Back-to-basics Marketing Leads to Success at the Lab 2000, Inc.

Dena Lanier knows the important role marketing plays in the management of a successful dental laboratory. After all, that's how she convinced her husband, Dennis, to relinquish ownership of his lab, Dental Laboratory Associates, and agree to work for her as her lab manager.

"When I started working for Dennis in 1993 as the office manager and director of sales," explains Dena, "I would constantly tell him how I would run the business if it were mine." Exasperated, Dennis confronted Dena and challenged her to start her own company. If she doubled his business, he would give up ownership of his lab to work for her.

In 1995, Dena accepted the dare. She set up her own company and began soliciting business, which was then outsourced to Dennis. Within two years, Dena had doubled Dennis' business; however, it took another year (during which she tripled his business) before he finally agreed to uphold his end of the bargain. And that is how The Lab 2000,...