Chris Barrow’s Blog

Chris Barrow has been active as a consultant, trainer and coach to the UK dental profession for over 12 years. He has recently joined Integrated Dental Holdings as Director of Private Sector Development.

Chris combines long experience and deep expertise with the originality and independence needed to resolve the thorniest problems. Naturally direct, assertive and determined, he has the ability to reach conclusions quickly, as well as the sharp reflexes and lightness of touch to innovate, change tack and push boundaries.

Chris spent the first 17 years of his working life in the corporate sector and followed this with 21 years of self-employment. The different dynamics of both worlds have given him the valuable gift of knowing how to operate – and communicate – in both.

In 1987 Chris was active in the establishment of the Institute for Financial Planning, an organisation representing the first fee-based Financial Planners; Chris specialised in working with small businesses.

In 1993 Chris decided to transition from the world of fee-based financial planning to business coaching and became one of the first UK students at Coach University, from where he graduated as a certified coach.

Recognising the opportunity in the dental profession, 1997 saw the creation of The Dental Business School (DBS) and the development of a 12-month business coaching programme for dental practice owners and their teams, delivered to over 400 UK dental practices in the following 10 years.

In October 2008, became Director of Private Sector Development at Integrated Dental Holdings Ltd, the largest dental corporate in the UK.

Nothing appeals to Chris more than something that looks like a lost cause; he loves to fix what seems broken, rekindle what looks extinguished and bring back to life things (and people) which appear forlorn and lifeless.

As a speaker he is dynamic, energetic and charismatic enough to captivate audiences of any size. His style is casual, open and authentic and – being naturally caring and funny – he’s as easy to talk to as he is to listen to. Chris was one of the UK’s first business coaches, which means few others can match his 15 years’ experience. He spends time in Canada too, where he still mentors a group of coaches.

His new role at IDH is to create a division of the company that is made up of dynamic private practices which have been acquired but with principals who still have an interest in the profitability and capital value of their businesses.

Ask Chris what he motivates him, and he’ll say it’s to help people succeed in their lives and businesses more quickly and easily than he did.