Chiro Hustle

This week on the Chiro Hustle Podcast, we sat down with Dr. Thom Gelardi, the legendary founder of Sherman College of Chiropractic. From overcoming a childhood spent in hospitals to building one of the most principled chiropractic colleges in the world, Dr. Gelardi's story is nothing short of extraordinary.

In this episode, we dive into what real chiropractic looks like, what it's drifting away from, and what it will take to bring it back. We cover philosophy, family care, insurance traps, and why mission still matters. If you've ever wondered whether your practice is as aligned as your adjustments, this conversation is a must-hear.

Our speaker today is Dr. Thom Gelardi, the founder of Sherman College of Chiropractic, located in Spartanburg, SC. Thom grew up in Mount Vernon, New York. He considers his early days some of the most fortuitous of his life. His life started with his being very sickly. His birthday is in April, and he spent his first eight birthdays in a hospital. One of those hospital stays lasted two and a half years, from when he was four years old until he was six and a half years old. It began with him having rheumatic fever, followed by many sequelae, resulting in a disabling heart murmur. When Thom was sixteen, his future brother-in-law finally persuaded him to see a chiropractor; the rest is history.

While attending Palmer, before there was such a thing as student loans, he worked at the Rock Island Railroad’s Freight Yard from eleven at night until seven in the morning. Thom graduated from Palmer School of Chiropractic in January 1957. He is married to the former Betty Bowen, a registered nurse with post-graduate study in obstetrics. They have five children, three of whom joined the chiropractic-practicing part of the family. He practiced chiropractic for fifteen years before founding Sherman College. Last year, Sherman College celebrated its 50th year. 

HIGHLIGHTS

• How years of childhood illness—and one illegal adjustment—shaped a chiropractic giant
• Why Dr. Gelardi believes most DCs can’t define chiropractic today
• What BJ Palmer said that rocked him to the core
• The mission that Sherman College was built on (and how it almost didn’t happen)
• Why he refused to take insurance—and still believes you shouldn't either
• Why not every patient needs an adjustment, and what that actually means
• What the next 100 years of chiropractic might look like

ABOUT DR. THOM GELARDI, DC

Founder of Sherman College of Chiropractic in Spartanburg, South Carolina. A principled chiropractor and educator committed to preserving the Sacred Trust and the philosophical core of the profession.

STAYING TRUE TO CHIROPRACTIC PRINCIPLES

Dr. Gelardi pulls no punches: most chiropractors today have drifted so far from the profession’s philosophical foundation, they can’t even define what chiropractic is anymore. For him, it’s crystal clear: health comes from within, and chiropractic is about locating, analyzing, and correcting vertebral subluxations—nothing more, nothing less.

THE HEART OF FAMILY CARE

One of the most overlooked truths? Kids need chiropractic, too. Not because they have symptoms, but because they don’t. Dr. Gelardi talks about why whole-family care was the foundation of his office, and why checking for subluxation—even without symptoms—is essential to long-term health.

WHAT MAKES A MISSION

A powerful theme throughout the episode is this: Every profession is defined by its mission. And if chiropractors can’t articulate that mission clearly, we risk becoming irrelevant. For Dr. Gelardi, chiropractic's mission is simple:

Bill Ormston DVM, CAC, DVETHOM | A.C.E.S. (ANIMAL CHIROPRACTIC EDUCATION SOURCE)

30 years veterinarian and animal chiropractor. Animal chiropractic helped him to build a foundation for understanding the health of animals that he was eager to share with other doctors like himself. He further shares his knowledge through speaking engagements and through his book, "Yes! It's Really A Thing - An Informative Guide To Animal Chiropractic."

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

2013 - Present

Animal Chiropractic Education Source, A.C.E.S., Miridian, TX

FOUNDER

Provides online educational resources for animal owners, veterinarians, chiropractors, and animal health professionals.

