The Leverage Podcast with Kevin Johnson

Kevin Johnson
  • 5.0 (1)
  • Business
  • Updated Biweekly

Kevin Johnson has spent 25+ years inside the businesses that other consultants only read about. As founder of Leverage Consulting, he works directly with dental and medical practice owners, surgeons, service-based entrepreneurs, and leadership teams who are serious about building more profitable, better-run organizations. This show is for the owner who's done guessing. The operator who wants straight answers. The leader who knows that real growth comes from better decisions, stronger systems, and the right advisor in your corner.

  1. 19h ago

    The Valuation on Your Practice Might Be Wrong. And the Cost of That Could Be $3,000,000.

    The valuation of your practice may be one of the most important numbers you ever receive. But what happens when that number is wrong? In this episode, Kevin Johnson explains how a practice valuation that is understated by $500,000 can become a multimillion-dollar retirement mistake once the long-term compounding impact is considered. He shares why valuations are not always accurate or objective, why owners should challenge numbers that do not reflect the true strength of the practice, and why relying on representatives paid by the buyer can put the seller at a serious disadvantage. Kevin also outlines the three professionals every practice owner should have in their corner before signing a deal: a tax strategist, a financial planner, and an attorney experienced in business and healthcare transactions. He explains how valuation, tax structure, legal protection, and investment planning work together to determine how much of the sale proceeds the owner actually keeps. If you are planning to sell your practice now or years from today, this conversation will help you understand why maximizing enterprise value and preparing early can dramatically change your retirement outcome.

  2. Jul 15

    Bonus Systems Don't Work. There. I Said It.

    Bonus systems are one of the most misunderstood tools in practice management. Many owners treat them like a solution to culture, teamwork, accountability, or production problems, but that is not what a bonus system does. In this episode, Kevin Johnson explains why bonus systems often fail and why throwing money at a structural problem usually creates more frustration, not better performance. He breaks down what a bonus system actually is: a reward mechanism for a team that is already doing the right things. He also walks through the five non-negotiables every practice needs before launching one, including a clear objective, weekly communication, team conditioning around change, clarity around how the bonus is earned, and a system simple enough for every team member to understand. If you are considering a bonus system, or wondering why the one you have is not working, this conversation will help you see what needs to be fixed first. Let’s talk. www.leverage4results.com

    Bonus Systems Don't Work. There. I Said It.

  3. Jul 8

    Busy Practice. Full Schedule. Empty Pockets. Something Is Wrong and It is Not What You Think.

    A lot of dental practice owners assume that if the schedule is full and revenue is coming in, the practice must be doing well. But busyness and profitability are not the same thing, and confusing the two can cost owners far more than they realize. In this episode, Kevin Johnson breaks down what happens when a practice is producing but the owner still cannot clearly see true overhead, real cash flow, or monthly profitability. He walks through the difference between operating in the dark, stabilizing the business, and moving toward optimization. He also explains why clean financial reporting matters first, why payroll percentage alone does not tell the full story, and why production per provider hour, write-offs, and collections are the numbers that often matter most. If your practice is full but your pockets still feel empty, this conversation will help you see where the real problem may be and what needs to happen next. Let’s talk. www.leverage4results.com

    Busy Practice. Full Schedule. Empty Pockets. Something Is Wrong and It is Not What You Think.

  4. Jul 7

    Where Are You in the Life of Your Practice? The Answer Will Define Your Exit.

    Most dental practice owners measure the present... collections, overhead, schedule density, production. But the number that will shape their financial future is not what the practice produces today. It is what the practice will be worth the day they decide to sell it. In Season 5, Episode 16, Kevin Johnson introduces the Practice Diagnostic Matrix and explains how stage and season reveal where a practice really stands. He walks through the five stages of practice life, the performance conditions that define each season, and what those intersections mean for growth, enterprise value, and exit readiness. He also explains why practices can regress, why structural strength determines how quickly a practice recovers from disruption, and why every decision inside the practice is either adding to value or subtracting from it. Take the Practice Diagnostic Assessment here:https://leverage4results.scoreapp.com/ If you want a clearer view of where your practice stands today and what it will take to build a stronger exit tomorrow, this conversation will help. Let’s talk.

