Happy holidays to the Healthy, Wealthy and Smart family! This is a special episode where all the amazing women behind the show come together to discuss 2019 and what’s to come in 2020. Thank you for supporting us and we hope to continue to provide great conversations in the new year!
In this episode, we discuss:
-Why you should enlist a team to help grow your business
-How to gracefully ride the ebbs and flows of entrepreneurship
-Prioritizing your mental health to avoid burnout
-New year intentions from the team
-And so much more!
Resources:
A big thank you to Net Health for sponsoring this episode!
Check out Optima’s Top Trends For Outpatient Therapy In 2020!
For more information on Jenna:
Jenna Kantor, PT, DPT, is a bubbly and energetic woman who was born and raised in Petaluma, California. She trained intensively at Petaluma City Ballet, Houston Ballet, BalletMet, Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet, RDA Choreography Conference, and Regional Dance America. Over time, the injuries added up and she knew she would not have a lasting career in ballet. This lead her to the University of California, Irvine, where she discovered a passion for musical theatre.
Upon graduating, Jenna Kantor worked professionally in musical theatre for 15+ years then found herself ready to move onto a new chapter in her life. Jenna was teaching ballet to kids ages 4 through 17 and group fitness classes to adults. Through teaching, she discovered she had a deep interest in the human body and a desire to help others on a higher level. She was fortunate to get accepted into the DPT program at Columbia.
During her education, she co-founded Fairytale Physical Therapy which brings musical theatre shows to children in hospitals, started a podcast titled Physiotherapy Performance Perspectives, was the NYPTA SSIG Advocacy Chair, was part of the NYC Conclave 2017 committee, and co-founded the NYPTA SSIG. In 2017, Jenna was the NYPTA Public Policy Student Liaison, a candidate for the APTASA Communications Chair, won the APTA PPS Business Concept Contest, and made the top 40 List for an Up and Coming Physical Therapy with UpDoc Media.
Jenna Kantor currently holds the position of the NYPTA Social Media Committee, APTA PPS Key Contact, and NYPTA Legislative Task Force. She provides complimentary, regularly online content that advocates for the physical therapy profession. Jenna runs her own private practice, Jenna Kantor Physical Therapy, PLLC, and an online course for performing artists called Powerful Performer that will launch late 2019.
Jenna continues to perform in musical theatre and lives in Queens, New York with her husband and two cats.
For more information on Julie:
Dr. Julie Sias, PT, DPT is the Producer of the Healthy, Wealthy and Smart Podcast. Julie received her Doctor of Physical Therapy degree from Chapman University. Julie loves to gain new insights and inspiration from the guests of the show in order to enhance her physical therapy private practice in Newport Beach, California.
For more information on Lex:
Alexis Lancaster is a student intern on the Healthy Wealthy and Smart podcast. She earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Biology, a Graduate Certificate in Healthcare Advocacy and Navigation, and is currently in her final year of the Doctor of Physical Therapy program at Utica College in Utica, NY. Lex would love to begin her career as a traveling physical therapist and hopes to eventually settle down in New Hampshire, where she aspires to open her own gym-based clinic and become a professor at a local college. She loves working with the pediatric population and has a passion for prevention and wellness across the lifespan. Lex also enjoys hiking, CrossFit, photography, traveling, and spending time with her close family and friends. She recently started her own graphic design business and would love to work with you if you have any design needs. Visit www.lexlancaster.com to connect with Lex.
For more information on Shannon:
Dr Shannon Sepulveda, DPT, M.Ed., CSCS, WCS is the owner and Physical Therapist at Shannon Sepulveda, DPT, PLLC. She is an Orthopedic and Women’s Health Physical Therapist and is currently the only Board-Certified Women’s Health Physical Therapist (WCS) in Montana. Shannon received her undergraduate degree from Dartmouth College, Masters in Education from Harvard University (M.Ed.) and Doctorate of Physical Therapy (DPT) from the University of Montana. She is also a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS). She has been a practicing Physical Therapist in Bozeman, Montana for over 6 years. In her free time, she enjoys running, biking, skiing, hunting and spending time with her husband, son and daughter.
Read the full transcript below:
Karen Litzy: 00:00:07 Hey everybody. Welcome to the last live podcast of 2019 I am your host, Karen. Let's see, and today's episode is brought to you by Optima, a net health company. Optima therapy for outpatient is a software solution enabling therapists and staff to do their jobs efficiently and accurately. Their software provides anytime, anywhere access to documentation, even while disconnected, which is huge, and workflows that streamline patient care and save valuable time. You can check out Optima's new on demand video to learn what's in store for outpatient therapy practices in 2020 with some of the biggest industry trends along with tips and best practices to successfully navigate these changes.
