The P.t. Entrepreneur Podcast

Quick heads up before we dive in: If you're trying to figure out how to move your clinical skills online right now, leverage digital visits, remote programming, all that jazz. Let's talk. We've been doing this stuff for years. Jump on a free 45 minute strategy call with us. Head over to physicaltherapybiz.com/call. Let's game plan your move online. Alright, today I got one of my favorite people, Missy Albrecht, on the show from Invincible Movement, Education and Healing out in Denver, Colorado. Missy's got a bit of a rollercoaster entrepreneurial story – from early influences like Kelly Starrett, to a failed first practice attempt right out of school, finding her way bouncing between gyms, and eventually building a solid practice. We talk about her unique niche blending visceral manipulation with athletic performance, the importance of community and systems in overcoming burnout, and how she's strategically building a digital course right now by beta testing it first. Lots of real talk about the ups and downs

Ever feel like business is a game you can't quite "win"? This week, I'm diving into a concept from Simon Sinek's book "The Infinite Game" that really clicked for me and explains so much about navigating the ups and downs of running your practice. In this episode, I break down the difference between finite games (like football, clear winners/losers) and infinite games (like business, where the goal is just to keep playing). Simon Sinek argues success in this infinite game boils down to two things: Will multiplied by Resources. We explore why starting out requires massive 'will' when resources are low, how established businesses can stall if their 'will' fades despite having resources, and why having both is key for major growth. Understanding you're in an infinite game fundamentally changes how you approach challenges and make decisions, focusing on longevity over short term 'wins'. Especially when times get tough, knowing which variable you need to ramp up (Hint: It's often your will!) is crucial for staying

Super pumped to have one of my buddies, Michael Tancini from Ground to Overhead Physical Therapy, on the show today. We actually connected way back in 2015 via email. Funny story about that in the episode and it's been awesome watching his journey. Michael jumped straight into private practice right out of school, built his business, moved it cross-country, and rebuilt it. We dig into the challenges of starting out, the importance of niche expertise (especially his CrossFit background), the reality of entrepreneurial ups and downs, and how getting structure and support was a total game-changer for him, especially when he was feeling isolated and stressed despite hitting financial goals. Michael gets real about almost taking another job because the grind was getting to him, and how finding the right framework finally helped him enjoy the process again. Michael shares his story from PT school inspiration (shout out Kelly Starrett!) to navigating clinical rotations he hated, which fueled his desire to build some

Dropped into the Mastermind group recently to lay out a framework I've been thinking about, the kind of entrepreneurial pyramid for us PTs. We often get stuck focusing only on clinical skills, wondering why we aren't getting ahead. In this episode, I break down the four levels I see: Fulfiller, Manager, Rainmaker, and Creator. Most of us start as Fulfillers, get promoted to Manager, get frustrated, and then jump into business ownership without the real skills needed to succeed long term. Those skills are the Rainmaker skills. We dive into why focusing solely on clinical skills is a trap set by the traditional system and why learning sales, marketing, and communication (the Rainmaker stuff) is absolutely crucial if you want to build a business that gives you time and financial freedom, not just create another job for yourself. We talk about where the real value lies and how to shift your focus to build the business and life you actually want.

This week, I had a great chat with Andrew Millett from Move Strong Physical Therapy, our recent Mastermind MVP! Andrew runs a killer cash practice inside Cressey Performance in Massachusetts, working with a ton of throwing athletes. We dive into his journey from traditional PT to starting his own thing, the challenges and rewards of scaling past being a solo practitioner, and the unique dynamics of building a business inside another established facility like Cressey's. Andrew Millett drops some serious knowledge bombs on building relationships, the importance of mindset, continuous learning through reading, and why genuinely caring for people is the ultimate business advantage. Plus, he shares his vision for Move Strong and how he balances growth with quality care and family life.

We're hitting pause on the usual interviews to bring some good news and positivity right from the Matta household during this crazy quarantine time. I brought the whole crew on Ashley, Jack, and Maggie to talk about what we've actually enjoyed about this forced slowdown. We get into the challenges (homeschooling, anyone?), but focus on the unexpected good stuff: tons more family time outside, bike rides, wrestling on the trampoline, and Ashley sharing the surprising relief of a less frantic schedule. It's a candid look at finding the silver linings and focusing on connection when the world feels upside down. Plus, Jack gives a shoutout to his previous episode appearance! This one's family friendly, so grab your kids and have a listen.

