Dreaming big... is sometimes a leap of faith

Lake Tahoe 2013

When I started negotiating my lease for my practice a year ago, options were put on the table and we
decided to take the plunge and agree to a new space. This means drawing up plans, construction documents (MEPs), planning and permitting through the city of Austin. Further, it means lease negotiations. I have personally invested hours and hours trying to get the lay out right, trying to determine where the electronics should go, how big to make the spaces for the laundry area, the break room, the must-have's (e.g. a shower so that I can ride my bike to the office). The whole time that we have been developing this plan I have to look at it with 2 hats... 1. I have to live/work in this space for the foreseeable future. 2. I have to pay for a lot of these specific amenities and we don't want to have to start reconstructing the space immediately upon moving in and taking possession of the space.

Initially, this project looked very big and somewhat distant. Now, the final numbers are in. It is going to cost more that initially estimated, a lot more. The time has come to move forward with the new space. The estimated work schedule puts our move-in sometime in December. We added 2 more years to the original agreement. So, I have the certainty that McFarlane Dental will be located in my existing building for the next 12 years, technically 150 months (12.5 years for the mathematically disinclined).

When you dream big, make sure that there is a reasonable amount of certainty about the outcome of the plan. Planning helps to eliminate uncertainty, big dreams deserve a modicum of certainty. I sincerely hope that as you read this it brings into focus your own dreams. My dream started over 5 years ago, as it pertains to practicing dentistry. I knew that the space I was in was acceptable, but dated (there is wood paneling in a lot of the operatories, the flooring looks worn, the ceiling tiles are cracked and dusty looking). The quality of the space did not match the quality of the work being done in the space. These two need to be better aligned for the practice to truly thrive.

As a life goal, I want to stay in shape and having children can limit the time we have for recreational exercise as we want and need to spend time parenting. So, an easy way to stay healthy is to ride your bike to work if you live close enough for that to be reasonable. I knew that this one facet poses a major challenge to my space. The ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) stipulates that if you have a new bathroom, and a new shower in a commercial space a wheelchair must be able to turn around completely in the space. This proves to be an expensive part of wanting a shower. I believe that in the long run this will prove to be a healthy choice, allowing exercise, where before I was relegated to the use of a car.

Lake Tahoe 2013 with Olivia and Katie

My sincere hope is that when my office is completed it reflects the quality of work that we are doing
in the space. I hope that it is comfortable and professional. I want it to be flexible enough to allow for some growth and possibly the addition of another team member as the work load may eventually dictate. My big dream is that it can accomplish all of these things and more!