bcbusiness.ca
Starting from scratch is the fabled path for
many would-be small business owners. But for
the following three entrepreneurs, buying an
established business allowed them to avoid the
pitfalls of previous owners—and carve out their
own path to business success
Dr. Michelle Tao is wrapping up a busy Wednesday at her office—a small
seven-employee family dental clinic painted a cheery shade of yellow and housed
above a convenience store on Vancouver's Commercial Drive. She's run her practice
for just over a year, and while dental work comes easily to her, she's still navigating how
to operate the business. So once the tools get tucked into their cabinets, she hangs up
her white coat and starts going over the books or meeting with members of her staff.
"The best part of my day is the dentistry," says the 39-year-old
UBC School of
Dentistry grad. "I love treating patients. I love the actual work. The part I don't like is
the administration stuff. I don't like knowing about the Employment Standards Act;
the rules regarding tax deductions. It's not me."
Tao is both businesswoman and dentist—a combination she's aspired to since her
UBC days. "I think it's the dream of all dentists to have their own practice," she says.
Like many fellow entrepreneurs, however, Tao has achieved that dream not by start-
ing from scratch but instead by buying an established business. Tao had worked as
an associate in another clinic for more than 10 years, but when she gave birth to her
first child she sat down to think hard about her future. She realized she wanted more
control over her schedule and to not spend so many weekends and evenings at work.
Tao mentioned her thoughts in passing to a colleague, who had coincidentally been
talking to another dentist, Dr. Penny Thompson. Thompson was looking for someone
to take over her practice when she retired.
Buying in
the
issue
small
Business
sePTeMbeR 2015 BCBusiness 39
b y D E E H O N /// p o r t r ai t s b y PA U L J O S E P H
inside
R e s u l t s f r o m o u r e x c l u s i v e
S m a l l B u s i n e s s S u r v e y
p . 4 4
