re so right, Chris, it has completely transformed. So like back in the 90s,
Chris (34:46.396)
Hmm.
Sarika Shah (34:51.421)
or even 80s, there wasn’t really anything, there wasn’t anything there. And then you suddenly had Canary Wharf, know, that company that just built Canary Wharf and made it like the banking hub. And so then it was just very much commercial. And then, you know, they started to realize, well, we’ve got all this land, what do do with it? so they’ve had all these projects to build the residential. And strangely enough, because the banking side of things over the last two years, that started to make a bit of a shift.
Andy Acton (34:56.455)
Mm.
Chris (34:56.528)
Meh.
Chris (35:13.949)
Mmm.
Sarika Shah (35:20.135)
there’s been a bit of a change with that as well. And so now they’re bringing in a lot of tech companies, a lot of not really healthcare companies, but like science-based companies, like pharma companies are coming in. So they’re encouraging other companies, you know, in other fields to come in and they’re making a lot of green spaces. So they’ve got a great vision, I think, for the Canary Wharf.
Andy Acton (35:31.42)
Hmm.
Chris (35:36.817)
Mmm.
Chris (35:40.579)
Yeah, I think it’s a great location. I think that’s how it’s evolved from, as you say, from what it was to where it is now. And I think where it will continue to evolve into, because it’s one of those amazing places. There’s still quite a lot of space, isn’t there?
Andy Acton (35:44.381)
Mm.
Andy Acton (35:48.507)
Yeah, yeah.
Sarika Shah (35:54.247)
There is, you know? Yeah, there is. I mean, but it’s a tiny, like it’s, everything is like going, is building upwards, if you know what I mean. You know, and like the lower part of the Docklands, that’s all still very kind of old residential. So it’s just got pockets of space and everything is so different, but you’re right. Like go out on, you know, to Canary Wharf on a Saturday and it’s buzzing. You’d have to book a restaurant, you know, to go out on a Friday or Saturday night.
Andy Acton (35:54.871)
yeah.
Chris (36:01.595)
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Andy Acton (36:09.915)
Mm.
Chris (36:09.948)
Hmm.
Chris (36:13.661)
Hmm.
Chris (36:18.607)
Yeah, it is.
Andy Acton (36:20.123)
When you were describing your practice, reckon you were saying about DCPs. I know you’re a huge fan of therapists and hygienists in practice. Is there a general misunderstanding inside the profession, which obviously also impacts on patient understanding of the value that therapists bring to a practice? I think with hygienists, I think there’s probably a better understanding of
Chris (36:22.191)
She’s bonkers. I was great, but bonkers, if you know what mean. Sorry.
Sarika Shah (36:34.663)
Yes.
Andy Acton (36:49.145)
where hygienists sit but have we still not found the right place to position therapists in dentistry?
Sarika Shah (36:56.381)
Absolutely, absolutely. I really think that, I think it’s a lack of awareness, if I’m being completely honest, Andy, and it’s a lack of awareness of how it, working with a DCP and having a good relationship with a DCP can affect your business or grow your business. And by the way, I believe that when I talk about business, I don’t mean being a practice principle. I believe that
everyone is their own business. I mean, I include associates in this as well. associates need to understand that they are their own business and that they are working in harmony with the practice. So they’re working in partnership with the practice, but they’re also growing their own business and they need to change their, switch their mindset a little bit around that. So it’s not necessarily that principles need to work with the DCP. Associates can work with the DCP. And if that relationship is strong, both the DCP and the associate can
grow and I don’t, mean, you know, financially grow as well. It just makes financial sense to work with a DCP because that DCP is then taking away a lot of the direct restorative work and so many other things as well. If they’re working within their full scope of practice, they can see patients for examinations, they can take x-rays, they can do so much. And if you let them work within their full scope of practice, imagine how much time that opens up in your diary.
Andy Acton (38:08.569)
Hmm.
Andy Acton (38:17.527)
Hmm.
Chris (38:18.715)
Mm.
Sarika Shah (38:24.401)
to see those patients that need that, you know, higher level of work or to do the work that you’re passionate about. But I think that the limitation is, that dentists are scared of making that move because it’s just the norm to just take all the patients, to see all the checkups, to see all the recalls and get everything into your diary. And we like seeing a busy book, right? But it’s about, well, how productive is that book?
