From Dental Assisting to Building a Life I Love: How My Career Evolved Into What It Is Today

I still remember my first professional job fresh out of dental assisting school. It wasn’t just any dental office though. It was part of a massive consulting group that coached elite practices across the country on how to scale and sell large treatment cases. From day one, I was exposed to the business behind dentistry, not just the clinical side. Surrounded by an amazing business mentor for years I absorbed as much as I could. 

Once I had a taste of that bigger picture, I couldn’t see myself working in a traditional dental office ever again. I craved more challenge, more learning, and more opportunities to teach and coach. That passion led me to launch my own dental billing company, which we called Vanguard Collect in the early days.

As I grew, I discovered how much I enjoyed playing with branding and messaging. That spark turned Vanguard Collect into Ace Dental Executives with an Ace of Spades logo and clever taglines like “Play your cards right,” “You can bet on us,” and “Hole in one.” It wasn’t just fun. It worked. People remembered us, talked about us, and trusted us. Our branding and marketing efforts built momentum that practically ran on their own.

Eventually, I merged with a dental group and we began buying practices, naming each one strategically based on the best SEO searches. Within two years, I learned two big lessons:

1. I didn’t really want to stay in dentistry forever.

2. Marketing was the part I truly loved.

   
   

Then life threw a curveball. A sudden illness and surgery forced me to hit pause, sell everything, and travel the world to find clarity. In that quiet reset, I realized I never wanted to be trapped in the relentless grind of capitalism again. Money isn’t what drives me; freedom does. And while the two can coexist, they are not the same.

I didn’t want to sacrifice my health again, but I knew one thing for certain: I love working. I love helping people. I love building things with heart and vision. At the core of everything I’ve done, multiple businesses, consulting, and coaching, the common thread has always been marketing. It lights me up. It challenges me. And I’m good at it.

So that’s exactly what I decided to do. I built my own marketing company with a flexible schedule that lets me hustle hard when it’s time to get results but also step away and be fully present for my kids when they need me most. I hand-picked a team of brilliant, educated, and experienced professionals who balance my own strengths and cover my blind spots.

Now, I get to wake up each day doing what I love: creating strategies, building brands, telling stories, and watching businesses grow in authentic, measurable ways. It’s fulfilling in a way that no paycheck alone could ever be.