Feeling stuck with low margins—even when your clinic is full? You’re not alone. In this video, Chad Madden walks through why most private practice owners feel powerless to improve their payer mix and how small strategic changes can add $60K+ in monthly profit without adding more patients or staff.

You’ll learn the Quantity → Quality → Viability framework, real examples from clinics across the country, and five specific ways to start attracting better payers today.

00:00 – The most common profitability problem for busy practices

01:15 – Why improving your payer mix matters more than you think

03:00 – The power of adding just $5 per visit

05:00 – Breaking the myth: Higher revenue ≠ higher costs

06:45 – National trends: declining reimbursements, rising costs

08:00 – The framework: Quantity → Quality → Viability

10:00 – How to identify your best payers

11:30 – 5 Patient Pathways to influence your payer mix

  • 11:45 – Reactivations (target your best payers)

  • 13:10 – Word of mouth & physician referrals

  • 13:50 – Employer partnerships

  • 15:00 – Cold traffic marketing & diagnosis targeting

17:20 – Case study: Pelvic floor program ad strategy

20:00 – What top practices are doing nationwide

  • Hybrid models

  • Renegotiating rates

  • Dropping low payers

  • Attracting better ones

22:45 – The real obstacle: “I can’t do anything” is a myth

24:00 – Final thoughts and where to go from here

In this episode, Chad Madden interviews Chandler Bolt, founder of SelfPublishing.com, on how private practice owners can use a book to grow their business. Chandler shares how he went from failed startup to publishing over 7,000 books and explains why a book is the best marketing asset for attracting leads, building authority, and generating referrals. If you're a practice owner looking to stand out, this episode is your roadmap.

Chad Madden sits down with Lisa Flexner, founder of Flex Health Consulting, to talk about her surprising journey from tech and executive coaching to becoming a physical therapist—and how a broken shoulder led to a career transformation.

Lisa shares her insights on building people-centered practices, preventing burnout, and why culture—not marketing or operations—is the foundation of every successful clinic. She breaks down why Gen Z isn’t the problem, how to attract and retain great clinicians, and what practice owners can do to create lasting impact.

Want to improve patient outcomes, increase referrals, and make your marketing way more effective without spending a dime?

In this episode, we break down the Graduation Rate Audit — a simple but powerful tool every private practice physical therapist should be using. Learn how one clinician went from a 40% to over 80% graduation rate in just 90 days, and why having your clinicians run this themselves creates lasting behavior change.

Download the Audit Sheet - https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1VKS4P1uviyUuDi_to6Pk_CWggxX3-mtg

🚀 Want to See the System Behind Scaling to $20M — and the Plan to Hit $100M?

Book a free demo call and get a behind-the-scenes look at the exact systems, tools, and frameworks Chad used to grow from a solo PT to a $20M practice — and the blueprint he's using to reach $100M. https://getbreakthrough.com/demo/

Time Stamps:

0:00 – Intro: Why Clinicians Don’t Buy Into Marketing

2:00 – The Graduation Rate Audit Explained

5:00 – The "Leaky Bucket" Problem in PT Clinics

7:45 – Jan’s Story: From 40% to 80% Graduation Rate

10:00 – How to Use the Audit Spreadsheet

16:00 – Why Clinicians Must Complete the Audit Themselves

20:00 – Long-Term Behavior Change & Practice Growth

24:30 – Final Thoughts + Free Tool Access

In this episode, Chad Madden talks with Dr. Kevin Christie about how chiropractors and physical therapists can grow their practices using content marketing that builds trust, not pressure.

Whether you're insurance-based or cash-based, this episode covers how to position yourself as a local expert and turn educational content into consistent patient growth.

Book mentioned: Epic Content Marketing

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00:00 - Intro

00:26 - Meet Dr. Kevin Christie

01:30 - How Kevin Uses His Practice as a Test Lab

02:30 - What Content Marketing Really Is

05:00 - Why Doctors Have the Advantage in Content

07:10 - Trust vs. Tactics: Creating Real Value

10:15 - The 85/15 Rule: PBS vs. QVC

14:00 - High-Ticket Care vs. Insurance-Based Practices

18:00 - Why Great Marketing Reduces Sales Pressure

22:00 - Framework for Creating Compelling Content

26:00 - Where Should You Start with Content?

28:30 - Using AI to Repurpose Videos

30:00 - Email List = Your Secret Salesforce

32:00 - Retargeting with Facebook Ads

34:00 - Trends in Add-On Services (Shockwave, Laser, Gym Hybrids)

37:00 - Favorite Marketing Book: Epic Content Marketing

40:00 - Final Advice: Be the Buffalo

Do you ever wonder why your profit says one thing—but your bank account says another?

In this episode, Chad Madden sits down with Sean Healy, founder of Accounted4 LLC, to break down:

-Why profit isn’t the best way to measure your practice's health

-How to understand cash flow (without being an accountant)

-The top 2 predictive metrics every PT owner should track

-Why your balance sheet is more important than your P&L

-What to clean up before selling your practice

-Smart ways to use AI and automation to protect your bottom line

📈 Whether you’re looking to grow, streamline, or sell your practice, this episode is packed with practical advice you can act on today.

