Cassie Kellner [00:00:00]:
Hey bloomers, it's Cassie here. I'm thrilled to announce I'm co hosting an in person on site meeting you won't want to miss. The Ortho Society in San Diego, California on May 15th and 16th. I will be collaborating with my co-host, Lindsay Quinn, founder of Heartwise Collective, a friend, colleague, and powerhouse in practice management. Day one, you learn from us, where we build out Asana workflows, AI systems, CEO dashboards, team growth pathways, and more. Day two, collaborate with peers, problem solving, solve and implement systems in real time. This is a hands on, results driven and exclusive experience spots are extremely limited. You can go to the link below or you can head to discover everbloom.com events to apply welcome to The Bloom Effect. I'm your host, Cassie Kellner, former chairside assistant turned team coach and founder of Everbloom. And this podcast is all about the real stuff. Honest convos, leadership lessons, and the heart behind thriving orthodontic teams. If you're ready to grow, lead and bloom, let's dive in.
Cassie Kellner [00:01:11]:
Welcome to The Bloom Effect. I am your host, Cassie Kellner, and this you guys are in for serious treats like, get ready, turn up the speaker because I have my dear, wonderful friend and colleague of it feels like a million years, Dr. Baker Rawlins. Welcome to The Bloom Effect.
Dr. Baker Rawlins [00:01:36]:
Thank you so much for having me, Cassie. Congratulations. What a great, great podcast.
Cassie Kellner [00:01:41]:
Thank you. Thank you, Bake.
Dr. Baker Rawlins [00:01:45]:
Cassie.
Cassie Kellner [00:01:46]:
Oh, man. Oh, man. People don't even know what's about to hit them. I am so. I cannot wait. Okay. All right, so I have a few questions for you, but as you know. But I want to get started just by, like, let's just tell a little bit of our story because at this point we go back well over 10 years.
Dr. Baker Rawlins [00:02:10]:
Yeah, absolutely.
Cassie Kellner [00:02:13]:
And when we first met and like our journey and like where we are today and all the things. Okay, so. So Baker Rawlins has a practice in Wilmington, Delaware, and I worked for Baker for just over three years. Three years?
Dr. Baker Rawlins [00:02:37]:
Yeah, I think so.
Cassie Kellner [00:02:38]:
Okay, like, we did a lot in three years. Let's get real. So it feels longer. That sounds weird that it's only three years, but. Okay, so we worked together for years and I moved to the east coast and I had a phone interview with you and your father, Ron. Shout out Ron Rawlins to, like, one of the best humans in the world. Okay, so I'm just gonna give a shout out to, like, your whole family, but we'll, we'll, we'll. It'll take too long. I love them. Oh, gosh. Okay. So. So I moved to the east coast, by the way. I don't think I've ever said this. I moved to the east coast for a relationship. I always tell people I moved to the east coast, but now it's been a million years. That, like, exploded in my face in three weeks. And that did. That didn't work. However, I had this job, right? I was an assistant with you. And that's the reason I stayed, no joke. Because my parents were like, you're coming home. And I'm like, no, I'm not. I'm not coming home. They're like, no, you moved there for this relationship, Cassie. And what are you doing? Like, you're coming home. I'm like, no, I'm not. And I was like, hey, I'm staying and we're gonna do this. Like, there was this magical spark, in my opinion, that happened. I was young and in my mid-20s. You were a young doc, and there was this dynamic that I felt almost immediately where I was like, oh, this is gonna be something really, really cool.
Dr. Baker Rawlins [00:04:32]:
Agreed. The chemistry was just. That's the only way I can describe it from the very beginning. I mean, I remember. I remember doing the phone interview because you were still in San Diego. I remember receiving your resume. And the eye catcher for me was seeing Richard McLaughlin and Paul. But as we all know, Richard McLaughlin's a legend. And I said, oh, my gosh. My wife is from California, as you know. So I'm familiar with California.
Cassie Kellner [00:05:08]:
The vibe.
Dr. Baker Rawlins [00:05:09]:
Customer service. Yeah, just the vibe. I mean, you guys in California are just fantastic, right? So I got your resume, and I remember speaking with my dad, and I remember saying, we've got to interview her. I mean, she works at this really famous orthodontist practice. She's obviously well trained, and she's from California. She's. This could. This offers a lot of potential. I remember we had that phone interview during your lunch break.
Cassie Kellner [00:05:43]:
Yes. Oh, my gosh. Yes.
Dr. Baker Rawlins [00:05:44]:
Lunch break. And it was almost immediate that it felt really great. But, I mean, obviously, it's before Zoom. It's before all those things. This is back in 2012. And then. And then we should talk a little bit about the interview. We should talk about the interview. So then months later, right? It was months later. Yes, Months later, we actually ended up moving out. And then we. We sat down and met for the first time. I don't know if you want to go.
