938: Fail to Plan, You Plan to Fail – Ariel Siegel

You're good at planning your vacations. But how about planning for your business? In this episode, Kirk Behrendt brings back Ariel Siegel, one of ACT’s amazing coaches, to break down how to strategically plan for your future and build a thriving practice. When you fail to plan, you are planning to fail! To learn how to make a great plan for a great future, listen to Episode 938 of The Best Practices Show! Learn More About Ariel: Send Ariel an email: ariel@actdental.com Follow Ariel on ACT’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/actdental Send Courtney an email to learn more about ACT: courtney@actdental.com Learn More About ACT Dental: ACT’s Events: https://www.actdental.com/event ACT’s website: https://www.actdental.com ACT’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/actdental ACT’s YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/actdental ACT’s Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/actdental ACT’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/actdental/ More Helpful Links for a Better Practice & a Better Life: Subscribe to The Best Practices Show: https://the-best-practices-show.captivate.fm/listen Join The Best Practices Association: https://www.actdental.com/bpa Download ACT’s BPA app on the Apple App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/best-practices-association/id6738960360 Download ACT’s BPA app on the Google Play Store: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.actdental.join&hl=en_US Join ACT’s To The Top Study Club: https://www.actdental.com/ttt Get The Best Practices Magazine for free: https://www.actdental.com/magazine Please leave us a review on the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-best-practices-show-with-kirk-behrendt/id1223838218 Episode Resources: Register for ACT’s To The Top Study Club (October 17, 2025): https://www.eventbrite.com/e/climb-with-us-register-for-october-17-2025-ttt-study-club-tickets-1218436780209?aff=odcleoeventsincollection Register for ACT’s To The Top Study Club (October 24, 2025): https://www.eventbrite.com/e/climb-with-us-register-for-october-24-2025-ttt-study-club-tickets-1218452908449?aff=odcleoeventsincollection Join ACT’s BPA for their SWOT Analysis tool: https://join.actdental.com/users/sign_in?post_login_redirect=https%3A%2F%2Fjoin.actdental.com%2Fc%2Fpractice-coaching-tools%2Fswot-analysis-tool-with-examples#email Join ACT’s BPA for their OGT tool: https://join.actdental.com/users/sign_in?post_login_redirect=https%3A%2F%2Fjoin.actdental.com%2Fc%2Fpractice-coaching-tools%2Fogt-tool-outcomes-goals-target#email Main Takeaways: Failure is a consequence of not having a plan. A thriving practice doesn't just happen! It happens with planning. With the right tools and strategies, planning won't be as hard as you think. Analyze the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats in your business. Use the SWOT analysis to plan and create an aligned, smart, and healthy practice. Snippets: 0:00 Introduction. 1:38 Why this is an important topic. 7:02 SWOT analysis, explained. 10:05 The three pillars for success: Aligned. 19:10 The three pillars for success: Smart. 22:30 The three pillars for success: Healthy. 25:34 Select key areas to focus your planning. 29:52 Final takeaways. 32:42 About ACT’s To The Top, tools, and resources. Ariel Juday Bio: Ariel has a master’s in healthcare administration and several years of dental experience in all aspects of the administrative roles within the dental office. Her passion is to work with dental teams to empower team members to realize their full potential in order to better serve patients, improve office systems to ensure a well-functioning team/office, and to help everyone have fun in the process!