From Michele: All of us have struggles. And while they are different from one another, they are much of the same thing. We all experience rejection and frustration no matter what they are. It’s up to us to keep going and to taking every obstacle at a time… finding a way to move on.
So today, I have the pleasure of sharing the story of Dr. Durgam. You may know her from GaryVee’s Book, but you may not know the WHOLE story behind her success. So check it out and read her story. When you are ready, make sure to share your story!
I started my journey wanting to be a dentist and a speaker. Because of my experience leading up to dental school and countless hours doing public speaking and studying, my intention was to work hard so I could eventually give back.
However, I never imagined working for others as a dentist would be analogous to a fish swimming upstream.
I started off working in a dental office where the female dentists were asked to work on the bottom floor and the male dentists worked on the top floor. Anytime a dentist was hired, they were assigned based on gender which I eventually confirmed with the office manager.
I quickly left so I could pursue my own dental office.
I ended up starting in Cliffside Park, with a landlord who was very controlling. As a practicing dentist himself, he wanted to tell me how to run my practice. He would expect me to handle issues that were his responsibility. He attempted to intimidate me several times if I said something that didn’t show him in a positive light. It was a difficult situation to run my office and deal with someone who was essentially working against me.
I left the location and moved into a space in North Bergen to give my patients every thing they deserved.
We offered Netflix in each room for patients to enjoy, a parking lot for convenience, offered hot teas/coffees, digital scanner for Invisalign and all digital radiography. Our patients were thrilled. I eventually was able to develop a social media following through my efforts which enabled me to get many DMs with patients inquiring about appointments. I made going to the dentist entertaining, instead of the dark experience people regularly describe. Eventually I had to offer scheduling online to meet the social media demand. All of this work enabled me to be on Fox News, be featured in 201 Magazine and in the #1 NY Times Bestseller, Crushing It by Gary Vaynerchuk. Im working with Snoop Dogg’s SYFL football team to offer mouthguards to special needs children. I have received numerous requests for speaking engagements. I make customized mouthguards for professional athletes which incorporates my love of sports with my profession. I was truly grateful for the outpouring of support of my work.
One could say by reading this that men were at the heart of my problems.
However, all the help I did receive through my career has been from men. I believe both genders have to work together to be able to promote women based on merit through the ranks. Women are less vulnerable to other hardships when men support women. There are many men who support women and care about their advancement. For me, I learned its about seeking out the right mentors and influentials who are willing to help.
So What’s My Story About:
My story is about tenacity and perseverance. I never let others determine my success. I believe working hard is important to allow myself the ability to use my professional expertise to give back. I am able to give free dental care to children twice a year, educational programs for schools and offer one free smile makeover for those who can’t afford dental treatment. I’m excited about the coming years, after learning from my past and thankful for those who have supported me. I can’t wait for what the future holds.
Dr. Chithra Durgam
Elianne says
Amazing! this is such an inspiring story, and so very true! We’re all better off supporting each other!
Taylor Deer says
I loved reading this Michele! Dr. Durgam is an inspiration to so many, especially us female entrepreneurs.