“He Didn’t Sell His Practice - He Leveraged It”: How Dr. Shimanto Built a 30+ Person Clinic and a Wealth Engine Without Burning Out
- Healthcare Home Loans
- Oct 27
- 5 min read
Updated: Oct 31
Whether you’re a doctor, nurse, or allied health professional, this conversation with Dr. Shimanto shows what’s possible when you combine clinical excellence with smart, long-term strategy. He didn’t just build a thriving clinic, he used it as the foundation for lasting wealth, flexibility, and legacy.
Below, we unpack his journey in plain language: the early leap of faith, the sleepless nights, the turning points, and the principles that helped him scale a clinic of over 30 staff while still loving his work.
From Family Influence to Finding His Own Path
For Dr. Shimanto, healthcare was a natural calling. Growing up with parents who were doctors, he saw first-hand the impact they had and the joy they got from helping people live better lives. But it was orthodontics that captured his imagination, not for the money or prestige, but for the energy.
“The orthodontists I knew had the happiest rooms,” he says.“Music playing, patients smiling, teams that looked genuinely excited to be there. That’s what drew me in.”His advice to younger professionals is refreshingly simple: follow the buzz.
“You’ll know what gives you energy, what keeps you up reading, researching, or talking shop for hours. That’s the path to follow. You can’t fake passion in this profession.”
The Leap of Faith: Starting During the GFC
After finishing specialist training at just 27, Dr. Shimanto made a bold call: he resigned from his job before he had a site, funding, or even a business plan. It was 2008, the middle of the global financial crisis, and the banks weren’t lending easily.
He jokes now that he might have been “a bit naïve,” but the risk paid off.
“I was determined to steer my own ship,” he recalls. “Even if it meant sleeping in the office, which I did for the first two years.”
He didn’t start small either. Against conventional advice, he hired two full-time staff on day one.
“I wanted patients to feel they were coming to a professional practice from the start, not a part-time setup. It meant higher costs, but also higher credibility.”
Those early years were intense. Cash flow was tight, bills came faster than payments, and he sometimes paid for dinner on his credit card.
“There were weeks I didn’t know if I could cover wages. But that pressure forced me to learn fast, to innovate, and to take responsibility for every detail.”
The First Plateau, and the Mindset Shift That Changed Everything
Two years in, the clinic was busy, but growth had stalled. Dr. Shimanto realised the problem wasn’t the market, it was him.
“I was doing everything myself,” he admits. “The clinical work, the management, the marketing. I wasn’t leading, I was just working harder.” The turning point came when he embraced systems, training, and delegation.
“There’s a glass ceiling when everything relies on you,” he explains. “To grow, you have to teach, trust, and let go.”
He began creating clear processes for every part of the practice, from how new patients were booked, to how the team handled payments, recalls, and follow-ups. He invested in training his staff, empowering them to make decisions, and giving them space to grow.
“When I stopped micromanaging and started trusting my team, everything changed,” he says. “I finally had time to focus on what I’m best at, clinical outcomes and business development.”
Scaling Without Selling Out
Unlike many healthcare professionals who dream of selling their practice one day, Dr. Shimanto took a different route, he leveraged it.
After a decade of hard work, he realised his clinic wasn’t just a source of income, it was an asset with real equity. With the right structure and advice, that equity became a way to access capital and build wealth outside the clinic.
“You’ve got to make money even when you’re not working,” he says. “That means taking what your business is worth and letting it fund other income streams, like investments and property, while you keep doing what you love.”
This mindset shift is huge for clinicians. Instead of thinking like employees trading hours for dollars, it’s about thinking like owners who build value that continues to grow, even when they’re off the clock.
Investing Early (Even If It’s Small)
If there’s one regret, it’s that he didn’t start investing sooner.
“I waited until the clinic was stable. Looking back, I should have started from day one, even if it was just a few hundred dollars a month,” he says. “People hold off because they think they don’t have ‘enough’ to invest. That’s a mistake. Compounding doesn’t care about the amount, it cares about time.”
Today, his portfolio spans property and other asset classes, chosen strategically with professional advice. His focus has shifted from chasing revenue to building profit, stability, and freedom.
Why Delegation and Leadership Matter More Than Hustle
Many clinicians mistake busyness for progress. Dr. Shimanto disagrees.
“Working longer hours isn’t growth, it’s a treadmill,” he says. “The real growth happens when your systems and people deliver results even when you’re not there.”
He’s passionate about culture, too. “When people feel trusted and supported, they don’t just do their jobs, they take ownership. That’s when a clinic starts to thrive on its own.”
For experienced professionals, that’s a reminder: scaling isn’t about adding sites or chairs; it’s about building a business that runs beautifully without you needing to touch every detail.
On “Work–Life Balance”
When asked how he balances work, family, and investing, he laughs. “I don’t. I commit to all of it.”
He doesn’t see work and life as separate boxes but as parts of one fulfilling whole.
“If you truly love what you do, it fuels you. It doesn’t drain you. I’m as passionate about my clinic as I am about my family and my hobbies. It’s not about balance, it’s about purpose.”
Advice for Younger Healthcare Professionals
His advice for those early in their careers is simple but profound:
Find what excites you and build your career around it, not what looks best on paper. Get advice early from mentors and financial professionals who understand healthcare. Start investing early, no matter how small the amount.Think strategically about how to turn your income into wealth, not just higher wages.Plan your structure properly - tax, trusts, and borrowing strategies can make an enormous difference over time.
A Conversation Worth Watching
This interview is packed with lessons that go far beyond orthodontics. It’s about leadership, risk, resilience, and reimagining what’s possible in healthcare.
Throughout the week, we’ll be releasing short video clips from this conversation the key moments and mindset shifts that every clinician can learn from.
Watch the full interview here, where Dr. Shimanto dives deeper into:
How he funded his clinic during the GFC
The exact moment he realised he needed to change his leadership style
How he leveraged his business for wealth creation
What he’d do differently if he could start again
You won’t want to miss it.
Final Thoughts
Dr. Shimanto’s story isn’t about luck, it’s about deliberate, thoughtful strategy.
He built something that works with him, not against him.
If you’re a healthcare professional who wants to grow your practice, invest smarter, or simply free up your time to focus on what you love, his journey is living proof that it’s possible.
“Don’t just work in your business, make your business work for you.”
If you’d like to explore how to structure your finances or leverage your practice the way Dr. Shimanto has, reach out to our team at Healthcare Home Loans. We specialise in helping healthcare professionals grow, borrow, and invest strategically, so your hard work today builds the freedom you want tomorrow.
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