The Business of Allied Health

Barry Nguyen
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  • Entrepreneurship
  • Updated Weekly

Running an allied health clinic is a business — but most of the real lessons are never shared publicly. Behind every clinic are decisions about hiring, pricing, growth, and risk. This series captures honest, unscripted conversations with practitioners actually running clinics — from first-time owners to multi-site operators. No scripts. No polished talking points. Just what it’s really like. This series is hosted and supported by CliniScribe AI.

  1. 14h ago

    The Business of Allied Health - Episode 27: Craig Hankridge

    In Episode 27 of The Business of Allied Health, host Barry Nguyen is joined by Craig Hankridge, Founder and Director of ProFeet Podiatry in Melbourne. Craig shares his journey from initially studying occupational therapy to finding his true passion in podiatry, eventually scaling his practice to a multi-site operation with a team of 40 across the span of 11 years They discuss the unique challenges of allied health, focusing heavily on recruitment, preventing the dreaded "five-year burnout" among practitioners, and how to balance professional growth with personal goals. Craig also shares an insightful "Southeast Asia truck" analogy to explain why high patient visit averages (PVA) are actually crucial for patient health literacy, and drops an unpopular truth about why clinic owners need to stop coddling their team and embrace honest, accountable feedback. Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction: Meeting Craig Hankridge and his path into podiatry. 01:48 Early career experiences, working in London, and deciding to start a private practice. 02:58 Connecting with co-founder Shane Davis and launching ProFeet Podiatry in Melbourne. 04:45 Scaling the clinic to a team of 40: The philosophy of organic, bottom-up growth. 06:54 Why allied health practitioners burn out at year five and how Pro Fit combats it. 10:18 The trap of a "catch-all" marketing funnel and the importance of finding your ideal client. 13:30 Key metrics for clinic growth: Why rebooking cadence and frequency matter for patient success. 15:22 The "Overloaded Truck" analogy: Why cramming all your advice into a new grad’s first assessment fails. 17:15 Craig's unpopular clinic lesson: The danger of "coddling" your team instead of holding them accountable. 20:14 How to connect with Craig and ProFeet Podiatry.

  2. Sep 11

    The Business of Allied Health - Episode 26: Shane ("Guna") Gunaratnam

    In Episode 26 of The Business of Allied Health, host Barry sits down with Shane "Guna" Gunaratnam, a well-known business coach and successful former clinic owner. Shane shares his unfiltered journey from working as a physiotherapist for a decade to launching, scaling, and ultimately selling a highly profitable clinic—all while navigating a global pandemic. They dive deep into the realities of modern clinic ownership, discussing why the traditional "bootstrap" startup hustle might no longer be the most viable path and exploring the challenging "messy middle" that traps many business owners. Plus, Shane reveals the single most important metric every clinic should track and drops a controversial, unspoken truth about what it actually takes to survive and thrive in private practice today. Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction: Meeting Shane "Guna" Gunaratnam 00:44 Shane’s clinic ownership journey and partnering with Life Ready 01:51 Scaling a physio clinic from startup to profitability during a pandemic 02:42 The Life Ready acquisition and why Shane transitioned out 03:44 Why a partnership model beats the traditional "bootstrap" method today 05:50 The harsh reality of starting a clinic and surviving the "messy middle" 07:24 The biggest challenge for clinic owners: Staff recruitment and retention 07:41 The #1 metric for success: Net Promoter Score (NPS) vs. Google Reviews 10:01 The controversial truth: Why clinical excellence is non-negotiable in private practice 13:01 Final thoughts on continuous learning and mastery

  3. Sep 5

    The Business of Allied Health - Episode 25: Stephen Lee

    In Episode 25 of The Business of Allied Health, host Barry Nguyen sits down with Stephen Lee, Partner at Total Physio Care, a multi-location clinic in Melbourne. Stephen reflects on his 15+ year journey from a new grad under the mentorship of pioneering sports physio Barry Gavens to managing a large, long-tenured team of over 20 practitioners. They dive into the unique benefits of integrating hospital contracts into a private practice, the hard lessons learned from expanding and subsequently downsizing footprints, and the real secrets to achieving a 10+ year staff retention rate. They also touch on their collaboration in developing robust AI tools for clinical workflows. Timestamps: [00:00] Introduction to Stephen Lee and his pathway into musculoskeletal physiotherapy [01:42] Early career mentorship and working a hybrid hospital-private practice model [04:42] Developing clinical reasoning and improving referral efficiency with surgeons [05:47] Building a custom hospital software application for notes and billing tracking [07:09] Lessons learned from expanding the clinic footprint and managing overheads [09:28] Secrets to retaining staff for 10+ years and managing a team of 20 physios [10:59] Why communication and personality outrank clinical skills when hiring new grads [12:54] Advice for new practice owners on the initial hustle required for referrals [14:46] Teaser: Upcoming episode on developing AI forms and treatment plans for CliniScribe AI