This week, I got to chop it up with my BFF, Shante Cofield, aka The Movement Maestro. You know we love talking shop, and with everything going crazy right now, I wanted to get her perspective on what's happening in the digital space, especially with social media and pivoting online. Shante's got tons of experience with virtual visits, building online courses, and crushing it on Instagram, so she dropped some major truth bombs. We talked about navigating the pandemic panic, why doubling down on your existing people is key, the power of listening before creating, why niching down is even MORE important online, and the insane opportunity this moment presents for our profession if we don't just scramble back to the old broken model. Plus, we geek out on podcasting and why it's such a powerful tool right now. You don't want to miss this one.

Look, things are crazy right now, and who saw this global pandemic coming? But complaining doesn't help. What does help is figuring out how to take your clinical skills online if you can't see people in person. This isn't new territory for us; we've been doing this for years and have been helping our Mastermind members rapidly build out the digital side of their businesses during this time. So, I want to share the process that's working right now to move your practice online, generate revenue digitally, and potentially build a whole new, scalable arm for your business even after things return to normal. We're talking about reaching out to past clients, defining your niche, creating killer content, mastering the sales call, crafting no-brainer offers, and then scaling what works.

This week, I finally got to sit down with my buddy Doug Kechijian. You might remember him from some heated Twitter debates back in the day, but today we dive deep into his awesome story. Doug's a cofounder of Resilient Performance Physical Therapy up in New York City, but he's currently riding out the pandemic storm in Massachusetts. We get into his unique background going from pre med to joining the Air Force as a Pararescueman (PJ), which is some seriously intense special operations stuff focused on medical and rescue. Doug shares how that experience, dealing with high stress situations and learning diverse skills under pressure, shaped his path to PT school and eventually starting his own cash based practice. We talk about the lessons learned from the military like the value of practical application, standard operating procedures, controlling the controllables, and the importance of having solid partners. Plus, Doug gives his take on the current state of PT education and ConEd, and what Resilient Performan

Going live solo today right before hitting the garage gym. I wanted to share a really important lesson, learned the hard way this past week through a bit of trial and, honestly, error in our local practice. With seeing people in person being tough right now, everyone's looking at online options like telehealth. But let's be real, there's often resistance. We found just telling people "we're switching you to telehealth" works better than asking, but it's still not perfect. The real gold is in figuring out the right online offer. I gotta share a failure here, because as Winston Churchill said, "Success is going from one failure to the next with great enthusiasm." We tried launching a low ticket ($29/mo) minimal equipment training membership to our huge list of past clients (2500 people). Thought it'd be a home run. It wasn't. Less than 1% signed up. Total bummer, wasted a ton of time. But, the enthusiasm part? We pivoted fast. We scrapped the low ticket offer and upsold those few signups (and started focusing o

This week, I'm chatting with Aimee Bailey, owner of Terra Lotus, doing business as The Pelvic Yogi out in Nashville. Aimee's got a cash practice, is a yoga practitioner, and importantly for this chat, she hosts her own local podcast. We got connected through Brandon, who manages both our podcasts, and I was fascinated to hear how she's leveraging that local podcast medium. We dive into how she's navigating the current craziness dealing with the aftermath of the Nashville tornado right into the pandemic shutdown, homeschooling three kids, and pivoting her concierge practice to telehealth. Aimee shares her journey into entrepreneurship after 16 years as a PT, why she finally took the leap (and wishes she'd done it sooner!), and the power of "doing it scared." We really dig into the nuts and bolts of her local podcast: why she started it, how she focuses on highlighting other local providers, her process for vetting guests and prepping interviews, and the direct and indirect benefits she's seeing just four month

Look, maybe you can't see people in person right now. That's tough. But here's the deal: this situation presents a massive opportunity. People are stuck at home, maybe feeling lost, maybe drowning themselves in Netflix and Ben & Jerry's. This episode is about how YOU can step in. We're diving into how to reframe this time as a golden opportunity for people to finally work on their health: movement, sleep, nutrition, stress management. I'm talking about building a remote coaching model that goes beyond basic telehealth. It's about providing real value, real accountability, and building a resilient, diversified revenue stream for your practice, even if you're starting from scratch or pivoting your existing cash practice. We'll cover the mindset shifts, the skills you need (especially getting over that fear of sales!), and how this can actually make your business stronger in the long run. Don't waste this time, let's talk about how to use it effectively.