Cassie Kellner [00:06:16]:
Okay. So I was moving to Philly, and I drive for this interview, by the way. Like, this is embarrassing, but I'm just going to say it. I don't think I actually really even knew where Delaware was. Like, as a California girl, I'm like, what the hell? Where am I? Like, where it is so gorgeous. Like, Pennsylvania. So gorgeous. I was, like, in shock. I remember calling my mom and being like, mom, there's no fences. Like, it's just like house to house to house. She's like, what do you mean? I'm like, mom. Like. And then I got to Delaware, and it was like, it was summer. So lush. And, you know, California is, like, burnt. Where I grew up, there's, like, fire season. And I was like, wow. Whoa. It was like there were rainstorms in the summer where I was like, why am I sweating? But also, it's pouring rain. Like, this is wild. It was like a whole new experience for me. So I drive to Delaware. I drive to your practice. I'm there for the interview. I walk in and I'm like, oh. Oh, my goodness. Time capsule. Okay. I sat down on a couch that was in the waiting room. Okay. And I sunk into the couch, and in my head, I was like, how the hell am I going to get off of this without, like, looking crazy? Like, I'm going to look crazy. I'm going to have to do, like, a roll, like, as if I were pregnant or something to, like, get out of it, you know? And you. And I was like. Immediately, I was like, oh, I don't. I don't think this is for me. Yeah, right?
Dr. Baker Rawlins [00:08:00]:
Yeah.
Cassie Kellner [00:08:00]:
You walk into the waiting room, like, with your energy. Because Bake. Like, let's get real. You bring the energy. You walk in, you've got this pep in your step. You walk in and you're like, cassie. And I was like, okay. Like, that everything shifted, right? I'm like, okay, I can, like, get over the couch. Like, what the hell? So I meet you, we go into the exam. We go into your TC room. We go into the exam room, and we just, like, have this conversation. Like, it was like, this really wonderful, immediately comfortable conversation. Right? Is that what you remember?
Dr. Baker Rawlins [00:08:45]:
Absolutely. And I think that's where we both recognize. I mean, literally, just immediately, the chemistry was just fantastic. It was, you know, when you sat down in that TC room and we started talking, I had known before that, because I remember talking to you about how you had several interviews lined up because you're a responsible individual. So when you moved out, you lined up all these interviews. You're coming from Philly. You're 45 minutes away. You have several different offices that you are interviewing with. And My office was bought in 2011. It's a older office. It has everything from efficiency, software, technology, equipment, decor, name needed help, it needed updating, it needed to be relevant. And I had a big task on my hands. So it doesn't surprise me when you walked in the office and you said, yeah, this isn't going to work. But I remember at the end of that interview, and it was a new practice, and it wasn't a very large practice, it's a much larger practice now than it was then. And I remember talking to my dad and saying, this is what I'm going to offer her if things go well. And it was a stretch for us.
Cassie Kellner [00:10:08]:
Yeah.
Dr. Baker Rawlins [00:10:09]:
And I remember at the end of the interview saying, this is what I would like to offer you to come join. And I totally, 110% expected you to be like, well, that's very kind. Let me give some thought. Because I knew that the other offices were offering more than this. And immediately you were like, I'm all in. Let's go, let's do this. And I was literally. I don't think I said anything. I mean, you'd have to tell me what the look was on my face, but I was in total shock. But I felt like we had this shared vision for the office. And the difference is you had this vast knowledge and experience of realizing that vision where I did not. So you were almost a consultant before a consultant. You were. You shared my vision, but you had clear expectations of the execution to get us from where we were sitting in that room that day to where the practice is right now in 2025. Yeah, yeah.
Cassie Kellner [00:11:20]:
We did a lot in those three years. We did a lot of really wonderful, amazing things. We made a lot of mistakes together. We made a lot of interesting decisions together. We went. I'm probably not going to do that again, or we're probably not going to do that event next year, or that probably wasn't. That marketing initiative, wasn't worth it, or, you know, like, where we went like, yeah, let's do it. And then. And. And bake. Okay, wait. We've never actually really talked about this. And so I think this is really. I would love for you to take disc. I already kind of know where you land, but I. So you are incredibly analytical. Right. Where you, like, you. You look at. At. At numbers like, you need to know the why behind things. Like, you are so dialed in. I am not. I am incredibly impulsive. I am like, oh, my gosh, I have an idea. Let's do it. You're like, Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. Cass Cat. Like, you gotta, like, bring me down. Like, wait, okay, wait, wait, wait, wait. Let's. Let's talk it through. And so it was a very, very good dynamic where you could reel me back in and I could push you a little more. And it went like. There was a lot of, like, back and forth of, like, you know, doing this and creating the space together. And. And I think that there was a level of trust that you and I had where I was like, I. This is going to grow. It was almost immediate for me, which is why I took the position, even with the couch and the carpet and the things, you know, listen, we had. We had, like, real. Like, you probably should have kept these, by the way, but we had, like, real leather clinical chairs. Like, they were real, right? Vintage leather.
Dr. Baker Rawlins [00:13:22]:
Like, the real deal.
Cassie Kellner [00:13:24]:
Yeah. And. And so, like, there were so many things that happened, but I. We had to start this podcast by sharing this, like, moment of you and I, you know, and everything coming together and working together for those years and doing some really, really, really, really cool, fun things together. So. So now everyone knows that that is where it started. That is where the Baker Cassie dynamic started. Bake. I ask everyone, are you ready for this? This is the question. Okay, here we go.
