When Opportunity Knocks

Darrell’s First Experience Managing a Lab

Did you know France had a king who was 5 years old?! When King Louis XIV of France passed away in 1715, his great-grandson took his place on the throne. I’m sure that young boy had tons of pressure on his shoulders as he tried to understand what was happening. I can’t even imagine what was running through his head during this time. But I do know one thing for sure: I relate to him and his situation.

While I’m not linked to royalty, I understand what it’s like to take on a role you weren’t expecting. The stress, the “what if” questions and other scenarios race through your head as you try to decide how you’re going to prepare and handle the situation. That’s something I experienced early in my career.

Before I became the owner of Berkeley Dental Laboratory, I worked here as an employee. I was 20 years old when I started, and I was so eager to learn the ropes. At the time, I had no idea I would be the future owner. But I knew I was hungry — I wanted to learn as much as possible and, one day, have my own dental lab.

And little did I know that I would be in charge of the lab for three weeks while my boss was out of the office. One day, he called me out of the blue and said, “Hey, Darrell! I will be going on a three-week retreat and won’t have my phone. You’ll be managing the lab starting Monday until I return.” As you can imagine, I was not expecting this phone call! I only had one day to gather my thoughts and figure out how to tell everyone at the lab that I would be in charge. I was so nervous about the whole situation — was I ready for this?

When I went to work that Monday, the team took the news really well, and it was all hands on deck for a few weeks. The teamwork we displayed during this time was incredible — I can’t thank them enough for being so supportive and for coming together to help one another out. And best of all, the entire time I was in charge, we didn’t experience any hiccups!

While I scheduled daily pickup and deliveries, invoiced cases, and ordered supplies, I also interacted with our doctors and helped with case planning. This part of my responsibilities and all the technical work wasn’t as nerve-wracking to me because when my boss was at the lab, I would shadow him while we conducted the daily operations around the lab. I’m so thankful for everything I learned up to that point. It helped the lab run seamlessly when he wasn’t there.

As I reflect on the time I was in charge while the previous owner was away for three weeks, I’ve realized it gave me the confidence and insight I needed to lead a team. I got to dip my toes into what it was like to be manager — the new position I got at the lab once he came back to work. While it had some stressful parts, it helped me strengthen and craft new skills I still use today. It was exactly what I needed at the time, as it was preparing me to become the future owner of Berkeley Dental Laboratory.

Do you have a moment in your life where you were given a responsibility you weren’t prepared for? How did you handle it? I would love to hear from you!