  4. Aug 27

    The Business of Allied Health - Episode 24: Paul Ness

    In this episode of The Business of Allied Health, we sit down with Paul Ness, the Senior Director of Medical Services and Senior Physiotherapist for the ATP Tour. With over 23 years of experience traveling the globe and treating some of the world's greatest tennis players, Paul shares unparalleled insights into the realities of working in elite professional sports. Paul discusses his journey from a local clinic to the Australian Open, the intense pressure of treating top-tier athletes who need results immediately, and why injury prevention programs require deep adaptability. We also dive into the critical lessons private practice teaches you about time management, and why so many sports physiotherapists drastically undervalue their services when working with elite teams. Supported by CliniScribe AI. Subscribe for more interviews with allied health leaders and clinical business insights! Timestamps: [00:00:00] - Introduction and welcoming Paul Ness [00:00:46] - Right place, right time: How Paul transitioned from a local clinic to the ATP Tour [00:02:51] - Being "put under the microscope" by players who need immediate results [00:03:59] - Building trust quickly with top players (Federer, Nadal, Djokovic) [00:05:55] - Why you should treat a 75-year-old patient the same as a professional athlete [00:07:07] - The nuance of injury prevention programs and adapting to unique athletic bodies [00:09:42] - Force plates and strength testing: Where tennis currently stands [00:11:12] - Crucial lessons private practice teaches you that elite sport doesn't [00:13:25] - Why sports physiotherapists severely undervalue their worth and how to determine your salary [00:17:57] - The unglamorous reality of elite sports: 11-hour days, windowless rooms, and travel fatigue [00:21:47] - How to connect with Paul and what it takes to join the ATP Tour team

  5. Aug 22

    The Business of Allied Health - Episode 23: Jordan Gauder

    In this episode of The Business of Allied Health, we are joined by Jordan Gauder, Founder and CEO of Gen Physio, a rapidly growing nationwide provider of in-home allied health services. Jordan shares his incredibly unfiltered and authentic journey of scaling his business, transitioning from a clinical founder to a true CEO, and the hard financial lessons he had to learn along the way. From an embarrassing $55,000 superannuation oversight to fund a custom Range Rover in his twenties, to later trading his luxury car for a Toyota Corolla to support his team during tough NDIS pricing changes, Jordan holds nothing back. We discuss the critical importance of tracking Gross Profit Margins, why being "busy" doesn't always equal profitability, and the mindset shift required to successfully lead a scaling healthcare organization. Supported by CliniScribe AI. Subscribe for more interviews with allied health leaders and clinical business insights! Timestamps: 00:00 - Introduction and welcoming Jordan Gauder 01:10 - Discovering physiotherapy and early career path 03:07 - Identifying the gap in the market for in-home care and starting Gen Physio 06:53 - Scaling to $2M revenue and understanding profit vs. volume 09:09 - The Range Rover lesson: A $55,000 cash flow wake-up call 14:13 - Why Gross Profit Margin is the critical metric for clinic owners 15:52 - Making the hard mindset shift from Clinician to CEO 19:20 - Navigating NDIS pricing challenges and downsizing to a Corolla 21:58 - Future goals and how to connect with Jordan 24:35 - Final thoughts on transparency and removing ego in leadership

  6. Aug 15

    The Business of Allied Health - Episode 22: Rob LoPresti

    In this episode of The Business of Allied Health, we sit down with Rob LoPresti, CEO of the Australian Physiotherapy Association (APA). Rob shares his unique career journey, starting as an ICU physiotherapist before moving into high-level education and executive roles, and eventually returning to lead the peak body for the profession. We dive deep into the most pressing issues facing private practice owners today, including the squeeze between rising wages and stagnant funding across schemes like the NDIS and DVA. Rob also provides a behind-the-scenes look at the APA's long-term advocacy strategies, their push for a recognized sustainable hourly rate, and how the newly formed AI advisory group is helping practitioners safely adopt emerging technologies. Whether you are an early-career clinician or an experienced clinic owner, this conversation provides a transparent look into the future of the physiotherapy profession. Supported by CliniScribe AI. 🔔 Subscribe for more interviews with allied health leaders and clinical business insights! Timestamps: 00:00 - Introduction & Welcome Rob LoPresti 00:38 - From ICU Physio to CEO: Rob's Career Journey 04:16 - Leadership Tips & Mentorship for Early Career Clinicians 06:10 - The Biggest Challenges for Private Practice Owners (Costs vs. Funding)08:21 - Navigating NDIS Cuts, DVA Fees, and Private Health 10:59 - How the APA Delivers Practical Value to Clinics 13:29 - Researching the Sustainable Hourly Rate for Physiotherapy 17:11 - Safely Adopting AI in Allied Health & The APA AI Advisory Group 20:09 - The Reality of Advocacy: What Members Should (and Shouldn't) Expect 24:47 - Passing the Baton: The Future of the Physiotherapy Profession

