Life & Work with Denise Williams-Jones of Pasadena

Today we’d like to introduce you to Denise Williams-Jones.

Hi Denise, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Before I ever became a consultant or a speaker, my life looked completely different. I spent nearly 28 years as a registered dental assistant, working both front and back office, chairside, and everywhere in between. Those years, those rooms, those patients, those teams, became the foundation of everything I do today.

What began as a career in dentistry has evolved into a thriving business built around coaching, speaking, and hosting retreats both inside and outside the dental industry. My work centers on creating a healthy culture, empowering team members, building leadership skills, implementing effective systems, and investing in the team so everyone grows together. And at the heart of it all is self‑care because you can only give your best when you are your best.

I am passionate about customer service, team culture, and creating environments where people feel supported, organized, and empowered. Because when training begins in a space that is structured yet warm, results follow naturally.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
My journey into this business began at one of the lowest points in my life. My first marriage had ended. I was broke. I had never worked a traditional 9–5 job, and I needed to rebuild my life from the ground up. I searched for the quickest, most affordable path to stability, and that’s when I found the Registered Dental Assistant program. I had no idea then how deeply it would change me. It didn’t just become my career; it saved my life.
I spent 16 years in my first dental office and another 12 in my second before taking a leap of faith and launching my own company, Next Level to Success. But the road to where I am now was anything but easy. My resilience was tested over and over again, walking away from my childhood religion and community, surviving domestic violence in my first marriage, and losing my identity as a fitness instructor after a severe injury that took years to heal.
The most devastating moment came when my fiancé of two years took his own life. The grief was paralyzing. For five months, I could barely get out of bed. But through that darkness, I found a new kind of strength and a deeper purpose. I realized I wanted to help others understand that even when life breaks you, you can rise again. You can rebuild. You can still pursue your dreams. I decided that dental offices were not the only place I could deliver this message. I knew I needed to take this to corporate America as well.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
When I transitioned from being a team member to becoming a consultant and speaker, I noticed a huge gap in so many industries. People were only looking from the outside in and not from the inside out. So I created a program that did exactly that. I refine systems, strengthen communication, and increase collections by tapping into culture, empowering leadership skills, and understanding what it feels like to be on the other side of the counter, the phone, or the chair.
That success gave me the confidence to officially launch Next Level to Success, and I’ve never looked back.
Today, I wear many hats: wife, dog mom, consultant, public speaker, coach for aspiring speakers, humanitarian, and host of business and wellness retreats. What sets me apart is simple: I’ve been in the trenches. I understand the frustrations. I know the pressure. And I know what it takes to bridge the gap from the person answering the phone to the person writing the check. I believe in empowering the team to understand that everyone there is important and contributes to the success of the organization.

Do you have any advice for those just starting out?
Stop postponing your power. One size does not fit all. Do not be afraid to fail. Failure is inevitable, but what defines you is how you rise after you fall. Growth has never been about perfection; it’s about progress, persistence, and purpose. Every setback is simply a reminder that you are still in motion, still learning, still becoming. When you choose to keep going, even when it’s uncomfortable, you step deeper into the strength that has always been yours.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.nextleveltosuccess.net
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nextleveltosuccess
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Next-Level-To-Success-825439290882448
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/denise-williams-jones-903830124
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxZMaNaxfmvlKFa5HmbrkXw
• Other: https://g.page/r/CX02ITekeXTgEAE/review