Navigating Chiropractic Frontiers
In this enlightening conversation, we dive deep into Dr. Lona Cook’s chiropractic journey, a chiropractor, coach, author, and visionary leader. Dr. Cook’s impact on chiropractic, her patients, her family, and the world at large is nothing short of inspirational. We listen to her as she shares her experiences from her chiropractic school days to building and scaling successful practices. Additionally, we explore her unique school program, coaching endeavors, and her profound insights on the intersection of chiropractic philosophy, energy awareness, and leadership. Chiropractic Odyssey: From School to Scaling Practices Dr. Cook’s journey began in chiropractic school at Northwestern, an institution with a strong medical orientation. Despite the initial lack of deep philosophical immersion, Dr. Cook’s trajectory took a transformative turn when she attended a New Beginnings seminar. Inspired by Dr. Eddie Diaz’s visualization exercise, she envisioned a world where everyone recognizes the vital role of chiropractic in a child’s health journey. This moment planted the seeds for her future endeavors. Scaling Practices: Fast-forwarding through her successful practice, Dr. Cook emphasized the importance of adapting and pivoting in response to unexpected challenges. While her initial dream was to establish one exceptional practice, she found herself opening a second practice due to personal circumstances. The partnership model, which involved mentoring and a structured buyout, allowed her to scale her practices successfully. Dr. Cook’s insightful perspective on partnerships highlights the significance of alignment, mutual respect, and shared goals for a thriving practice. Philosophical Foundations and Leadership: Dr. Cook delves into the philosophical foundations of chiropractic and the profound impact it has on her leadership philosophy. She emphasizes the importance of understanding metaphysics, epistemology, ethics, politics, and aesthetics—pillars that shape a chiropractor’s worldview. This philosophical depth informs her coaching approach, where leadership transcends mere management. Dr. Cook advocates for cultivating leaders who empower others, creating a ripple effect that extends beyond the chiropractic profession. School Program: Nurturing the Future One of the most captivating aspects of Dr. Cook’s journey is her pioneering school program, bringing chiropractic care to students. Inspired by a New Beginnings seminar, she initiated a program where chiropractors visit schools, initially for teachers and later for students. The program has expanded to multiple schools, with plans to replicate its success in other districts. Dr. Cook envisions a future where chiropractic care becomes an integral part of children’s health and well-being. Energy Awareness and Intuition: Dr. Cook shares her insights on energy awareness, intuition, and their profound impact on decision-making. Drawing from chiropractic philosophy and universal laws, she underscores the importance of recognizing vibrational frequencies in oneself and others. Dr. Cook’s approach aligns with the principle of strengthening strengths and outsourcing weaknesses, fostering a harmonious and impactful leadership style. Coaching with Dr. Cook: Dr. Cook offers coaching services tailored to chiropractors at different stages of their journeys. Prospective clients can initiate the process with a strategy call, where Dr. Cook gains insights into their aspirations and dreams. Her coaching spans from launching and building practices to supporting women in chiropractic who are navigating the complexities of leadership while juggling various roles. Conclusion: Dr. Lona Cook’s chiropractic odyssey is a testament to transformative leadership, aligning philosophy with action, and the profound impact of chiropractic care on individuals and communities. Her visionary initiatives, from scaling practices to pioneering school programs, reflect a commitment to empowering others and leaving a lasting legacy. As we conclude this conversation, Dr. Cook’s words resonate—a reminder that chiropractic is not just a profession; it’s a journey of self-discovery, leadership, and making a difference in the world. View the entire episode by accessing it through: https://bit.ly/3TX5IW7
Optimizing Chiropractic Teams
Today, we’re diving deep into the world of chiropractic hiring with Dr. Mark Mouw, the founder of Chiro Match Makers. Dr. Mouw, a successful clinic owner and coach of The Remarkable Practice, is here to share insights on the challenges of finding the right chiropractic associates and how Chiro Match Makers is transforming the hiring process. Finding the Right Fit: Dr. Mouw kicks off the discussion by emphasizing the critical importance of hiring the right person for the right role to ensure success. With Chiro Match Makers, they have honed in on a strategic approach, utilizing behavioral assessments to identify the best match for chiropractic practices. This is not just about finding any associate but discovering the right fit to achieve long-term synergy. The Evolution of Chiro Match Makers: Dr. Mouw takes us on a journey through the inception of Chiro Match Makers, highlighting the collaborative effort of Dr. Steven France, Dr. Ellen Miner, Sheila, and himself within The Remarkable Practice. Initially focusing on hiring chiropractic assistants (CAs), they soon expanded to include associate searches, addressing a significant need in the profession. Understanding Chiropractic Personalities: The conversation delves into the three main types of chiropractors identified through behavioral assessments: entrepreneurs, business builders, and caregivers. Dr. Mouw breaks down their traits and percentages within the profession. Notably, caregivers make up the majority (65%), seeking fulfilling patient relationships without the desire to run a business. Overcoming Hiring Pitfalls: Dr. Mouw addresses common hiring mistakes, emphasizing the tendency of chiropractors to hire individuals