Welcome to Diamond Dental Staff’s ‘Feature Friday’
Guest: Shaz Memon. Director of Digimax, Founder of Wells on Wheels
I am going to take you back on a little journey of life before new phrases like ‘social distancing’ and ‘online events’ became a thing. Once upon a time, there were really great events for our profession, where you could book hotels or apartments (all on the company card) to discover, meet, speak and hear all about a product or service. A place to learn, gain inspiration, reconnect with some old friends and leave with a full bag of samples. I am talking about Dental Shows, in particular, The Dental Showcase 2019 that took place in Birmingham.
Prior to this event, I had been following DigiMax Dental on Instagram but It was at the showcase where I first met and introduced myself to Shaz Memon at his unforgettable stand, which was a simplistic, large, tall, all black display with the logo as a feature. I remember thinking that it was an immaculate representation that was consistent with the DigiMax Branding. What was really lovely, was to see the demonstration of Wells On Wheels and hear all about Shaz’s charity, which had launched just a few months before.
We were able to touch (seems so weird to write that) and walk the innovative and revolutionary, sturdy, rolling wheel that carries water, up and down the long, carpeted stand space, where there was a built-in screen within the display, showing clips of Wells on Wheels being used by the communities that the carrier had reached in rural Indian villages.
For those that missed it, here is a 60-second clip
I was really happy and grateful for the opportunity to meet Shaz. It felt a bit like meeting a celebrity. I had shared that we love what he is doing and at one point I think I probably did tell him that I was a fan. With that, I had asked if he would be happy for Diamond Dental Staff to feature him. I asked to take a photo which he politely agreed to. In retrospect, he probably thought…
But who are you? and what does this have to do with Dental Recruitment!?
Well, recruitment is not my background, and though that’s what we do at Diamond Dental Staff, that’s not who we are. As a Dental Professional, I am forever inspired by career paths, what challenges people have faced and overcome, how certain decisions influenced new opportunities and collaborative relationships and what they are most passionate about. In sharing our ‘Feature Fridays’ with you, our aim is to inspire, empower and influence action but most importantly, to build a community, bringing people together and jointly celebrate our industries superstars and their achievements.
So for our first Feature Friday of 2021, it is my pleasure to introduce you to the founder of the world’s highest-rated dental marketing agency, Shaz Memon.
- Voted as the 15th most influential person in the UK Dentistry’s Top 50 in 2020
- Author of Amazon’s Best Selling, Global No.1 ‘Instagram For Dentists’
which alongside a £500 one-to-one consultancy voucher, Shaz had very kindly donated this as a gift towards Diamond Dental Staff’s winner’s goody bags in our End Of Year Recognition Awards 2020. All profits from the sale of this book go to Wells On Wheels. You can purchase the book on the above link. *Nominations are now closed, Winners will be announced on Monday 4th January 2021.
Multi Dental Industry Award Winner for
- Corporate Social Responsibility in 2019
Highly Commended for
- Outstanding Business of the Year 219 ,
- Customer Service Provider of the Year 2018.
Not only does Shaz and Digimax have a whole display of their crystal awards, so many of their clients (Dental Practice Owners) have also been recognised and awarded for the incredible websites that Digimax has produced. But not just that, as a marketing guru, Shaz provides expert advice on how to build a brand/following. You can read some of his articles here
‘Digital Design, Maximum Effect’
There is too much that we could discuss SEO (Yes, SEO: Search Engine Optimisation, not SOE, very confusing for Exact users) building/developing a website, managing social media accounts and how to drive your practice forward with the right branding and content but this feature is all about Wells on Wheels. And rightly so…
As you could probably appreciate, charities have taken a really big hit this year. With the economy collapsing due to the impact of COVID-19, much of the donations that charities rely on have been cut. Some have been lucky to receive charity grants, but who knows how long this will go on. The people that really need help always seem to be the last on the list.
