What makes an associate relationship last 19 years?

In this episode, Martin sits down with Dr. Kieran Whelan to unpack why long-term associate relationships are surprisingly rare in chiropractic… and what makes them work when they do.

We discuss:

• The hidden costs of owning your own practice
• Why autonomy, mastery, and purpose matter more than money alone
• How to create a practice culture people actually want to stay in
• The impact of consistency, collaboration, and shared values
• Why “busy” isn’t always the goal

Kieran also shares the story of what first inspired him to become a chiropractor and how creating more space outside practice helped him enjoy practice even more.

A conversation about communication, culture, lifestyle design, and building a sustainable career in chiropractic.

Also, quick heads up:

Aligned Practice is opening for just 3 new chiropractors.

The new intake includes our personalised onboarding process designed to help create momentum in communication, retention, referrals, and confidence.

To learn more about Aligned Practice

https://insideoutpractices.thinkific.com/products/communities/aligned-practice

Check out the Retention Recipe

https://insideoutpractices.thinkific.com/courses/retention-recipe-2-0

To learn more about Reactivate to Accelerate

https://insideoutpractices.thinkific.com/courses/reactivate

A client feels worse after an adjustment.

Trust drops.
Confidence takes a hit.
And the question creeps in:

“Did I do something wrong?”

In this episode, I unpack a different lens.

Because most flare-ups aren’t about bad technique…
They’re about a mismatch between input and capacity.

Inside this episode:

• Why reactions happen (and why they’re often misunderstood)
• How to assess someone’s capacity to adapt before you adjust
• The mistake chiropractors (especially new grads) make when they try to “fix everything” on day one
• How to titrate your care so you get change without blowback
• A simple pre-framing approach that protects trust before anything happens
• How to explain your adjustment so it actually makes sense to clients

The goal isn’t to do more.

It’s to do the right amount… at the right time… for the right person.

Check out the Retention Recipe

https://insideoutpractices.thinkific.com/courses/retention-recipe-2-0

To learn more about Aligned Practice

https://insideoutpractices.thinkific.com/products/communities/aligned-practice

To learn more about Reactivate to Accelerate

https://insideoutpractices.thinkific.com/courses/reactivate

Most chiropractors think growth comes from ads, SEO, or social media.

Useful tools. But not the whole game.

In this episode, I break down one of the most overlooked growth strategies in practice:

The people already walking through your door.

Your current patients often hold the key to your next best referrals through the trainers, dentists, physios, massage therapists, gyms, and local businesses they already trust.

You’ll learn:

• Why warm referrals convert better than cold leads
• How to turn existing patient relationships into new growth opportunities
• The easiest way to connect with other professionals naturally
• Why helping shared patients creates trust fast
• How small weekly actions can build a powerful network over time

If you want a smarter, steadier, less stressful way to grow your practice, this episode is for you.

Check out the Retention Recipe

https://insideoutpractices.thinkific.com/courses/retention-recipe-2-0

To learn more about Aligned Practice

https://insideoutpractices.thinkific.com/products/communities/aligned-practice

To learn more about Reactivate to Accelerate

https://insideoutpractices.thinkific.com/courses/reactivate

I went into theatre to watch surgery.

I came out rethinking how I communicate.

Surgeons have it easier (in one way):

• One problem
• One solution
• Built-in authority
• Patients who have to act

We don’t.

We’re asking people to keep going…
after the pain is gone.

That’s a harder sell.

But here’s what surprised me:

The most powerful moment wasn’t technical.

It was a sketch.
On the back of an envelope.

Built step-by-step.
Personalised.
Clear.

It made everything click.

In this episode:

• Why drawing beats perfect diagrams
• How narrow focus builds trust (and referrals)
• What surgeons do with referrers that we often don’t

And the big idea:

They can rely on urgency.

We have to build value.

Connection + individual value.

That’s the game.

Check out the Retention Recipe

https://insideoutpractices.thinkific.com/courses/retention-recipe-2-0

To learn more about Aligned Practice

https://insideoutpractices.thinkific.com/products/communities/aligned-practice

To learn more about Reactivate to Accelerate

https://insideoutpractices.thinkific.com/courses/reactivate

Learn more about Daily Visit Communication 2.0

https://insideoutpractices.thinkific.com/courses/daily-visit

Email me - [email protected]

Most chiropractors only ever see one practice.

Mike Szabo has seen dozens.

As a full-time locum, he steps into practices all over the place -different teams, different systems, different energy.

Which means he sees something most of us don’t:

Patterns.

In this episode, we break down what separates practices that feel flat… from the ones that feel alive the moment you walk in.

We get into:

• Why language matters more than you think
• The hidden impact of a great CA (and how often it’s missed)
• What actually happens to a practice when the owner steps away
• And why trying to look like other professions might be holding you back

We also unpack Mike’s own shift —

from chasing symptoms to focusing on the nervous system and long-term function.

If you’ve ever wondered:
“Why do some practices just work?”

This episode gives you a clear answer.

Check out the Retention Recipe

https://insideoutpractices.thinkific.com/courses/retention-recipe-2-0

To learn more about Aligned Practice

https://insideoutpractices.thinkific.com/products/communities/aligned-practice

To learn more about Reactivate to Accelerate

https://insideoutpractices.thinkific.com/courses/reactivate

Learn more about Daily Visit Communication 2.0

https://insideoutpractices.thinkific.com/courses/daily-visit

Email me - [email protected]

AI just flooded the internet with content.

More posts.
More emails.
More “top 3 tips.”

And less attention than ever.

In this episode, Martin breaks down what that means for your practice.