Dr. Baker Rawlins [00:14:09]:
Here we go.
Cassie Kellner [00:14:10]:
Here we go. Who is Dr. Baker roll?
Dr. Baker Rawlins [00:14:19]:
I'm a father. I'm a dad. I'm a husband. I'm a son, my brother. I'm a friend, a friend to my friends. I'm a friend to my patients. I'm a friend to my patients. Parents. I grew up in the same area I live in, which is in Chester County, Pennsylvania. I had a magnificent upbringing. My parents are great. They still live in the same house I grew up in. My sister's great. Her family's great. They live in the Main Line. They live in Wayne. I met my wife. She's from California. We met in Italy. Obviously, a great trip. I've got two young boys, 10 and 12. They're rock stars. They're inspirational. I bought my practice like we talked about in 2011. I went to Penn State for undergrad. So I bleed blue and white. It's a really tough football season for us this year. And then I went to dental school at Penn UPenn in Philadelphia, and then I did my residency at Columbia, New York City. Both practiced in 2011. Met you in 2012. And I think that coming back to you and I. I think there was trust. I believed in you. I think you believed in me. And that was immediately sensed by both of Us. And I think that we had not only a shared vision on the practice as a whole, but we always kept the patients the main focus and the patient experience and the quality of care. Because I think that's what drives me is everybody deserves self confidence and everybody deserves a smile. And. Yeah, I just feel very, very fortunate to be able to provide that for patients. And I think a big part of what I do in orthodontics is relationships. It's just all that's just kind of like the underlying theme for me in life. And I think that if you were to talk to some of my clinical team or anybody that works with me, at times it drives them crazy because I'll stick around and talk to a parent, talk to a patient, but I do. I just get such a high.
Cassie Kellner [00:16:58]:
We need you in chair three. Are you still chatting?
Dr. Baker Rawlins [00:17:01]:
That's right, that's right, that's right, that's right. Yeah. So. So that. That can be my blind spot. But I really do love the relationships.
Cassie Kellner [00:17:12]:
Oh, bake. Okay, so why do I feel so emotional while you were saying all of that? Like, I feel like I could cry as you're like. Because I know you so well, and all of this is so true and genuine and like. I mean, and you and I have shared so many tears to, like, happy, sad, monumental. I mean, all the things, you know, like, I don't know, it just feels. This is. This feels like therapy. Is this therapy? Like, what are we doing right now? It's.
Dr. Baker Rawlins [00:17:43]:
This is therapy. Here's the deal. Cassie, you are literally one of my best friends. I mean, this is. We met in a working environment, but we very quickly moved past that. And it was just. It was a really, really wonderful experience. I think it was. Everyone should know that it's a smaller office, and you and I shared an office for those three years.
Cassie Kellner [00:18:05]:
We did.
Dr. Baker Rawlins [00:18:05]:
So our backs were facing one another. You were at your desk, I was at my little desk. And I remember when you and Dave were moving back to California and other. Under any other circumstances, I think somebody would say, you know, this is my two weeks, or this is my month, or whatever. I think you gave me, like, six months in advance. And that was so wonderful. But it was so.
Cassie Kellner [00:18:34]:
I was devastated.
Dr. Baker Rawlins [00:18:35]:
I was devastated, too. And I know you were, and I know I was. Obviously. I remember days where we would show up and we would literally just cry.
Cassie Kellner [00:18:43]:
Yeah.
Dr. Baker Rawlins [00:18:43]:
And I would look at you and I'm like, this isn't real. Right. You're not leaving. And you're like.
Cassie Kellner [00:18:50]:
I know the day I Left that practice for the. I could cry right now because I feel all the feels. God, that was such a good time in my life. You. You taught me so much. Yeah. I had McLaughlin experience you gave me. Oh, Baker, are you kidding? And you know this. And don't downplay it, because I know how you. I know you. You g. Confidence you gave me. You gave me so, so much independence in this practice to go like, I believe and trust you enough to do X, Y and Z. You want to switch this bracket system like, Cass, what do you think? And I'm like, yeah, let's do it. You want to go into indirect bonding. You. You know, like, you were like this unit of, you know, obviously, you. You always had final say, but we were always. It was always like, then, what's the next thing? What's the next. What's the next step? You. You know, in. We did a massive reno.
Dr. Baker Rawlins [00:20:05]:
Yes.
Cassie Kellner [00:20:06]:
This practice got a crazy facelift. That was the coolest experience from that experience, Baker. I help orthodontic practices internationally now because of you. I help them with their flow, with their architecture, with all of the things that I'm like, no, no, you can't have that there. That's gonna, you know, like, you're all gonna be running into each other over here. You gotta, you know, like. But you gave me that experience. I never would have had that if you didn't trust who I was. In making. Really. We made really massive changes in three years. Short. That's a short amount of time to do this. There was a full rebrand there.
Dr. Baker Rawlins [00:20:52]:
Was there? Absolutely.
Cassie Kellner [00:20:53]:
A website.
