Dr May Chan suffered from a bad fall when she was 9 years old. This fall led to two broken front teeth. Despite receiving treatment, she still ended up with a dark tooth and overall crooked teeth due to the fall changing the position of her teeth. May’s self confidence was impacted and she felt self-conscious about her smile and covered her mouth when she laughed. As a teenager, young adult, May never smiled in any photos due to a fear of being judged about her smile. This prompted her ambition to pursue cosmetic dentistry.
Dr May Chan says: “When I first started Dental Boutique 10.5 years ago, I fell pregnant unexpectedly, and the business was in its infancy. We didn’t have the funds to hire more team members to help with the business , so I had to sleep in the clinic with our newborn in a spare surgery, while seeing patients in the clinic.
It wasn’t easy, and for the first 2 years of my first son’s life we could barely remember him, and he missed out on play dates as I didn’t have friends outside of work. When he was 2, our son barely wanted to spend time with me. As he preferred the grandparents over me. That was when I decided I needed to make a change and put some boundaries at work so I can get some work life balance. I am glad it all worked out and I now get to enjoy having a fulfilling career that I’m passionate about, as well as getting to spend lots of quality time with my beautiful family. “
The first Dental Boutique was a small dental practice in Balwyn, Melbourne in 2013. May and her husband Reuben would travel to local homes handing out pamphlets trying to spread the word about Dental Boutique.
The demand slowly grew and soon patients were waiting outside or waiting at the local coffee shop while they waited for their appointment as the space was just not big enough to hold everyone. Dr Reuben and Dr May took patients outside to look at the colour, shape and size of their new teeth as the clinic didn’t have very good natural lighting.
In 2018, Dental Boutique moved up the road to a bigger space. The practice grew to a 30 chair practice and renovations quickly had to be done to expand to level 2. With nearly 150 staff at the time and patients flying from overseas and interstate to visit Dental Boutique May and her husband Reuben knew it was time to expand further.
Dental Boutique currently has 9 clinics and employs 375 staff.
Dr May Chan says: “Chase your dream, do not let other people tell you what you should do, Believe in yourself and follow your hopes and desires. It is possible to be a great mum and wife , yet have a fulfilling career that gives you a sense of purpose and achievement. Every woman is different and as women we sometimes get judged for not prioritising our family.
If being a stay at home mum fulfils you, do not let others tell you otherwise, do what you love.
If being a stay at home mum does not fulfil you, chase your dream! Do what fulfils you. Ultimately; when you are happy and fulfilled, the energy transfers across to your family and kids. My mum was a career woman and she inspired me to become who I am today. “
May works with her husband, Dr Reuben Sim, who is also a dentist.
For couples working together she recommends:
“Learn to tune off after work, it is easier said than done. We too struggle with this at the beginning but we are learning to not let our differences affect our relationship. We understand that both in business and at home, that our difference is what makes us a successful business partner and also a couple, therefore we learn to embrace each other’s strengths, and cover for each other’s weaknesses. Don’t be afraid to be vulnerable, and communication is key in a relationship. “
Dr. May shares her tips for other entrepreneurs depending on their business stage
“A business is like a life cycle – it goes through different stages and it requires different focus during each stage.
At the infancy or start up stage – the business requires a solid foundation and cash flow is crucial. Make sure you do not overspend, spend minimally and maximise your cashflow to keep business afloat. At this stage the business is very dependent on you.
At its growth or teenager stage – the business requires systems and structure so we can scale. You also need to start delegating tasks to employees you can trust and that can do them well or even better than you. At this stage, data analysis is also very important so you don’t lose sight of the business activities and also cash flow of the business, as when we start investing into hiring more people, we need to ensure the business stays profitable.
At its adult/ maturity stage, the business should be less reliant on you. At this stage, it is important to see how we can not just maintain profitability, but also look at new avenues of growth, new innovations that will take the business back into the growth phase. As if we stay stable and mature without further growth, there is a risk that the business may go into an ageing/ decline stage when other competitors and new technologies catch up with your business. “
Dr May Chan is available for interviews.