  7. Aug 6

    The Business of Allied Health - Episode 21: Craig Phillips

    How can physiotherapists step up their clinical reasoning to beat the rise of AI-generated exercise programs? In Episode 21 of The Business of Allied Health, we are joined by Craig Phillips, the inventor of Clinical Pilates and founder of DMA Pilates. With over 38 years in the profession, Craig breaks down the specific movement-based classification systems (directional load) that are outperforming standard care in global RCTs. We also discuss the harsh realities of health economics, why physios are massively underfunded by the government, and actionable advice for new grads to avoid the dreaded 5-year burnout. Topics Covered: - The difference between standard Pilates and Clinical Pilates - Moving beyond structure-based classification for chronic pain - The threat of AI "physio bots" and generic protocols - Using heuristics and directional preference in patient assessments - The financial value of conservative care vs. surgical intervention - Why the physiotherapy profession needs to get political Timestamps: 00:00 The Origins of Clinical Pilates 05:38 The Rise of AI Physio 08:49 Groundbreaking Research 15:31 Heuristics in Clinical Reasoning 28:04 Combating the 5-Year Attrition Rate 30:16 The Health Economics of Physio 34:48 Political Advocacy

  8. Aug 1

    The Business of Allied Health - Episode 20: Jason T. Smith

    In Episode 20 of The Business of Allied Health, host Barry Nguyen sits down with Jason T. Smith — founder of Back in Motion. Starting from his garage, Jason built a $100 million physiotherapy empire over two decades before successfully exiting the business. In this episode, Jason shares the untold, behind-the-scenes realities of scaling one of Australia's largest health groups. They discuss the delicate balance between clinical excellence and commercial strategy, the brutal tax of giving up control, and the difference between owning a business and just owning a high-paying clinical job. Jason also reflects on his biggest mistakes, the relational cost of extreme growth, and the harsh realities young ambitious physiotherapists need to hear before trying to build an empire. This episode is proudly supported by CliniScribe AI. KEY TAKEAWAYS: - Clinical vs. Business Excellence: Why being a brilliant clinician isn't enough to scale, and the 60/40 rule that drives a national brand. - The Founder's Tax: The hardest thing founders must surrender to stop being the bottleneck in their own company's growth. - The 3-Month Test: How to determine if you've actually built a true business or simply bought yourself a demanding, self-employed job. - Leadership over Structure: Why Jason believes his biggest mistake was underestimating the power of leadership and culture in the early days. - The Cost of Ambition: A candid look at the burnt bridges, scar tissue, and relational toll that often accompanies a 20-year scaling journey. ABOUT THE GUEST: Jason T. Smith is the founder of Back in Motion Health Group, an author, and a leadership coach. Over a 20-year period, he scaled his practice from a single garage clinic to a massive national franchise before exiting. Today, he focuses on leadership development and mentoring. You can connect with him at jasonsmith.com.au. TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 - Introduction to Jason T. Smith and the Back in Motion story 01:31 - Did Back in Motion scale because of clinical or business excellence? 04:46 - The 60/40 rule of building a national healthcare brand 07:07 - Surrendering control: The hardest compromise for a founder 11:12 - Do you own a true business or just a self-employed job? 14:38 - Jason's biggest mistake: Underestimating leadership and culture 16:49 - The brutal truth for young physios wanting to build an empire 19:15 - Burnt bridges and the relational cost of extreme growth 20:45 - Conclusion and how to connect with Jason

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Running an allied health clinic is a business — but most of the real lessons are never shared publicly. Behind every clinic are decisions about hiring, pricing, growth, and risk. This series captures honest, unscripted conversations with practitioners actually running clinics — from first-time owners to multi-site operators. No scripts. No polished talking points. Just what it’s really like. This series is hosted and supported by CliniScribe AI.

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