Dr. Baker Rawlins [00:20:54]:
I'm talking everything from computerization software, equipment, decorations. I would say even, you know, internal growth with patients, referrals, marketing. I mean, all of it. But you know what, Cassie? You. You always had all of these things. You had these. I didn't give you anything. I just provided the opportunity for you to excel at them and for you to take it and run with it. And I could without that. And I could see that in you from. From day one. And it's about. Again, it's about trust and it's about belief and believe in you, and you believe in me. And they were some fun days. I remember. I remember sitting in the basement with the blueprints with a. You know, in this. This basement's not finished. I mean, it's a dungeon. It's got, like, you know, it's like the. The creepy movie with the lights kind of swinging on the roof. And you and Ron and myself and my mom, you know, we're Standing there looking at the blueprints. What do you think about that? What do you think about that? Let's get rid of this. Let's do that. It was fun. And meanwhile, upstairs was a wreck, you know, and they're all trying to. Where they come out. What are we doing with this corner of the. Of the office? Yeah.
Cassie Kellner [00:22:15]:
Incredible. I just. Incredible. And I could talk about this for way too long. People are probably like, okay, guys, we get it. You love each other and you collaborate and you trust each other. Like, you know, no way. No way. This is such a good story. And by the way, there are many people in their careers, Baker, that never get this. They never get this kind of security and relationship to where people, individuals trust them and that they get to have the independence and the ability to do all the things that you and I were able to do in this really fun dynamic that we created, you know? And I'm forever, forever, forever grateful for that, truly.
Dr. Baker Rawlins [00:23:07]:
Well, I feel the same way about the time that you. That you and I got to work on a daily. I mean, you and I are going to be working together for the rest of our lives, the rest of our careers, and we knew that then we talked about it when you left. We said, we're not sure in what capacity, but we will continue to work together. But when we were working together on a daily basis, I feel so fortunate I had that experience to work with you, Cassie. I feel there was so much growth for me professionally, personally. It was just outstanding. We even had a consultant come in during that period of time to help us. And I remember we had a. You know, when you have a consultant, oftentimes you. You know, you have the. The pre. Meeting, the. The debrief, the all. All the dinners, all the things that happen behind the scenes of the.
Cassie Kellner [00:24:00]:
Yeah.
Dr. Baker Rawlins [00:24:00]:
When we're rolling up our sleeves in the day of. And I remember telling this consultant, I remember saying, I'd like Cassie to be here for the meeting. And. And I remember the consultant saying, why? What's going on? And I just remember saying, when you meet Cassie, trust me, you'll understand. And you guys hit it off. You guys.
Cassie Kellner [00:24:25]:
So I'm gonna blame you for the rest of my career. So Baker introduced me, everyone, to Karen Moad, who is the owner of Hummingbird Associates, and I was a Hummingbird Associates consultant for nearly eight years. So, Baker, Rawlins, you are the last practice I ever worked in. Ever. And this, by the way, this transaction, you know, this conversation with. With Hummingbird, and I didn't happen until years and years later, when my husband and I moved back to California, and then there, I had a massive shift in my career. But that's the re. One of the reasons where I was like, wait, what am I doing? Am I going to San Diego? Should I work for McLaughlin again? You know, that's comfortable. I don't know. And then there went the new journey and you. It was a pivotal moment. Being in your practice and being exposed to consulting. That had never happened. Rick McLaughlin had consulting in the 80s. Like, I wasn't going through consulting with him. You know, I didn't get that exposure. And so I had the exposure with you. And then everything shifted for me after I moved back to the west coast. And then the journey happened, you know, in where I am today. Bake, we haven't worked together in ten. Ten years now. This year is ten years. That's crazy.
Dr. Baker Rawlins [00:26:08]:
Yeah, we've.
Cassie Kellner [00:26:10]:
I should. I should go back. I haven't worked in your practice. We have been connected for the past 10 years. Like, it's not like we haven't caught up in 10 years.
Dr. Baker Rawlins [00:26:20]:
We chat, we meet at meetings. Yeah, whatever.
Cassie Kellner [00:26:24]:
Yeah, we're like, I'm sending him WTF texts. When things happen in my life, it's real. It's a real, real, real situation we have here. Yeah. Bake, you had something monumental happen in your life when we did not work together. And actually, by the way, like, bone to pick with you, you didn't call me when it happened. I found out well after at an AAO meeting when we were having a beer randomly. Right. Year. Like, it was probably maybe within the same year or the fall. I don't know when it was. But you had a health scare.
Dr. Baker Rawlins [00:27:05]:
I did, yeah.
Cassie Kellner [00:27:07]:
And it's one of the best things.
Dr. Baker Rawlins [00:27:09]:
That happened to me.
Cassie Kellner [00:27:11]:
Right. So that's what I was going to say. Like you. It forced you to reassess your world, your whole world. Can. Can you talk about what this was?
