Lifestyle

Dreams Of Hope: The Life & Times Of The Clinical Champion Michael Thuan Tran

Published

5 years ago

January 2, 2021

Michael Thuan’s parents had to travel and cross freshly fallen snow from Vietnam to Thailand. It was the 3rd voyage, a successful one after the six-year imprisonment of Michael’s father. Michael’s parents had been saving enough money that enabled them to flee the endless wars that had given the communists victory.

Michael was born on July 6, 1981, in a refugee camp in Chon Buri, Thailand. His parents lived a poor life. He realized this one day when Michael’s sisters were speaking at a funeral for their godmother, they said that Michael never had shoes on. Michael’s parents had moved to the states with nothing. His father worked landscaping while his mother was a maid. But how did Michael manage to overcome all of this to achieve success?

Education Is Power

Michael graduated from Dulles High School in 1999. He went to Texas Tech and majored in Business Management. He later worked dry cleaning for a year before re-enrolling in Texas Tech for a major in Spanish and interdisciplinary studies. Michael then applied to Dental school while doing an MBA in Finance and Real Estate. Michael was accepted into the Howard College of Dentistry. He loved the profession. He moved to Houston Advanced Education in General Dentistry AEGD where he became the president.

Michael received the smartest resident award for critical thinking. But still, he wanted something. He wanted to focus on as many ambitions as possible, something that he did very well. He also did well on live surgery parts, and LIVE surgery implant courses were now done at his office. He was put on Hiossen AIC faculty. Michael’s interaction with experienced doctors has equipped him with great knowledge.

The Clinical Journey

Michael wanted to own an office. He found a FLOSS City Centre office. However, he wasn’t able to get funding for the City Centre office because it was hard to get funding for a million-dollar practice as a graduate. However, Michael found help from Dr. Clint Herzog, who found him a closed office down in Magnolia, TX that had a failed partnership.

Michael started working there and built up the practice quickly in Magnolia. He also purchased the office. Michael and his wife had an intense 3 years in Dental startups because they intended to run the two main offices- Midtown and Magnolia. Because of the old FLOSS debranding, they decided to re-establish a footprint starting with the Houston Area. Michael later opened West Oaks office, and Kingwood office which he sold right before Covid and a franchise opened up FLOSS Katy last year.

Michael is a good clinician and enjoys working. He is opening offices in Georgia, The British Virgin Islands, and Ohio. He plans to focus solely on implants and larger cases. This move will buy him more free time as he hires more associates.

Michael’s Achievements

Michael received an award for being a top Invisalign producer. It is worth noting that historically, FLOSS is the #2 provider of Invisalign as a GP in the US. This was awarded from the AACA, American Academy of Clear Aligners in 2018 and 2019. What has propelled Michael to even greater heights is the desire to grow. He loves the healthcare field with a passion. Michael chose his career field with an understanding that medicine was a tough career. You often have to get different consultants to figure out the problem. The best thing about it is that dentistry is still independent, even though it is changing rapidly. Michael started and ran the Business of Dentistry Facebook Group with his good friend Christopher Hoffpauir. They have 22,000 members that are vetted as dentists only, which makes the group unique.

Therefore, if you are traveling up the path of success, don’t give up. Keep the faith. Be patient and persistent and let the sky be your limit. Success is not something you merely pursue, but it is something you attract by the person you become.

Lifestyle

Derik Fay: The Quiet Power Broker Who Scales Empires and Empowers Generations

Published

5 hours ago

September 14, 2025

Michelle Langton

At 46 years old and standing at an impressive 6’1″, Derik Fay is more than an entrepreneur—he is the architect behind a network of thriving businesses and a digital mentor for thousands. His journey from a single neighborhood gym in Florida to holding stakes in over 40 companies spans decades of strategic vision, discipline, and authenticity.

From Modest Beginnings to a Marketplace Maven

Born on November 19, 1978, in Westerly, Rhode Island, Fay’s early environment offered little in the way of nepotism or crutches—but plenty of lessons. He dropped out of college after just one semester and embraced the grind. At just 22, with lean resources and fierce determination, he launched his first gym. That venture would eventually grow into Florida’s most successful independently owned fitness chain before being acquired by a publicly traded company.

This early win became the foundation for 3F Management, the private equity firm Fay launched post-exit. Today, 3F powers brands across sectors—from fintech and residential infrastructure to combat sports, entertainment, and beauty—each elevated through Fay’s hands-on approach to ownership and operational excellence.

Visibility as Strategic Leverage

Fay’s ascent into public consciousness was not staged. He built his online presence—now over 1.4 million followers strong—through honest, unfiltered takes on business, failure, leadership, and growth. His content resonates because it isn’t rehearsed; it’s earned. Followers tune in not for spectacle but for insight, often quoting “He doesn’t just invest—he builds your belief,” reflecting Fay’s authentic support.

Building Brands, Restoring Hope

Among his notable ventures is Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC)—a testament to his willingness to enter unorthodox sectors with strategic clarity. In other less obvious arenas, Fay reinvigorated a faltering beauty company by pairing it with Hollywood cachet and narrative-driven marketing. In another case, an AI startup saw its valuation ascend tenfold in under a year after Fay contributed not only capital but also storytelling structure and vision.

Estimated Net Worth & Long-Term Vision

Although Fay maintains a discrete public profile, credible industry estimates place his net worth somewhere between $100 million and $250 million. This valuation comes from his diverse equity stakes, successful exits, real estate investments, and his firm’s consistent growth and reinvestment cycle.

Personal Life Anchored in Legacy

Off-screen, Fay is a devoted partner to Shandra Phillips (since 2021) and a hands-on father to two daughters: Sophia Elena Fay and Isabella Roslyn Fay. He’s more than a mogul—he’s a mentor. An embodiment of “If I can do it, anyone can,” his presence in DMs or quick coaching call is not rare, but intentional.

Rerouting the Model of Modern Wealth

Unlike today’s entrepreneurs who prioritize visibility and virality, Fay applies visibility as a lever—not an objective. He quietly scales, confident that his systems and culture will outlive the trends. He mentors, not performatively, but tangibly. For him, success isn’t a moment—it’s a long-term ecosystem amplified through structure, not spotlight.