FOOTWORX™ Podcast

Damian Murray
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FootWorX™ Podcast (formerly The Sole Traders Podcast) is the business show for podiatrists and foot health practitioners who want more than just a busy job - they want a sustainable, valuable healthcare business. In each episode Damian breaks down the real-world strategies behind starting, growing, managing and ultimately exiting a private practice. From attracting patients and building recurring revenue, to systems, staffing, pricing, profitability and valuations, the podcast translates business and financial principles into practical steps you can implement in clinic immediately. Whether you’re taking your first steps into private practice or expanding into a multi-clinic operation, FootWorX™ equips you with real world advice to transition you from self-employed practitioner to true business owner.

  1. 2D AGO

    Are You An Associate Or Employee - What Is The Future Of Healthcare Recruitment?

    Welcome to the FootWorX Podcast 👣 — the show where we explore the real issues shaping the future of private podiatry in the UK. In this episode, Damian Murray sits down with Erica Nicholls, Chair of the Royal College of Podiatry Southwest Regional Branch, to discuss a topic that is shaking the foundations of private practice: ⚠️ Is the traditional 50/50 self-employed associate model still legally viable in 2026? Following a recent Royal College of Podiatry webinar on HMRC, IR35, and employment status, many clinic owners and associates are asking serious questions about the way podiatry businesses are structured. Together we unpack: ✅ What IR35 and HMRC employment status rules really mean for podiatry clinics ✅ Why the CEST tool could classify most associates as employees ✅ The controversial “right of substitution” loophole ✅ Risks for clinic owners and associates if HMRC investigates ✅ The pros and cons of the associate model vs employed clinicians ✅ Why the future of podiatry may depend on modern employment models ✅ How progressive clinics are building teams, culture, and better patient care This is an honest, thought-provoking discussion about where private podiatry is heading — and why adapting to change could unlock a stronger future for the profession. If you’re a podiatrist, clinic owner, associate, new graduate, or healthcare entrepreneur, this episode is essential listening. ⏱ Topics Covered Introduction Erica’s background and work with the Royal College HMRC CEST tool explained Why most associates may actually be employees 18:30 – The right of substitution explained Why the associate model became dominant Pros and cons for clinic owners and associates The risks of HMRC investigations Why the profession may need to evolve Building modern podiatry businesses The future of private podiatry in the UK 🎧 About the FootWorX Podcast The FootWorX Podcast explores the clinical, business and professional challenges shaping podiatry today. We speak with leaders in the profession about practice growth, modern healthcare, and the future of private practice. 📢 Connect with the Royal College of Podiatry – Southwest Regional Branch Follow their events and CPD updates: 📘 Facebook: Royal College of Podiatry – Southwest Regional Branch >>https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61560986331340 Email: secretary.devon@cop.org.uk 👍 If you enjoyed this episode ✔️ Like the video ✔️ Subscribe to the channel ✔️ Share with a colleague in podiatry Your support helps us continue conversations that move the profession forward 👣 💬 Question for the community: Do you think the associate model in podiatry will survive the next decade? Let us know in the comments.

    39 min

  2. 11/15/2025

    Why I Built A Time Machine

    Recorded live at the West Midlands Foot Health Conference, Damian shares a personal story of how his mum selling glasses from the boot of her car sparked a lifelong entrepreneurial drive - and reveals the company that continues to inspire him. 👓 You will hear the origin story of Specsavers• How Doug & Mary Perkins changed UK healthcare in 4 years• How they scaled to 100 practices so fast• Why their branding & marketing were YEARS ahead of the industry• What Foot Medic learned from Specsavers• The power of systems and standardised training• How to build a “Specsavers-style” clinic that can scale nationally🎯 WHY YOU SHOULD WATCHIf you’re a foot health practitioner, podiatrist or healthcare clinic owner who wants to:✨ grow your business✨ build a real brand✨ automate your workload✨ scale nationally✨ or simply get inspired by an incredible story…👉 This is the episode you can’t afford to miss.Are you looking to automate your clinic? Sign up today for a 30 day free of Practice Autopilot™ here: practiceautopilot.co.ukAre you a Podiatrist or Foot Health Practitioner looking for investment in your clinic? Email Damian at the Foot Medic™ Group today: info@footmedicgroup.co.ukThanks for watching.

    23 min
  3. Could This Be the Answer to the Podiatry Recruitment Crisis?

    10/12/2025

    Could This Be the Answer to the Podiatry Recruitment Crisis?

