PT Marketing Lessons from JAG Physical Therapy’s CMO Ft. Kayla George

PT Marketing Lessons from JAG Physical Therapy’s CMO Ft. Kayla George

Register For Titans of Private Practice Live at https://titansofprivatepractice.com/ [https://titansofprivatepractice.com/] Private practice physical therapy owners are constantly told they need more leads, better ads, stronger SEO, and a bigger digital presence. But according to Kayla George, Chief Marketing Officer of JAG Physical Therapy, growth does not start with a flashy campaign. It starts with people, community, clear systems, and a willingness to adapt. In this episode of the Grow Your Practice Podcast, Kayla joins Chad Madden to share practical lessons from leading marketing at one of the largest physical therapy organizations in the region. Her insights are especially valuable for PT owners who want to grow without losing sight of their local community or their team culture. THE PROBLEM: MARKETING KEEPS CHANGING One of the biggest challenges for practice owners is that marketing does not stand still. Technology, patient behavior, search engines, and AI tools are evolving quickly. Kayla points out that the marketing tools available today did not exist 20 years ago, and with AI, the landscape is changing almost weekly. That is why she recommends staying close to current trends. Her favorite resource is Morning Brew, specifically its marketing and healthcare newsletters. For busy leaders, the value is simple: a short daily read that helps them stay aware of trends, tools, and industry shifts without spending hours researching. For practice owners, the lesson is clear. You do not need to know everything, but you do need a system for staying current. KEY INSIGHT #1: INVEST IN PEOPLE FIRST When asked about the best investment in her marketing department, Kayla does not point to software, campaigns, or technology. Her answer is people. At JAG Physical Therapy, which has grown to nearly 200 locations, marketing is a team-based effort. Kayla emphasizes that culture, collaboration, and shared goals matter more than any individual tool. Technology can help, but the right people make growth sustainable. For private practice owners, this is an important reminder. Your team is not just a cost center. Your team is the engine that carries your brand, patient experience, community reputation, and growth strategy forward. KEY INSIGHT #2: DO NOT BAND-AID IMPORTANT INFRASTRUCTURE Kayla also shares a major lesson from COVID. Before the pandemic, JAG was growing quickly and focused heavily on team and culture. Meanwhile, the website needed deeper improvements, but it kept getting patched instead of fully rebuilt. Then COVID hit, and suddenly every patient’s eyes were on the website. That experience forced the team to rethink its digital infrastructure for the next five to ten years. The result was a stronger, more robust digital foundation. The takeaway for PT owners is simple: do not keep delaying the systems you know will matter. Your website, digital presence, patient communication, and internal workflows may not feel urgent today, but they become critical when circumstances change. KEY INSIGHT #3: HEALTHCARE LIVES IN THE COMMUNITY For someone opening a first clinic, Kayla’s advice is direct: start with the community. She challenges the idea that physical therapy is too crowded or that every market is already saturated. Instead, she says healthcare lives in the community. New practice owners should understand the three-to-five-mile radius around their clinic, connect with local leaders, attend community events, educate residents, and become a trusted resource. This type of grassroots marketing does not require a massive budget. It requires consistency, presence, and genuine interest in the people you serve. A new PT owner should ask: Who lives near my clinic? What organizations matter here? What events bring people together? Who already influences health decisions in this community? PR AS A DIGITAL GROWTH TOOL One of Kayla’s most overlooked trends in private practice marketing is public relations. Many owners think PR is only about getting media attention, but Kayla sees it as much more than that. Strong PR helps shape how the media and community perceive your brand. It positions your clinicians and leaders as experts. It also creates valuable digital signals when reputable media outlets link back to your website. For example, if a CEO or clinical expert appears in a media segment that is then syndicated across multiple outlets, those backlinks can support search visibility and brand authority. In other words, PR is not separate from digital marketing. It can strengthen it. For smaller practices, this does not always mean hiring a large agency. It can start with offering expert commentary, building relationships with local media, writing educational content, and becoming known as the go-to local source for injury prevention, rehab, and movement health. CONCLUSION: GROWTH REQUIRES ADAPTABILITY Kayla’s leadership philosophy comes down to positivity, adaptability, and focus. She believes in leading with positivity, saying no respectfully, protecting time by avoiding low-value meetings, and using exercise to clear her mind before solving difficult problems. She also sees AI as a major opportunity. In marketing, AI can speed up research, content ideas, captions, and strategy. Clinically, it can reduce documentation burden and give providers more time with patients. For private practice PT owners, the message is encouraging: growth is not about chasing every new tactic. It is about building the right foundation, investing in people, staying rooted in the community, and using technology to create efficiency without losing the human touch. Learn more about Jag PT: www.jagpt.com/ [https://www.jagpt.com/]

