Father’s Day Reflection

Legacy at Work and at Home

Father’s Day always gives me a moment to pause and reflect on the legacy I’m building — not just in the dental lab, but more importantly, at home.

When I was a kid, I used to go to work with my parents at their grocery store, proudly wearing one of their aprons and soaking in every moment. I wanted to be just like them. Looking back now, I realize how much those small moments shaped me. I wasn’t just watching them run a business. I was watching how they carried themselves, how they treated people, and how they showed up every day.

That’s something I think about a lot as a dad now.

Years later, I found myself watching my own daughters do the same. There’s a photo I love of my daughters when they were younger, playing in my dental lab. They were laughing, covered in plaster, trying to imitate everything they’d seen me do. They made a total mess, but I couldn’t stop smiling. Because in that moment, I saw myself in them. They were curious, eager, and learning not through instruction, but through example.

I've come to believe that our habits are caught more than they're taught. Our kids are always watching. Every time I push through a tough day to finish cases on time, stay late to fix what's broken, or simply keeping my promises — they see it. And slowly, it becomes part of who they are. That’s why I try to be intentional about how I show up every day for my girls.

As many of you know, my three older daughters have been competitive dancers for years. And if you’ve ever been part of that world, you know it’s not for the faint of heart. It takes early mornings, long nights, and relentless discipline. And when I watch them walk into practice exhausted but still focused, or come home from a competition sore but smiling, I see their quiet strength of showing up even when it’s hard.

Now that my oldest is in college and my second daughter just graduated high school, it's important that I’ve modeled the kind of example they can carry with them into adulthood. And more than ever, I hope they've seen why I work hard and what matters most.

Yes, I want them to be driven. But I also want them to know that the point of all this effort is to create a life where family comes first.

Running a small dental lab like ours means there's always more to do. There’s always one more case to perfect, one more deadline to hit. It's a labor of love, but also a grind. And if I'm not careful, the grind can take over everything.

That’s why I’ve worked hard to structure my schedule in a way that keeps family at the center. Whether it’s school drop-offs, early morning workouts together, or just sitting down at the dinner table to laugh about our day. Those are the moments that ground me and that's where the real reward is.

So, this Father’s Day, I want to send a message to all the fellow dads out there, especially those balancing the demands of running a practice or small business. I see you.

Let’s keep showing up. Not just for the work, but for the people who are watching us do it.

Because at the end of the day, our legacy isn’t just about what we build with our hands. It’s about who we raise. And how we love.

Wishing you a meaningful and Happy Father’s Day.