Dr. Baker Rawlins [00:27:24]:
Yeah. So this was. Yeah, this was life changing for me. And I'll try my best to convey whether it comes across as being life changing or not, I don't know. That's up for the listeners to decide. But for me, it certainly was. So In September of 2016, I remember over the weekend, a weekend going to bed and having, like, discomfort in my forearm on my. On my right hand. And I haven't really talked about this much with anybody because as an orthodontist, the last thing you want to talk about is issues with your hands. Yeah. So I kept it to myself. Except for Renee. Renee knew But I had a tough time sleeping. And then I noticed, literally, like a day later, the left forearm started to bother me. And then I started. This was like a Sunday. And then I noticed by Thursday that week. I remember seeing patients that Thursday driving to work, and I realized. I don't know how I realized it, but, like, if you take your fingers and you just kind of pull like this. Yeah, I couldn't do that. My fingers would just slide across one another. So the function of my hands were pretty rapidly declining, and I was having a tough time even handling the instruments. So it was a Thursday morning. It was beautiful. I remember I called my physician. And of course, in this day and age, you know how physicians are. Hey, I got this issue. I'd love to come in. And they're like, yeah, we don't have any slots for you. You just have to go.
Cassie Kellner [00:29:02]:
See you in six weeks.
Dr. Baker Rawlins [00:29:03]:
Yeah, you got it. You should go to the er. And I said, would you just please see if there's any way you could work me in? And they called me back and they said, yeah, I spoke with the physician. They really think you should go to the er Especially they're concerned because it's bilateral. They're concerned that it's spinal or it's central nerve issues. So I remember walking into the TC at the time and just saying, hey, I have a family again, nobody knows about this. Nobody needs to know about this as an orthodontist. I went in and I said, hey, I've got a family emergency. And this is unlike me. I never totally. Except for the time I overslept, Remember, I thought it was the wrong day. And you're like, where are you? And I'm like, what do you mean, you need to get to work? Anyway, that was a mistake. But I went into the tcm, just said, hey, I got a family emergency. I've got a role. And I remember getting in the car and driving to the ER in Westchester, Pennsylvania, and calling Renee and literally just crying because I couldn't hold the wheel in front of me. I couldn't grip the steering wheel. And what the physician had said about the central nerve system and the concern there. So, anyway, I went to the error. I think my dad. Yeah, because we have the kids. My dad met me at the er, and I remember the ER docs sitting me down saying, listen, I went through a bunch of tests, and the ER doc said, I think that you have. And I'm going to mispronounce it, but I think it was Guillain–Barré syndrome, GBS. And I never heard about this. It's a. It's a very rare autoimmune disease that can be sparked by a bacterial infection or viral infection. And it starts in kind of the, I believe, the peripheral and works its way to the central nerve system. And it. It's a rapid onset. And I remember the ER saying, and I remember asking, so how severe is this? Is this something that I'll recover from? And I remember the ER doc saying, it's pretty rapid onset. It's probably within 24 hours you can be on a ventilator, and you'll probably be that way for as much as a couple months. You'll probably make a recovery, but whether you'll have full capacity or not, nobody knows. I was devastated. I mean, just bawling. It's tough to hold back the tears now, even.
Cassie Kellner [00:31:54]:
Totally. Yeah.
Dr. Baker Rawlins [00:31:55]:
It's just a lot to hear, to be whatever age I was and be told that you need to get some things in order because things are going to change pretty rapidly. But I remember immediately thinking to myself, oh, my God, I let down my family. This was the thought. I let down my kids. I let down Renee. My patients, my practice, my staff. All the people that. All the lives that I touch. I failed them. And the reason I felt that way is because I was working my tail off. I mean, when you purchase a new practice and there's a lot to do, it's a lot of late hours, and it's a lot of lonely time. And I remember working just an obscene amount of hours. I remember eating terribly. I used to eat the candy that we would give when kids got debonded. I'd be in the office and I'd just fire down Skittles or whatever I could take because I needed the sugar to keep me revved up, to continue to go. Never worked out. And I thought to myself, man, if I only took care of myself, maybe this wouldn't have happened. Or maybe I'd be strong enough to fight it off. So I was admitted. I jumped in an ambulance. Renee was sitting right next to me. We went down to hup, which is the Hospital of University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. I was admitted there, had wonderful physicians, had spinal taps, had MRIs, had all the tests. Blood work was on the neurology floor. And they were baffled, and it was really scary. And finally, I remember the physician coming to me and said, I know what you have. And I remember bracing myself for the worst. And she said, you have Fifth Disease. You do not have Guillain–Barré syndrome. You do not have GBS. You have Fifth Disease. And I said, is this worse? What's Fifth Disease? Tell me about this. It rang a bell from, like, dental school, but I couldn't recall what it was. Fifth Disease is a. It's a parvovirus that kids get all the time, and they get like, a facial rash, and then they get like a rash that kind of spreads to the peripherals, and they oftentimes get it in, like, playgrounds in mulch.
Cassie Kellner [00:34:43]:
Is this hand, foot and mouth Bake?
Dr. Baker Rawlins [00:34:45]:
It's not hand foot kind of. It kind of, sort of. I mean, I don't know. I should go back and look at both of them. And I must admit, I, you know, I didn't really prepare for this in terms of the specifics.
Cassie Kellner [00:34:57]:
Sure.