Founded ACES, a source for online alternative animal education for both professionals and owners. ACES courses are approved for continuing education for veterinarians and chiropractors.

INSTRUCTOR

Responsibilities include technique, pathology, biomechanics of movement, saddle fit, gait analysis, and rehabilitation.

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What happens when a principled chiropractor earns the trust of medical doctors without ever selling out? In Episode 667 of the Chiro Hustle Podcast, Dr. Steve Troyanovich joins us to talk about his 36-year career, the clinical wins that changed lives (and minds), and how he used storytelling, science, and rock-solid philosophy to build a referral-only practice—without losing the heart of chiropractic. From his latest book The Human Touch to a near-miss that turned into a life-saving moment, this episode is full of insight, truth, and a few surprises you’ll want to hear for yourself.

●      What it really looks like to earn trust from skeptical MDs—without compromising principles

●      Why showing results (not chasing belief) changes everything

●      A patient’s C1 burst fracture that changed his entire perspective on risk, referrals, and responsibility

●      How the phrase "I work for you" reshaped his patient relationships

●      The PR problem in chiropractic—and how his book The Human Touch tries to fix it

●      Why low-pressure, high-integrity communication isn’t just ethical—it’s effective

Dr. Steve Troyanovich is a 1987 Palmer College graduate who practiced in Normal, Illinois for 36 years. A prolific author and researcher, he has published over 50 journal articles and seven books. He was also the editor of Chiropractic History and now advocates for chiropractic through writing and education.

Reclaiming Cultural Authority

Dr. Steve reveals how he earned respect by educating the very professionals who were trained to distrust him. His simple approach—sending newsletters with real research to the local medical community—flipped the narrative and fueled a practice built on referrals from MDs.

Dr. Steve doesn’t rely on feel-good testimonials. Instead, he built his practice on objective measures like X-rays, posture assessments, and care plans grounded in CBP protocols. He challenges chiropractors to ask: Are you really changing spines—or just making people feel better temporarily?

No scripts. No pushy ROFs. Dr. Steve simply laid out the options and let patients decide. What followed was long-term trust, better compliance, and plenty of people who came back ready when they were truly ready.

You’ll hear how Dr. Steve blends philosophy with scientific credibility. His take on innate intelligence might surprise you—but it might also give you a new way to explain it that lands with patients and skeptics alike.

“You don’t get to believe in chiropractic. You get to experience it.”

Dr. Steve Troyanovich is a 1987 Cum Laude graduate of Palmer College of Chiropractic in Davenport, Iowa. He has authored seven books and authored or co-authored over 50 scientific journal articles regarding spinal evaluation and treatment methods. He is the first chiropractor to be published in the medical journal, The Journal of Spinal Disorders. In addition to articles in scholarly journals, Dr. Troyanovich has authored over 60 articles for popular chiropractic journals and magazines.

Dr. Troyanovich was a physician researcher for the Central Illinois Neuroscience Foundation (CINF) where he also served as the chairman of the CINF research committee for ten years. He was a director and officer of the Association for the History of Chiropractic and served as the editor of the scholarly journal, Chiropractic History.

Dr. Troyanovich retired from full-time private practice in Normal, Illinois in December of 2023 after practicing for thirty-six years.

The Power of Pediatric Chiropractic with Dr. Sarah Hock | Episode 666

Intro: In this dynamic episode of the Chiro Hustle Podcast, host James Chester sits down with Dr. Sarah Hock—biochemist-turned-chiropractor, educator, and the driving force behind Sherman College’s pediatric and perinatal program. From her early days in the lab to shaping the next generation of DCs, Dr. Hock shares how science, service, and subluxation-based care converge in the lives of children and mothers alike.

⭢️ Click above to listen or watch the full interview. Subscribe on your favorite platform to never miss a story that protects the sacred trust.

