Back Where It Started: Ashley Reunites with Michael Arias of The Dental Marketer

Before Smile & Co. existed, before The Making Of existed, there was Michael Arias. He was the first person to ever interview Ashley about her plans to open a dental practice, recorded when Folsom was still just an idea and a construction timeline. That conversation, and Ashley's decision to keep documenting the build in public, is what became The Making Of.

Ashley sits back down with Michael on his show, The Dental Marketer, to catch up properly for the first time in a while. The question driving this one: what happens when the practice you built is forced to stand without you? What starts as a catch-up between two old friends turns into personal conversations, covering the decade since that first interview, the second practice, a family health scare that changed everything, and what she's chasing now that "more" isn't the goal anymore.

What You'll Hear in This Episode:

Where It All Started
Ashley and Michael revisit their first interview together, recorded before Smile & Co.'s Folsom location opened, and how documenting that build in real time became the foundation for The Making Of and its Facebook community. Ashley admits she was so nervous before that first recording, she had to run to the bathroom ten times.

What 2017 Ashley Wanted vs. What 2026 Ashley Wants
A look at how Ashley's priorities have shifted since opening her first practice, from chasing independence and building a brand to redefining what growth actually means to her now.

Brian's Health Scare
Ashley shares the story of discovering a lesion during a routine check on her husband Brian, the biopsy that initially came back benign, her decision to push for a second opinion, and the diagnosis and treatment that followed. She speaks candidly about the importance of oral cancer screenings, for patients and for the people closest to us.

Building Smile & Co. #2
Why Ashley opened the Roseville location in 2023, how its first year outperformed Folsom's numbers on a fraction of the patient base, and the backup plan Ashley had in place if she'd needed to step back entirely.

When Growth Stops Being the Goal
How Smile & Co.'s systems and team held steady when Ashley had to step back from day to day practice, what that transition revealed about the difference between being a boss and being a friend to her team, and why she now measures success by how little the practices need her.

What Actually Builds Loyalty
Ashley's take on why hiring for core values matters more than any technology or design investment, and the low cost habits that have created more patient loyalty than anything else at Smile & Co.

Redefining Success
Ashley reflects on what success has and hasn't fixed, why "more" stopped being the goal, and what she's chasing instead: practices that run without her, more white space, and a life where the people who matter most still want to be around her.

Where to Find Ashley
Instagram: @ashleyjovesdds, [@smileandcompany], [@themaking.of]
Facebook Community: The Making Of a Dental Startup

Where to Find Michael
Instagram: @thedentalmarketer
Podcast: The Dental Marketer

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