An Interview With Wanda Malhotra Published in Authority Magazine

Emphasize the importance of a positive mindset to reframe trauma and setbacks. It’s a choice on how we want to reframe the past, take the lessons learned and move forward towards actualizing our dreams. Every day, every conversation, every moment is an opportunity. Exercising resilience and incorporating the lessons learned can ultimately drive a deeper motivation with clearer direction and purpose.

Today, more than ever, wellness is at the forefront of societal discussions. From mental health to physical well-being, women are making significant strides in bringing about change, introducing innovative solutions, and setting new standards. Despite facing unique challenges, they break barriers, inspire communities, and are reshaping the very definition of health and wellness. In this series called women in wellness we are talking to women doctors, nurses, nutritionists, therapists, fitness trainers, researchers, health experts, coaches, and other wellness professionals to share their stories and insights. As a part of this series, we had the pleasure of interviewing Dr. T, C0-Founder Pop on Veneers.

Dr. T is the co-founder of Pop on Veneers, a dedicated to making your dream smile a reality. Pop On Veneers transforms smiles with removable veneers that pop on existing teeth to cover missing teeth, gaps, chips, staining or other dental concerns. Pop On Veneers are a painless & affordable cosmetic solution that are 100% custom made. Each customer’s smile is designed to fit precisely to their teeth. Pop On Veneers are designed using an exclusive process that blends cutting edge digital design technology with master technicians hand craftsmanship. Pop On Veneers is honored to have delivered 200,000+ smiles that have inspired customers to smile with confidence!

Check out more stories shared by customers on Pop On Veneers Instagram Facebook Tiktok Pinterest Youtube

Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Our readers would love to “get to know you” better. Can you share your “backstory” with us?

Pop On Veneers was born from a dream to give people a confident smile, so they can pursue their dreams! When I was in dental school, a young boy once came in with amelogenesis imperfecta — a dental disorder that prevents normal teeth development, and instead leaves teeth as little stubs. The options I offered him were either too expensive, would be too painful, or would take too long. It broke my heart that he walked away from the appointment with no hope in sight. He didn’t just want his smile back; I saw that he so desperately needed his smile back. He wore a baseball cap and wouldn’t look me in the eyes. He left his mom to speak on his behalf. He avoided socializing and he was getting made fun of in school. He was withdrawing from the world around him because his sole focus was to ensure that no one saw his teeth. That wasn’t a way to live.

I needed to find a way to give people their smile back so they can live their life fully again. Can there be a comfortable and affordable cosmetic solution that wouldn’t require painful procedures, long appointments, and thousands of dollars? It had to be something fast, affordable and convenient. My husband Isaac was able to turn this dream into a reality. He already had vast knowledge of the dental field and expertise in manufacturing products sold to dentists. And so, Pop On Veneers was born!

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you started your career? What were the main lessons or takeaways from that story?

Who would have thought that one of the most ‘interesting’ stories would have such an uninteresting beginning. But therein lies the brilliant stroke of the scam — you don’t see it coming. And once you’re in it, it’s too late. Your mind has already been hijacked. You may think you are making decisions, but in reality, the con artists are manipulating and controlling your every move. You’re past the point of no return.

It all started with a knock on the door with the offer to fix up the driveway. He said he was doing work in the area, and he happened to notice that the driveway could be used for some repair. “Oh, how nice of him.” I thought. He showed me his website, some pictures of the work he’s doing in the area. We agreed on the price and the scope of the project, and his crew got started. But then, the bait and switch… things would cost more than expected, I must pay more. Then the foundation is weak, that’s another couple thousand dollars. Then the owner disappears. A few days later, ‘his partner’ (or so he said) comes by. He apologies for what I’ve been through, and he promises a refund. He describes some convoluted reasons as to why I must make another payment, so the paperwork makes sense for the refund. No time for questions, the refund will be sent. Suddenly there’s trouble, people’s lives are on the line. Fast. Hurry. Make another payment or bad people will come after you and your family. The threats get scarier, I’m numb and petrified. “You don’t want anyone to get hurt, do you?” I was living a nightmare. And it all started because the intentions of the man that knocked on my door were evil from the very start. He saw the driveway can use some work- just one point of entry- and then it all spiraled from there.