Man, I finally got the chance to sit down and talk shop with someone I have a ton of respect for, Toko Nguyen from the Institute of Athletic Regeneration (IAR) down in Houston. You might know IAR from their con ed, residencies, or fellowships. I know when we get an IAR fellow in our Mastermind wanting to start a practice, it's like shooting fish in a barrel because their clinical skills are just top notch. In this episode, Toko shares his incredible journey, from his family escaping Vietnam as refugees to building multiple successful ventures: his education company IAR, his unique 30 minute cash practice model run out of a performance facility, and even working with the Houston Texans. We dive deep into his insane work ethic, how he manages his time across multiple demanding roles (hint: faculty development and an amazing wife!), the importance of building collaborative relationships (like with trainers in his facility), and overcoming the initial discomfort of charging what you're worth. We also get into wha

Got extra time on your hands with the current situation? Don't waste it. This episode dives into why focusing on lead generation right now is crucial. Learn actionable strategies to build your pipeline and come back stronger than ever when things pick back up.

Look, we're in the middle of some serious disruption with this global pandemic. Fear and uncertainty are high, I get it. But this isn't the time to freeze up or hide. In this episode, I'm giving you some straight talk, drawing on lessons from the military and running businesses through tough times. We cover how to maintain structure, lead or follow effectively, focus your energy where it counts, and most importantly, how to view this challenge as a massive opportunity to get stronger, personally and professionally. Stop focusing on the monsters under the bed and start focusing on what you CAN control.

Got a great question from the PT Entrepreneurs Facebook group about how to actually pay yourself when you're the boss, especially in a cash practice. It's a common question, and getting it wrong can cost you big time. We dive into the differences between structures like LLCs and S Corps, talk about the concept of a "reasonable salary" versus distributions, and why payroll taxes matter. I explain why just picking a low salary to save on taxes can backfire hard during an audit. Bottom line: understanding how to pay yourself legally and efficiently is crucial, but it's not something to guess on.

Today we're diving deep into SALES. Yeah, I know, maybe sounds weird to love sales, but mastering this is the linchpin for actually helping people and building a successful practice. It's not about tricking anyone; it's about clear communication and understanding the psychology behind decisions. We break down why selling is crucial for patient commitment and outcomes and when people pay, they pay attention! Learn how to frame your service using the 'river crossing' analogy: clarify where your patient is, where they want to go, and position yourself as the trusted guide (the ferry) to get them there. It's about their goals, their self-realization, not just your techniques. Selling a future-based outcome is tough, but it's the most impactful thing we do.

Today, let's talk sales, specifically how powerful storytelling can be. It’s not just for kids selling paper telescopes (like my son Jack learned!), it's a vital skill for us as clinicians. People connect with stories way more than features. When you frame your service within a relevant patient story, you help potential patients visualize themselves achieving the same success. You become the guide on their journey, not the hero. This builds trust and belief, especially early on, helping them commit to the process and ultimately get the life changing results they need. Learn to sell ethically using stories, and you'll help way more people.

Today I'm stoked to have my buddy Jeff Bitter from CustomFit Concierge Medicine and Health on the show. Jeff's got an incredible story, digging out of a massive $175k student debt hole in about four years using Dave Ramsey principles, then immediately launching his cash practice. We dive into how tackling that debt head on gave him the foundation and confidence to bet on himself. He shares the journey from side hustle to full time, the challenges of pricing (going from $100 to nearly $200 per visit!), hiring his first admin, and the mental hurdles of scaling and taking calculated risks. Jeff's journey is a powerful example of how financial discipline creates massive opportunity.

Had a chat with a student recently about getting their personal finances straight, especially with student loans looming and dreams of starting a practice. It reminded me how critical it is to get control of your spending early on. It ain't always fun, but it sets the foundation. Today, I'm breaking down the three biggest areas where you can slash expenses without totally sacrificing your life: Food, Housing, and Transportation. Forget the fancy dinners and brand new cars if you're trying to get ahead. We're talking practical, actionable steps like eating at home, house hacking, and driving a reliable (maybe not cool) car so you can crush debt and build real financial freedom. Remember, it's not what you make, it's what you keep.