Andy Acton (38:25.144)
Mm.
Andy Acton (38:33.555)
Mm, yeah.
Chris (38:45.245)
Yeah.
Chris (38:50.354)
Hmm.
Sarika Shah (38:53.127)
how efficient are you with that book? And I think it’s about people just seeing that, well, if this was my business, how productive is my business? How efficient is my business? How am I doing financially with my business? Am I limiting myself potentially financially as well? And it’s that switch in the mindset that I think a lot of people.
Chris (39:06.161)
Hmm.
Andy Acton (39:06.263)
Hmm.
Andy Acton (39:11.371)
And like you say, that’s business awareness, isn’t it? About how do you maximize your efficiency. And also a little bit back to what you saying before about is there a better person to be doing the job? Now if you qualify in clinical dentistry, obsessing about the SEO on your website probably isn’t a good use of your time. Equally, as somebody who’s got an MSc in histology dentistry, the level of work that you can do will be different from a hygienist or therapist. Therefore using them for their skills just makes perfect sense.
Chris (39:11.373)
It’s interesting. Yeah, yeah.
Chris (39:33.341)
Mm.
Andy Acton (39:40.147)
everybody doing the right thing for how they’re they’re equipped and prepared for it.
Sarika Shah (39:41.853)
Yeah. It is.
Chris (39:43.549)
I thought it was highlighted because I think we were all there at the latest Dentarama thing when that discussion about a hygienist and therapist, which I did find quite entertaining about the fact of, know, why are you just saying they can only do little treatment? So, you know, it’s almost like that sort of disparaging view, whereas actually what you’re saying, which is quite right, is everybody should look at working together as a team. You know, if you have a nurse, then you’ll probably be more efficient.
Andy Acton (39:48.769)
Yeah.
Chris (40:13.405)
And as that lady pointed out you should have one anyway, it’s quite fascinating I thought the whole thing was quite an interesting sort of like mmm
Andy Acton (40:13.878)
Yeah.
You
Sarika Shah (40:17.159)
This is it. This is it.
Sarika Shah (40:21.307)
Yeah, it’s so true. But I’ll tell you what as well, Andy, is that when you introduce a DCP into your practice, you’ve got to have a plan and you’ve got to have a set number of, a good enough number of new patients coming through the door as well. Okay? And I think where it doesn’t work and where the anxiety comes in with associates or principals is when their books aren’t as full with treatment and then they have to ask themselves, well, is this because…
Andy Acton (40:21.34)
So
Andy Acton (40:32.179)
Mm.
Andy Acton (40:45.845)
Hmm.
Sarika Shah (40:50.161)
there is a flaw in my treatment planning, I’m not treatment planning holistically or enough, is there not enough new patients coming in? And I think that’s when there is sometimes a break or a resistance to taking a DCP on. And the other point I just wanted to make is that for DCPs as well, it’s really, I think for them, it’s about them understanding that they’re a business too, and that you have to keep building that relationship. You can’t give up. You’ve got to,
Chris (41:02.545)
Yeah.
Andy Acton (41:04.725)
Mm-hmm.
Sarika Shah (41:19.943)
keep building your book and you’ve got to ask for referrals and you’ve got to showcase your work and use loops and the technology and take good photography and have a portfolio. So I think it’s about all those things coming together to make it all work.
Chris (41:32.939)
Mmm. Yeah, definitely, definitely.
Andy Acton (41:33.941)
Yeah, we started at the very beginning to talk about family and the importance of that and how they set you up since, by your practice, you now have a child of your own, your mum, which is incredible. How did that change your outlook on business? To what extended impact? this is kind of for, it’s for men and women, but it’s just, you know, just get your take on that. You know, is it an additional…
Chris (41:55.473)
Very tired.
Andy Acton (42:00.949)
an additional pressure, how do you kind of balance everything to make sure that you give everybody the attention they need.
Sarika Shah (42:06.599)
Yeah, I get asked that question all the time. you know, my son is just, he’s a miracle child. I had IVF over seven years to have him and I was having IVF. it is, it was.
Andy Acton (42:19.047)
Wow. Wow, that’s a long time.
