The Cash-Based Practice Podcast

Jarod Carter
  • 4.9 (129)
  • BUSINESS
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Gathering input from many successful cash-based practice owners, this podcast covers all components of starting or transitioning into the out-of-network/private-pay business model for your private practice. Though the host, Jarod Carter PT, DPT, MTC, and many interviewees are physical therapists, this information is applicable to most healthcare, fitness, and wellness-related businesses looking to decrease reliance on 3rd party payors, and increase cash-based revenue streams. We cover a huge number of topics including: practice transition strategies, 3rd party payor contract legalities, Medicare rules and legalities in the cash-based model, referral source diversification, online marketing, word-of-mouth marketing, optimal website design, blogging, Youtube and video marketing, networking skills and strategies, the vital cash-based mindset, phone conversations and conversions, scheduling, discharge marketing, administrative training, low overhead systems and automation, private-pay wellness/fitness/prevention programs, and everything else that involves the self-pay practice model, how it differs from the traditional insurance-based model, and what you need to do to be successful with this low-stress, rewarding type of private practice.

  1. CBP 303: How to Manage Staff Without Overwhelming Them (While Still Getting Results)

    4H AGO

    CBP 303: How to Manage Staff Without Overwhelming Them (While Still Getting Results)

    Most practice owners don't just struggle with hiring these days...   They struggle with what happens after hiring. Because once someone is in the role, a new tension shows up if you're not a seasoned manager/CEO: Am I asking too much? Am I not being clear enough? Am I giving too much constructive criticism… or not enough? And underneath all of that is a bigger fear: "If I push too hard, I might lose them." This episode tackles that exact problem. Not from theory. From a real scenario inside one of my coaching calls, where a practice owner is trying to manage a part-time admin and isn't sure if the issue is workload, communication, or competency. What You'll Learn in This Episode How to determine whether your employee is overloaded—or underperforming Why a lot feedback fails to instill your desired change (even when it's accurate) How to give feedback in a way that actually gets implemented A simple weekly meeting structure that eliminates constant micromanaging How to decide when to train more vs. when to replace USEFUL INFORMATION: Check out our course: Cash-Based Practice Freedom 2.0

    11 min
  2. CBP 302: How to Stop Feeling 'Icky' About Sales in Your Practice

    MAR 22

    CBP 302: How to Stop Feeling 'Icky' About Sales in Your Practice

    If the word sales makes you—or your staff—feel uncomfortable… You are not alone. It's one of the most common mental barriers in cash-based practice. Clinicians feel it. Admins feel it. Receptionists feel it. And unfortunately, that discomfort quietly crushes growth. Because if you don't feel good about selling, you won't do it well. And if you don't do it well, fewer people say yes. Fewer people stay on schedule. And more people drift away before they get the help they actually need. That's what this episode is about. Not cheesy persuasion. Not manipulative scripts. Not becoming someone you're not. This is about reframing sales for what it actually is in a Cash-Based practice: Helping people make the decision that is best for them. P.S. This episode comes from my in-network / partially in-network Forum group, which is a 12-month program for practice owners who want to drop low-paying contracts and/or simply increase their cash-pay revenue at the lowest possible risk. We're about to begin enrolling the next cohort, and if that sounds like something you'd want to explore, you can email me at jarod@drjarodcarter.com to learn more. What You'll Learn in This Episode Why discomfort with sales is one of the biggest hidden barriers to success in the Cash-Pay model How to reframe selling so it feels ethical, clear, and aligned with patient care The mindset shift that helps clinicians and admins stop resisting sales conversations Why "selling to serve" is the only frame that matters How to talk to your staff when they feel weird, hesitant, or resistant about selling USEFUL INFORMATION: Check out our course: Cash-Based Practice Freedom 2.0