    Where Are You in the Life of Your Practice? The Answer Will Define Your Exit.

  5. Jul 7

    Your Practice Will Sell One Day. The Question Is Whether You Will Be Ready When It Does.

    Most dental practice owners measure the present... collections, overhead, schedule density, production. But the number that will shape their financial future is not what the practice produces today. It is what the practice will be worth the day they decide to sell it. In this episode, Kevin Johnson introduces the Practice Diagnostic Matrix and explains how stage and season reveal where a practice really stands. He walks through the five stages of practice life, the performance conditions that define each season, and what those intersections mean for growth, enterprise value, and exit readiness. He also explains why practices can regress, why structural strength determines how quickly a practice recovers from disruption, and why every decision inside the practice is either adding to value or subtracting from it. Take the Practice Diagnostic Assessment here:https://leverage4results.scoreapp.com/ If you want a clearer view of where your practice stands today and what it will take to build a stronger exit tomorrow, this conversation will help. Let’s talk.

    Your Practice Will Sell One Day. The Question Is Whether You Will Be Ready When It Does.

  6. Jun 19

    Do You Have an Accountant, a Tax Strategist, or Both? Most Business Owners Don't Know the Difference.

    Most business owners know they need financial help, but far fewer understand the distinct roles that should exist inside a strong financial operation. Bookkeeping, accounting, and tax strategy often get blurred together, and that confusion can quietly cost owners far more than they realize. In this episode, Kevin Johnson breaks down the difference between those three roles and explains why each one matters. He walks through what great bookkeeping actually does, how a strong accountant supports compliance, and why a real tax strategist approaches your financial life completely differently. He also explains how tax strategy affects not just what you pay today, but the amount of cash you keep, the investments you can fund, and the retirement options you will have later. If you have been assuming one financial professional is doing the work of three, this conversation will help you see the gap clearly.

    Do You Have an Accountant, a Tax Strategist, or Both? Most Business Owners Don't Know the Difference.

  7. Jun 11

    Do You Have a Civil War Going Inside Your Own Team?

    A lot of businesses have an internal divide that feels like a constant battle between departments, roles, or personalities. Sales blames operations. Operations blames sales. Everyone feels frustrated, and the owner feels stuck in the middle. But the real issue is usually not the people. It is the structure. In this episode, Kevin Johnson breaks down why internal team conflict usually comes down to two things: leadership and communication. He explains how misalignment creates what he calls the workaround economy, where businesses pay for full capacity but only get a fraction of the output. He also walks through the hidden costs of misplaced attention, missed growth opportunities, and turnover that compounds when teams stay stuck in survival mode. If your business feels like it has an internal civil war going on, this conversation will help you see what it is really costing and what has to change to fix it.

    Do You Have a Civil War Going Inside Your Own Team?

  8. Jun 8

    Your Business Is the Best Investment You'll Ever Make. — are you treating it like one?

    Most business owners think of investing as something that happens outside their business. Stocks, funds, retirement accounts, and financial advisors usually get more strategic attention than the business itself. But what if the best investment opportunity you have is the one you already control? In this episode, Kevin Johnson breaks down why your business is fundamentally different from traditional investments and why that difference matters. He explains how intentional reinvestment in technology, team, systems, and advisory support can produce expected returns rather than hoped-for ones. He also walks through the break-even point most owners do not fully understand, and why the math changes dramatically once fixed costs are covered. That shift is where real cash flow, stronger personal income, and long-term wealth-building start to happen. If you want to think more clearly about how to use your business as a vehicle for both growth and financial freedom, this conversation will help. Let’s talk.

    Your Business Is the Best Investment You'll Ever Make. — are you treating it like one?
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About

Kevin Johnson has spent 25+ years inside the businesses that other consultants only read about. As founder of Leverage Consulting, he works directly with dental and medical practice owners, surgeons, service-based entrepreneurs, and leadership teams who are serious about building more profitable, better-run organizations. This show is for the owner who's done guessing. The operator who wants straight answers. The leader who knows that real growth comes from better decisions, stronger systems, and the right advisor in your corner.

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