Karen Litzy: 00:01:14 Learn about these trends for the new year at go.Optimahcs.com/healthywealthy2020 and we will of course have a link to this in the show notes under today's episode. And I also want to thank net health not only for today, but for being such an amazing sponsor to this podcast. We couldn't do what we do every week without their help. So a huge thanks to net health. So definitely check them out. And notice I said we now it's because of course I cannot do this podcast alone by any means. And today I am so excited to have the powerhouse team behind this podcast for amazing physical therapy entrepreneurs for strong, amazing women who help bring this podcast to life every single week. So in this episode, I'm happy to have on doctors. So they're all doctors, Julie Sias, Jenna Kantor, Shannon Sepulveda, and Lex Lancaster. And what we did was I had a conversation with Jenna and Julia.
Karen Litzy: 00:02:18 You'll hear that in the first half of the podcast. And then in the second half of the podcast with Lex and Shannon and we talked about what our sort of our year in review, what 2019 did for us as people and as women and as entrepreneurs and physical therapists. And one theme that came across was that we're all doing things that make us happy and that in 2020 we want to continue that and we want to sort of construct the life that we want to see us leading. So that's in our personal lives and also in our life as physical therapists. So the amazing thing is Lex, Jenna and Julie are new grad physical therapists. Jenna and Julie have started their own practices. Lex has her own business outside of physical therapy, helping people with websites and graphics. Shannon, has an amazing practice in Bozeman, Montana.
Karen Litzy: 00:03:20 She has started her practice about two years ago. It has grown exponentially. So she talks about how she did that. And it's amazing. We talk about what I have coming up in 2020 including an online course to help all those physical therapists or occupational therapists out there who want to start their own practice in a way that feels good to them in a way that's going to make them happy, bring them joy. And also the most important thing as physical therapists is our job is to get people better. And in our conversations in this podcast, we talk about how what we do as individuals not only affects us, but it's exponential. It affects everyone around us, our communities, our friends, our families, and of course the patients that we serve. And we're so grateful to that. And of course, as the host of the podcast and creator of the podcast, I just want to thank all of these women because without them I wouldn't be able to do this.
Karen Litzy: 00:04:14 There's no way I can do this on my own. Like one of my guests said, Stephanie Nickolich and we mentioned this in the podcast is if you try and do it all, it'll keep you small. And when I was trying to do it all with this podcast, it was keeping me small. I wasn't able to upcycle this as much as I have with the help of these four women. So I just want to tell all of them and I say it in the podcast as well as that I appreciate them. I think they're amazing and I wouldn't be able to do what I do without them. And I just want them to know that my gratitude for this past year of 2019 is so immense and looking forward into 2020. I'm so excited to see what we all come up with. So I hope you guys really take in this episode because I think it's really special and of course to the audience thank you so much for another great year of listening and interacting with the podcast and being able to meet so many listeners all over the world has been a real joy to me in this past year. So everyone, thank you so much. Have a very, very happy new year and we'll be back with brand new episodes in 2020.
Karen Litzy: 00:05:24 Hey Jenna and Julie, welcome to the podcast. Welcome back to the podcast. Since you've both been on several times. The reason being is because we all work together on the podcast to make it what it is. So well, welcome, welcome. So we're wrapping things up for 2019 and I thought, well, what better way to do that then with the people who make this podcast happen every year and who I'm eternally grateful for and appreciate so much for all of your hard work and your dedication and your fun and your being you. So, thank you guys for everything that you do. And now let's talk about 2019. Right? So we have January, 2019 to now. So a lot of things have happened within that year. So Jenna, we'll start with you. What are some highlights for you that's happened over the past year that you can kind of share with all the listeners?
Jenna Kantor: 00:06:34 Why hello listeners! Good, good evening and sun salutations. For me, I started my own practice literally on January 1st and we were driving back and I got my first patient that day. So literally my practice started this year. That was a big one for me. I also very quickly left all my PRN for those who don't know, that's working as needed, like a substitute teacher at a bunch of mills and I very quickly left all of them and I have been working for myself and it was the best decision I ever made. I have that musical theater background, which I'm sure listeners are quite familiar with, but if you don't know not, you know, and I was really not meant as a physical therapist to be sitting in one spot from nine to five. I really am not built that way and I love that I can make my own schedule, my own life and not feel like I'm really stuck in a location. It's a very, very big deal for me. That was something that was very concerned about as a performer. So I'm grateful to have made that move for myself.
