The Paul Gough Show

The Paul Gough

If you're a physical therapy clinic owner looking for tips, tools and strategies for growing your business, this is the podcast for you. Your host is Paul Gough - a former Professional Soccer Physical Therapist turned successful business owner and best selling Author from the UK. As well as running his own 4 location clinic, Paul works with clinic owners from all across the USA, Canada, Britain, Australia and beyond. Paul talks about everything from marketing, sales and hiring staff to leadership, finance and the mindset needed to become a world class clinic owner. Subscribe right NOW! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  1. 18H AGO

    EP677 Paul Meets: Todd Houghton | Burnt Out & Broke To Calm & Free

    In this episode of Paul Meets, I sit down with Todd Houghton (https://houghtonphysicaltherapy.com), owner of a 22 year old outpatient physical therapy clinic in Massachusetts, and one of the most thoughtful business owners I know. Todd’s story is powerful because it’s real. For over two decades, he ran a successful but stressful insurance based clinic. Thin margins. Constant pressure. Always busy, but never quite free. Then everything changed. Todd also shares his vision for the next phase of life: traveling the world, coaching other owners, and building a business that supports freedom instead of consuming it. If you’re a clinic owner who’s busy, tired, and wondering if it’s ever going to feel easier… this episode will hit home. #paulgough #thepaulgoughshow #physio #physicaltherapist #physiotherapy #pt #physicaltherapy #privatepractice #businessgrowth #marketing #marketingtips #digitalmarketing #growth #success #mindset #business #sales ------------------------ 👉 Subscribe to the podcast now – and never miss an episode that could change the course of your business.  🎙️ Paul Gough Podcast – https://www.paulgough.com/podcast/ 👉📘 Grab your FREE copy of any one of my six best-selling marketing books right here: www.paulgough.com/free 💬 Got thoughts or takeaways?  Share them with us! Tag Paul or drop a comment – we actually read them 😉 📲 Follow Paul here: 🎙️ Paul Gough Podcast – https://www.paulgough.com/podcast/ 📘 Facebook: facebook.com/PaulGoughPhysioRooms 📸 Instagram: @ThePaulGough 🎥 YouTube: Paul Gough Media 🐦 Twitter/X: @ThePaulGough 🌐 Website: www.paulgough.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    34 min
  2. EP676 ☕ When You Feel Like You’re Supposed to Have It All Figured Out

    3D AGO

    EP676 ☕ When You Feel Like You’re Supposed to Have It All Figured Out

    Coffee with Goughy isn’t a training, a webinar, or a list of quick marketing hacks. It’s a real conversation I have with clinic owners who feel the pressure of responsibility, the expectation to have it all figured out, and the frustration of building a business that still relies too heavily on them. In this episode, I answer live questions from clinic owners around the world and go deep on the fundamentals that actually determine whether a practice grows or stays stuck. Systems versus self reliance. Pricing without apology. Why being busy is not the same as being profitable. How hesitation around money, marketing, and leadership quietly keeps owners trapped in the treatment room. 0:00 – Intro and going live across platforms 2:05 – What Coffee with Goughy is and how to ask questions 5:38 – First real question from a clinic owner 10:40 – Follow-up question and deeper clarification 15:55 – Money, pricing, and confidence in private practice 21:10 – Why most owners stay stuck even when busy 26:30 – Burnout, pressure, and the mental load of ownership 31:45 – Marketing, communication, and missed opportunities 36:55 – Live audience questions and real scenarios 42:20 – Systems vs hustle and where owners get it wrong 48:10 – What actually changes results long term 53:40 – Final thoughts and weekly focus ☕ JOIN COFFEE WITH GOUGHY LIVE Real questions. Real answers. No slides. No fluff. Live across YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. If you’re a PT clinic owner trying to grow, scale, charge properly, or get out of the treatment room, this is where the real conversations happen. 👥 JOIN THE COMMUNITY Connect with PT clinic owners from the US, UK, Europe, Australia, and beyond who are building profitable, sustainable clinics. 👉 Join here: https://www.skool.com/paulgough/about 📲 FOLLOW PAUL INSTAGRAM: @thepaulgough YOUTUBE: @thepaulgough LINKEDIN: @PaulGough WEBSITE: paulgough.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    58 min
  3. EP675| Is it IMMORAL to Charge $250+ Per Session?

    3D AGO

    EP675| Is it IMMORAL to Charge $250+ Per Session?