Chris (42:19.195)
wow. That’s pretty, I mean that’s pretty stressful as well. Hey, why don’t we add the Bina practice evolving it. Excellent. Yeah. Flip.
Sarika Shah (42:29.327)
Yeah, this is it. And it started prior to us buying the practice. all just, I realized one thing, everything just clashes. Everything clashes. mean, for a woman, there’s a big clash in her career and her biology. There’s a big clash. And I think if we just accept that, that look, it is going to clash, but you can do it. It’s just about putting certain things in place and it is possible. And any hard times are not forever. It’s always transient.
Chris (42:34.682)
Yeah, man.
Chris (42:40.049)
Ha ha ha ha!
Andy Acton (42:44.275)
the
Andy Acton (42:49.041)
Mm.
Sarika Shah (42:58.461)
And that’s the mindset that I’ve always had. So, know, IVF was happening, was like, when it happens, it happens. But I learned a lot about my self leadership, my personal leadership, my self development journey, my stress management, my time management. So I was stacking those skills as I was going through IVF, just to stay positive, you know, and just to keep growing, not just clinically as a dentist, because I just finished.
Chris (43:02.077)
I tell you, that’s your attitude always, isn’t it?
Chris (43:14.385)
Hmm.
Chris (43:22.301)
Hmm
Sarika Shah (43:27.355)
my MSc a few years before that, and I was like enjoying my clinical dentistry and the cases I was taking on. But then the whole idea about should we buy a practice and that journey started. I had my son in 2020 during COVID and yeah, and it was just about, to be honest with you, it’s about time management. It’s about asking for help.
Chris (43:32.221)
Mmm.
Sarika Shah (43:53.903)
Okay, so it’s really, we’re so isolated as dentists and as practice principals that we don’t ask for help. We think we have all the answers and there isn’t many people to go to, but it’s about finding your tribe and finding the right people in the right community that you can ask for help. And there’s no shame in asking for help. And it’s also that I don’t have the answer to everything. I don’t need to answer everything today. I don’t need to do everything today. And it’s about prioritizing.
Chris (43:54.235)
and boundaries I’d imagine, having boundaries.
Andy Acton (43:56.432)
Hmm.
Andy Acton (44:05.701)
Hmm.
Chris (44:09.405)
Hmm.
Sarika Shah (44:20.955)
what is, what needs to be done and when, and delegation. I was like a control freak and a micromanager when I first took over the practice, because it was like my first baby. I had my practice before I had my son. So it was my first baby. You know, it was literally pooping on us every day. It was keeping us up at night every single day, you know? And it was like a child, like managing a, you know, like a young baby.
Chris (44:34.609)
Mm-hmm.
Andy Acton (44:37.166)
Yeah.
Chris (44:49.083)
Yeah.
Sarika Shah (44:50.905)
So yeah, and enjoying the journey, know, like motherhood is difficult, know, going through pregnancy and birth and all that is difficult as well, but it’s about enjoying the journey. And I think my message to women is always that when you have these things put in place, when you have strong inner leadership and you can really have awareness and control over your emotion, you’re emotionally intelligent.
Chris (45:03.261)
Hmm.
Andy Acton (45:03.312)
Hmm.
Chris (45:17.169)
Hmm
Sarika Shah (45:17.325)
of your thoughts and your actions and you have clarity on your goals and you have a great community around you, you’re set in the right environment. When you create all those things around you, then your growth will happen organically. It will happen for you. Yes, you have to work hard and you have to put things in place, but opportunities will come your way. And it’s about not limiting yourself to those opportunities and
Chris (45:33.831)
Mm. Yeah.
Sarika Shah (45:46.019)
seeing them, that it is there and it’s now my choice whether I want to take it or not.
Andy Acton (45:51.182)
And if you haven’t got enough on your plate this year, you then started flourish as a female as well, which I’m guessing based on what you just said about a new business, being a mom, having a husband, managing all those different priorities and spinning those plates. that kind of, you know, did this new venture come out of your own experience?
Chris (45:51.517)
Mm, well.
Chris (46:07.815)
Yeah.
