Mar 9, 2022
Ashkan Pitchforth jokes that he’d like to be remembered as the biggest dentist in the UK — but he’s already well on his way to achieving the title in more than one sense.
Since 2015, Ashkan’s established a dental empire incorporating more than 20 clinics and counting while still finding time to build the biggest biceps in the business.
Ashkan discusses how physical training instils a focused business mindset, reveals the source of his interminable drive and fills Prav in on plans for the future.
“Don't buy small and medium t-shirts because they make you look big. You have to train for a year or two, and when your arms are bristling through an extra-large triple extra-large, you’ll know you've got size. It's the same thing with dentistry. Don't jump into it. You've got to learn this is not a race. Life isn't a race, so don't treat it as one”.
01.09 - Backstory
10.05 - Dental school
14.55 - Bodybuilding, mindset and discipline
23.46 - Building the empire
30.51 - Clinical to business
35.50 - Business and clinical black box thinking
42.23 - Business structure
47.25 - Training, intuition and mistakes
51.45 - Audacious goals
55.01 - Responsibilities
57.21 - Advice to young Ashkan
58.52 - Last days and legacy
Ashkan qualified in 2009 and set up South Cliff Dental Group in 2015. The group now consists of 23 practices across the South. In 2020, South Cliff was ranked 33rd in the Sunday Times Fast Track 100 list of UK private companies with the fastest-growing sales.