This is how you floss a profession.
Real conversation, even a brief one, catches fire.
Most people don’t mind when such a thing happens because, in those joyful moments, they experience a transformation which they subconsciously crave: they stop focusing on themselves.
If you’re lucky, your life is peppered with such chats.
One just happened to me earlier this month as I was exchanging a few words with Jennifer Plotnick, the dentist about whom I recently wrote because she’s redefining what being a dentist is all about.
What’s more, I’m happy to tell you that Jennifer graciously agreed to conduct a quick interview for sneezr.ca focused around a single question.
Jenan: Jennifer, Your website, the interior design of your practice, etc., they all taste Younique and tell a clear & authentic story.
If you started today, what advice would you give yourself from 5 years ago re carving out a niche in a competitive industry?
Jennifer: Carving out any niche in a pretty well defined industry is to study what you think doesn’t work and pouncing on that. (Emphasis mine.)
The idea of industry evolution is paramount to user experience and lifestyle expectations. In my opinion, the medical and dental industry needed a lot of help and I knew that I could certainly contribute to changing the way people see dentistry.
I would tell myself to continue to stay authentic to my style and incorporate that into my brand.
I would stay true to my authenticity without budging.
I would tell myself to continue to push boundaries at the expense of feeling uncomfortable while making more people feel comfortable.
I would also tell myself not to stress out about stress.
Jenan: :). I love everything you just said, but especially this idea in your first sentence, “to study what you think doesn’t work well and pouncing on that.”
(If you get a chance, see this post from 2012 on the same topic: Same = Lame.)
Thank you and take care until next time, Jennifer.
May 7, 2017