I am Dr Mahwish Rashid, the Principal Dentist at The Woodlands Dental Practice, which I co-run with my amazing husband. I am also a doting mother to two wonderful kids, aged 9 and 12.
Let me start with an honest and obvious statement:
Being an entrepreneurial mother means being accountable for tiny humans while also carrying the weight of a business. Each role comes with its own challenges, struggles, and emotional complexities. The heartache is real, and so is the dedication, the time, and the sheer effort it takes to manage both worlds.
Young female dentists often ask me:
“Would you recommend practice ownership, and is it really worth it?”
As I reflect on this, I know that every mother’s journey is different. Each one of us has our own rhythm, reality, and perspective. So, I’d like to share a little of mine.
My husband and I began our practice ownership journey over eight years ago. It was daunting, to say the least. We already had young children, and now we were diving into a life-altering financial and emotional commitment. Doubt was a constant companion, especially for me.
Ask any mother who’s taken a similar path, and you’ll hear the same inner dialogue:
And on and on. These questions are not only valid, they’re universal.
But let me ask you this:
Rather than only asking “Can I do this?”, I encourage you to ask:
If your answer to these isn’t a confident “yes” yet, that’s okay. The beauty of this journey is that it offers you space to grow into those qualities.
It all begins with one step: Cultivating self-awareness.
If you already have those qualities, embrace them. Take that leap of faith. If you’re still developing them, that’s perfectly okay too. Seek out mentorship. Build a support system. Join a community where experienced voices can guide you, support you, and share wisdom.
We all have to start somewhere. And if you take small, consistent steps, you will eventually reach your destination.
You might not reap the rewards right away, but keep going. One day, you’ll look back and realise how far you’ve come and how proud you should be.
I know I am.
Be kind to yourself. Pause. Breathe. Enjoy the little moments. It’s in those fleeting seconds of joy and peace that you’ll find strength. They are the calm in your storm, the fuel to keep going.
As for me, I’m still a work in progress. But I truly believe the best is yet to come.
If there’s one thing I’d love for you to take away from this, let it be this quote:
“Nothing is impossible—the word itself says, ‘I’m possible!’”
— Audrey Hepburn