👉 Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and share if you found this helpful!

#PhysicalTherapy #PrivatePractice #Cashflow #ExitPlanning #SmallBusinessFinance #GrowYourPractice #AIInHealthcare

If you’re ready to simplify your hiring, boost staff retention, and grow your practice—schedule a free demo of Breakthrough today at https://getbreakthrough.com/demo

⏱️ Episode Timestamps:

00:18 – Meet Sean Healy of Accounted For LLC

01:40 – The Question: “Am I Making Money?”

03:25 – Profit vs Cashflow

05:35 – Step 1 to Understanding Your Finances

07:15 – The Power of the Balance Sheet

10:10 – 5 Things That Affect Cashflow (Not on P&L)

13:15 – Predictive Metrics That Matter

18:35 – Why Cashflow Problems Catch Owners Off Guard

21:50 – How to Start Saving Strategically

24:20 – Using AI, VAs & Automation

29:30 – Booking Appointments with AI

30:45 – Who Sean Works With & How to Connect

32:10 – Preparing for a Practice Exit

35:45 – What Buyers Want to See

37:50 – EBITDA & Multiples

40:20 – Most Influential Books & AI Conversions

42:45 – Final Thoughts

In this episode of the Grow Your Practice Podcast, host Chad Madden sits down with physical therapist and Lake Washington PT founder Ben Wobker to talk about one of the hottest issues in private practice: hiring.

Ben reveals his data-backed approach to attracting, hiring, and retaining top DPT grads—even during a nationwide staffing shortage. Learn how he uses a “draft board” system to nurture warm leads, mentors PT students years before they graduate, and leverages technology like AI scribes to create a clinic culture that wins the talent war.

Whether you’re struggling to recruit your next hire or looking to strengthen retention, this is a must-listen conversation with practical strategies you can implement today.

If you’re ready to simplify your hiring, boost staff retention, and grow your practice—schedule a free demo of Breakthrough today at https://getbreakthrough.com/demo

⏱️ Episode Timestamps:

00:00 – Intro: Wakeboarding and wake-surfing with Ben

01:10 – The PT shortage: Why hiring is harder than ever

02:00 – How Ben recruits from his own aide pipeline

03:45 – Building a “draft board” for DPT students

06:30 – Tracking warm leads with a simple Google Sheet

07:30 – The warm funnel that led to 14 new PT hires

09:15 – The structured (yet casual) interview process

10:45 – Building trust with personal emails and CEU invites

13:30 – Centralizing hiring to reduce internal competition

16:00 – Adapting to Gen Z’s definition of work-life balance

20:30 – Leveraging AI scribes to reduce documentation burnout

24:00 – Using ChatGPT, Gemini & AI agents in operations

32:00 – Creating scroll-stopping social videos with Opus Clip

36:45 – How to increase staff retention with autonomy, mastery, and purpose

40:00 – Mentorship as a competitive advantage

42:00 – Top podcast recommendations outside PT

45:00 – Ben’s favorite book: Bo Knows Bo

46:30 – Wrap-up and closing thoughts

In this episode of the Grow Your Practice podcast, Chad Madden dives deep into the foundational principles every private practice owner needs to scale sustainably, starting with clearly defined core values. If you’ve struggled with hiring, team alignment, or culture drift, you’ll want to take notes. Chad breaks down the “Planning Pyramid,” showing how to connect your daily accountability to your 10-25 year vision. You’ll learn how to identify and codify core values that attract A-players and repel toxic team members, plus how to build hiring scorecards that get results. Whether you're aiming for your first million or your hundredth, this episode sets the stage for lasting growth.

If you're ready to grow your practice with clarity and purpose, schedule a free strategy demo at https://getbreakthrough.com/strategy/ to see how our platform can help you attract new patients, increase profitability, and stay focused on your long-term vision.

⏱️ Timestamps

00:00 – Intro: Part 2 of the $100 Million Practice Series

00:30 – Why Core Values Matter More Than Ever

02:00 – The Planning Pyramid Explained (Based on Vern Harnish’s work)

04:00 – The Real Reason You’re Struggling to Hire (and What to Do Instead)

06:30 – What Goes in a Scorecard: Role, Metrics, Competencies, Core Values

08:30 – How Core Values Drive Accountability and Retention

10:00 – The Danger of Compromising Core Values When You’re Desperate

12:30 – Why Good People Can Still Be a Bad Fit (and How to Tell)

14:00 – Real Examples from the Clinic: Rewarding Core Value Behavior

17:00 – The 3 Core Values That Drive Madden PT

21:30 – How to Spot Grit, Growth-Mindset, and Team Players in Interviews

24:00 – The “Ocean Questions” and Red Flags in Hiring

26:00 – Stories of Impact: From World War II Veterans to Everyday Miracles

28:00 – Recap & Why Core Values Outlast You

29:00 – What’s Coming in Part 3: Goal Forecasting & Annual Planning

In this episode of the Grow Your Practice podcast, Chad Madden sits down with Neil Trickett—former private practice owner and founder of Practice Promotions—to uncover what the top 10% of physical therapy clinics are doing to thrive in today’s competitive healthcare market. Neil shares his journey from running a seven-figure clinic to building one of the industry’s leading marketing agencies. Together, they dive deep into the common traps practice owners fall into, how to stabilize patient flow, and why marketing is the engine that drives everything from hiring to profitability. You’ll walk away with actionable strategies from Neil’s “Market to Grow” system, insights into what sets high-performing clinics apart, and a renewed focus on leveraging marketing to take control of your clinic’s future.