similar to themselves. This leads to challenges when hiring entrepreneurs or business builders who may eventually seek to open their practices, resulting in turnover. Chiro Match Makers aims to shift this paradigm by creating a language of understanding and aligning individuals with complementary traits. The Power of Behavioral Assessments: The Chiro Match Makers team uses licensed behavioral assessments that are EEOC compliant, providing valuable insights into an individual’s behavioral traits. By understanding these traits, practices can strategically build a team that complements each other, fostering a collaborative and successful environment. Scalability and Vision: Dr. Mouw emphasizes the importance of having a clear vision for the practice and building a team that aligns with that vision. The scalability of a practice relies on training, accountability, and autonomy for team members. This approach enables chiropractors to step back from daily operations, promoting long-term stability and durability. Legacy and Exit Strategies: The conversation concludes with insights into legacy-building and exit strategies. Dr. Mouw discusses the four main reasons chiropractors seek assistance: time freedom, increased revenue, stability and durability, and legacy building. Chiro Match Makers and The Remarkable Practice offer comprehensive support, whether it’s finding the right associates or navigating the process of selling a practice. Conclusion: In the dynamic world of chiropractic hiring, Chiro Match Makers and Dr. Mark Mouw stand as beacons of innovation. By incorporating behavioral assessments and strategic insights, they are revolutionizing the way chiropractors build teams and shape the future of their practices. As the profession evolves, finding the right fit becomes not just a necessity but a transformative journey towards success. To watch the full episode, you may view it via: https://bit.ly/48AU07C
Building Empires of Health
In the ever-evolving landscape of healthcare, few stories are as compelling as that of Dr. Jeff Danielson, a chiropractor, visionary entrepreneur, and the mastermind behind Big Fish Enterprises. In an exclusive podcast episode, Dr. Danielson shares the intricate details of his journey, offering listeners a glimpse into the unique blend of chiropractic expertise and business acumen that has propelled him to success. The Genesis of a Visionary: Dr. Jeff Danielson’s story begins in Minneapolis, Minnesota, where he not only thrived as a chiropractor but also cultivated a keen entrepreneurial spirit. It was during his interactions with students at a chiropractic school that he recognized a recurring pattern: young, talented chiropractors eager to make a difference, but often left unsupported after a brief stint in his practice. This realization led to the birth of an innovative coaching program. “Pay It Forward” Philosophy: The heart of Dr. Danielson’s coaching philosophy lies in the concept of “Pay It Forward.” He sought to break the cycle of talented chiropractors leaving after gaining experience and knowledge. Instead, he envisioned a system where associates would be mentored, trained, and ultimately become partners in the journey of acquiring and transforming chiropractic practices. This unique approach has not only benefited Dr. Danielson’s clinics but has created a ripple effect of success through the chiropractic community. Big Fish Training: Transforming Practices: The coaching program, aptly named Big Fish Training, was designed to turn ordinary practices into thriving enterprises. Dr. Danielson emphasizes a hands-on approach, pairing associates with him in his own practice, imparting not just clinical knowledge but the critical skills needed to run a successful chiropractic business. The goal is to transform practices from mere “Ford Taurus” models to high-performance “Lexus” clinics. Team Doc: Revolutionizing Community Engagement: One of Dr. Danielson’s game-changing innovations is Team Doc, a program that redefines community engagement and patient acquisition. By sponsoring local sports teams, especially those in unexpected niches like trap shooting, Dr. Danielson creates opportunities for meaningful connections. This unconventional marketing strategy has proven wildly successful, with dozens of new patients generated from each event, further solidifying the impact of chiropractic care in the community. Chiro Life: A Platform for Transformation: Dr. Jeff Danielson’s commitment to sharing knowledge and fostering collaboration reaches its zenith with the Chiro Life seminar. This annual event is a testament to his vision of building a community of chiropractors who not only excel in their practices but also inspire and support one another. The upcoming seminar, themed “Build Your Army,” promises to be a transformative experience, featuring speakers like Brian Capra, Jeff Langmaid, and Roberto Monaco. Conclusion: Dr. Jeff Danielson’s podcast episode is a masterclass in combining passion, purpose, and business savvy to create a lasting impact in the chiropractic world. His journey, from a chiropractic clinician to a mentor shaping the future of the profession, is an inspiration to aspiring chiropractors and entrepreneurs alike. As the chiropractic community eagerly anticipates the Cairo Life seminar, Dr. Danielson continues to shape the narrative of success in chiropractic care and business. To watch the full episode, you may view it via: https://bit.ly/3TK2qoS
Value Adding for Maximum Profit