Karen Litzy: 00:07:49 Awesome. And Julie, how about you? So what's happened from January till now?
Julie Sias: 00:07:54 So having been kind of mentored by Karen for the past three years, it was nice cause I also actually started my own practice and Karen was helping me along the way and everything. And January 1st yes, had my first patient and everything and it's been going really well, I haven't left my PRN jobs, but I do manage my concierge outpatient practice. And then I also see kiddos as like a consultation kind of gig. And then I work at a skilled nursing facility, PRN right now to supplement all that. But it's been a really exciting year because I finally have had a lot of control over all of my hours and it's been nice being out of school as a new grad.
Karen Litzy: 00:08:44 Yeah. And Julie, when did you graduate? What was your graduation?
Julie Sias: 00:08:49 So I graduated in the summer last year and then I took the licensing exam in November.
Karen Litzy: 00:08:56 Right, cause you had to wait that extra long time to take your licensing exam.
Julie Sias: 00:09:01 Yeah, so that was when I was just like a licensed applicant in California and I was working at the skilled nursing facility that I did a clinical rotation at. And then after I finally got my license, I was able to do all the paperwork to get a corporation and everything.
Karen Litzy: 00:09:16 Right, right. And Jenna, when did you graduate?
Jenna Kantor: 00:09:19 That is so cool, Julie. I graduated in May 2018, took my boards in August and then I had a baby. No idea. I felt like, I think it was the rule of threes and I didn't have a three so I made up one.
Karen Litzy: 00:09:48 That's so funny. Can you imagine now people probably be like, Oh my God, if they get like just a little clip.
Julie Sias: 00:09:54 That's Jenna's one liner for the episode. We should make a graphic. I had a baby.
Karen Litzy: 00:10:06 So great that the two of you were able to have a good idea of what you wanted to do and then we're able to execute on that and take action on that because it's certainly not an easy thing to do, especially when you've just graduated and you're trying to, you know, sort of make your Mark and kind of find your way. So to be able to know that before you even graduated I think is is amazing. And do you have any advice? Let's say there are some new grads listening or some students who are getting ready to graduate on what they can do to get some clarity around maybe where they would want to start their career at. And I'll have either one of you can jump in. Julie, do you want to jump in?
Julie Sias: 00:10:56 Yeah, I'm ready to rock. So it was good to have accountability from you Karen because I kept telling you every year that I was going to do this. So then when it finally came to the time I couldn't really back down. So that was good. Cause then I had told everybody so if I ended up backing down that wasn't really going to look very good. And then I was also really clear with how I wanted my life to be. And going this route is definitely more of like a, it's tough, it's been tough kind of cause it's feast or famine sometimes and that's kind of like the ugly side of being an entrepreneur. But I have to like pause and just be grateful when I think about like my day and I just go, you know what, this is actually my ideal day. I got to go for a walk in the morning.
Julie Sias: 00:11:54 I saw two patients. Maybe it's not like whether I want to be for like a full time job eventually, but I just have to like take a second and just be grateful. So it's good to have a clear vision about what you want your days to look like and then just know that when you put in the hard work eventually it will pay off.
Jenna Kantor: 00:12:41 Yes. Amen, this is Jenna. I could not agree with you more. I think that is such a good point with any new practice owner is to stop and essentially smell the roses because it's easy to be, Oh my God, this is where I'm at. Oh my gosh. You know, living sometimes paycheck by paycheck and yes, you're not going to be rolling in the dough right away. It takes time. It takes patience, it takes persistence, all that stuff. But exactly what you said I think is a great way to approach it. I think a big thing, well there's a lot of big things for somebody. Big things when you graduate and you're trying to find a job, but there really is, from what I have seen, I know there's always an exception to the rule. There's really no help with the idea of graduating and getting a job from your school. They are focusing on teaching you what you need to know. You've got to pass those boards, boom, bada Bing. So if you're not going to continue and try to teach at the school that you were just at, you're not going to really get that guidance. The big thing now unfortunately as most of the jobs are at mills, there are places where people don't want to work for a long period of time. That's why they're always hiring. It just is what it is. And you could have this idea similar to me where you want to work with performing artists or say you want to work with tennis players. Say you want to work with geriatric patients only, but not by the hair of the chinny chin, Medicare, chin. So you have a different vision on how you want to treat your patients. It's not easy to fully see that through when you graduate because you see this number of what you owe.