If you're ready to grow your practice with clarity and purpose, schedule a free strategy demo at https://getbreakthrough.com/strategy/ to see how our platform can help you attract new patients, increase profitability, and stay focused on your long-term vision.

⏱️ Timestamps

0:01 – Introduction: Meet Neil Trickett and his journey from clinic owner to marketing expert

1:09 – From PT owner in Florida to founding Practice Promotions

2:47 – The early days: Direct mail inspiration from chiropractors

4:05 – The big marketing realization: “Marketing solves all problems”

6:00 – How Neil’s newsletters became a recruiting magnet

6:26 – The philosophy behind “Market to Grow” and the top 10% of clinics

9:03 – The three biggest challenges: New patients, hiring, and reimbursement

11:13 – How one practice added $120K in cash services in Q1 alone

11:41 – The “New Patient Roller Coaster” and how to get off it

13:43 – Breaking down the “Market to Grow” system

14:59 – Why website conversion rates are a secret weapon

17:01 – Real-world example: 8%+ website conversion rates using heatmaps and AI

18:50 – “Market to Hire”: Proactive recruiting and why your careers page matters

21:04 – Getting found on Google for jobs (and bypassing Indeed)

23:05 – Real story: When your marketing attracts top talent away from competitors

24:22 – The “Revenue Ratio”: A new way to assess clinic profitability

25:33 – Two tactics for attracting better-paying patients and promoting cash services

27:08 – Common marketing mistakes practice owners make

28:55 – How much should PT clinics really be investing in marketing?

30:55 – If you’re overwhelmed, start with this first step

32:03 – Where to get Neil’s book, Market to Grow

33:00 – Rapid Fire: Marketing myths, overlooked tactics, case studies, and more

35:56 – Final thoughts and takeaway from Neil Trickett

In this powerful solo episode, Chad dives deep into the concept of the Big Hairy Audacious Goal (BHAG)—a strategic visioning tool popularized by Jim Collins. Whether you're a solo practice owner or leading multiple locations, Chad explains why setting a bold, long-term goal can transform your business, align your team, and reignite your purpose. He shares personal stories from building his $20M+ practice, his challenges, and the exact framework you can use to craft your own BHAG. Plus, hear the pivotal moment that shaped the future of Breakthrough.

If you’re ready to stop playing small and start building a practice with real impact, this episode is for you.

If you're ready to grow your practice with clarity and purpose, schedule a free strategy demo at https://getbreakthrough.com/strategy/ to see how our platform can help you attract new patients, increase profitability, and stay focused on your long-term vision.

⏱️ Timestamps:

0:00 – Intro

Why we’re talking about BHAGs—and what makes them so powerful.

1:17 – What Is a BHAG?

Definition, key attributes, and why it's more than just a lofty goal.

2:33 – Vision-Driven Leadership

How BHAGs connect to core company vision and direction.

4:18 – From Theory to Practice

Chad shares his clinic’s BHAG and the competitive landscape in Central PA.

6:45 – How a BHAG Creates Alignment

Using a BHAG to guide hiring, marketing, operations, and focus.

8:14 – Beyond Survival: Inspiring a Mission-Driven Team

The power of getting your team aligned behind a bigger purpose.

10:12 – Filtering Out Shiny Objects

Using your BHAG as a North Star for strategic decisions.

11:32 – “Too Small to Think Big”? Think Again

Debunking the myth that BHAGs are only for big companies.

13:00 – Real-Life Example from Early Practice

Chad’s first vision as a 27-year-old and how it came true.

14:38 – The Fear of Failure & Uncertainty

Why you don’t need to know every step to think long-term.

16:45 – Building a Vision-Driven Team

Tips for attracting and retaining people aligned with your mission.

18:22 – Common Challenges with BHAGs

From team buy-in to feeling undeserving of success.

20:27 – The Framework to Craft Your Own BHAG

Step-by-step process to define purpose, impact, and time horizon.

25:45 – Business Math vs. Relationships

Why your BHAG should inspire people—not just hit revenue goals.

28:00 – The 20-Mile March

Jim Collins’ rule for sustainable long-term growth.

30:00 – Sharing and Aligning the Vision

How to make your BHAG part of everyday conversations and culture.

31:15 – Myths and Pitfalls to Avoid

Avoiding vague, boring, or unbalanced goals.

33:00 – A Personal Story That Changed Everything

The moment Chad decided to build something bigger than himself.

40:00 – Recap & Action Steps

Draft your BHAG, share it with your team, and start filtering decisions through it.