    PT Reddit Files dives into the shadowy underworld of Reddit, where anonymous PTs and clinic owners vent, rant, and project their frustrations about business without ever confronting the real problem: a refusal to learn the rules of business ownership. In Case File 3… We’re asking the uncomfortable question that’s lighting up therapist Reddit threads everywhere: Is it immoral to charge $250+ per session in private practice? Or… is this just the guilt-driven narrative keeping smart, talented professionals stuck, underpaid, and burned out? In this episode, Paul unpacks the real issue: And it’s not about greed. 00:00 – Show + Case Intro 01:58 – The Reddit Question 05:15 – Value vs Price 07:15 – Money Triggers & Poverty Thinking 10:35 – Identity Drives Pricing 13:56 – Projection & Insecurity 18:01 – Purpose vs Money Myth 20:49 – Wealth, AI & Modern Opportunity 24:34 – Let the Market Decide 27:53 – The Real Cost of Underpricing 29:48 – The Truth Bomb 31:11 – Survival Clinics Explained 36:48 – Final Verdict 49:00 – Case Closed 👉 Subscribe to the podcast now – and never miss an episode that could change the course of your business.  🎙️ Paul Gough Podcast – https://www.paulgough.com/podcast/ 👉📘 Grab your FREE copy of any one of my six best-selling marketing books right here: www.paulgough.com/free 💬 Got thoughts or takeaways?  Share them with us! Tag Paul or drop a comment – we actually read them 😉 📲 Follow Paul here: 🎙️ Paul Gough Podcast – https://www.paulgough.com/podcast/ 📘 Facebook: facebook.com/PaulGoughPhysioRooms 📸 Instagram: @ThePaulGough 🎥 YouTube: Paul Gough Media 🐦 Twitter/X: @ThePaulGough 🌐 Website: www.paulgough.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    58 min
  4. EP674🔥Paul on Fire: The Middle Is About To Get Wiped Out

    4D AGO

    EP674🔥Paul on Fire: The Middle Is About To Get Wiped Out

    In this episode of Paul on Fire, I’m laying out five predictions I’m extremely confident about for 2026 and why the “middle of the road” clinic is about to get crushed. If your practice is sitting in that uncomfortable $20K–$40K per month zone with decent marketing, rising costs, and shrinking margins, this is your warning. The clinic itself is no longer the asset. Location is no longer the advantage. Visibility is. I break down why attention will matter more than bricks and mortar, why “good enough” marketing won’t be good enough anymore, and why clinics with authority, leverage, and systems will pull away fast. I also explain what’s really happening on Facebook and Instagram right now, why authentic insight will outperform polished content, and why this is a rare 12–18 month window you cannot afford to waste. We also talk AI. Not as a shiny tech toy, but as an operational survival decision. AI won’t replace physios, but it will replace inefficient clinics, front desk chaos, bloated payrolls, and slow follow up. Clinics that ignore it will feel slower, more expensive, and more stressful in 2026. Finally, I get into the real bottleneck most clinic owners won’t want to hear about: identity. The way you see yourself will either be your biggest accelerator or the thing that quietly holds you back. This episode is about leadership, leverage, visibility, and making the shift before the market forces it on you. If you want a real wake up call heading into 2026, this one’s for you. And if this is your first time listening, don’t forget to like and subscribe. 👉 Subscribe to the podcast now – and never miss an episode that could change the course of your business.  🎙️ Paul Gough Podcast – https://www.paulgough.com/podcast/ 👉📘 Grab your FREE copy of any one of my six best-selling marketing books right here: www.paulgough.com/free 💬 Got thoughts or takeaways?  Share them with us! Tag Paul or drop a comment – we actually read them 😉 📲 Follow Paul here: 🎙️ Paul Gough Podcast – https://www.paulgough.com/podcast/ 📘 Facebook: facebook.com/PaulGoughPhysioRooms 📸 Instagram: @ThePaulGough 🎥 YouTube: Paul Gough Media 🐦 Twitter/X: @ThePaulGough 🌐 Website: www.paulgough.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    14 min
  5. JAN 9