Jenna Kantor: 00:13:50 So you're in this like fantasy world. You're in school, you're learning like, Oh that's what I'm going to do. You graduate, you see your debt, that number and that number changes everything for everyone you've finished. You're like I need to get a job now. And it's just ah, and then you start work and then I've heard from some people, cause I spoke to a lot of new grads since then, I'm coming to me and I've only been out for a year and four months, you know, since taking the boards and then coming to me, just so fearful of
Jenna Kantor: 00:14:26 what if I quit? And that makes me look like a bad physical therapist. I always say the same thing. I don't care if it's your fourth, your fifth or 10th job that you're quitting. This is your life. None of us are living your life. So you got to make sure you are happy every time. You may get promises that, that they may not keep. And you need to keep track of that so you're not putting it on yourself. When you're not enjoying the job and you feel like you need to suck it up, you're not supposed to suck up life you’re supposed to enjoy life. You can't find that working for someone. You might be happy working at a mill. I'm not saying you wouldn't be, you wouldn't be, but most people aren't, unfortunately. So you're going to go through a journey most likely, unfortunately as a new grad of really having a hard time finding that fully right place for you to work long term.
Karen Litzy: 00:15:14 And I usually tell people to kind of when you're trying to figure out, well what do I want to do or where might I fit? I usually have people do a couple of different exercises and I mentioned this on the podcast before, but one is like, just make three columns. I'm a big column person, right? So you make three columns in the first, just put like what you love to do and the second column is what you're good at because they could be two different things. Just cause you'd love to do something doesn't mean you're good at it. Like I love to do graphics doesn't mean I'm good at it, but I love to do it but I'm not good at it. And then the third is what will someone pay you for? So if you can kind of find a through line there, I think it helps you to sort of drill into maybe what are your strengths, what are you good at? What do you love? What will someone pay you for? So I always say like, I'm really good at crocheting. I really love crocheting, but no one's going to pay me for it. So it's a hobby. See the difference, right? So you want to make sure that
Karen Litzy: 00:16:30 you're excluding your hobbies as being your full time job. But you know, for me, I some examples of what I'm good. Like I love curiosity, I love asking questions. I love, you know, networking and being with people and meeting new people. Those are things I really love and those are also things I'm good at. And so I was able to parlay that into a podcast and then parlay that into, through the podcasts and through networking into public speaking and into being asked to different conferences and stuff like that. So just know that not everything has to come from one singular job. You know like, and I think we can all say that here cause we've all got a couple of different things in the fire, stokes in the fire. Is that how you say it? I'm not really sure.
Karen Litzy: 00:17:22 At any rate I would say to new grads is to certainly find the job that's going to put food on your table and feed your family and feed yourself and feed your pets and feed your kids and feed whoever else is depending on you. But don't discount that this one thing is the only thing you're allowed to do. You're allowed to do a whole bunch of other stuff, you have to give yourself that permission to do that and then you never know where that's going to lead you. Because if I only stuck just to patient care, well I wouldn't have this podcast and I wouldn't be going all over the world speaking and I wouldn't be asked to coordinate social media for conferences around the world. I mean just wouldn't be a thing. But instead I just decided to do what I love and do it well and get paid for it. It's awesome.
Julie Sias: 00:18:28 Actually I have like a counter to that and that sometimes it's also good not to do what you love as a job cause it can be something that is your me time sort of thing. Oh that's like another counter to that. I was thinking about that maybe if you monetize something, it takes away the fun from it and then it becomes something where like I have to do this to make money versus I get to do this because I want to do it.
Karen Litzy: 00:18:59 Right. And I think when you reach that point,
Jenna Kantor: 00:19:03 Yeah, I agree. Cut the cord if you don't like it's for me with performing I did. That was before me professionally for many years in musical theater. And I started to, I got into an eating disorder and I had to take a backstep cause it felt like a nine to five job going to these different States and I started doing community theater again to refine and which I did. And then I started working professionally again. So really was just, I realized I was just working at the wrong places. It's not that they were bad places, just not right for me. So yeah, I definitely agree with it's just assigned to cut the cord
Karen Litzy: 00:19:41 Like Julie said, when you get to that point where I love doing this thing, but now it feels like a chore. I think you have to really do some self reflection and kind of see like, boy this is not, maybe, maybe I made a misstep here, so I need to take a step back and reexamine what I'm doing and let it go. Or you can see are there ways that I can make it even better if I give up some of the controls. Hmm, nice. Right? So I felt what Julie just said is what I felt about the podcast a couple of years ago. This very podcast, I was like, Aw man, I have to do another podcast. But then, and I was like pissed about it cause I was like, Oh, but I have to do this and this and this and Oh now I have to make time for this.