From this experience, I’ve come to appreciate the power of trust in a much deeper way. We each have the power to choose how we want to live our lives. Thankfully, we’ve grown to be a pretty decent society. Only a relatively small percentage have evolved to look for opportunities to take advantage of the general good of others and choose to manipulate and exploit others for their own gain. A con artist will subtly convey the impression that they are trustworthy as they set the stage for the scam. Their intentions are evil as they deliberately exploit the trust you have bestowed in them.

Don’t lie to earn someone’s trust. These scammers were quite sophisticated, and they had their playbook down to a science. They planted seeds of trust in subtle ways so they can manipulate my behavior and control my every move. The contractor’s website looked legit. It had his contractor license number, reviews from customers, and pictures of projects he’s done.

It turns out, the website is the same website that is used by a lot of other masonry scam artists within the community of Irish Travelers, perhaps also beyond. I took a closer look at the reviews, and lo and behold they’re fake. They were all posted within a week of each other. It appears there are thousands of similar masonry websites that appear legitimate on the surface but are really a facade built on lies.

Other ways he would convey trust were more subtle, like occasionally bringing his kids to work. It was so cute to see an adorable toddler running around in mini workman boots, chatting with the crew in his darling Irish accent, and pretending to mix cement. I realize now that each of those moves were calculated and intentional because it’s subconsciously easier to trust a jolly dad than an ordinary contractor working on your driveway. My trust in him was built on lies and the alternative reality he wanted me to see.

Never abuse trust. Humans default to trust, from the time of infancy. We’re predisposed to trust. Americans are among the most trusting people in the world. This element of human nature is exactly what the con-artist will exploit.

A scam is a work of art, and con artists are masters of their craft. Brilliant. They know what to say to whom, how to say it and when to say it- so they have your trust. By telling me that he was doing work in the area, and he noticed the driveway can use a repair, he was implying that he’s such a nice guy for going out of his way and taking the time to knock at the door. And on top of that, he offered me a discount since he said he’s already in the area. As if he’s doing me a favor. This guy had me thanking him for walking into my life.

Once con artists set a strong foundation of trust, they pounced and controlled me. They dragged me through the mud and stripped me financially, physically, and emotionally while I still believe they’re only there to help me and they’re the only ones who can carry me to safety.

Always live up to your promise

In business, you can earn someone’s trust by promising a good deal, promising quick delivery, promising high quality, offering a flash sale to act now. Scammers may do that too. But the big difference is that an honest business will deliver on all their promises, while scammers will just make empty promises built on lies that you believe to be true. Scammers just take your money and run. They deliver nothing that they promised. They will use your trust to manipulate your beliefs and your behavior with the intention of abusing it for their own gains.

After this experience, I cherish the trust that’s built with customers even more than before. At Pop On Veneers, we only make promises that we intend to keep. If we promise to deliver something, then we deliver. It’s essential that we stay true to our word and to our moral compass. Especially when someone is emotionally vulnerable and so desperately wants to believe what you promised. People want their smile back so badly. Our customers take a leap of faith believing in Pop On Veneers and trusting that we’ll deliver what we promise. At Pop On Veneers, we have every intention of keeping our promise and making their dream a reality.

It has been said that our mistakes can be our greatest teachers. Can you share a story about a mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

I find it difficult to ask for help. In the early days of Pop On Veneers, I was exploring advertising on social media, but I didn’t want to admit that I was overwhelmed. I have limited physical stamina to contribute reliably to day-to-day operations, but I was reluctant to ask for help. That mistake once cost thousands of dollars in just one day because I thought I could take on more than I can handle.

My mistake reminded me how important it is to ask for help. We’re comfortable needing help at the bookends of life, but we can mistakenly believe that only the weak ask for help in our most active years. We have a misconception about being completely self-sufficient to succeed. We equate asking for help as feeling inadequate and being vulnerable. Don’t wait till you’re drowning. If you push too hard at it alone, then the stress will overwhelm your body and you will crack. You’ll be left with the inability to contribute at all.

It’s not easy to overcome the fear of asking for help, but having the right support and guidance is key. Guidance comes from sources you trust, or from others shared experiences that can help navigate the unpaved path. They will empathize with you, and not judge you, while sharing their input or experience that can enlighten your predicament. They can challenge your ideas but leave you space and freedom to pursue the direction you choose.

