Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Kelsey Bellanca. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Kelsey, thanks for joining us today. We’d love to hear about how you went about setting up your own practice and if you have any advice for professionals who might be considering starting their own?

When I started my career, I had absolutely no intention of owning my own business, I didn’t know what bike fitting was, and I wasn’t a runner let alone a run coach. I skied growing up and danced professionally. I “retired” from dance to go to PT school so I could help others. This was my sole mission. Once I was in PT school, I found running. And, like many, a 5K turned into a half marathon, and then a marathon, and then an ultra. Moving to Colorado right before COVID afforded me the time to start cycling and become part of the local cycling community.
All of these new athletic endeavors paired with a search for “where I fit” led me to work in an ICU, a rehab unit, insurance-based outpatient, senior living, and cash-based outpatient. None of these were a good fit and I found myself running out of options.
During this time that I felt that I was running out of options, I reached out to a few friends making moves in the insurance-based therapy space and got the same advice from all of them – find one thing you do really well. This in absolutely no way resonated with me. Doing one thing really well is part of what got me in the spot that I was in. I hated the monotony of solving the same problems every day.
With options running low, I decided to see if my idea of providing concierge PT services in addition to run coaching would work. I was absolutely terrified, but felt that it was time to take my career into my own hands. I start with 3 clients whom I saw in their homes. This gradually grew over time and allowed me to incorporate run coaching where I often serve as my clients’ run coach as well as body worker – allowing for a complete package for the athlete.
Making this happen was honestly much easier than I expected. I chose a PLLC for business formation and obtained my USATF Level 1 certification as well as my Certified Personal Trainer certification. This increased my knowledge base and gave me specific certifications to legitimize my offerings.
I am approaching my 2 year mark in business and I am so proud of what I am building. At first I was wary of my choice to not market in any traditional sense. I keep a modest, yet significant Instagram following and show up at events in my community. I also work at a bike shop as a bike fitter. This also allows me to connect with members in my community.
Looking back, I sometimes wonder if I should have put more energy into specific marketing, or have spent the money on shiny things to entice attention for my business, but at the end of the day, my body of work speaks for itself. My clients are excited to tell their friends about the experience they have with me, and that is better than any marketing I could do on my own. It was the slow way to build a business, but this method has allowed me to work within my comfort and strengths and focus on what matters most – the progress of my clients.
I know it’s cliche to be like “if I can do it, anyone can do it;” however, starting your dream business (or in my case the thing you wished existed) doesn’t have to be some insane, elaborate, or even expensive process. Start small and build. It’s amazing what you can build, even in a year, with a little bit of old fashioned hard work and a dash of discipline.
My college dance teacher would always tell us “discipline is remembering what you want.” This has really stuck with me and guides me in my every day.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

My way to where I am now has been all but linear, and it has made all the difference. Growing up, I wanted nothing more than to be a professional dancer. I worked hard, and was admitted to Point Park University – the second best college in the country for dance – where I completed a bachelors of arts in dance with a jazz performance concentration. I did some paid professional work during this time as well.
While I was dancing in college, I found myself on the verge of an eating disorder and with the feeling that my purpose in life was bigger than just working on my physical self. This, paired with what was thought to be an ACL tear, pushed me to start my prerequisites for my Doctor of Physical Therapy.
In order to make this happen, I took 20-22 credits per semester, year-round, my sophomore and junior years in school. This allowed me to apply to PT school and enjoy a lighter schedule my senior year of college. This allowed me to start PT school 3 months after completing my bachelors degree.
PT school was hard. I wasn’t used to studying, and the pace was fast. Although it was hard, I was able to successfully complete my DPT and found myself working in the ICU and rehab units of a local hospital. I loved it, but felt like I wasn’t permitted to practice using the full scope of my capabilities and I honestly hated the schedule. This led to me insurance-based outpatient work, managing a clinic in a senior living facility, and work in a cash-based outpatient therapy clinic.
I deeply value all of these experiences, but the confines of insurance reimbursement or the mandatory work that didn’t resonate with me or attract clients led me to believe my only option was to go off on my own. This was the best decision I have ever made.
I am proud of the fact that I am able to offer a multi-faceted suite of services that allow clients to begin their path to healing, train for an event, or maintain healthy tissues while they do.
While I spend a good amount of time helping clients achieve impressive athletic feats, I also have become the person people come to with problems others have not been able to solve. I firmly believe this is because I have built a reputation for being the one that will take the time to listen to a client’s story, and one who is willing to try things others have not.
I really think that’s the thing I want people to know about me: while I’m not the therapist for everyone, I am willing to look at a complex problem in new light, I’m willing to help you do what it takes to reach your goals, and I’m willing to try. I will be your biggest cheer leader.
Finally, I always want my clients to know, “I want to be your physical therapist forever, but I only want to treat this problem once.” It is truly my goal to give my clients the tools that they need to succeed and live fulfilling lives.

If you could go back in time, do you think you would have chosen a different profession or specialty?

I love getting this question, because I don’t think I have the answer anyone ever expects… In short, no.
A Doctor of Physical Therapy is incredibly expensive, and, to be frank, not horribly unique from personal training and massage therapists. The biggest difference is being able to dry needle (in my state), and crippling student debt.
While I really value my specific skillset, so much of what I use in practice today I learned from personal trainers and massage therapists. Learning from them and leaders in those fields, in addition to keeping an eye on literature, has allowed me to grow into the practitioner I am today.

Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?

Honestly, talk therapy has been one of the single biggest contributors to my thinking and philosophy. Spending time with a therapist has made me realize that my business (I am sole proprietor), can only be as good as I am. Without working on myself, dealing with trauma, and gaining clarity on what I value, what my goals are, and how to relate to those around me, I wouldn’t be and my business wouldn’t be as successful as they are today.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.humanpower.live
• Instagram: @kelsey.outside, @humanpowerpllc