Welcome to The K9PT Academy podcast, the only podcast in veterinary rehabilitation & physical therapy that focuses on helping business owners and entrepreneurs build and scale a profitable and successful canine rehabilitation business! 

In this episode, I’m sharing the full story behind how I ditched the referral trap and instead turned Google into a predictable and sustainable lead-generation machine for TheK9PT — starting with no patients, no referrals, and no local connections. I walk through the biggest marketing challenge I faced when launching my business, how I shifted from relying on veterinary referrals to direct-to-consumer marketing, and what key strategies actually worked to generate consistent new clients. Whether you're just starting out or ready to scale, this episode is packed with lessons that can help you build marketing systems that work for you — even when you're not working. Listen to the full episode as we discuss:

Start with the challenge, not the tactic: I had no referrals, no clinic, and no marketing experience — which is why I had to get creative and find a better way.

Veterinary referrals aren’t enough: Especially when you’re new or not a vet — it’s time to bypass the gatekeeper and speak directly to pet owners.

Direct-to-consumer marketing changes the game: Educating and connecting with pet owners early in their journey builds trust before they ever contact you.

Google My Business is a free powerhouse: Consistently updating reviews and photos makes a huge difference in visibility and credibility.

Your website is more than a brochure: It should tell a clear story, guide the visitor to take action, and reflect why you’re different — not just list services.

Google Ads work if your systems are ready: Don’t pour money into ads until you’ve optimized your website and lead nurturing systems — otherwise, it’s just noise.

Sustainable growth requires systems: You don’t need to be a marketing expert, but you do need predictable processes that run without you doing everything yourself.

Want to dive deeper? Download our FREE guide on how to turn on your Google machine and stop relying on vet referrals → https://www.k9ptacademy.com/google-machine 

Are you interested in learning more about our K9Rehab Marketing platform? That is the only CRM and marketing software available in the market for canine rehab therapists, and it has been an integral component for our business and for dozens of our clients! Just follow the link for more info: https://k9rehabmarketing.com/ 

Book a FREE strategy call: https://calendly.com/thek9pt/strategy-call

Join our Canine Rehabpreneur Community: www.facebook.com/groups/k9rehabpreneur/ 

Download our fee calculator and training: https://thek9pt.mykajabi.com/Fee-calculator 

Download our 'marketing done easy' worksheet and training: https://www.k9ptacademy.com/marketing-done-easy 

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1) Go to www.k9ptacademy.com for more resources on business ownership, including our free Fee Calculator and Marketing Done Easy worksheet

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