One key method in business of getting help is by delegating effectively. If you become your own bottleneck, you’re slowing down the organization. Your ideas just live in your head, and they won’t come to fruition. If there’s just too much to handle, and things fall through the cracks, the cost can be quite high, and it can lead to major setbacks in the business.

Delegating is successful when there’s an organized and transferable system in place that can be executed efficiently without too much of your involvement. If it takes more of your time to oversee that tasks are getting done, then that’s not effective delegation.

There’s joy in participating with others to achieve a shared dream. That’s when great teams are created and that’s when you’re more likely to achieve success.

Let’s jump to our main focus. When it comes to health and wellness, how is the work you are doing helping to make a bigger impact in the world?

A confident smile changes the way the world looks at you- but more importantly, a confident smile changes the way you look at yourself. You’ll no longer hold yourself back because you were ashamed to show your teeth- rather, you’ll unleash yourself and feel free to experience joy, express love, and share in laughter. With a confident smile, you feel empowered to engage the world around you, pursue your dreams and live life to its fullest!

It’s inspiring to scroll through the thousands of customers’ reviews and see their heartwarming stories about their smile transformations and the way Pop On Veneers has changed their lives. Janell is just one example. She shared her heartwarming video on TikTok where she puts on her Pop On Veneers while holding her baby girl and says in tears “I love them! I have straight teeth! Look, sissy! Look at Mommy Smile! No reminder of the trauma. There are no reminders because you’d never know. I might like smiling now!” She posted her video with the caption “Even though I’ve had dental work done to fix it, now there’s literally no visual reminder of the time my abusive ex busted my teeth thanks to Pop-on Veneers @pop.on”

We’re blessed to share in the joy that many of our customers experience when they receive their new smiles. Pop On Veneers is honored to have already delivered over 200,000+ smiles. And that’s just the beginning, because there is a deep commitment to bringing smiles to so many more.

Can you share your top five “lifestyle tweaks” that you believe will help support people’s journey towards better wellbeing?

1. Reframe trauma or setbacks. It’s challenging when you have to face hard days and face adversity. In the midst of the struggle, life moves in slow motion and the suffering can be devastating and overwhelming. Often wounds that are still healing are more difficult to bear than a scar. But how we face adversity has a significant impact on how we choose to move forward. Pause, and refocus. It’s a challenging process to master defeat and turn it into a learning experience. Guidance from those you trust can help you navigate through the darkness. Resilience is a muscle that helps us recognize that we have a choice on how we want to handle our past. Resilience helps us regain our footing, incorporate the lessons, and climb back up as we strive to thrive again.
2. Contain your worries and negative thoughts. If any worries pop up during the day, you can put them in a mental ‘worry box’ that you can revisit at a different designated time. That will allow you to bounce back to what you were doing instead of dwelling on your worries. If we harp on negative thoughts, then we’re clouded by fear, and we become paralyzed in our movement. Containing worries and negative thoughts allows us to shut off the noise and break free from living life passively.
3. Set your goals. Control your direction by having a clear sense of what goals you want to achieve. Choose goals that can realistically be achieved while also challenging yourself past your comfort zone. Goals should be rooted strongly in your core values. They should be meaningful and purposeful. By taking ownership of what you choose to prioritize, you take responsibility for your decisions and actions while staying focused and motivated to pursue your goals.
4. Put in the effort. With a worthy goal in mind, we then must determine how much effort to put in. To find the inner strength and motivation to work hard and persevere. If it’s something we really believe in, if it is truly aligned with our values, then our efforts are worthwhile and we’re willing to take risks and strive further. There will be setbacks when we are brave enough to choose goals that are challenging. It takes tenacity, determination, and courage to face our reluctance to persevere. When we fall and encounter challenges along the way we can find the power within, or lean on faith, or the support of others, so we feel safe to rise again and continue building our dreams.
5. Pursue your happiness. Happiness is not necessarily something achieved as an end, rather it’s something that can be experienced as we’re on our journey, while pursuing a goal that we believe in and feels right. Whatever you choose to set your mind to, make it purposeful, meaningful, intentional. Joy emerges in the pursuit of a worthy goal. Breathe. Deep breaths. Laugh and enjoy the ride!

If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of wellness to the most amount of people, what would that be?

Start with a smile:

I would start a movement: “Start with a Smile”.