Growing a PT Practice That Lasts Feat. John Gallucci of Jag PT

Register For Titans of Private Practice Live at https://titansofprivatepractice.com/ [https://titansofprivatepractice.com/] Learn more about Jag PT: www.jagpt.com/ [https://www.jagpt.com/] THE BIG OPPORTUNITY FOR PRIVATE PRACTICE PT Private practice physical therapy is changing fast. Between staffing challenges, reimbursement pressure, direct access opportunities, technology, AI, and rising patient expectations, today’s practice owners need more than clinical skill to succeed. They need leadership, business discipline, and a clear vision for how physical therapy fits into the future of healthcare. In this episode of the Grow Your Practice Podcast, Chad Madden sits down with John Gallucci, CEO of JAG Physical Therapy, to discuss the lessons behind building one of the most recognized physical therapy organizations in the country. Gallucci’s journey began with a single practice in West Orange, New Jersey. Today, JAG Physical Therapy operates 180 locations across four states, while maintaining a clinician-led culture and a strong community focus. ADAPTABILITY IS A LEADERSHIP SKILL One of Gallucci’s first recommendations for private practice owners is surprisingly simple: read Who Moved My Cheese? He gives the book to many of his leaders because it teaches adaptability, perspective, and emotional control. In an industry where change is constant, from payer relationships to staffing to patient expectations, the ability to stay calm and keep moving forward is essential. That same simplicity shows up in his favorite low-cost clinical tool: the Swiss ball. Gallucci reminds clinicians that physical therapy is a hands-on medical profession, and sometimes the best tools are the ones that allow providers to treat the whole body through movement, balance, strengthening, proprioception, and range of motion. Technology matters, but foundational clinical creativity still matters too. THE BUSINESS LESSON THAT CHANGED EVERYTHING A major turning point in Gallucci’s career came when he realized that being a great clinician was not the same as understanding the business of private practice. When he opened his first clinic, he had strong referral relationships and name recognition from his background in professional sports. But he quickly learned that if patients could not use their insurance in-network, many would not return after the first visit. That lesson reshaped his view of access. For Gallucci, being in-network is not just a business decision. It is a way to make quality physical therapy available to more people. BETTER SYSTEMS GIVE CLINICIANS MORE TIME WITH PATIENTS As JAG grew, two major investments helped support both providers and patients: a strong EMR and AI-enabled documentation support. Gallucci emphasizes that clinicians should spend their time treating patients, not drowning in notes. Better systems help reduce administrative burden, improve compliance, and give providers more time to focus on care. GROW YOUR PEOPLE OR RISK LOSING THEM The core of JAG’s growth strategy is not just technology. It is leadership development. Gallucci believes every employee should have the opportunity to grow personally, professionally, and financially. If someone leaves because they did not see a path forward, leadership needs to examine where it failed. That belief has shaped JAG’s investment in education, residency programs, leadership training, and multiple career pathways. NOT EVERY GREAT CLINICIAN WANTS TO MANAGE PEOPLE This is especially important for practice owners who assume the only growth path is management. Gallucci explains that not every clinician wants to become a clinical director or run people. Some want to advance clinically. By creating both leadership and advanced clinical pathways, practices can retain great people while honoring different career goals. ACCESS IS A GROWTH STRATEGY For new practice owners, Gallucci’s advice is direct: take deep breaths, expect imperfection, and keep going. Mistakes are part of entrepreneurship. What matters is whether you learn from them and continue to serve your community. He also challenges practice owners to stop thinking too small about access. A clinic that is only open two or three days a week may struggle to become a true healthcare resource. Accessibility, consistent hours, and availability are part of the practice’s value proposition. THE FUTURE OF PT IS DIRECT ACCESS AND MSK LEADERSHIP Looking ahead, Gallucci believes private practice physical therapy has a tremendous opportunity to become the primary entry point for musculoskeletal care. Direct access gives the profession a chance to lead, but only if practice owners educate their communities, market the value of PT, and advocate for the profession. REHABILITATION SHOULD LEAD BACK TO REAL LIFE His final insight points to the growing connection between rehabilitation and performance. Whether treating a professional athlete, a pickleball player, or a golfer recovering from knee surgery, physical therapists must think beyond basic recovery. The goal is not just walking pain-free. The goal is returning people safely to the demands of their lives, work, and sports. CONCLUSION: BUILD A PRACTICE THAT SERVES FIRST The message for practice owners is clear: build systems, grow leaders, improve access, and never forget that physical therapy is a people-centered profession. The practices that win in the next decade will be the ones that combine clinical excellence with leadership, adaptability, and a deep commitment to serving their communities.

