Jeff Erickson

        I had an interview with Jeff over the phone, because he was out of town. I had heard him talk in on of my lecture series classes and I thought that he would be a good person to interview. It was interesting that right off the bat into our conversation, he asked what things drive me. What things make you tick he asked. It took a little while for me to respond. Thoughts of sports, cars, and money all passed through my mind, but I answered back by saying family. He loved the answer and told me that first and for most family is the most important thing to keep close during all life's journey. He said, "It doesn't matter if you are working a 9-5 job, graveyard shift, on business vacations, or a self made multimillionaire,  make sure that things are right with your family."
        Before anything else that's what he wanted to get across. He later told me more of his story as a dentist and how he was successful. He graduated from dental school and became partners in a dentist office that focused on dental work for children. He worked there for a couple years and decided that he didn't particularly enjoy what he was doing. He decided to go back to school and specialized anesthesiology in the dental area. He could now work in the office, but mainly just deal with putting them to sleep. He saw a niche in the market that he was in and there were no go dental offices for low income families with children. Primarily medicaid customers. He decided to open a practice to treat this target market. It was slow for a few years, but he was extremely successful and was the only dental office hitting this market in a radius of over 200 miles. He ended up selling that practice for millions of dollars. He claims that he was quiet lucky to be there at the right time with the opportunity. He said that some successful people do have some degree of luck on their side hit it big.
       He now invests in various projects and investments in all areas. He is opening what will be the largest dental office in Texas. In the office they will again be marketing to those children on medicaid. He asked what field of work or entrepreneur sector I am looking at coming into. I didn't have a set answer as I'm still figuring out exactly what I want to be know as. I am thinking the sectors of finance and real estate. Jeff has had many investments in real estate, and most have turned out well for him. It was good to hear his outlook on starting a business and he was very motivating.