Speaking with someone while you’re smiling, changes the tone of the conversation. We process emotions in ways that are so subtle yet impactful. The tone that is used to say something will have a drastic effect on how it’s interpreted by others. Next time you pick up a call, try saying ‘hello’ while you’re smiling. Then pick up the next call and say ‘hello’ while you’re frowning. The person you are speaking to will pick up on the emotional cues and the tone in which you said ‘hello’ and their reaction will be very different. If you say ‘hello’ with a smile’, they are more likely to respond more cheerfully. If you say ‘hello’ with a frown, they are more likely to respond more somberly.

Smiling doesn’t just have an effect on those around us. More importantly, it impacts how we feel about ourselves. There are several physiological effects of smiling that have been found to result in several health benefits. The change in blood flow to the brain and the release of molecules can increase dopamine and endorphins, which increase happiness and decrease stress. Scientist have found that when the smile muscles contract, that reinforces our feeling of joy and can boost your mood,

Smiling to yourself is also an act of self compassion. It’s another way to reiterate that past mistakes that have happened- are in the past. You’re now in a moment in time where you can take the lessons learned and apply them as you move forward towards what you want to achieve. Put on a smile and keep moving forward as you strive towards realizing your goal.

Smiling allows us to be fully present. It’s expressed in times of joy and happiness; in laughter and love. Even when times are tough, smiling for just a moment allows us to be present. Just a spark of joy and a brief sense of relief. Instead of getting consumed by the challenging moment, the smile can provide a glimmer of hope, shine light on our abilities, and give us the confidence to pursue our dreams.

What are your “5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Started” and why?

1. Foster your creative spirit. Give yourself the space and surroundings to think freely. Don’t wait for permission to begin, take the leap and get started.
2. Don’t look to please anyone other than your customers.
3. Have a company mantra to center the company focus, reiterate the values, and articulate the company’s purpose. When you are driven by purpose, you can stay focused and avoid distractions.
4. Building a team is like building a family. Our job is not to encourage or discourage, rather it is to give courage. Let your team know that it’s okay to make mistakes when their choices are thoughtful and intentional. That’s how you make room for creative exploration. If there’s fear of making a mistake, then the team will always take the safe and sure path where errors are less likely, but you can get stuck in a feeling of inertia where there’s no change in momentum.
5. Emphasize the importance of a positive mindset to reframe trauma and setbacks. It’s a choice on how we want to reframe the past, take the lessons learned and move forward towards actualizing our dreams. Every day, every conversation, every moment is an opportunity. Exercising resilience and incorporating the lessons learned can ultimately drive a deeper motivation with clearer direction and purpose.

Sustainability, veganism, mental health, and environmental changes are big topics at the moment. Which one of these causes is dearest to you, and why?

Mental health.

There have been times in my life that I’ve encountered curveballs on my journey- including medical challenges, traumatic events, and unforeseen circumstances. Chronic illness and acute situations can be debilitating, and circumstances can take a toll on your mental health. There’s no quick remedy. The emotional ramifications, the guilt, the shame, and the feeling of failure can start to seep deep into the psyche. Emotionally, finding the courage to smile was hard enough. Even more so when my teeth were damaged. That’s when smiling seemed impossible. Staring at my reflection in the mirror and loving to smile again was the first step towards healing and an essential boost to my self-esteem. It strengthened my resilience on the road to recovery. Smiling reminded me to love myself and recognize my worthiness to contribute to the world. Smiling encouraged me to step beyond a passive life and rebuild the confidence to actualize my dreams.

What is the best way for our readers to further follow your work online?

Follow Pop On Veneers on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and more! Start every day with a smile and watch our customer’s stories that will inspire you.

Thank you for these fantastic insights! We wish you continued success and good health.

About the Interviewer: Wanda Malhotra is a wellness entrepreneur, lifestyle journalist, and the CEO of Crunchy Mama Box, a mission-driven platform promoting conscious living. CMB empowers individuals with educational resources and vetted products to help them make informed choices. Passionate about social causes like environmental preservation and animal welfare, Wanda writes about clean beauty, wellness, nutrition, social impact and sustainability, simplifying wellness with curated resources. Join Wanda and the Crunchy Mama Box community in embracing a healthier, more sustainable lifestyle at CrunchyMamaBox.com .