Karen Litzy: 00:20:37 And I thought, all right, let me take a step back and kind of re-examine what I'm doing here. Cause there's gotta be a way that I can make this better and that I can make it bigger. And the thing for me was asking for help. So once I ask for help and let the control go, now all of a sudden it's, you know, more enjoyable and it's something that I continue to be very proud of, but that I'm not like, Oh no, not again, damn you podcast. You know, so it's instead of cutting the cord, I just tried, I took a step back and tried to look at ways that I can improve upon it and the improvement came with bringing people on board. So that's, you know, another all very valid kind of ways to look at things.
Julie Sias: 00:21:49 Yeah. Another way to look at it too is that when you were under a lot of pressure, that allowed you to kind of be more creative too, to look for solutions and sometimes you go in directions that you wouldn't have thought you were going to go just because you were under that pressure and boom. That's where sometimes magic happens too.
Karen Litzy: 00:22:09 That's right. Yeah. I think what Ryan Estis who was on the podcast a couple of weeks ago, what did he say? Like, when you're comfortable it breeds laziness or something like that, I'm really butchering his statement. I was like, boy, I really butchered that one up pretty well. But I remember when you said that, I was like, yes, that's so true. And yeah, it was something to the effect of like if he was looking at it from the point of view of an entrepreneur, that when you get to the level where you know you're consistently making money and you're consistently successful and then does that then breed complacency and does that take away your creativity a little bit?
Julie Sias: 00:22:58 Yeah. That's not really the magic zone for growing.
Karen Litzy: 00:23:01 Right, right, right. Yeah. And that's when you need some outside eyes to kind of take a look and see, and like Steve Anderson said last week, what is the role of a coach? And he said to give you those external eyes and ears that opens you up to things that you're just not seeing. And that's for everyone.
Julie Sias: 00:23:27 Yeah. I actually have a perfect example of this and it was when I was just graduated and I was a licensed applicant and I had gone to all of my clinicals and asked for a job because I needed to make money while I was studying for the boards and stuff. And so ended calling Karen up and I was just like, you know, this one job offer, I got sure, like I'll have guaranteed money and guaranteed hours and stuff, but I just, it's not sitting with me well, I didn't really enjoy that experience as much as I could have. And then you were just like, Oh well maybe that's not the right fit for you. And then I got really creative and asked for referral for another clinic and ended up getting a job that better suited me at that time. So it was kind of nice having you there cause I was in the trenches like, Oh I need to make money right now. And you were just like, no, just take a step back. And then I had all these other opportunities present themselves.
Karen Litzy: 00:24:24 Right. Right. And Jenna, that's kind of what you were saying. Right. When you graduate, like you said, all you're seeing is like, I've got debt, I need to make money. So you just take what you can. And so, you know, we don't always want to take just what we can, but you know, we want in an ideal world, we want to take what fits from all perspectives, what fits for the employer, what fits for you as a potential employee, what fits for you, whether you want to be an entrepreneur or you know, a part time entrepreneur, full time, whatever. But I think as a healthcare provider, if you find that job that fits, it just allows you to help more people.
Karen Litzy: 00:25:19 Right? And in the end, we're in the business of making people better. And if you're not in the job that allows you to do that or you're not in the head space that allows you to do that, then the people who ultimately suffer are not you. I mean, you do a little bit, but it's the people that we’re out there to help. We're there to help people. That's what our job title is. And so if you can't, you're not in a good head space to do that or in a good physical space to do that. Then I think it becomes very difficult. Like Julie said, well, I had a great day. I was able to do the things I want to do that keep me sane. So that when you show up for your patients, your clients, you're showing up fully for them. That's where I think the PT profession can Excel for sure.
Jenna Kantor: 00:26:24 When I was filling in for PRN work, I would come in energized, positive. I would walk in and go, let's do some physical therapy. We're going to heal. And like people loved me, or at least I believe they did. I had the patients even though I was a substitute teacher, which is how I introduce myself.
Jenna Kantor: 00:26:45 Like I really bonded with these people, you know, and I have that energy, but Oh yeah. If I had one full day or Oh my gosh, forgot it, two or three, Oh, can maybe have at once. Oh my God. Full days in a row, I would need days to recover, days to recover. Like I was like, I was gone, I was gone. I was like sleeping, like just feeling so tired throughout the day and it really made it so apparent to me that everyone else is doing this six days a week, maybe five, you know, I don't know, depending on there schedule, but I was just, Oh my God, I can't, you know, hence here we are a private practice owners on this call. Yeah, exactly.