    In this episode of The Sole Traders Podcast, Damian Murray sits down with Adele Beckett, a Foot Health Practitioner, educator and founder of The Foot Health College and Next Step Clinic Training School. From her start in corporate banking to running a foot health training collage, Adele has developed a game-changing model that could help tackle the podiatry recruitment crisis head-on. 👉 What makes her approach so revolutionary? She’s enabling podiatrists to train and qualify their own foot heath practitioners in-house! In this candid and insightful conversation, Damian and Adele discuss: How Adele’s personal experience inspired her move into foot healthWhat it’s really like to train as a Foot Health PractitionerWhy private podiatry is facing a recruitment crisis — and what can be done about itHow Adele’s Next Step Clinic model is bridging the gap between podiatrists and FHPsThe potential for a new, hybrid training route that supports both professionsWhether you’re a podiatrist struggling to recruit or simply curious about how foot health is evolving — this episode will open your eyes to what’s possible when collaboration replaces competition. 🎧 Tune in to discover how this innovative training pathway could transform the way clinics can grow, recruit, and train their teams. 🔗 Connect with Adele: 📩 foothealthcollege@gmail.com 🌐the footclinic-rowley.org ☎️ 07368 265487 🎧Listen & Subscribe On:🎧 Apple Podcasts >> https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sole-traders-podcast/id1703926068 Spotify >> https://open.spotify.com/show/4Aqf73SX1JeF7sdQJlEabH?si=d51fae831fa9436a YouTube >> https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGaWMlHU9DqiXOd-MXWSSLw This episode is brought to you by the Foot Medic™ Group... sponsored by Practice Autopilot™ Start you 14 day FREE trial at practiceautopilot.co.uk today.  Start you 14 day FREE trial at practiceautopilot.co.uk

    33 min
  4. How To Sell Your Podiatry Practice & Retire

    10/20/2024

    How To Sell Your Podiatry Practice & Retire

    Ready to Sell or Buy a Podiatry or Foot Health Practice? Discover the essential roadmap to successfully selling or buying a podiatry / foot health practice in our latest podcast. 💼 Whether you're looking to exit your business and retire, or you’re an ambitious practitioner eager to step into private practice, this episode is packed with actionable insights you can’t afford to miss. Damian delivers firsthand strategies for: ✅ Preparing Your Practice for Sale: Remove emotions, understand if you're selling a business or a job, and ensure your practice is ready for the market. 💸 Valuing Your Business: Learn the simple methods to calculate your practice’s worth, without paying for expensive valuations. Damian walks you through everything from EBITDA to multiplier methods, so you can confidently set a price. 🔑 Crafting a Winning Sales Strategy: From building a SWOT analysis to creating purchase options (like deferred payments), Damian shares how to package your practice for the right buyer—whether it's a trusted colleague, competitor, or rising star. 📑 Navigating Legal and Financials: Discover what you need to know about the legal, accounting, and contractual considerations to secure a smooth, profitable sale. Learn how to avoid the costly mistakes many sellers make! 🛠️ Creating a Seamless Transition: Get tips on how to hand over your practice to ensure your patients, staff, and business thrive long after you've moved on. 🎙️ Case Study Success: Hear how Damian and his business partner transformed a job into a thriving multi-podiatrist practice—using the exact strategies shared in this episode! Don't miss out on this insider knowledge—whether you're planning your exit in the next few years or looking to expand your horizons. Damian’s practical, no-nonsense advice will help you maximize your business's value and make the transition smooth for everyone involved. Special thanks to Michelle Gibson at Canonbury Healthcare for all their work in providing CPD events for podiatrists and foot health practitioners. You can view their education resources here >> https://www.canonbury.com/events Start you 14 day FREE trial at practiceautopilot.co.uk

    1h 1m
  5. Curacorn® - Why ‘Curing’ Patients is a Better Business Model than ‘Recurring’ Patients

    06/04/2024

    Curacorn® - Why ‘Curing’ Patients is a Better Business Model than ‘Recurring’ Patients

    Welcome to this episode of the Soletraders podcast, "Curacorn® - Why ‘Curing’ Patients is a Better Business Model than ‘Recurring’ Patients," where we explore a 21st-century solution to an age-old foot problem. For the past 1,500 years, dating back to Hippocrates' "On Regimen" (460 BCE-380 BCE), physicians, chiropodists, and podiatrists have struggled to find a permanent solution for one of the most common foot issues: corns.  But has Catherine Hughes (Hobbs), a renowned podiatrist from Wigan, UK, finally cracked the code with her revolutionary Curacorn®? I believe she has! Join us as we delve into: The remarkable 40-year journey of Catherine Hughes in the field of podiatryHow her determination to keep footballers on their feet led to the development of Curacorn®The importance of advancing our professional skills with this groundbreaking solutionAnd why focusing on ‘curing’ patients is a more effective business model than simply managing ‘recurring’ onesDon't miss out on this fascinating conversation that could change the future of foot care! If you would like to know more about training as a Curacorn® practitioner, simply: Visit their website: https://www.curacorn.co.uk Or, email:info@curacorn.co.uk Or call Catherine on:  07519 719143 Start you 14 day FREE trial at practiceautopilot.co.uk

    53 min
  6. How do I start a successful Podiatry / Foot Health Care practice?