Sarika Shah (46:11.837)
Yes, and all of it, you know, and I think also, you know, just some of the barriers that faces as a female in dentistry, you know, it being such a male dominated field. And there was so many biases that I faced as well, you know, in my career. So I think bringing all that together and I climbed Kilimanjaro, I summited Kilimanjaro last year, which was a highlight of 2023. And one of the things that happened on that journey was that I felt
Prior to climbing Kilimanjaro, I felt like I was missing something. I felt I was missing something to do with my purpose and that I’d achieved so much. But you get to that point in your life, you’re like, am I really fulfilled? Is this really my purpose? Can I be giving back to the world a little bit more? then I came, Kilimanjaro did that for me. I got that aha moment up there. And when I came down, I said to Vishy, I said, I know what I need to do, kind of.
Chris (46:47.389)
Mm-hmm.
Sarika Shah (47:07.741)
And I want to set something up for women because nothing like this exists. Nothing like this exists where there is this, there is a course for women that is out there, but not even that. I’m a certified mindset and performance coach as well, where you’re getting coaching, you’re getting guiding, you’re getting in for a guide, you’re getting information, strategies about leadership, about self leadership first, because that for me is the most important thing.
before you go out there and you lead other people. And I mean, your surgery, lead your practice, lead your home. We’re leading everywhere. So it’s about having that understanding and how effectively can we do that. And then a bit more about the self-development side of things, but also the business side of things as well. There is very little female-to-female guide, mentoring, coaching on
Chris (47:58.973)
Snap.
Chris (48:03.981)
Mm, yeah, see? Yeah.
Sarika Shah (48:04.743)
business and like, you know, what is it that you need to put in place? How do we manage being a mom, you know, or even a wife and having a business or, know, whatever it’s going to be, how do we manage our time?
Chris (48:08.775)
Cough cough
Mmm.
And there are more women practice owners now. We see that there’s a big change. Wow.
Andy Acton (48:18.432)
Yeah, yeah.
Sarika Shah (48:20.497)
There are, but the trend is starting, it’s still very slow. And there are still a lot of women that are hesitant owning a practice because it is difficult, it’s difficult as a woman on your own to start something new when you don’t have the know-how, the knowledge, the mentorship, you don’t have someone there to speak to when you need the help. And it can be on the silliest little things.
Andy Acton (48:26.795)
Mm.
Chris (48:26.853)
Yeah
Andy Acton (48:33.077)
Mm.
Chris (48:38.909)
Mmm.
Chris (48:44.124)
Yeah.
Sarika Shah (48:47.697)
But if you don’t have that network, that’s an open network as well, by the way. There’s lots of female to female networks, but they’re not necessarily open where you can just go in there and ask anything that you want. There’s a few, but there isn’t enough. And that was really my purpose, is that I wanted to create impact for women in dentistry and give them this course, which is basically helping them and guiding them through their leadership.
inner leadership but also the outer leadership and all the other aspects of how they can really create their success as a female in dentistry.
Chris (49:23.965)
What did you do to relax?
Andy Acton (49:24.303)
very cool.
Sarika Shah (49:26.397)
What do I do to relax? my gosh. You know what?
Chris (49:28.061)
Yeah, yeah, cuz I’m like I’m sort of exhausted in a way I think it flip. What’s this? Well, what does this woman do? know, she’s like she’s up. She’s got a baby. She’s got a husband She runs a business and she’s doing this thing and she’s a business mindset catch the business coach So I’m thinking so when do you have like downtime and what is your downtime? Is it is it a cup of tea in a book or is it a cup of tea and TV or is that a cup of tea and playing with your son? I don’t know. Is it a beer?
Sarika Shah (49:56.123)
Yeah, you know what, a bit of everything, but I’ll tell you what as well is rest is extremely important to me. Extremely important. It’s actually what I call one of my non-negotiables because it’s really important that you don’t go, go, go all the time. And I have that in my personality. I’ve got that in my blood to, you know, to grow all the time.
Chris (50:08.74)
Okay.
Chris (50:13.415)
Don’t burn out, yeah.
Really? I can’t say I’ve noticed.