Karen Litzy: Now let's talk about what's in store for 2020 new decade. New year.
Jenna Kantor: 00:27:44 It's my birthday. I'm turning 40 years old. That means I'm going to be so mature. February 16th. I like flowers, see's candies and cats and Disney for anyone who wants to know. Yeah, we're getting a dog. But like I'm more of a cat person so, but it has to be cute cats cause there are those presents. But 2020 is going to be awesome. I'm sorry, I just jumped in. But I'm theater people love talking about themselves being the center of attention. It's great. So I am so excited about fairytale physical therapy. For those who don't know, Fairytale Physical therapy is where we bring musical theater shows to children in hospitals and teach choreography that’s secretly composed of therapeutic exercises. This whole past year we've been working on paperwork back and forth with the lawyers to get it done right.
Jenna Kantor: 00:28:42 And we're like almost there every time. Like people ask, it was just us liberal almost there. Right now we're trying to get the right legal name because it's not as simple as you would think. So we're trying to figure out that legal name where they're not straying too far from what we are. And so that's going to exciting. And then for me, I am doing a lot of one-on-one beta tests with performers, for one course an online course for performers to essentially, those are going to be mini courses like say you have, hip tendonitis. All right? Now the majority of non-union musical theater performers do not have health insurance. And if they do, they have extremely high deductibles. So they usually just don't get help. So this is creating a wellness program that will be on that boundary of like, Oh my God, you doing like physical therapy stuff, but y'all do.
Jenna Kantor: 00:29:42 It's about the patients. So I'm creating this for them. The people who don't have that access, they don't have the money, they don't have all that, where it's a program and right now I'm just testing it on people cause it's physical therapy. You have to test on people and see if it works, if they stick with it. And so that's really cool. So I'm literally doing it, I'm doing three different types of injuries, right? No, five injuries right now. And taking different people. They're essentially like patients where I'm talking to them every week and like upping the game and figuring out symptoms. So that's great. Move that over. Now I'm also starting next week, just walking into the new year one on one work with physical therapists who want to work with dancers and figuring out what they want to know to make them the confident, accessible and go to dance PT in their area.
Jenna Kantor: 00:30:35 So I am working with now five, it was originally three 50 minutes ago, became five. I'm working with five and figuring out what they learned and basically giving, creating a course from this. So I'm very excited about two things cause it's where I want my energy to go. I love doing, like we were saying, find what you like doing. I like doing the creation of online stuff. And I've just encountered so many people with limited access to performing arts, physical therapists who specifically know that. And if they do know that our hearts, they don't have the insurance. You know, there's a lot, a lot of people in this world who don't get it. So I'm very excited to be bringing that help to performers at large. Whether it be giving that education to physical therapists or providing a program to them directly so that is exciting!
Julie Sias: 00:31:36 Jenna, I was like, I'm going to bring like some California chill into the conversation because when I think about 2020 it's more just like, okay, I got my income streams and their proportioned a certain way. I want my business to grow more than the other ones and slowly phase those out. So that's like my intention for 2020 but then every other intention has nothing to do with physical therapy.
Karen Litzy: 00:32:12 I love it. That's good.
Julie Sias: 00:32:16 I’ve just been spending too much time thinking about physical therapy this year too much time, so next year I'm just thinking about more time with family, more time exploring hobbies and stuff. Maybe then I'll feel refreshed and have some inspiration to do more online type services and stuff like that, but just going into 2020, I have I don't want to say low expectations, but just I don't want to set too many things, just see where it goes.
Karen Litzy: 00:32:40 You have sort of more relaxed expectations, so not that they're low. I think phasing out your PRN jobs and increasing your income that’s a big job. And it's awesome. So I think that's a great thing to focus on. That'd be fabulous.
Julie Sias: Karen, you haven't told us about your 2020.
