Meet Dr. Seth Lucas, a successful orthodontist who—after seven years of practice—hit the same wall so many of us do: “Is this all there is?” Rather than open a second practice or partner with pedo, Seth took a wildly different path: he bought into a cookie franchise. Not just any cookie—Crumbl. And now? He co-owns 9 locations in multiple states and has built a second business that brings in serious revenue without burning him out.
In this episode, Seth shares how he launched his first Crumbl store across the country, convinced a friend to move to Wisconsin (yes, really), and built a thriving enterprise—while still loving ortho. We dig into why the seven-year itch is so common among orthodontists, what makes Crumbl such a powerful brand, and how you can start thinking differently about your next chapter—whether it’s inside or outside the clinic.
Quotes
“I love ortho—just not five days a week. There’s a sweet spot, and I had to find it.”
— Dr. Seth Lucas
“That first cookie store took more energy than all the rest combined. But once the flywheel started turning—it didn’t stop.”
— Dr. Seth Lucas
Key Takeaways
Intro (00:00)
Growing up working farms and pizza shops (01:45)
From de novo ortho startup to the 7-year itch (04:06)
Why OSOs appeal to docs hitting a “what’s next?” moment (05:30)
Loving ortho… but only a few days a week (07:26)
Culture is fragile: how Seth manages his 10-person team solo (09:28)
The Crumbl cookie obsession begins (14:00)
Convincing his friend to move across the country to open store #1 (17:20)
From 1 store to 9: building, acquiring, scaling (18:27)
Franchise advice: the reality vs. fantasy (19:19)
Why Crumbl works—and how it compares to starting an ortho practice (21:13)
Can one store be profitable? (22:05)
High-volume vs. low-volume Crumbls (23:15)
Startup capital: what it took (25:44)
Final advice for docs thinking about a second business (28:00)
Additional Resources
I’ve seen so many orthodontists hit that “Is this it?” moment 7–10 years into practice. The truth is, you can love ortho—and still want something more. Seth’s story is proof that your next act doesn’t have to be more clinics, more chairs, or more chaos.
👉 If you’re thinking about a side hustle, a franchise, or just need a fresh spark—this episode will get you thinking differently.
Visit Lucas Orthodontics: https://drlucasorthodontics.com
Register for Ortho Vanguard: https://www.opvanguard.com
- For more information, visit: https://orthopreneurs.com/
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