Sarika Shah (50:18.877)
And I give a lot of my energy to other people, but it’s really important, I think, that I have energy for myself and to regenerate, to have the energy for my own thoughts, for my own goals. So actually, rest for me is really important. And I think I learned this because I’ve been through two burnouts in the past. And I really learned from that how to manage my stress. And again, this comes from the self leadership that I’ve learned about time management.
Andy Acton (50:19.763)
the
Chris (50:27.942)
Right.
Andy Acton (50:28.168)
Hmm.
Chris (50:40.629)
really?
Chris (50:46.309)
Yeah
Sarika Shah (50:48.781)
and about prioritization and I do prioritize time out in my day. I love exercising. So I think that, you know, like you said, is that, you know, time for yourself is different for different people and you do it in a different way. So I like going out for walks. I love exercising. I really like let out lot of energy in the gym and running and, you know, things like that as well. But also spending time with family, you know, and
Andy Acton (51:01.702)
Mm.
Sarika Shah (51:18.321)
Just meditation and just having just some peaceful time for myself. Yeah, yoga, meditation, but I tell you what, I love taking holidays. I need my time out on a holiday because I need like just a day or two just to get that brain mind body detox, know, just 24 to 48 hours and just to reset. So for that, for me is really, really important.
Chris (51:22.045)
I was going say, do you do yoga or something like that so as you can sort of like a bit of centre.
Go for it, girl.
Right.
Chris (51:43.037)
We haven’t really got time, but I tell you what, I love the fact that you just snuck in two burnouts. Do you know what I mean? It’s that thing, isn’t it? I think for our listeners is brilliant in the fact of we’ve had your positivity and your story, but in that were two burnouts, but you’ve turned it around and you’ve come out of that. So I’m sort of thinking, hey guys, if you want to have a chat with Sareeca, you know.
Andy Acton (51:48.507)
Yes.
Andy Acton (52:07.622)
Hmm.
Chris (52:12.625)
You know where she is, she’s walked the walk and taught the talk by the sounds of things.
Sarika Shah (52:13.309)
Exactly.
This is it, you know, the whole experience. I’ve experienced it all.
Andy Acton (52:16.995)
Exactly right.
Andy Acton (52:21.028)
Chris (52:21.371)
Yeah, yeah flip. Yeah. Yeah, what else can we throw on you? Nice truth
Andy Acton (52:24.229)
There’s no shortage of experience in there. Sarika, though, we have got to the time when we have to ask you a couple of quite serious questions. The first one is if you could be a fly on a wall in a situation, where would you be and who would be there, given the chance?
Sarika Shah (52:43.399)
So if I could be a fly on a wall, I wouldn’t be on the wall. I think I’d be that annoying fly that like goes around someone’s head or hits on their shoulder. I think it would be, I’m not going to name anyone specific because I have too many people I love and too many powerful females that I love, but it would be someone pretty powerful, like a CEO of a company. And I would love to just follow them around. And I’d love to see
how they’re communicating with all the different teams in their business. Because I think that the way we have to communicate now in dentistry has evolved a lot and the way we communicate with one team is very different with another. So I’d like to just follow them around and see, well, actually, if they’re on the floor, on the manufacturing floor, how do they communicate with the team on the manufacturing floor? And if they were then in a boardroom meeting as a female in a high position,
Chris (53:34.557)
Mmm.
Andy Acton (53:34.575)
Hmm.
Sarika Shah (53:40.017)
how would they then in a male dominated field, how would they then communicate in that kind of environment? So I would very much like to just follow as many powerful women as possible and be the annoying fly in that corner.
Andy Acton (53:53.239)
Yeah.
Andy Acton (53:58.786)
And quite often it is those small details, isn’t it? It’s a very subtle differences between communicating with different audiences, but still being authentic, but just adjusting slightly depending on who it is you’re talking to. Yeah.
Chris (54:02.108)
Mmm.
Chris (54:09.373)
Even phrasing and phraseology.
Sarika Shah (54:09.821)
And this is it. I think what I’d want to observe, and you really hit the nail on the head, Andy, is about authenticity to me is so important. I think more now that I understand me and who I am, that I’m not afraid to be authentic. And I would love to see that actually, do they need to change to then achieve what they need to in that moment or long term or short term?
Andy Acton (54:25.026)
Hmm.
Chris (54:25.778)
hehe
Andy Acton (54:31.298)
Yeah.
