At 36, dentist abandons his profession, opens a brand new enterprise and now earns R$ 3.5 million

In 2018, Matheus Marcondes founded Smile University, which has had more than 1,300 health professionals as students

O from Paraná, Matheus Marcondes never had an easy routine as a dentist. He came to perform 16 extractions a day and managed to finish the queue of 350 people waiting to have their wisdom teeth removed in Ibiporãhis hometown of just over 50,000 inhabitants.

Seeking better pay, Marcondes began working in private clinics and set up a “car clinic”. He worked as an itinerant dentist in 17 different clinics in London, carrying all the materials he needed. At the time, he was paid per procedure or per night.

In the midst of the hectic routine of a dentist, Marcondes became a partner in a dentistry franchisor. Even so, he was not satisfied with his career.

In 2018, Marcondes decided to create the Smile Universitya school that encourages entrepreneurship and provides health professionals with conditions to act competitively in the market.

Today, more than 1,300 health professionals have already been students at the school that earned R$ 3.5 million between January and July this year. The goal is to reach a turnover of R$ 6.5 million in 2022.

Entrepreneur’s history

After working as a dentist in several clinics in Londrina, Marcondes invested R$ 40 thousand in his first clinic, in Maringá, also in Paraná.

The office was part of a franchise network. After the good structuring of the business, the dentist earned R$ 1.3 million. With the good result, Marcondes caught the franchisor’s attention and became a partner in the enterprise.

He moved with his family to São Paulo and opened a business unit in Jardim Paulista, an upscale area of ​​the city. However, he soon realized that the marketing techniques used successfully in Paraná simply didn’t work in São Paulo. Advertising inserts were much more expensive, and competition was more intense.

“I returned to Londrina and, at the invitation of the partners, took over as director of operations for the franchisor. I traveled the country and visited 65 units. That’s when I completely let myself down. Many units were not able to attend and complete treatments. There were a lot of complaints.”

In 2017, after more than a decade working with franchises, Marcondes decided to leave society. He went on to intensively study sales techniques, digital marketing and business prospecting in the health area.

After consulting with dozens of dentists, he realized he could work in education.

New business

Founded in 2018, the Smile University provides health professionals with the knowledge to act competitively in the market without having to adhere to deductibles or perform services via agreements.

“Today, I realized that it is not enough just to undertake, I also need a concrete objective that will impact people’s lives. I strongly believe in a genuine relationship between healthcare professionals and patients, and I know that other dentists also want to expand their business with a unique and humane treatment. It is this knowledge that I pass on”, concludes Marcondes.

Today Smile University has more than 500 students enrolled. With four modules and monthly fees ranging from R$1,000 to R$3,600, the school trains dentists and doctors in skills and knowledge not taught in college, such as financial management, inventory, marketing, among others.

The objective is to give greater capacity to compete in the private health marketwhich is currently very popular due to the presence of numerous franchises and private practices.

“We pass on knowledge on how to attract good clients and grow financially in a healthy way, expand their own clinic and foster entrepreneurship among dentists. All this in a humane and responsible way”, comments Marcondes.

“All the students are already established health professionals, with at least 10 years of training. They are dentists who want to have their own clinic, but respecting the artisanal way of working, with maximum respect for the client.”

In the last two years, the company has doubled in size. The expectation is to earn R$12 million next year and impact 10 thousand professionals in the next five years.

Source: Exam