Karen Litzy: 00:34:09 Why I am going to do nothing? No, I'm just kidding. I'm just stepping back and I'm going to live the life of Riley for the whole year. No, no, no. I am going to continue obviously with my concierge practice because I love it. I would like to take on another independent contractor onto the practice as well. Just to, even if it's just one or two patients a week, you know, just something to kind of help offset the amount of time I'm spending with patients, which I love. But, it's a lot. So oftentimes I get caught up working in the business instead of on the business. So that's something that I'd like to kind of get a better balance of. And I am also in the final stages of putting together an online program. I know I said I was going to do this year, and I did it because I was too fearful and just was too afraid of like, no one's gonna buy it. I'm going to look so stupid. And with that, you know, it's clear that has been holding me back. But I've been working with Adrian Miranda also. So he helped me with some videos and worked with Joe Tata, to help me come up with a great plan. And I've been working with copywriters throughout the year and some business coaches. And so I have a program that I was calling strictly business mastermind, but now I think we're might change it to the private practice mastermind, but that might be changed. I think someone else has a name that's pretty similar.
Jenna Kantor: 00:35:20 You could do PP mastermind, so you could say pee pee like professionally, which would be funny. He'd be mad.
Karen Litzy: Oh boy. I didn't even think of that. Now that private practice mastermind PPM, I may need to rethink this. But we're hoping for like an end of January launch and it's not just me, there's myself, there's lawyers, there's accountants, there's PR professionals, marketing professionals, investment professionals, you know, investment 101 for entrepreneurs kind of thing. Got other successful physical therapists are going to come in and that's just the six week part of the course. So six modules over three months, but then it's a year long program. So each month I have new mentors coming into the group to talk about whatever the group is looking for. Whether that be, you know, practice succession or tax stuff, student loan stuff, whatever.
Karen Litzy: 00:36:38 So we'll have monthly webinars for the whole year. And then the best part is I'm doing the Marie Forleo model. So Marie Forleo started a B school, which is an online kind of business school, like abbreviated business school that she started several years ago. And once you purchase it once, that's it. So if we do it again and there are things added to it, you're always in the Facebook group. You don't get shut out of the Facebook group after a year. You don't have to pay for upgrades and all that kind of bullshit cause I think that's so stupid. So I'm going with the Marie Forleo model and it seemed to serve her well since she's made millions and millions of dollars and she's just helped so many people. And I think they just know that like, Hey, this is the deal. And so once you buy the program, once you're in it for life and you'll get the benefits of that for as long as you need or want said benefits.
Karen Litzy: 00:37:41 So I love it. I kind of liked that model. I just think it's, I dunno, it just fits my personality a little bit better, you know? So, we'll come up with a name, and then we'll unroll it hopefully at the end of January.
Jenna Kantor: Karen Litzy’s LIT program. Karen Litzy’s Master class cause you could do lit in LITzy. So that'll be like the fire. Oh, I see what you mean. That's a topless pizza delivery man. I dunno. I just, I was thinking lit. That's red fire color and nothing. What else is fire color? Oh, pepperoni. And then I went to pizza and that's where we got.
Karen Litzy: Well, I thought it was because I am from the pizza capital of the world, which I guess would make sense. That would be amazing. I love that. Yeah. Yeah. Old forge, Pennsylvania. Plug for my hometown, pizza capital of the world. But yeah, so, but that's pretty much. And then, I also am going to take a vacation.
Julie Sias: Where are you going?
Karen Litzy: 00:39:08 I don't care, but I'm doing it. I don't know where I'm going yet,
Julie Sias: You should go to Hawaii.
Karen Litzy: I love Hawaii. It's so nice.
Jenna Kantor: This morning you, I don't know what it is, but one, I have a friend that's gone on vacation that is when I decided to contact you. So it's not on purpose. It's just so when I'm contacting you I'll be like, wait a second. She's probably obvious. She's in Hawaii. She's in Hawaii.
Karen Litzy: So we'll see. I don't know, but 2020. I am definitely, cause I have not had like proper vacation in a long time. So my goal, one of my biggest goals, and this is not PT related, kind of like what Julie said, but is take a vacation and love that with Brett. He just doesn't know it yet.
Karen Litzy: 00:40:03 We just have to be after June. He worked for a state Senator in New York, so he's in session until in Albany, you know, you gotta, you gotta do what you gotta do. And then the other thing that I want to do, and Jenna can probably help me with this, is get a little more involved on the legislative side of things.
Jenna Kantor: Love that stuff, man. You want, it's that be the change you want to see in the world.
Karen Litzy: 00:40:50 That's another thing that I'd like to do, whether it's PT related or not PT related, but just try and push for things that I believe in that should be happening.
Jenna Kantor: So I think this has been the best podcast ever. I think for all of us were overjoyed to have us have cats. Julie, where's your pet?
Julie Sias: She's outside.
Jenna Kantor: There's that dog, a dog and two cats walk into a bar. Thank you so much for having us on Karen.