Break Limiting Beliefs to Grow Your PT Practice

Register for Titans of Private Practice Live at https://titansofprivatepractice.com/ In this episode of the Grow Your Practice Podcast, Chad explores how self-limiting beliefs can quietly become the biggest constraint holding private practice owners back. He shares real examples from his own PT practice journey, including how changing one belief helped him hire three physical therapists in 90 days. You’ll also hear why coaching, mentorship, and outside perspective can be some of the most valuable investments a practice owner can make. Listen in to learn how to identify, challenge, and replace the beliefs that may be capping your growth. Time Stamps 00:00 - Why Self-Limiting Beliefs Matter 03:40 - The Gap Between Where Your Practice Is and Where You Want It to Be 07:15 - Why the Practice Owner Is Often the Bottleneck 11:30 - How Expectations Shape Practice Growth 16:45 - The “Magic Wand” Exercise for Creating a Bigger Vision 23:10 - Common Limiting Beliefs in Private Practice 30:25 - Jim Kwik’s 3-Step Framework for Replacing Limiting Beliefs 38:40 - Why Coaching and Outside Perspective Accelerate Growth

Cash Pay PT: How to Beat Burnout & Grow a Practice Feat. Andrew Shofner

https://www.pteverywhere.com/ Register for Titans of Private Practice Live at https://titansofprivatepractice.com/ In this episode of the Grow Your Practice Podcast, Chad sits down with Andrew Shofner, CEO of PT Everywhere, to discuss the rise of cash pay and hybrid physical therapy practices. They explore PT burnout, declining insurance reimbursements, student loan pressure, and why many clinicians are turning to concierge, mobile, and wellness-based services. Andrew shares how PT Everywhere helps providers simplify billing, documentation, memberships, packages, and patient engagement so they can build sustainable practices. Time Stamps 00:00 - Introduction to Andrew Shofner and PT Everywhere 03:47 - Why Cash Pay PT Is Growing 06:37 - Student Loans, Burnout, and Side Hustles 09:47 - Why Traditional EMRs Struggle With Cash Pay 15:51 - Adding Wellness, Longevity, and Ancillary Services 18:14 - The Reimbursement Crisis in Physical Therapy 24:29 - PT Burnout and Clinicians Leaving the Profession 31:16 - How to Start or Grow a Cash Pay PT Practice 41:33 - Crossing the Chasm and the Future of Cash Pay PT

PT Student Debt, AI, and the Future of Private Practice

In this episode of the Grow Your Practice podcast, Chad Madden sits down with Jimmy McKay of PT Pintcast to talk about the future of physical therapy, student loan pressure, value-based communication, and the role of AI in healthcare. Jimmy shares how his unique path from radio DJ to DPT shaped his ability to communicate, educate, and connect with the PT profession. This episode is packed with insights for clinic owners, students, and clinicians navigating a changing healthcare landscape. Subscribe for more conversations on growing your PT practice, improving patient care, and navigating the future of private practice. 00:00 - Introducing Jimmy McKay and PT Pintcast 01:00 - From Morning Announcements to Radio DJ 07:48 - Lessons in Communication and Creativity 10:00 - DPT Student Debt and Education Challenges 17:16 - Can PT Education Be Disrupted? 27:08 - Understanding Value in Healthcare 39:29 - AI, Productivity, and the Future of PT 48:39 - Where to Follow Jimmy McKay