Jim Glidewell reviews some of his "favorite mistakes" and how they evolved into some of the biggest successes for the company — and the dental industry at large. He discusses the benefits of assessing and taking risks while challenging the status quo.

(00:00) Golf Course Fear Versus Business Risk

(00:35) Welcome Back to Lasting Impressions

(02:01) How Glidewell Approaches Risk and Decision‑Making

(02:41) Favorite Mistakes and Lessons Learned

(03:02) The Art Glass Failure and What It Taught Us

(05:33) Why Glidewell Built Its Own R&D Department

(06:39) The Challenge of Scaling Innovation

(07:25) The $18 Million Scanning Investment That Didn't Work

(09:20) Turning a Major Loss Into Long‑Term Advantage

(10:29) Regaining Control Through Software and Systems

(11:23) Early Bets in Digital Dentistry and Scanning

(12:22) Never Betting the Company on One Idea

(12:47) Jim's Framework for Assessing Risk

(13:40) Strategic Overpaying and Real Estate Control

(15:17) Why Business Decisions Feel Less Scary Than Golf

(15:52) The "Mad Scientist" Engineering Mindset

(16:57) Learning From Manufacturing and Non‑Dental Trade Shows

(17:50) Time Compression and Pushing Engineers Further

(18:58) The Early Failures Behind Boxer

(19:21) Why Persistence Beats the Status Quo

(20:16) How Zirconia Finally Took Off

(21:24) The One Thing Dentists Still Hate About Zirconia

(22:16) Being Humble and Bold at the Same Time

(22:48) One Piece of Advice for Anyone Feeling Stuck

(24:14) Closing Thoughts on Listening, Learning, and Growth