“Sometimes you have to prune the branches so the plant can grow again.”
– Dr. Chad Johnson
Brief Overview of the Episode
For the first time, Chad opens the curtain on a five year stretch filled with tough pivots. Letting go of an associate he deeply respected. Wrestling with a long-term shoulder injury. Deciding whether to close a location. Ending a major technology investment. Facing slow months right after paying off major loans. Instead of hiding these moments, he walks through them with humility, humor, and honesty.
Regan guides a candid conversation about reframing success, learning to rest, and accepting that sometimes the season you are in requires pruning, not pushing. The episode becomes a grounded blueprint for any dentist forced to rethink their pace, their priorities, or their definition of success.
What This Episode Reveals
• Growth is seasonal, not constant.
• Some months require pruning instead of pushing.
• Contentment often shows up disguised as contraction.
• Momentum is not the only measure of progress.
• The smartest decisions often look like losses from the outside.
What You’ll Learn
• How to recognize when you are in a season of recalibration.
• Why slowing down can be the most strategic move you make.
• How to lead your team without burning them out.
• How to make decisions when you are mentally, financially, or physically worn down.
• How to build longevity by protecting your capacity.
If This Sounds Familiar
• Growth feels forced.
• You’re tired of pretending everything is fine.
• You’re questioning what you actually want.
• You feel pressure to expand, but something inside says pause.
• You’re carrying load across home, work, finances, and health and trying to survive it.
If that’s you, this is the episode you needed but never knew existed.
Next Steps
Listen. Pause. Reassess your season.
Pick one area of your life or practice and back up the bolt.
Your next season depends on it.
Most dentists look at their numbers and hope they tell the truth. They rarely do.
If you want clarity, get it before the next slowdown exposes the gaps you ignored.
Take a free 60 minute coaching session at InvestmentGradePractice.com and see what your practice has been hiding from you.
The Season Every Dentist Pretends They’re Not In