What You’ll Learn From This Episode:

• “You don’t need to believe in chiropractic—like gravity, it works whether you believe it or not.”
• Why Sherman College is leading the profession with its pediatric and perinatal chiropractic program.
• How students can—and should—market beyond social media and into real-world community relationships.
• The true power of mentorship: the plus-one theory that drives professional growth.
• How chiropractic care improves labor, breastfeeding, and infant health in underserved populations.
• The science behind chiropractic’s role in childhood development and the nervous system.
• A midnight miracle story that proves chiropractic changes lives—on day one.

👤 Guest Bio:

Dr. Sarah Hock, DC

Chair of Pediatric and Perinatal Care, Sherman College of Chiropractic

A former biochemist turned principled chiropractor and educator, Dr. Hock is passionate about science-backed chiropractic care for kids and moms. She leads curriculum development and clinical mentorship at Sherman while maintaining private practice at Nest Chiropractic.

Episode Highlights

From Biochemist to Chiropractor: The Science Behind the Art

Dr. Hock’s chiropractic journey began when she walked into a Sherman philosophy class and walked out with a new purpose. Her foundation in biochemistry fuels her passion for evidence-informed care and deep research into how subluxation affects child development and maternal health.

Mentorship: The Plus-One Theory in Action

Dr. Hock shares the importance of always having someone you mentor and someone you admire—a principle that shaped her career. She’s now mentoring interns and students, co-publishing research, and ensuring Sherman grads leave prepared to serve with excellence.

Pediatrics and Perinatal Focus at Sherman

As the architect of Sherman’s pediatric/perinatal track, Dr. Hock is setting a new bar for chiropractic education. With 75% of interns getting hands-on with these special populations, students are graduating with real-world readiness and deeper confidence.

Real Impact Through Community Partnership

Sherman’s partnership with BirthMatters shows how chiropractic care can reduce interventions, improve breastfeeding rates, and transform birth outcomes in vulnerable communities. “One mom described her labor as ‘beautiful’—how often do you hear that?”

Calling Students Into the Community

Today’s chiropractic students must move beyond the screen and into the streets. Dr. Hock urges future DCs to build in-person trust, be active advisors in their community, and show up as the hands-on healing presence people need.

🧠 Chiropractic Truth Drop:

📢 Share the Mission: Enjoy this episode? Share it with a student, fellow DC, or a mom who needs to hear the truth. Let’s keep telling stories that protect the sacred trust—and amplify the voice of subluxation-centered chiropractic.

Dr. James Taylor is Minnesota native turned Texan by way of Wisconsin and Kansas City, MO

He is a former aspiring semi-professional rugby player, profound philanthropist and the founder of Aspire Chiropractic; a Top-Rated chiropractic clinic in Dallas – Ft. Worth, a seven-figure, cash-based, single doctor office, specializing in sports and sport performance. He has worked with notable UFC fighters, Bellator Fighters, NFL players and rugby players and is currently the team chiropractor for the Dallas Jackals Major league rugby team.

He classifies himself as a "doer." An Impulsive implementer; if you will. He get things done. "Done" being the key word. He’s found that many can "start" but few actually see things through to growth and completion having grown a chiropractic office from a literal dirt floor to $1.5M in revenue with 3 employees and no insurance costs. Next step: he is determined to help new doctors into practice by providing a graceful way to help seasoned doctors exit practice, gracefully! Plenty of parasitic coaches and gurus out there to help you start and then leach of your success of their repackaged and bastardized procedures they masquerade as their own “unique intellectual property” but few who show you how to build a legacy and a life out of your four walls.

James is a husband to badass, world-changing wife, Tamika Taylor of the Evolution Collective and has 2 amazing children Frankie Claire and Calvin Michael and is the solo host of his own podcast; Fueled By Spite where they focus on the victories in the faces of those who said, "I bet you cant."

His practice and podcast are a mirror of his personality which is a wonderfully curated marriage of laid-back efficiency focused on no-nonsense results and unparalleled experience.