Dr. Baker Rawlins [00:34:57]:
But that's what Fifth Disease is. But it's very similar and it's extreme. It's very common for kids. A viral infection. It comes and goes. No treatment needed. Life is good. It's extremely rare in adults. And I got it, and both my kids had it in August. So within 72 hours, I was back 110%. I had literally gotten my life back. It was wild. So it just completely, you know. You know, for those 72 hours, it was. It was brutal. You have this time to reflect on everything, everything in life. The mistakes you've made, the things you've done well. And yeah, I came out and I was just. I remember in the hospital before they told me it was Fifth Disease, I remember I wanted to just do something proactive. So I stopped eating meat. And I don't know why that is. People. I'm a pescatarian now, and people ask me, why you do that? What's your reason? And I tell them, I have nothing against eating animals. I don't do it for a cause. In that moment, I needed something tangible that I could do to feel like I was moving the needle, I was moving the ball forward to become healthy. You were making a change. Yeah, it was an easy thing for me to grasp onto because my dad's a vegetarian. So I watched it growing up. And anyway, yeah, it reset my priorities. It reset a lot of things in my life.
Cassie Kellner [00:36:38]:
So you not only shifted, obviously, how you're taking care of your body, but your mental health, like your mindset being you, you. Then I'm. I'm speculating here because I. And I know you, but you. I am. Did you make changes? You know, as business owners, orthodontist, small business? Like, it is bananas.
Dr. Baker Rawlins [00:37:03]:
What happens, you know, it's extremely lonely.
Cassie Kellner [00:37:09]:
So lonely. And then you Know you have nowadays, right? You have the, the, the meetings, the study clubs, the social media, the, the groups that are like, I'm doing this and I'm making this much and I'm. And, Right. And so there's a, there's an immediate comparison in your brain. And this is for anything, not just small business. I'm talking like life, right? Parenting, it could be anything, right?
Dr. Baker Rawlins [00:37:38]:
Yes.
Cassie Kellner [00:37:38]:
And when you start a small business, either whether you're taking over or it's a startup or whatever, right. You, you live, eat and breathe. This correct. You, it is your everything. But what happened for you was you lived that you had a monumental moment in your life and then you were like, okay, yes, it is time. It is time for a change in all aspects.
Dr. Baker Rawlins [00:38:09]:
Yes.
Cassie Kellner [00:38:10]:
Yeah. And so what happened, the wake up call was you stopped eating meat immediately. Like that was something that could happen, right? Like that.
Dr. Baker Rawlins [00:38:21]:
Yeah. Yeah. And then so I, so I started working out. My father gave me an elliptical several years ago. It was collecting dust in the basement. I literally couldn't sleep for like months after this because I was just on such a high of having my life back. I just felt like I could do anything at any hour. It was wonderful. I work out every morning. I eat really well. I make sure that my work life balance is really important to me. Time for my family is critical. Time with my friends is critical. Time with my patients is critical. I realize that that's just who I am. So I need that, I think, as much as the patients do when they come in and I spend time with them and time with the parents and. Yeah. And it became one of these things that I did for my physical well being because again, it always comes back to that initial thought where I felt like I failed those that, that rely on me or I connected with. So I saw and I still enjoy the physical benefits. But what I had learned through this journey is it's the emotional and the psychological benefit far outstrips the physical benefits of these things. I mean, I work out every morning because I'm more user friendly. I am an easier person to interface with than when I don't work out. And I know that now about myself.
Cassie Kellner [00:40:08]:
You know, wake up. I think that this is really interesting and I talk a lot on this podcast with females, female orthodontists, female team members, and we talk a lot about this whole work life balance thing that everyone's trying to do in life. And in my opinion, it is, and I'm saying this from a business owner perspective, it's really, really Hard for me. And I am a mother of two young children, and I could. I'm not kidding. I could work 17 hours a day on my business. Like, I could. I could not close that laptop like an. An absolute crazy person. I could. I know I could. And sometimes I have to actively go, what the hell are you doing? Like, what do you mean? Like, Cassie, what do you. This can wait. Like, this is always going to be here. What am I doing?
Dr. Baker Rawlins [00:41:04]:
Yes.
Cassie Kellner [00:41:04]:
And. And we never talk about. And I haven't talked about. And I think it's so important. The. You're a father to two young boys and your boys are watching you, too.
Dr. Baker Rawlins [00:41:20]:
Yes.
Cassie Kellner [00:41:20]:
And we're, We're. I'm. We're always talking about, like, moms in the workplace and moms working, which in my opinion, I am a mom in the workplace who's working and trying to. But. But there's also dads in the workplace who, who you're hustling and. And. And also trying to make your boys a pride, your boys and your family a priority while also working, while also coaching T ball while also being there for the events and still being a practice owner. You know, I don't think. Think that we talk. At least we haven't on this podcast, have not talked enough about fatherhood. Just because you're a male in the workforce, Baker, does not mean you don't care about your kid. Like, we focus so much on females and motherhood, which is important to me. I'm one of them. But you also are a dedicated father who. Who is also trying to make that balance.
Dr. Baker Rawlins [00:42:25]:
Yes, 100%. Yeah.
Cassie Kellner [00:42:27]:
You know.