    EP673 Paul Meets: Justin Vaidyan | From Covid Layoff to Nearly One Million

    I loved this conversation with Justin. In this episode of Paul Meets, I sit down with clinic owner and CrossFit lover Justin Vaidyan (https://www.arisephysicaltherapy.com) from New York, who has gone from zero to almost one million in revenue in a cash focused practice that is almost fully out of network. He started his business during Covid, used his house down payment to sign the lease on an old dry cleaner, and turned it into a modern performance clinic that now runs with multiple therapists and staff. What I really wanted to pull out of Justin is the shift from great clinician to real business owner. The pricing mistakes, the awkward early marketing, the fear around hiring, and the identity crisis that happens when you stop being “the physio” and start leading a team. Inside this episode you will hear Justin talk about: - How he went from losing his job in Covid to starting a clinic and having a baby at the same time - The decision to spend his house deposit on a tiny ex dry cleaning space and turn it into a premium performance clinic - The scrappy early marketing that got him from zero to three hundred thousand by joining gyms, running screenings, and forcing himself into the community - The reality of undercharging at one hundred and fifty a visit, dropping to one hundred and twenty five, and then climbing to two hundred and fifty and beyond - Why hiring a therapist as his first full time role was a mistake and how he fixed it with a proper operations and admin set up ---- 👉 Subscribe to the "Paul Meets" podcast now – and never miss an episode that could change the course of your business.  🎙️ Paul Gough Podcast – https://www.paulgough.com/podcast/ 👉📘 Grab your FREE copy of any one of my six best-selling marketing books right here: www.paulgough.com/free 📲 Follow Paul here: 🎙️ Paul Gough Podcast – https://www.paulgough.com/podcast/ 📘 Facebook: facebook.com/PaulGoughPhysioRooms 📸 Instagram: @ThePaulGough 🎥 YouTube: Paul Gough Media 🐦 Twitter/X: @ThePaulGough 🌐 Website: www.paulgough.com ------------------------ #paulgough #thepaulgoughshow #physio #physicaltherapist #physiotherapy #pt #physicaltherapy #privatepractice #businessgrowth #marketing #marketingtips #digitalmarketing #growth #success #mindset #business #sales Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    21 min
  6. EP672 ☕️ Why Growth Often Feels Worse Before It Feels Better

    JAN 9

    EP672 ☕️ Why Growth Often Feels Worse Before It Feels Better

    In this episode of Coffee with Goughy, I talk honestly about a stage of growth most clinic owners hit but rarely say out loud. The moment when success starts creating pressure instead of freedom. When everyone needs you. When the business quietly starts owning you. I share: • Why growth often feels worse before it feels better • The identity shift I had to make as a clinic owner • Why doing more nearly kept me stuck • And what actually has to change if freedom is the real goal No hype. No theory. Just a real conversation for clinic owners who know something isn’t working the way it should. Grab your coffee and listen in. 00:00 – What is Coffee with Goughy? 01:00 – How the live format works 05:33 – Question: Why did growth feel exciting when I was struggling, but heavy now that I’m doing better? 06:34 – The first two years of business explained 07:49 – Are you still in love with the business when the excitement is gone? 09:22 – Wanting outcomes instead of adrenaline 10:23 – The hidden weight of responsibility 12:15 – Why most business owners fail after year two 14:29 – Question: I think I’ve outgrown being a clinician. How do I know when it’s time to level up? 15:25 – The grief nobody talks about in business growth 17:17 – Personal story: Outgrowing your past identity 19:27 – From clinician to entrepreneur 21:04 – Control vs fear 23:01 – Question: I have 2 front desk staff and 3 physios. What’s my next step? 23:40 – The future clinic model explained 26:08 – Why adding more providers breaks service 27:21 – Question: I just transitioned from insurance to cash pay. Where could this break?28:09 – Insurance vs cash pay profit margins 29:14 – How cash pay clinics actually scale 30:09 – How to double profits in 2026 31:30 – The real sweet spot for clinic owners 👉 Subscribe to the podcast now – and never miss an episode that could change the course of your business.  🎙️ Paul Gough Podcast – https://www.paulgough.com/podcast/ 👉📘 Grab your FREE copy of any one of my six best-selling marketing books right here: www.paulgough.com/free 💬 Got thoughts or takeaways?  Share them with us! Tag Paul or drop a comment – we actually read them 😉 📲 Follow Paul here: 🎙️ Paul Gough Podcast – https://www.paulgough.com/podcast/ 📘 Facebook: facebook.com/PaulGoughPhysioRooms 📸 Instagram: @ThePaulGough 🎥 YouTube: Paul Gough Media 🐦 Twitter/X: @ThePaulGough 🌐 Website: www.paulgough.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    1 hr
  7. EP671 ☕️ The Real Reason So Many Clinic Owners Feel Stuck