This article really got me thinking, and actually, I feel the same way about people that post selfies of them with a homeless person after buying them a hot drink or whatever it is that they want to be seen doing. I then saw a quote…
“Do things out of love, but not for love”
I have always felt that charity donations are better kept anonymous, that is my personal opinion. But then I do understand the need to raise awareness for the charities that need the support, so I am going, to be honest, I am a little torn with this. One thing that I am implementing into our 2021 social responsibility and opportunity to give back is to make donations to our selected charities with every successful placement. We will give the option to our clients for this to be in their name instead of offering discounts. If it was to come from Diamond Dental Staff, then I have pretty much made my mind up on not giving for the wrong reason. I do not believe that this should be a marketing opportunity, and I do worry that sometimes, that’s all that some peoples aim or objectives are, and I think that Shaz’s above article is a perfect example of this. I really would love to hear your thoughts on this, so feel free to comment below or call me for a chat.
Dentistry Online Podcast with Gabby Bissett: Episode 36
If we are honest, I think we are all guilty of taking what we have for granted, and I think you would agree that if 2020 taught us anything, it is that we are all vulnerable, we as a race will always be stronger together and if you have more than what you need, share, give back when you can. Let’s make this world a better place for everyone. We are all equal, some have just been handed more luck than others and often, that luck and privilege come from where in the world you were born. It is as simple as that. The only thing that divides us is imaginary lines that separate countries and communities. That and wealth. (Don’t get me started on the classing system). Beneath all of that, we are all humans trying to do our best with whatever cards have been dealt.
Let me ask you this.
- How many of you let the tap run while you brush your teeth in the morning and evening?
- How mindful are you of how much water you are using when washing up? / watering the garden / cleaning the car / using the washing machine.
- What about when you are thirsty, how easy is it to go to a tap and fill a glass?
Water is so easily accessible here in the UK, but what about in other parts of the world?
Climate Change / Gender Inequality
Girls as young as 7 years old are having to walk miles in 40-degree heat to collect water.
These girls/women (young and old) are carrying gallons in water vessels on their heads, for hours each day, which then leads to neck and back pain as well as more serious musculoskeletal disorders.
Can you imagine having to send a family member to do this each and every day so you had clean water to wash, clean, drink and cook with? It is estimated that One Billion People do not have access to safe, clean water. 163 million across India alone.
These girls should be in school or playing with their friends. Thanks to Shaz and this amazing charity, with the help from fundraising and donations, Wells On Wheels has helped 2,000+ girls return to the classroom as well as other positive impacts on the communities that Wells on Wheels has served.
How can you show your support?
- You could make a difference by donating anything towards this charity, but for £28, you could donate 1 wheel.
- To be a ‘Business Supporter’ and be listed as such on the Wells On Wheels Website, a commitment of 50 wheels is respectfully suggested.
Some of you might like to show your support in another way that is not necessarily financial. This too is equally important and welcomed. If you or your team are looking to take part in some voluntary work, examples could include: Fundraising, Assisting at Events, Marketing, PR, Admin, Raising Awareness… To express an interest, you can complete this form
https://youtube.com/watch?v=Fx0J9oFrMf4%3Fautoplay%3D0%26mute%3D0%26controls%3D1%26origin%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fwww.diamonddentalstaff.co.uk%26playsinline%3D1%26showinfo%3D0%26rel%3D0%26iv_load_policy%3D3%26modestbranding%3D1%26enablejsapi%3D1%26widgetid%3D263
More information on Shaz, Wells on Wheels and Digimax can be found on the above links and in the resources below.
It has been so wonderful to explore Shaz’s journey and passion in all that he has done and achieved but particularly in setting up his own charity. It is clear why he had been carefully selected as an influential member in our industry (and beyond) and we could not be prouder to share this introduction of Shaz with you and hope that we have set the tone for our future features in 2021.
Shaz, on behalf of the Diamond Dental Staff Community, we would like to sincerely thank you for all your efforts. I personally hope to volunteer in the future and fully embrace all that you have accomplished and I hope that members of our community will join me. You have all our support in your mission and we wish you every success in expanding Wells On Wheels to reach other communities and villages that need it most.