Can you begin by telling us a little bit about you and your clinic.
Competitive Edge Physical Therapy is a specialized running and sports biomechanics practice that I started in 2015 and have since grown it to 8 employees. Our Perfect Patient is a 40-60 year old competitive runner or triathlete that is recovering from injury or looking to improve their running performance. Having a niche focus of the business has been instrumental in our success. Over the last 7 years we have tested and refined our systems, marketing, sales, and operations processes in order to expand the impact of Competitive Edge through franchising.
My wife Chrissy and I have five kids – Jack, Emma, Max, Leo, and Rose – and live in San Jose, California. We enjoy being outdoors, hiking, biking, and taking family vacations to Lake Tahoe and back to Boston to see my family.
How long have you been a part of Paul’s ‘Planet’ and how did you first come across Paul?
Wow, it’s been a long time! I first heard about Paul in 2016 on another PT’s podcast and I’ve received weekly emails from him ever since…even when I’m already a part of all his programs! Back in the day I took Accelerator, then BGS, then joined Mastermind and CEO. Part of my learning has been watching Paul’s program grow and have the influence that it has. He practices what he preaches. Plus, for me, the best part is that Paul has always remained Paul throughout the whole process. In this age of social media and real-life duality, the authenticity of Paul is pretty unique.
Why did you join Paul’s CEO Mastermind and what did you hope to gain from it?
I joined the CEO program for three reasons really. The first is I wanted to be in a small group environment with Paul. Being able to learn directly from him is priceless. Second, I wanted to be in a group of driven business owners who I had connected with previously. Our group are some real PG OG’s and having the personal knowledge of one another, mixed with business knowledge, has produced some deep insights and takeaways. We’ve all helped each other grow and thrive and that’s an exciting environment to be around. Third, I wanted to have a dedicated time to get away and think.
Getting outside my normal routine, traveling and being around other business owners is rejuvenating. When you don’t have something your committed to that pulls you away from the day to day there is a good chance, you’ll never do it.
When I joined, I hoped to gain knowledge I didn’t have. I wanted to be pulled outside my comfort zone. I needed help getting to the next step and CEO provided the opportunity.
How invaluable has CEO been to you and achieving your goals? In what ways has CEO contributed to your success?
I certainly wouldn’t be where I am today without CEO. Takeaways and advice from CEO has helped me avoid dumb decisions like opening a second location too fast and also make some great decisions like hiring and developing my incredible staff. A big part of CEO is analyzing and providing feedback for other business owners. That is an invaluable skill, since solving other people’s problems helps you solve your own. So many times my questions get answered by other people’s sessions!
CEO has helped me step back from client care so I can focus on taking my business to the next level through franchising. I think one of the most impactful ways CEO has contributed to my success is in providing the clarity to stay focused on the key impact areas where I can have the most success. It’s easy to get distracted and the group keeps me focused and on course.
What were your biggest takeaways from your latest CEO Mastermind meeting?
There’s always so many! I like the idea of CEO meaning “Chief Energy Officer”. Being able to manage your own energy by optimizing your environment and the people you surround yourself with and being able to provide the right energy for the staff and business is crucial. Another takeaway was to anticipate changes and prepare for them before they happen. In a growing business change is inevitable and the only problem is thinking there aren’t going to be problems. I think the largest takeaway from the last few years of CEO is that the greatest metric of success is quality of life. Having a high topline and profit is meaningless if it doesn’t increase your ability to thrive and be around the people that make life worth living.
What are your goals following the most recent meeting?
The focus of my CEO session was getting clarity on growing my audience and influence in the running and franchise space. My goals following the session were to get on 5-10 podcasts, start my own podcast, and secure 5 calls with other PT’s who want to learn about running biomechanics or how to start / grow a niche running practice. The key here is that these are actionable and focused. The CEO group is the ideal setting to break down big goals into manageable steps that can progress each quarter.
Has CEO changed your perspective of your business in anyway and if so, in what way?
What I know now compared to what I knew 3 years ago is crazy. That’s the goal right? Continued lifelong mastery. Before CEO I feel I was managing my business 50% with emotion and 50% from objective data. As you can imagine, that created some issues. As my business knowledge in leadership, finance, marketing, and sales has deepened I’m able to assess problems and opportunities with a more level head and that clarity has made a tremendous difference. Knowing how all the pieces fit together and what levels to pull to move the needle in the right direction is essential to run an efficient profitable business. I also used to think very small in terms of where the business could grow. CEO has helped me to see how impactful Competitive Edge can be and to take the big swings when they present themselves.
And how about your fellow members in your CEO group? How supportive have they all been?
The group is amazing. Having known each other for a long time we are able to push one another and figure out the real problems to be solved. The support of the group comes not only from the board room but also from the drinks at the Tavern. Those are often priceless conversations. We all have each other’s backs and want what’s best for our businesses and for each other. We are all pretty competitive and that edge drives one another to perform our best. We are all there for one another at the meeting and any time in between. There’s not many groups I’ve been around like that.
Any final comments / advice on Paul’s CEO Mastermind for anyone thinking of stepping up?
Your peer group influence has a massive influence on your success and growth. Who is your key peer group now? If it isn’t other aspiring or successful business owners then you’re likely missing out on the energy, support, and accountability a group like CEO provides. If you’re not where you want to be in business you need to be around others who have achieved what you’re trying to do so you can mimic and learn from them. I’ve solved more problems in 2 days at CEO then months on my own. I’ve also met amazing people that have turned into close friendships because of the shared journey we’re all on. If you’re thinking about joining CEO, stop thinking and just take action.
Join Paul Gough’s Exclusive Business Success Mastermind Program for Physical Therapy Owners
This Program is all about YOU – and showing you what it takes to be able to grow and build a REAL business. One that can make you more profit and give you more freedom so that you’ll be able to do “simple” things that many business owners can’t – like leave town for a few days and still have a business to come back to.
Have access to closed door meetings, Q & A calls, and VIP events with Paul and his team to focus on marketing strategy and implementation for your clinic. Get individualized help with Facebook Ads, Google and Remarketing set up, and everything else you need to be trained and confident that you have the skills and network to build your business and generate more leads and revenue than ever before.
This Program is only for people who are serious about adding a minimum $100,000 to their income.