Why generic content is getting ignored.
Why trust is now built offline.
And how to grow faster by doubling down on what AI can’t replicate:

• Real connection
  
• Real community
  
• Real experiences

If you want more retention, more referrals, and more reactivations… this is the shift that matters.

To learn more about the ACA event https://www.chiropractors.org.au/event/connect-and-learn-melbourne

Check out the Retention Recipe

https://insideoutpractices.thinkific.com/courses/retention-recipe-2-0

To learn more about Aligned Practice

https://insideoutpractices.thinkific.com/products/communities/aligned-practice

To learn more about Reactivate to Accelerate

https://insideoutpractices.thinkific.com/courses/reactivate

Learn more about Daily Visit Communication 2.0

https://insideoutpractices.thinkific.com/courses/daily-visit

Email me - [email protected]

Most chiropractors have experienced this moment.

You assess someone.
You know what the best recommendation would be.

But something makes you hesitate.

Maybe they seem financially stretched.
Maybe they’re older with long-standing degeneration.
Maybe they just don’t look like a “performance care” person.

So you soften the recommendation.

Or skip the bigger picture altogether.

But that creates a problem.

You’ve just removed their ability to choose.

In this episode, Martin explains how to handle these conversations without feeling pushy or awkward.

You’ll learn:

• Why patients don’t actually want chiropractic
• How to explain pain, prevention, and performance care clearly
• How autonomy statements reduce resistance
• How to connect care to what actually matters to people

Because patients don’t want care plans.

They want to keep doing the things they love.

Your job isn’t to push people.

Your job is to show them their options.

Check out the Retention Recipe

https://insideoutpractices.thinkific.com/courses/retention-recipe-2-0

To learn more about Aligned Practice

https://insideoutpractices.thinkific.com/products/communities/aligned-practice

To learn more about Reactivate to Accelerate

https://insideoutpractices.thinkific.com/courses/reactivate

Learn more about Daily Visit Communication 2.0

https://insideoutpractices.thinkific.com/courses/daily-visit

Email me - [email protected]

Every chiropractor knows the signs.

Appointments get pushed out.
“I’ll check my diary.”
“Let’s just see how I go.”

They haven’t left.

But they’re already walking toward the door.

In this episode, Martin breaks down what’s really happening when patients start fading in commitment.

Spoiler: it’s not about scheduling.

It’s about belief.

Specifically:

• Pain vs prevention health beliefs
• Why people see care as a cost instead of an investment
• The mistake chiropractors make when they ignore the early signals
• Three simple questions that can shift perspective before patients disappear
• How to pre-frame the experience if they do drop out

Because retention isn’t about pressure.

It’s about helping people see the bigger picture.

And sometimes the right question at the right moment can change the entire trajectory.

Check out the Retention Recipe

https://insideoutpractices.thinkific.com/courses/retention-recipe-2-0

To learn more about Aligned Practice

https://insideoutpractices.thinkific.com/products/communities/aligned-practice

To learn more about Reactivate to Accelerate

https://insideoutpractices.thinkific.com/courses/reactivate

Learn more about Daily Visit Communication 2.0

https://insideoutpractices.thinkific.com/courses/daily-visit

Email me - [email protected]

Guy Reikeman passed away this week.

If you’ve been around chiropractic long enough, you’ve felt his influence.

Palmer. Life. Sherman.
Renaissance. Quest.
The Octagon.
Vitalism. Vision. Video before video was cool.

But this episode isn’t a history lesson.

It’s a distillation.

The ideas that shaped me.
The principles that still matter.

Inside this episode:

• “Thank you for my life, I forgot how big”
• Why vision is the real currency of leadership
• How to modernise without selling your soul
• Why integrity builds trust faster than persuasion
• Why communication is a superpower

If you never met Guy, this is your introduction.

If you did, this is your reminder.

Chiropractic is a big idea.

Let’s treat it that way.

Check out the Retention Recipe

https://insideoutpractices.thinkific.com/courses/retention-recipe-2-0

To learn more about Aligned Practice

https://insideoutpractices.thinkific.com/products/communities/aligned-practice

To learn more about Reactivate to Accelerate

https://insideoutpractices.thinkific.com/courses/reactivate

Learn more about Daily Visit Communication 2.0

https://insideoutpractices.thinkific.com/courses/daily-visit

Email me - [email protected]

“If I don’t feel bad, I must be fine.”

That belief quietly undermines retention, reactivations, and proactive care.

In this episode of Under the Influence, Martin unpacks one deceptively simple question that changes everything:

“Why now?”

When someone has had a problem for weeks… months… sometimes years…

Why now?

Used well, this question:

• Reveals what actually motivated them to act
• Exposes their lifestyle values (what they have to do, love to do, or identify with)
• Shows you their threshold for action
• Gives you the language to communicate prevention and performance in a way that feels personally relevant

Martin also breaks down:

– Why most patients are “copers” who minimize the size of their problem
– How unpacking questions help resize it
– Why pacing and tone matter more than the words themselves
– How to bridge from pain to prevention to performance without sounding preachy

This isn’t about being more persuasive.

It’s about being more precise.

Ask better questions.Understand deeper motivations.Communicate chiropractic in a way that lands.

Check out the Retention Recipe

https://insideoutpractices.thinkific.com/courses/retention-recipe-2-0

To learn more about Aligned Practice

https://insideoutpractices.thinkific.com/products/communities/aligned-practice

To learn more about Reactivate to Accelerate

https://insideoutpractices.thinkific.com/courses/reactivate

Learn more about Daily Visit Communication 2.0

https://insideoutpractices.thinkific.com/courses/daily-visit

Email me - [email protected]