    9 min
  3. CBP 301: How to Fill Gaps in Your Schedule Fast

    MAR 15

    CBP 301: How to Fill Gaps in Your Schedule Fast

    When the schedule softens, most practice owners do the same thing. They panic. They think, "I need more leads." They start chasing brand-new people. But that's usually not the fastest move. Because when you need results quickly, the smartest question isn't: "How do I get more strangers to find me?" It's: What's the lowest-hanging fruit to get the result I want? That's what this episode is about. You'll hear me coaching a practice owner who was in the middle of a slowdown while also making a major transition out of network and dropping a big payer. And instead of reaching for the most complicated solution, we focused on the fastest one. Not more noise. Not more random tactics. Just a better filter for making decisions when the pressure is on. What You'll Learn in This Episode Why "what's the lowest-hanging fruit?" is one of the best questions you can ask when revenue dips Why reactivating past patients is often faster and easier than chasing brand-new leads How to use calls, texts, and email together when you need to fill gaps quickly Why one follow-up attempt is almost never enough How to think more strategically when your practice hits a slowdown USEFUL INFORMATION: Check out our course: Cash-Based Practice Mastermind

    14 min
  4. CBP 300 - The State of Cash-Based Practice in 2026: What's Working, What's Failing, What's Next

    MAR 6

    CBP 300 - The State of Cash-Based Practice in 2026: What's Working, What's Failing, What's Next

    Episode 300 feels like a good time to zoom out. I started this podcast back in 2014. It was the first podcast on this topic of Cash-Based practice. Since then, I've had a front-row seat to startup clinics, multi-location operators, practice owners who were barely hanging on, and practice owners who were absolutely crushing it. And when you watch enough practices long enough, patterns become impossible to ignore. Some things keep working. Some things quietly stop working. Some new opportunities show up fast. And some threats build slowly until they start crushing the people who weren't paying attention. That's what this episode is about. Not one tactic. Not one trend. A high-level scan of the Cash-Based practice industry in 2026 and what's likely to happen in the near and distant future. What You'll Learn in This Episode Why niche positioning matters more than ever in a crowded Cash-Based market. Why the human element is becoming more valuable as AI-generated marketing spreads. How operational excellence has overtaken marketing as the real differentiator. What is quietly failing in tech, hiring, and leadership. How AI search is changing the way patients find clinics, and what you can do now to get AI to suggest your clinic over others. What parts of healthcare are most vulnerable to AI and robotics, and what will stand the test of time… Listen to find out which side your practice currently sits. USEFUL INFORMATION: Check out our course: Cash-Based Practice Freedom 2.0

    43 min
  5. CBP 299: The Sustainable Way to Build a Referral Sources for a Cash-Based Practice

    FEB 28

    CBP 299: The Sustainable Way to Build a Referral Sources for a Cash-Based Practice

    Most Cash-Based practice owners approach referral source networking the same way… They imply they'll "send patients" to the prospective new referral source, and they hint at a partnership that (if we're being honest) they can't actually sustain. Because if you're trying to build 10–20 referral relationships, you cannot send everyone patients. It's not realistic. And the physician/clinician knows it. So the real question isn't: "How do I get them to refer to me?" It's: How do I walk in with something that makes them glad they met me and makes them look good for sending patients my way later? If you want referrals that actually stick, you lead with value first,  but that value is not simply the promise you'll try to send them patients as well. What You'll Learn in This Episode Why "I'll send you referrals" is the fastest way to sound like everyone else The simple "what's in it for them?" filter that makes referral relationships sustainable What not to do on the first visit (and why asking for referrals early backfires) How to use a simple one-page resource to earn trust and trigger referrals over time Why the fortune is in the follow-up, and how to actually stay consistent with it USEFUL INFORMATION: Check out our course: Cash-Based Practice Freedom 2.0

    9 min
  6. CBP 298: How to Get Patient Drop-Offs Back on Schedule

    FEB 20

    CBP 298: How to Get Patient Drop-Offs Back on Schedule

    Drop-offs happen. Even if you run a tight ship… even if outcomes are strong… even if you've trained your team well… People still drift. They hit 70% better, and justify to themselves that they feel "good enough". They get busy. They tell themselves, "I'll just stay consistent with my home program." And suddenly you've got gaps in the schedule that didn't need to be there. This episode is about what to do when that happens. Not theory. Not fluff. A simple, repeatable follow-up process that gets people back on the schedule at a high level—using the right cadence, the right channels, and the right messaging. What You'll Learn in This Episode How frequently to follow up (and how many total attempts) to maximize reactivations Which channels work best (text vs email vs voicemail vs phone call) and how to combine them Who should own the follow-up: admin vs clinician—and when to switch gears The exact wording that gets replies by tying progress to goals, urgency, and "don't lose momentum" framing USEFUL INFORMATION: Check out our course: Cash-Based Practice Freedom 2.0