I love this topic because it’s easy to miss the mark, especially since so many consultants and marketing firms misappropriate this term and don’t actually coach on value-adding. The idea of value-adding has come under scrutiny in light of the current trend of corporate acquisitions of primary care clinics and the rising patient expectation for comprehensive, patient-centered treatment (Abelson, 2023). This is because of how the healthcare industry is changing. There is a growing need to separate actual value addition from empty rhetoric when corporate companies acquire primary care operations. The demand for genuine, efficient value-adding solutions has never been greater due to the rise in patient expectations for a comprehensive healthcare experience. Don’t get me wrong, plenty do an absolutely amazing job, and their clients see great results, but more often than not, disaster strikes. Especially in the case of Joseph and Bonnie… When Joseph and Bonnie opened their practice, they were die-hard, convinced that they only needed to practice their specialty and nothing else. If we stay true to our specialty’s expertise and principles, we shouldn’t need anything else in the practice to thrive. Although reasonable, this viewpoint failed to consider the changing expectations of healthcare consumers. Patients are increasingly looking for holistic healthcare that covers their current requirements and their long-term well-being, according to Yussof et al. (2022). This suggests Joseph and Bonnie’s single-focused strategy didn’t meet the patient’s desire for comprehensive care. Today’s patients want treatments that address their current health needs and promote wellness, including preventative and long-term health management. Thus, healthcare professionals who offer more services are valued more. So they went about building out a space with the money their mentor had given them and whatever they could find and were adamant that physical therapy was the only service to be offered. Once the space was open, they began marketing to orthopedists in the area and getting patient referrals. That’s when the opportunities opened up. Patients started asking about ancillary services they didn’t have, making them feel like they looked silly. Patients asked about home fitness programs, nutrition, supplementation, and other specialties like Chiropractic or group fitness. The study by Patel & Singhal (2023) demonstrates the growing tendency of patients to seek comprehensive care. It showed that most patients favor healthcare facilities that offer various services under one roof. Patients increasingly view healthcare as a holistic activity. They want nutrition advice, exercise regimens, and alternative cures, not just specialist therapy. This shift in patient preferences fuels the desire for multi-service healthcare facilities that can meet several health and wellness goals. Initially, Joseph and Bonnie ignored it and kept progressing, growing at around 10%. They did a first-quarter review, and it was clear they were not on track to meet their financial freedom goals. They were convinced that something had to change, but they knew working harder to build new referring relationships was not scalable. They could only see so many patients daily, and hiring more therapists would add to their overhead. They needed a solution that minimized overhead growth while maximizing potential revenue. Joseph and Bonnie started taking patient requests seriously and realized a clear pattern. Patients were looking for wellness, not just treatment. Patients wanted to know if they could have a one-stop shop for preventative and therapeutic care. This was a new concept to Joseph and Bonnie, but they began exploring it and found an incredible and vast potential revenue stream in things like product offerings, DME, and more. Such a change toward integrated healthcare delivery is consistent with the ongoing tendency within the pharmaceutical sector to develop into wellness providers with patient-centric services (Moreno, 2019). This represents a larger healthcare shift from treating sickness to promoting well-being. Pharmaceutical corporations are expanding their position to include disease prevention, wellness, and patient-centric services for different health needs. Patients want a single source of preventative and therapeutic care. At first, Joseph and Bonnie only wanted to add what they could manage and keep the specialty singular. However, it soon became clear that their patients were looking for a more sophisticated preventative care so they hired a part-time nutritionist who turned into a full-time nutritionist. They bought used fitness equipment and hired a part-time fitness instructor who turned into a full-time instructor (Joseph recently replaced this person as the full-time trainer because of his personal love of fitness; the perks of being the boss). So what is value adding? Is it simply the addition of multiple complementary specialties into your practice? Maybe. Recent developments in primary and pharmacy care have demonstrated that value addition can be achieved by implementing cutting-edge health methods like digital medicines and remote patient monitoring (Smith, 2021). Value-adding extends beyond incorporating diverse specialties. Digital medicines and remote patient monitoring improve patient care and convenience. These strategies satisfy patients’ desire for individualized, accessible treatment, bringing value to a practice. It could also be the addition of community events, marble floors in the patient bathroom, or a cooling station with fancy refreshments. The true value add in a practice is unique to the patient community. It’s a matter of listening to the value-adds they seek and finding a way to accommodate them that supports the larger purpose and mission. If your practice is in a really nice part of town and you managed to get a great deal on space but are short on cash, it could be a matter of setting up one fancy area in your practice that you can afford to spruce up (it should also be functional, before you go replacing drapes). Whatever change you attempt needs to address two things: Patient requests – Surveys often help the most in this area Patient function – You want the value to add(s) to be usable in some way that improves the patient’s experience both individually and as a group A fancy cooling station with multiple settings, fruit, vegetable-enhanced water, and more can get patients talking and feeling fancy. Often these changes can also help enhance the practice’s