Dr. Baker Rawlins [00:42:31]:
My kids are a major inspiration for me because I do. I like being present in their life, in their sports, in their schoolwork. I mean, I love these things. I absolutely love these things. And I think, you know, I was fortunate in the sense that this health scare occurred. But I also think there becomes a point where, when you've got. Coming back to what you were saying, when you have your own business, there is no clock in, clock out. There is no. Oh, you know, I can't stop the stream of good ideas, but I need to write them down. I need to document them, I need to toy with them, I need to play with them, because it's always right. It's kind of omnipresent. But there becomes a point, I think, also where your kids, you realize that they're cognizant of you being present.
Cassie Kellner [00:43:27]:
Yes.
Dr. Baker Rawlins [00:43:27]:
Or not. And I think that is the real game changer. And that almost makes it easier from A business owner to recognize that. Because you can't just come home, kiss them, feed them at the feeding table, you know, watch them play a little bit, and then they're in bed at 8, and then you work till 11. It's like they're humans now. Like, they're registering this.
Cassie Kellner [00:43:54]:
Yes.
Dr. Baker Rawlins [00:43:55]:
So. And I think that makes it a little bit easier. So, you know, I think for any parent that's struggling with that small business owner that's got really young kids, it's very physical, physically taxing. But once you recognize that they're starting to cerebrally log their days and their time with you and you're being present, it's a motivator to say, okay, the work can wait. This is a window. This is a window. I need to be present for it and easier.
Cassie Kellner [00:44:28]:
It's really interesting to kind of think about.
Dr. Baker Rawlins [00:44:34]:
That.
Cassie Kellner [00:44:34]:
They are just really, really paying it. They're paying attention.
Dr. Baker Rawlins [00:44:39]:
They are.
Cassie Kellner [00:44:40]:
You know, and it's the physical presence and the engagement that they're. That they're craving. You know, it's the showing up. It's. It's not like, you know, and I find as a mother, sometimes it's really hard for. Because I work from home.
Dr. Baker Rawlins [00:44:56]:
Yes.
Cassie Kellner [00:44:57]:
That, like, I don't get. I joke with my husband. He gets like the commute, where he gets can, like, listen to a podcast or like some old school rap music or whatever. And I'm like, I get to walk downstairs. Like, I don't get, you know, I walk downstairs and I walk out to the road, to the bus. Like, you know, like, there's. I don't get the shift. And so I personally have had to make big, massive shifts for me because it's also really hard for me as it is. I know any business owner to turn it off in my brain. Even though I'm there and I'm present, I'm not actively present sometimes because I'm like, wait a minute, what just happened? Or I'm bringing it up to my husband a million times, like, whatever. Whatever it was. And I'm like, oh, I'm here. But I'm actually not. I'm actually not really here. Like, you know, totally. And by the way, like, that ebbs and flows. That's just like life.
Dr. Baker Rawlins [00:45:54]:
That is.
Cassie Kellner [00:45:55]:
But I wanted to put emphasis on, you know, this. I don't need to tell you this, like, what an amazing and wonderful father you are and how when this happened, you are already. But then you made a shift. And it's so interesting to me, Baker, how you immediately were like, I had these moments and was I doing enough in these moments? Because this life shift was about to happen. That's what the doctors were telling you. This life shift is about to happen. And you're like, did I do all the things? Did I, Was I there? And you've made the massive change at this point?
Dr. Baker Rawlins [00:46:38]:
Yeah, like I said, I mean, going through it was brutal, but I, I feel so fortunate that I went through that. Which sounds really odd, but I almost. If it was reproducible in a can or a bottle for other people to have it would be wonderful. I know that sounds bizarre and perhaps you're sick and twisted, but it. No, it really did allow me to kind of hit the reset on priorities and.
Cassie Kellner [00:47:11]:
Yeah, gosh, okay, Bake, we're going to end with this because I've taken up way too much of your time.
Dr. Baker Rawlins [00:47:19]:
I love this. I could do this all day long. It's so fun hanging out with you.
Cassie Kellner [00:47:23]:
It's my favorite thing. Okay. What other insights would you want to share with listeners about resilience or rebuilding? Even if they didn't have, you know, not all of us have this, like, monumental moment that happened in our life. Right. But if someone is burnt, like, they're burnt. Right. They're burnt out. They don't have this massive health scare, but they're like, I need to make an active change. And let's say they're like five years in, like that first five years. I mean, the first 10 years. Let's get real. Like, you know, you're, you're, you're constantly shifting. Like, and what would you, what would you, what insight would you give to someone who was like, I'm burnt out. I gotta rebuild and shift and, you know, I need some resilience here.
Dr. Baker Rawlins [00:48:22]:
Yeah. You know, I don't, I don't claim to have the answer for this. And I haven't really experienced burnout except for, I would call it seasonal burnout.
Cassie Kellner [00:48:34]:
Sure.
