🎉 Celebrating 15 Years of Practice Promotions 🎉

Today on the Podcast: 🎉 Celebrating 15 Years of Practice Promotions 🎉

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About This Episode

This is a special anniversary episode of the Practice Marketing Podcast! Host Neil Trickett, CEO of Practice Promotions, is joined by a very special guest—his wife and co-founder, Amy Trickett—to celebrate 15 years of helping physical therapy practices grow.

Neil and Amy reflect on their journey from owning their first PT practice, AIM Physical Therapy, to building Practice Promotions into a leading marketing agency serving clinics across North America. In this episode, they dive into:

• Why they started their own PT practice—and the challenges they faced early on
• Lessons learned about leadership, people management, and marketing
• The transition from PT owners to marketing agency founders
• Early wins, setbacks, and defining moments at Practice Promotions
• How the company scaled and what it took to build a strong team
• Advice for PT owners navigating growth and change

They also share what excites them most about the future, their vision for Practice Promotions, and how they hope to continue supporting the PT industry in the years ahead.

Whether you’re just getting started or scaling a growing practice, this episode offers perspective, encouragement, and real-world lessons from 15 years in the trenches.

 

Listen Above or Read The Summary Here:

 

Building a Thriving PT Practice: Lessons from 23 Years in Business

Overcoming Classic Challenges: Recruiting Patients and Staff

Neil and Amy Trickett share candid insights from their experience opening and growing a physical therapy practice from the ground up in a competitive South Florida market. Amy describes the familiar cycle many owners face: “We always used to have one of three problems, not enough patients, not enough staff or not enough space. If we handled any one of those problems, then the other two would pop up.” The lesson? These challenges are persistent, but solvable with the right strategies.

• Recruitment is a long-term game: Consistent outreach, such as sending newsletters and postcards to local therapists, builds your reputation and keeps your clinic top-of-mind for potential hires. Amy notes, “Your cumulative actions add up not only for getting new patients but also getting staff.”
• Patient acquisition requires persistence: In the early days, Neil and Amy relied on direct mail and community engagement to generate referrals and reactivations. Today, while digital tools have evolved, the principle remains—consistent, multi-channel marketing is essential.
• Adapt to market needs: Successful clinics continuously scan their communities for new opportunities, whether it’s launching sports performance programs, women’s health services, or other offerings that meet local demand.

Keys to Effective Leadership and Team Growth

Neil and Amy emphasize that practice growth hinges on strong leadership, clear division of responsibilities, and intentional team development. Amy advises, “For relationship sanity, staying in your lane and dividing responsibility is really important…building off of each other’s strengths.” For husband-and-wife or business partner teams, this means leveraging each person’s strengths, trusting each other with key roles, and communicating openly.

• Delegate and empower: Neil says, “You’ve got to build a team that you can trust and rely on and can level up because that’s the only way you’re ever going to be able to build your business.” The owner cannot do everything; empowering others is crucial.
• Develop future leaders: Identify team members showing leadership potential and assign them stretch projects—running meetings, handling complex tasks, or analyzing metrics—to prepare them for larger roles.
• Invest in culture and communication: As clinics grow, internal communication tools (like chat channels or monthly newsletters) help keep teams connected and motivated. Amy highlights the importance of celebrating wins and sharing success stories across locations.
• Build around core values: “We recruit to our core values, we hire to our core values, we train and teach and fire to our core values, honestly,” Amy states. Clearly defined values help attract the right people and maintain a cohesive team culture.

Scaling Your Practice: From Owner-Operator to Sustainable Business

Transitioning from a hands-on clinician to a true business owner is a major hurdle for many PTs. Neil and Amy stress the importance of letting go of clinical tasks to focus on business growth, even though it’s often outside the comfort zone. Neil observes, “There comes that point where it has to go beyond you. You have to have directors, you have to have office managers, you have to have people that are running these core parts of your business.”

• Don’t be the bottleneck: Owners often restrict growth by staying too involved in patient care or micromanaging operations. Delegation and leadership development are key to scaling.
• Focus on business fundamentals: Neil breaks it down: get business in the door (marketing/PR), deliver excellent service (operations), and get paid for it (billing/finance). Don’t neglect marketing and front desk sales—the front desk is a critical “sales” position for converting leads into patients.
• Continuous learning is required: Amy highlights communication and delegation as essential skills for leaders. “Your skills have to grow as your business grows. You have to be continuously learning and developing yourself and your team to be able to handle the bigger challenges.”
• Seek help where you’re not an expert: Owners shouldn’t hesitate to bring in outside expertise—whether for marketing, billing, or operations. As Amy says, “Just realizing that you have limitations and that you’re not going to be the expert in everything, and then reaching out and finding someone who can be the expert in that.”

Looking Ahead: Embracing Change and Opportunity

Neil and Amy are optimistic about the future of physical therapy, especially for clinics that adapt to evolving market needs. They see major opportunities in hybrid models that combine insurance and cash-based services, leveraging digital marketing and AI, and prioritizing recruitment to stay competitive. As Neil puts it, “The top 10% of PT owners aren’t just surviving, they’re thriving.” The secret: continuous innovation, investment in people, and a relentless focus on both patient and staff experience.

Amy encourages owners to celebrate their milestones and the positive impact they’re having: “Go out and celebrate your milestones and the great work that you’re doing.” Success in PT practice ownership isn’t just about business growth—it’s about building a strong team, supporting your community, and creating a sustainable, fulfilling life for yourself and your staff.

 

Common Questions Practice Owners Ask About This Topic:

• What are effective marketing strategies for physical therapy practices?
• How can physical therapy clinics improve patient retention?
• What are common challenges faced by PT practice owners?
• How do you scale a physical therapy business successfully?
• What leadership skills are essential for running a healthcare practice?

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