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#chiropractic #chiropracticcare #chiropracticadjustment #chiropracticworks #chiropracticmarketing #chiropracticassistant #ChiropracticCares #chiropractichealth #chiropractics #chiropracticneurology #chiropracticcollege #chiropracticdubai #chiropracticlifestyle #chiropracticforlife #chiropracticajustment #chiropracticforkids #chiropracticrocks #chiropracticphotos #chiropractictreatment #chiropracticforeveryone #chiropracticadjustments #chiropracticbenefits #chiropracticfirst #chiropracticseminar #chiropracticinstrument #chiropracticbiophysics #chiropracticstudent #chiropracticcampbelltown #chiropractichealthmonth

Dr. Ginni Gross is a graduate of Sherman College of Chiropractic in Spartanburg, SC. She later moved to the Lake Norman area where she currently resides and decided to open Touch Light Chiropractic to help people with the same solutions that drastically changed her life. She has also studied such techniques as Network Spinal Care, Lifeline Technique, BEST, JMT Therapy, TRT, Webster's and ICPA and Silvers Healing Modality. Throughout her journey of study, Bio Emotional Integration was born. BEI is a means of reprogamming our inner circuitry, creating new neuropathways in the brain, and therefore harmonizing the body with the mind and spirit, creating more congruence within the nervous system. This process can be done either in person or virtually. Dr. Ginni is passionate about educating others on how physical, chemical, and emotional Stress affects one's health and how congruence can be established, leading one toward vibrant health and peace in the body and mind.

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#chiropractic #chiropracticcare #chiropracticadjustment #chiropracticworks #chiropracticmarketing #chiropracticassistant #ChiropracticCares #chiropractichealth #chiropractics #chiropracticneurology #chiropracticcollege #chiropracticdubai #chiropracticlifestyle #chiropracticforlife #chiropracticajustment #chiropracticforkids #chiropracticrocks #chiropracticphotos #chiropractictreatment #chiropracticforeveryone #chiropracticadjustments #chiropracticbenefits #chiropracticfirst #chiropracticseminar #chiropracticinstrument #chiropracticbiophysics #chiropracticstudent #chiropracticcampbelltown #chiropractichealthmonth

Born and raised in Brooklyn, NY. Founder, Zone School of Healing. Zone school has over one thousand members worldwide.

Patients fly in to see him from literally all over the world. Has over 100 patients who drive 4 hours each way to see him. 80%+ of his patients come with non-musculoskeletal chief complaints.

Many of the best pro athletes in the world are his patients. Black belts in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Kyokushin. Varsity athlete in college and international full-contact karate competitor in 1990s featured in several magazines and newspapers, including the San Francisco Chronicle, Black Belt Magazine, and Massage & Bodywork Magazine.

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#chiropractic #chiropracticcare #chiropracticadjustment #chiropracticworks #chiropracticmarketing #chiropracticassistant #ChiropracticCares #chiropractichealth #chiropractics #chiropracticneurology #chiropracticcollege #chiropracticdubai #chiropracticlifestyle #chiropracticforlife #chiropracticajustment #chiropracticforkids #chiropracticrocks #chiropracticphotos #chiropractictreatment #chiropracticforeveryone #chiropracticadjustments #chiropracticbenefits #chiropracticfirst #chiropracticseminar #chiropracticinstrument #chiropracticbiophysics #chiropracticstudent #chiropracticcampbelltown #chiropractichealthmonth

Children get Chiropractic, let’s make sure it doesn’t go over the head of much more than ‘educated’ adults.

