From Changing Room to 3 Locations: Jennifer Gelfand’s Journey to Building a Transformational Wellness Brand

In this episode of the Female emPOWERed Podcast, I’m joined by Jennifer Gelfand, pelvic floor physical therapist, yoga teacher, and founder of Root to Rise Physical Therapy in Maine. What started as a one-woman show treating patients in a yoga studio changing room has grown into a thriving, multi-location, multidisciplinary wellness practice—and it didn’t happen overnight.

We dive into Jennifer’s personal health journey with PCOS, how it inspired her to enter pelvic health, and the lessons she’s learned building a business she never imagined she’d own. From scaling a team to embracing her role as CEO, Jennifer shares the real (and often messy) behind-the-scenes of running a values-driven practice.

Whether you’re a business owner, clinician, or aspiring entrepreneur, this episode is filled with insights on leadership, systems, boundaries, and the power of numbers.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Jennifer’s personal health journey with PCOS and how it led her to pelvic floor therapy
• How she went from treating patients in a yoga studio changing room to running a 3-location practice
• Why Root to Rise focuses on integrative care—blending PT, yoga, acupuncture, and more
• The mindset shift from practitioner to CEO (and how mentorship helped)
• The growing pains of hiring, leading a team, and building systems from scratch
• Why “feelings aren’t facts” became a powerful mantra for managing growth
• How the Inner Circle helped Jennifer become more confident in her numbers and vision
• The importance of creating a collaborative team culture in wellness

Links & Resources:

• Visit Jennifer’s clinic: https://www.roottorisephysicaltherapy.com
• Follow Root to Rise on Instagram: @roottorisept
• Want support like Jennifer’s? Learn more about the Inner Circle Mentorship: christagurka.com/mentorship
• Subscribe to the Female emPOWERed Podcast for more inspiring business stories