    JAN 8

    EP671 ☕️ The Real Reason So Many Clinic Owners Feel Stuck

    This isn’t a training. It’s not a webinar. And it’s definitely not three tips to fix your marketing. In this episode of Coffee with Goughy, I go straight to the real reason so many clinic owners feel stuck, overwhelmed, or quietly frustrated, even when the business looks “fine” from the outside. I talk about leadership. Standards. Insecurity. Delegation. Pricing guilt. And the hard truth most owners don’t want to admit: if a problem has been hanging around long enough, it probably isn’t a staff issue. It’s a leadership one. This is a raw, unfiltered conversation about what actually limits growth in a clinic, why businesses flatline at certain revenue levels, and how your confidence, decisions, and tolerance for discomfort determine how far your business can really go. No tactics. No fluff. Just an honest conversation over coffee about what it takes to build a clinic that works without breaking you. Grab your coffee and listen in. 00:00 – What is Coffee with Goughy and who it’s for 01:12 – How the live Q&A works 05:00 – When do staff problems become leadership problems? 13:01 – My clinic depends on me for everything. What am I doing wrong? 20:25 – Best way to market digital products and online courses 23:58 – How do you build a serious clinic when care is expected to be cheap or free? 30:48 – Why does charging more still feel wrong even when I get results? 38:21 – Patients drop off when insurance runs out. Why? 41:18 – I’m fully booked but overwhelmed. What should my first hire be? 44:33 – My therapists aren’t converting discovery visits. What do I do? 👉 Subscribe to the podcast now – and never miss an episode that could change the course of your business.  🎙️ Paul Gough Podcast – https://www.paulgough.com/podcast/ 👉📘 Grab your FREE copy of any one of my six best-selling marketing books right here: www.paulgough.com/free 💬 Got thoughts or takeaways?  Share them with us! Tag Paul or drop a comment – we actually read them 😉 📲 Follow Paul here: 🎙️ Paul Gough Podcast – https://www.paulgough.com/podcast/ 📘 Facebook: facebook.com/PaulGoughPhysioRooms 📸 Instagram: @ThePaulGough 🎥 YouTube: Paul Gough Media 🐦 Twitter/X: @ThePaulGough 🌐 Website: www.paulgough.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    1h 5m
  8. JAN 8

    EP670 Hiring in 2026: The Shift in Employee Expectations

    In this episode, I’m bringing you something special. I just spent two full days in my Orlando office with clinic owners who flew in from all over the world for our Strategic Annual Planning event, and what you’re about to hear is raw, real footage from inside that room. The energy, the breakthroughs, the uncomfortable questions, the big decisions — it is all here. I walk you through how I challenge business owners to think not just about next year, but about who they must become and what their clinic will need to look like in 2030. You’ll hear me talk about momentum, mistakes, creativity, environment, freedom, and why most clinic owners get stuck in “no mans land” around five staff. I get into the importance of stepping out of your daily environment to stimulate new thinking, why ambitious people need space, and how real growth only happens when you stop building a business for money and start building it for freedom. If you’re ready to think differently about your life, your clinic, and your future — turn the volume up and enjoy this behind the scenes session. Let me help you start planning and preparing to build a more profitable, systemized, and future ready physical therapy business. 👉 Subscribe to the podcast now – and never miss an episode that could change the course of your business.  🎙️ Paul Gough Podcast – https://www.paulgough.com/podcast/ 👉📘 Grab your FREE copy of any one of my six best-selling marketing books right here: www.paulgough.com/free 💬 Got thoughts or takeaways?  Share them with us! Tag Paul or drop a comment – we actually read them 😉 📲 Follow Paul here: 🎙️ Paul Gough Podcast – https://www.paulgough.com/podcast/ 📘 Facebook: facebook.com/PaulGoughPhysioRooms 📸 Instagram: @ThePaulGough 🎥 YouTube: Paul Gough Media 🐦 Twitter/X: @ThePaulGough 🌐 Website: www.paulgough.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    12 min
4.7
out of 5
89 Ratings

About

If you're a physical therapy clinic owner looking for tips, tools and strategies for growing your business, this is the podcast for you. Your host is Paul Gough - a former Professional Soccer Physical Therapist turned successful business owner and best selling Author from the UK. As well as running his own 4 location clinic, Paul works with clinic owners from all across the USA, Canada, Britain, Australia and beyond. Paul talks about everything from marketing, sales and hiring staff to leadership, finance and the mindset needed to become a world class clinic owner. Subscribe right NOW! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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