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#chiropractic #chiropracticcare #chiropracticadjustment #chiropracticworks #chiropracticmarketing #chiropracticassistant #ChiropracticCares #chiropractichealth #chiropractics #chiropracticneurology #chiropracticcollege #chiropracticdubai #chiropracticlifestyle #chiropracticforlife #chiropracticajustment #chiropracticforkids #chiropracticrocks #chiropracticphotos #chiropractictreatment #chiropracticforeveryone #chiropracticadjustments #chiropracticbenefits #chiropracticfirst #chiropracticseminar #chiropracticinstrument #chiropracticbiophysics #chiropracticstudent #chiropracticcampbelltown #chiropractichealthmonth

Natasha has been serving the chiropractic profession for over 20 years. She is a results-driven Entrepreneur & Business Coach. In just 2 years, she built a 60 visit a week chiropractic practice to 500 visits a week! In the last 5 years, she successfully opened and operated 3 medically integrated practices in Colorado. She now owns Medical Professional Dojo, a place of learning for medical professionals including chiropractors to develop their business strategy. Her passion is to help every person express their God-given potential!

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#chiropractic #chiropracticcare #chiropracticadjustment #chiropracticworks #chiropracticmarketing #chiropracticassistant #ChiropracticCares #chiropractichealth #chiropractics #chiropracticneurology #chiropracticcollege #chiropracticdubai #chiropracticlifestyle #chiropracticforlife #chiropracticajustment #chiropracticforkids #chiropracticrocks #chiropracticphotos #chiropractictreatment #chiropracticforeveryone #chiropracticadjustments #chiropracticbenefits #chiropracticfirst #chiropracticseminar #chiropracticinstrument #chiropracticbiophysics #chiropracticstudent #chiropracticcampbelltown #chiropractichealthmonth

Dr. King grew up in Yukon, Oklahoma where he discovered chiropractic at a young age. After injuring his back at 16 in an accident he was turned on to the profession. Suffering from debilitating back pain and losing strength in his low-back and legs. He went through the traditional approach to pain with no relief. Dr. King was recommended to a local chiropractor that changed his life(Dr. Tim Young). He was able to fully recover and continue to be a multi-sport athlete. It was at this moment that he realized this is what he wanted to do with his life. This changed his view on true health and healing.

After moving to Texas following graduation Dr. King attended the University of North Texas then transferring to Parker University where he earned his Doctorate of Chiropractic and two bachelors for Anatomy, and Health & Wellness.

During his last semester at Parker Dr. King had to opportunity to go to Bogota, Colombia. This program allowed him to treat their Olympic athletes and National Selection Sports team. It was at this time that Dr. King realized the lack of chiropractors in Colombia. He decided to return after gradation to open up a clinic and grow the profession. After spending 8 years in Colombia he became fluent in Spanish. He opened 5 offices during his time down there. The main office was seeing close to 1000 PV’s/wk.

2 years in the Secretary of Health shut down his offices for practicing medicine without a license. Instead of heading back to the U.S. Dr. King and team decided to fight for the profession. After a lengthy legal battle they were able to open their office again.

Dr. King educated the people of Colombia on what true Chiropractic and healing was. Doing major TV and Radio shows on a weekly basis to spread the word of Chiropractic. During his time down there and the volume seen Dr. King strengthened his belief in the Adjustment and Chiropractic Philosophy.

Since moving back in 2020 Dr. King has opened up and owns 3 offices in DFW. The goal is to teach the younger generation of Chiropractors to power in Vitalistic Chiropractic and the Adjustment FIRST. Dr. King wants to help build more BadAss Chiropractors.

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#chiropractic #chiropracticcare #chiropracticadjustment #chiropracticworks #chiropracticmarketing #chiropracticassistant #ChiropracticCares #chiropractichealth #chiropractics #chiropracticneurology #chiropracticcollege #chiropracticdubai #chiropracticlifestyle #chiropracticforlife #chiropracticajustment #chiropracticforkids #chiropracticrocks #chiropracticphotos #chiropractictreatment #chiropracticforeveryone #chiropracticadjustments #chiropracticbenefits #chiropracticfirst #chiropracticseminar #chiropracticinstrument #chiropracticbiophysics #chiropracticstudent #chiropracticcampbelltown #chiropractichealthmonth