    10 min

  7. FEB 13

    CBP 297 - How to Turn Website Leads Into Cash-Pay Patients

    A lot of practice owners don't lose revenue because of ineffective marketing… They lose revenue due to slow lead follow-up and weak conversions. And sometimes I even come across those that don't follow up with every lead because they/they're staff think "we're too busy" … THE HORROR!  In this week's episode, you'll hear a slightly different flavor of my coaching, and it applies to both fully Cash-Based practices AND In-Network practices trying to increase Private-Pay revenue. The practice owner I'm coaching has a practice that is: Busy On a waitlist. Currently about 60% in-network pts, and 40% cash-pay pts Getting "more leads than we can handle" through his PatientSites website. And still not maximizing cash-Pay growth. Because leads weren't being followed up with immediately — and when they were, they weren't being handled strategically. Primarily because leads weren't being followed up with immediately — and when they were, they weren't being handled strategically to maximize conversions of those that would be higher-profit, self-pay patients. Pre-PS: If you are still In-Network with any insurances and want to increase your Cash-Pay revenue (like this episode's coaching client) — whether that involves dropping contracts or not — I have a 12-month program designed specifically to help you accomplish that, and we're starting a new cohort in a few months.  If you'd like to add your name to the interest list and get more details, email me at jarod@drjarodcarter.com What You'll Learn in This Episode Why "we're too busy to follow up" is one of the most expensive beliefs in private practice The response-time benchmarks that every practice should place on lead follow up When it's actually quite important for the practice owner to personally handle discovery/consult calls (temporarily) How to structure receptionist-to-clinician handoffs for higher Cash-Pay conversions Why generic business advice on Podcasts and Youtube often fails miserably when applied to your specific practice and situation USEFUL INFORMATION: Check out our course: Cash-Based Practice Mastermind

    12 min
  8. CBP 296: The silent conversion killer in free or discounted consults

    FEB 7

    CBP 296: The silent conversion killer in free or discounted consults

    Most Cash-Based practice owners don't struggle to get interest. They struggle to turn interest into commitment. You run or participate in an event that is filled with your ideal prospective patient... You offer free screens or discounted consults. People seem excited, but then they say things like, "I'm going to try this on my own," or "I want to see how I do with the exercises," or "Let me think about it." This episode tackles why that happens and how to stop it. It's pulled straight from a live Mastermind coaching call, where a practice owner finally started booking people from events, but then realized that converting those event leads required a different strategy than referrals or full-price evals. What You'll Learn in This Episode Why giving too much treatment, home program, or results too early quietly kills conversions How to pre-frame consults so patients don't default to "Let me see how I do with these exercises" The difference between "educating" and creating buy-in in a first visit How to create a strong "wow" factor without accidentally making people cancel What to say so that patients commit, without you feeling pushy or salesy USEFUL INFORMATION: Check out our course: Cash-Based Practice Mastermind

    18 min
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About

Gathering input from many successful cash-based practice owners, this podcast covers all components of starting or transitioning into the out-of-network/private-pay business model for your private practice. Though the host, Jarod Carter PT, DPT, MTC, and many interviewees are physical therapists, this information is applicable to most healthcare, fitness, and wellness-related businesses looking to decrease reliance on 3rd party payors, and increase cash-based revenue streams. We cover a huge number of topics including: practice transition strategies, 3rd party payor contract legalities, Medicare rules and legalities in the cash-based model, referral source diversification, online marketing, word-of-mouth marketing, optimal website design, blogging, Youtube and video marketing, networking skills and strategies, the vital cash-based mindset, phone conversations and conversions, scheduling, discharge marketing, administrative training, low overhead systems and automation, private-pay wellness/fitness/prevention programs, and everything else that involves the self-pay practice model, how it differs from the traditional insurance-based model, and what you need to do to be successful with this low-stress, rewarding type of private practice.

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