Sarika Shah (54:35.223)
Or are they actually being really authentic? And what is it that people buy into them? How are people buying into them? So I would, think this is like, you’ve got, you know, few people in this world that have just nailed it when it comes down to that. And they have fans of everyone around them is a fan. And I think that I want to learn what is their secret. And I want to learn how to do that.
Chris (54:35.645)
Mm.
Andy Acton (54:38.498)
Mm-hmm.
Andy Acton (54:50.487)
Mm.
Andy Acton (55:01.59)
That’s great. And if you could meet somebody, who would you meet given the opportunity? Yeah, sit down, have a pint of beer with them.
Chris (55:06.909)
Living or dead.
Sarika Shah (55:07.727)
Gosh.
Chris (55:10.471)
Fact or fiction, in fact, as we always say.
Andy Acton (55:11.948)
Yes.
Sarika Shah (55:13.437)
Do you know what? I’m gonna be a cheesy. I’m gonna be really cheesy. And I’m going to say, I’m going to say Beyonce. I’m going to say Beyonce. Yeah, because no one ever picks a, know, like a pop singer. So I’ve got that. I’ve given you the serious answer. No one before. I’m gonna pick Beyonce because again, you know, this is someone who is, you know, who’s super hardworking, had great influence from a childhood, from a parent.
Chris (55:21.277)
that’s okay, that’s good. We’ve never had Beyonce, I don’t think.
Andy Acton (55:23.671)
No.
Andy Acton (55:30.143)
Ha ha ha.
Chris (55:30.267)
Yeah, this is the sassy woman, obviously.
Sarika Shah (55:42.433)
and soaked it all in. But she had talent, she works hard on that talent. It’s not that, yes, you’ve got something natural, and I think you can naturally be good at dentistry as well, but it’s about working hard to then really propel yourself forward onto that next level. And she’s someone that has done that, and she really has a good understanding of people. Her secret is she understands people.
Chris (55:57.693)
Mm-hmm.
Sarika Shah (56:09.497)
and she understands the importance of relationship building, whether it’s with her fans, whether it’s within her business, she’s a really excellent businesswoman as well. And yes, she’s in partnership with another excellent businessman, but I think that we have to give women credit where it’s due, and sometimes that’s not always out there in the press, and it’s not always publicized. But actually, if you look into her life and what she’s built,
Chris (56:15.517)
Mm.
Andy Acton (56:34.549)
Mm.
Sarika Shah (56:39.119)
a lot of it has come down to her hard work that isn’t always recognized. So yeah, I’d want to meet her because she’s like the queen. She’s Beyonce.
Chris (56:46.642)
Well.
Andy Acton (56:47.966)
Beyonce, Sarah, it’s been wonderful. Thank you very much.
Chris (56:49.049)
Yeah, yeah, flat. Yeah, I was trying to think of a Beyonce song to finish that off with, but I was struggling for a title.
Andy Acton (56:58.302)
Yeah, so we must let you go because you’re you’re heading back to the very beginning of our conversation to go and see family in Kenya So have a wonderful time with them If you could let us have a link for your new venture I will drop that in the guest notes as well So if you want to reach out to you, they can get in touch They might have some questions and bits and pieces but no fighting fighting that look forward to seeing you an event at some time soon
Sarika Shah (56:59.005)
You
Sarika Shah (57:08.455)
Yes, thank you.
Chris (57:09.393)
Yeah, brilliant.
Chris (57:15.325)
Definitely, yeah.
Sarika Shah (57:20.071)
Absolutely.
Sarika Shah (57:24.849)
Yes, absolutely. It’s been such a pleasure, both of you. Thank you so much for having me on today. I really appreciate it.
Chris (57:25.051)
Yeah, yeah, definitely. Thanks very much.
Andy Acton (57:28.56)
Lovely. Thank you, Sarika. Do really good. care. Keep well.
Chris (57:29.797)
No, it’s brilliant. Thank you very much.
Sarika Shah (57:32.295)
Thank you. Have a lovely holiday and a good Christmas.
Andy Acton (57:36.072)
Cheers. Cheers.
Chris (57:36.177)
You will.
Sarika Shah (57:38.033)
Bye.