    04/03/2024

    How do I start a successful Podiatry / Foot Health Care practice?

    Join Damian on Series 1: Episode 9 of the Sole Traders podcast, which is a recording of a Canonbury Healthcare webinar on: ‘How do I start a successful Podiatry / Foot Health Care practice?’  Damian discusses: What I've learned about private practice from managing a 2.4 million portfolio. What it really takes to be a successful private practitioner. How to reverse-engineer the perfect private practice.Why a great job is better than an average business.Why all private practices should be built to sell.We finish with a great Q&A session from some of the webinar guests. This is a PODCAST+ episode so you can watch (as well as listen) to the webinar here >> https://soletraders.net/course/how-do-i-start-a-successful-podiatry-foot-health-care-practice Listen & Subscribe On: Apple Podcasts >> https://bit.ly/stpodcastapple Spotify >> https://bit.ly/stpodcastspotify Google Podcasts >> https://bit.ly/stpodcastgoogle Website >> https://soletraders.net/blog/how-do-i-start-a-successful-podiatry-foot-health-care-practice Hope you enjoy the show Start you 14 day FREE trial at practiceautopilot.co.uk

    1h 5m
  7. Private Podiatry & Health & Care Professions Council (HCPC)

    03/16/2024

    Private Podiatry & Health & Care Professions Council (HCPC)

    In this episode, I chat with Hugh Tregoning. Hugh qualified as a physiotherapist in 2008 and continues to practise whilst representing Wales in his role as the Health & Care Professions Council (HCPC) Professional Liaison Consultant. With a background in both NHS and private healthcare settings, Hugh offers a unique perspective on the regulatory expectations of healthcare professionals, drawing from his own experiences as a fellow practitioner. Join us as we discuss: The role of the HCPC Professional Liaison Service and its purpose for healthcare professionals.Hugh's journey to becoming the HCPC Professional Liaison Consultant and what fuels his passion for this pivotal role.An insight on how the Professional Liaison Service can support both NHS and private practitioners. The hidden dangers of online forums for healthcare professionals – a must-hear for every podiatrist.An insightful viewpoint on why embracing regulation can be the best move a healthcare practitioner makes.Don't miss this episode, it will change the way you view the Health & Care Professions Council. You can contact Hugh Tregoning, together with all the regional HCPC liaison consultants here >> https://www.hcpc-uk.org/about-us/who-we-are/hcpc-departments/professional-liaison-service/ FINALLY If you would like to speak to the Foot Medic™ Group how we can help you start, grow, manage or exit your podiatry business - WhatsApp or call us on 0800 999 1150 and I'll arrange an informal and confidential chat. Hope you enjoy the show. Start you 14 day FREE trial at practiceautopilot.co.uk

    35 min
  8. WRITING A BUSINESS PLAN - For Success, Stability & Funding

    02/03/2024

    WRITING A BUSINESS PLAN - For Success, Stability & Funding

    This is the first PODCAST + where our listeners can follow the business planning discussed in the episode in the NEW 'FREE RESOURCES' section of the Sole Traders website.   In this episode Damian shares a cringey but relevant anecdote about wedding planning, how that is relevant to business planning and the shocking fact that both marriages and business fail at the same rate in the UK! To avoid the common pitfalls (in business not in marriage) and obtain funding, Damian takes you through the process of completing the British Business Bank's : Business PlanPersonal Survival BudgetSales AssumptionsCash Flow ForecastListen to the podcast and follow the step-by-step process online at any time by registering for the free resource at: SoleTraders.net/resources  Finally, if you would like to know more about how we work with private practitioners to help them start, grow, manage and exit their practices, CONTACT US via the website to book an informal chat. It may be the best appointment you make today! Thanks for listening! Start you 14 day FREE trial at practiceautopilot.co.uk

    22 min
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About

FootWorX™ Podcast (formerly The Sole Traders Podcast) is the business show for podiatrists and foot health practitioners who want more than just a busy job - they want a sustainable, valuable healthcare business. In each episode Damian breaks down the real-world strategies behind starting, growing, managing and ultimately exiting a private practice. From attracting patients and building recurring revenue, to systems, staffing, pricing, profitability and valuations, the podcast translates business and financial principles into practical steps you can implement in clinic immediately. Whether you’re taking your first steps into private practice or expanding into a multi-clinic operation, FootWorX™ equips you with real world advice to transition you from self-employed practitioner to true business owner.

Information

  • Creator
    Damian Murray
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    15
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Damian Murray
  • Show Website
    FOOTWORX™ Podcast