Dr. Baker Rawlins [00:48:36]:
In the winters, big time. And I find that, you know, from a resilience standpoint, working out is huge for me, but also gratitude and just being grateful for the things that you do have, not the things that you do not have. And the focus, the intense focus on the. And I don't mean to say I don't. My intention is not to stress anybody out by saying this, but think about all the lives you touch and think about the responsibility you have. And I'm not talking about just your kids, but I am your kids, your wife, but your patients, your team. I mean, I'm so fortunate I work with the most amazing team I think there is in any orthodontic practice in the world. We're all vulnerable together. So I have a lot of responsibility for their professional success, their professional growth, their own families, my kids, my wife, my parents. I think self reflection. I think, you know, every morning I drive to work. I think it depends on what religion you practice. It might be a mantra. It might be just a prayer. It might be a. I don't know. It's just a moment where I just kind of reflect on everything before and the things I wish I could do better. And. Yeah, I don't know. I don't have a really bake.
Cassie Kellner [00:50:30]:
This is actually so aligned and the reason why people that are listening and not watching. I was smiling like an absolute creep while he was saying all of this, because I feel the same way. I. Last month, you know, for. For November is. Was, for me, was all about gratitude. It was in my newsletter. It's. Every single one of my podcasts are incredibly personal last month where I bring people in from my personal life that have absolutely nothing to do with orthodontics and share so much of. So much gratitude. So it's so wild to me that you are so aligned. It's not wild to me because this is totally par for the course for us. But, you know, you're so aligned in that, you know, I would say too. And I'll. From a practice perspective and a personal perspective, I feel that. And this is what I talked a lot about last month is like, we now. It's very difficult sometimes when you're in it to pause and reflect and accept and really feel the gratitude for all the things. Right? So from a practice perspective, it's like, well, I have to do the next big thing and what's coming out in the industry and do we need this? And. And right. It's like, well, what's next? And it's like, wait a minute. Did you grow this year? Did you meet your goals? Do you have a team that has no toxicity? Like, let's. Let's also pause and reflect from a personal perspective. In my home, I always want to do something new. We put a mud room in this year. We've got to finish the basics. Smith. Like, it's like, Cassie, stop. Just take it all in. You know what I mean? It's always one more thing. It's like, oh, we should really redo our bathroom or we should do blah, blah, blah. It's like, right, What? Yeah, like, pause, reflect, and like, just take in all the Things and it just circles all the way back big to this moment that you had where now you can actually take a step back sometimes and go, I'm just really, really, really grateful that I have all of this. And that doesn't mean there's not stressful times or sad times or happy or exciting, all the things. But it's almost. I don't want to call it, I don't want to call your health scare a gift, because that's not right. That's not what I mean.
Dr. Baker Rawlins [00:53:06]:
It was though, it really was, because it was entirely transient. You know, there's no long term implications from it. So it really was a gift. It really was. And it taught me the power of being able to create my own reality. And I thoroughly believe that. And anybody can do it. You can create your own reality if you want it. You can get after it. You just have to have the, you know, and you have to reset your priorities to understand what's authentic to you and what those priorities are. And it's different for everybody. Yeah.
Cassie Kellner [00:53:42]:
Dr. Baker Rawlins, you are a gift. I, I am so thank you from the bottom of my heart. This is me exuding so much gratitude to, to you for, for one, for coming on here today, but for also being a part of my life for those three years we get to share an office and that you, you allowed me to grow in ways I genuinely, and I mean this, and I could tear up, but I'm not going to do it. But I am, I genuinely am so grateful for you for giving me opportunities in my life and my career at such a pivotal moment. I'm going to be 41. I was 25, 26, 20. I don't know somewhere in there when I first met you. And there's been so much growth on both of our parts. But I. Joining your practice and, and having you as an employer was a monumental shift for me in my career and my life. And I thank you and I'm grateful for you. Thank you so much for joining me today, Cassie.
Dr. Baker Rawlins [00:54:53]:
Thank you so much. And by the way, I'm not here to one up you, but I just, I have to tell you that I feel the same. It was your relate. You believed in me and you continue to believe in me and you taught me so much and you continue to teach me so much professionally, personally, I am so grateful to have such a best friend and be so connected with you and be so close with you and you helped me professionally, you helped me personally and I just, I look forward to more of it right I mean, we're not hanging the hat, so.
Cassie Kellner [00:55:31]:
No, no, never.
Dr. Baker Rawlins [00:55:33]:
Life's a process. Let's keep. Let's keep doing it. But I am so grateful for you. Thank you so much. And I'm so confident that you. You asked me to participate in this. I'm so excited for your successes, and it's really. Thank you. Really fun to watch.
Cassie Kellner [00:55:48]:
Thanks. Fake.
Dr. Baker Rawlins [00:55:49]:
Yeah. Thank you.
Cassie Kellner [00:55:50]:
Kelsey, thank you for joining me on the Bloom Effect, where we keep it real, keep it growing, and always keep it team. First, if today's episode sparked something for you, an idea, a shift, or just a reminder that you're not alone, take a second and share it with your team or a friend, fellow ortho leader, be sure to subscribe so you never miss a convo. And if you're loving the show, leave a review. It helps more practices. Find us and join the movement. And if you're ready to bring this kind of energy into your practice, visit discover everbloom.com to learn more about working together. Until next time, keep leading with heart, keep building with intention, and keep blooming right where you're planted.
