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Work Hard, Play Well

Meet two Birmingham professionals who understand the work-life balance and give their all to both.

DAVID SEEL

Dr. David Seel’s team at ENT Specialists has patients covered from the neck up.

His practice, with locations in Brighton, Novi — and a newly opened office in Bingham Farms — offers adults and children services such as allergy and immunology and ear, nose and throat treatments with six physicians dual certified in facial plastic surgery. An in-house hearing center provides advanced diagnostic testing and the latest in hearing technology, such as digital hearing aids.

The Birmingham native has two sets of twins, ages 15 and 18, with his wife, also a physician. The family often heads out West or Up North for snowboarding and wakeboarding; Seel also enjoys hiking, biking and mountain climbing.

In addition to his practice, Seel also is an assistant clinical professor for the Department of Osteopathic Surgical Specialties at the Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine.

“The best part of our practice is our wide array of treatments and specialties,” Seel says. “We diagnose and treat patients in-house, and, as a result, they don't have to travel outside for testing.” 

The practice also features a balance center that provides dizziness and vestibular testing. According to Seel, not all dizziness is created equal. Vertigo, for example, is characterized by a spinning sensation and can be diagnosed and treated by various maneuvers in the office. Other dizziness issues may be related to balance. The vestibular system, a combination of inner ear organs, eyesight and muscles, helps maintain the orientation of an individual’s body in space and keeps posture and a sense of balance. 

The COVID-19 pandemic presented unique challenges for ENT doctors, with patients losing their sense of taste and smell. Interestingly, notes Seel, essential oils have successfully re-trained many patients’ sense of smell. 

With summer upon us, Seel’s team is geared up to offer relief to sufferers of tree allergens, grasses and pollen. “A big cause of what we see with ENT issues is allergies,” he says. 

TIM SMITH

Tim Smith is the Senior Mortgage Banker at Birmingham’s Level One Bank. But he has also spent decades — 38 years, to be exact — building relationships with builders, realtors and clients throughout Metro Detroit. Smith's specialty as a mortgage originator keeps him busy financing purchase transactions for new custom construction and upgrading ‘tired’ houses. 

"There is a significant lack of inventory, so people are turning to upgrade older homes," Smith says. He ensures that every deal goes through by anticipating what could go wrong and making sure it never does. And it never has, adding that his devotion to excellence has paid off: A pre-approval letter from Tim Smith carries a lot of weight, a fact he’s proud of. 

Smith genuinely loves real estate and helping people. He comes by that positive attitude and energy honestly, having been raised by a father who was an eternal optimist. And like many who believe in the power of attitude, Smith has a list of mantras, or Attributes for Success:

  • Build your brand every day

  • Stay hungry for the next deal

  • Take time to work out and stay fit 

  • Focus on the opportunity, not the challenge

  • Stay adaptable and flexible 

  • Cultivate current trends when necessary

  • Be willing to change

Smith is a huge fitness buff and is frequently at the gym at 4:30 every morning, calling it his "quiet time." He's also a former triathlete and participated in intense competitions, including the “Escape from Alcatraz” — an early morning plunge and a 1.5-mile swim in the freezing waters adjacent to Alcatraz Island, followed by a short warm-up run, an 18-mile bike ride and an eight-mile run. 

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