Karen Litzy: Yeah, this was great. And I'm just so happy to wrap up the year and I'm looking forward to lots of great stuff from everyone and with the podcasts and just kind of keep moving forward and trying to innovate and do some fun stuff. So that's the goal and I thank both of you. So Jenna, Julie, thank you again. Like I said in the beginning, I appreciate you guys so much for all of your hard work and help and making the podcast much better than it ever was. So thank you so much. And everyone we're going to take a quick break to hear from our sponsor and we'll be right back.
Karen Litzy: 00:42:20 This episode is brought to you by Optima, a net health company. Optima therapy for outpatient is a software solution enabling therapists and staff to do their jobs efficiently and accurately. Their software provides anytime, anywhere access to documentation, even while disconnected and workflows that streamline patient care and save valuable time. You can check out, optimize new on demand video to learn what's in store for outpatient therapy practices in 2020 with some of the biggest industry trends along with tips and best practices to successfully navigate these changes. Learn about these trends for the new year at gooptimahcs.com/healthywealthy2020.
Karen Litzy: 00:43:00 Hey Lex and Shannon, welcome to the podcast for our year end wrap up our year in review. So thank you so much for coming on and being on the other end of things for Shannon and the other end of things for Lex too. So thanks so much. So I spoke with Jenna and Julie the other day and now I have you guys here and I'll say the same thing to you guys that I said to them is that I'm so thankful and appreciative of both of you for being part of the podcast and really elevating it to a new level this year. Cause I really do feel like without your help and without your contributions that it just wouldn't have been what it was. So I just want to thank both of you and know that I appreciate both of you for your work in front and behind the scenes. So thank you so much. And now let's talk about 2019 because now is the time of year that everyone looks back on the year. So I'll ask the same question of both of you.
Karen Litzy: 00:44:14 Where were you at January of 2019 versus kind of where you are now. So Lex, why don't I have you start kind of what big things happened in your year? Where are you now? So it's way different than where you were in January.
Lex Lancaster: 00:44:32 Yeah. It's pretty crazy to be honest. I was thinking about it last night. This time last year, I was preparing for my last clinical physical therapy school, so I was actually going to New Hampshire. Mmm. I was going to be in an outpatient clinic for 13 weeks. I was super excited because it was my last one, but I was also getting that full 13 weeks in outpatient clinics. I was like my powerful clinical, so super pumped. So I finished that and then I went to graduation and I actually got engaged on white coat night. So that was really, it was awesome. Kyle did a really good job. And then I graduated PT school, it was so awesome. I was so happy. And then the NPTE came around and that was a different experience altogether. I will say that I underestimated that completely. Just the preparation for it as a whole, but then I passed. So that was great. And then now, so I had this dream of being a travel PT.
Lex Lancaster: 00:45:42 So, this past year, you know, I decided I was going to explore that. So right after I passed the NPTE, I accepted a contract with my fiance in Alaska. So we moved 3,500 miles away from home to an Island of 1200 people in Alaska. So now we're in Ketchikan where it's like the rain capital of the world. So I don't look at rain as like, let's keep me inside anymore. It's okay. It's always raining. It's never not raining. And it's pretty dark here. It's pitch black still right now. So we're currently in Alaska and an outpatient clinic. And to be honest, it's been a whirlwind transitioning from student to kind of a PT, but you're just studying for your exam to a full blown PT. It's been hard just because I didn't expect it. You know, I've done clinicals, I'm like, Oh, it's no big deal. It's totally different when you're the person. So I've spent a lot of time in the last 13 weeks just kind of getting used to that and getting the groove and I’m excited. I'm excited to see what the next year will bring because this year was just really, really awesome and I'm really excited for, you know, to see what's next.
Karen Litzy: 00:46:52 And you also, not to, I don't want to leave this out, but you also have an entrepreneurial streak in you. You have a company that you started this year as well. Am I correct?
Lex Lancaster: 00:47:05 Yeah, yeah. And I shouldn't, you're right. So I guess I initially launched it in like the end of 2018 but this past year has just skyrocketed. I just went from, I mean, I guess word of mouth is kind of the way that it really worked out. And I get to design websites and graphics and I am a virtual assistant, so I get to work with people all over the country and all different professions. I have so much fun doing that and I started it in PT school as I admit. I used to do it when I was bored in class. And then, you know, it got to the point where that was how I took study breaks. So that was the way I decompressed and I found that that was a big stress reliever for me.
Lex Lancaster:
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