We recently connected with Daniel Kraus and have shared our conversation below.
Daniel, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with 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?
After working for three separate chiropractors around Maryland in less than 18 months I decided to start my own business as a coverage doctor. I traveled all Maryland covering for other Chiros when they went on vacation or just needed extra help. I did that for two years and saw a whole lot of stuff I didn’t like and some stuff that I did. In 2001 it was time for me to have my own practice: I was inspired and moved forward. I knew I wanted to be close to where I grew up in Silver Spring but I didn’t want to practice there. I also knew I wanted to be inside the DC beltway so I settled on College Park. The home to my alma mater. It seemed fitting. I found a strip mall with an owner that was willing to backend my lease making it affordable for me to lease a 1250 sq ft facility signing a 5 year deal. I built it out using credit cards and gathering equipment on leases. First week I saw zero patients.. second week I saw four patients. Third week I saw 12 patients. That clinic has been seeing over 300 patient visits a week since 2012. In 2011, I integrated medical services then acupuncture soon there after. In 2019 we added a doctor of physical therapy to the team. In 2019, I sold a minority interest in Terrapin Care Center to two trusted and dedicated employees. They are just 3.5 years away from buying me out of that clinic leaving me with 10 percent ownership forever. I brought them in to free me up to build Bethesda Spine & Posture. It took me six month and $400k but I did it in the heart of Bethesda Row. Four weeks after opening the pandemic hit. We had to close the office. On June 5, 2023 Maryland went back to elective care and immediately we reopened. I started Bethesda with an admin and an assistant. We now have two chiropractors, two acupuncturists, a nurse practitioner, a functional nutritionist and chiropractic assistants. We have also tripled our admin staff. The clinic is growing everyday and our social media following has really taken off as we have proven to be scoliosis and posture correction experts.. I’m very proud of my Advanced Certification in Chiropractic Biophysics and ScoliCare Certified bracing. I’m now truly a specialist within a specialty and my work day has never been more fun. 27 years in and I’m more passionate about serving and helping others than any other time of my adult life.
Daniel, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
I moved down to Atlanta the day after I graduated the University of Maryland. I had a psychology degree and no real direction. I injured my back moving in to my apartment with my fraternity brothers. We had moved there because the 1996 Olympics were a few years away and the city was humming with young people. It was a fun place. I sought the help of a chiropractor and days later I was visiting Life College, just outside Atlanta. It is the worlds largest chiropractic school. I didn’t want to leave the huge group of friends we had gathered during my nearly 5 years there but I felt drawn back to Maryland to be with my family.
I gravitated toward Chiropractic Biophysics early in practice and a few years later jumped in with both feet. I couldn’t imagine practicing with a different base technique. It has allowed me to help thousands of patients restore their health by utilizing the body’s natural ability to heal itself by restoring ideal posture. Helping patients avoid unnecessary surgeries and invasive medications is very rewarding. Right now in our society we have an epidemic of repetitive stress injuries related to the unnatural distortions in our posture created by hand held devices and horrible work ergonomics. I’m inspired to bring awareness, mindfulness and reasonable changes for the patient to live their healthiest life without chronic pain syndromes.
A few years back I was introduced to Scolicare. The pandemic slowed me down a bit but now we are doing lots of custom made, 3 d scanner scolibraces for adult, adolescents and children. This is highly precise work and can be challenging but it is worth the effort because the outcomes are fantastic helping patients avoid surgery.
Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?
I’n 2011, I was really struggling in business. I was getting better and better at my technique but I just couldn’t get patients in the door. I was considering closing shop and going back to work for others. I had tried so many consultants but their approaches never resonated with me. I was attending a chiropractic biophysics seminar in New Jersey and met a chiropractor from Illinois that was seeing over 1000 patients a week in his clinic! I had to learn how. He would accept me as a client initially but I wore him down over time.
He took me on while taking 5 percent of my gross collections for the year.. I followed his directions to whip my clinic and my physical body in to shape. He coached me to start triathlon training. Within three months I was seeing between 300-400 patients visits all week and paid off all my debt. 11 months after meet him we completed the St Croix Ironman 70.3 triathlon.
We are close friends to this day and I credit him with saving my career and propelling me toward integration which put Terrapin Care Center in to a stratosphere that not many practitioners every attain.
This was my greatest challenge but with my greatest reward.
If you could go back in time, do you think you would have chosen a different profession or specialty?
100 percent! I love being a chiropractor! I couldn’t imagine doing anything else and I plan to serve others and being the best doctor I can be for as long as I’m physically able. It is my lasting purpose.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.bethesdaspineandposture.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/bethesdaspineandposture
- Facebook: @bethesdaspine
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@chirokraus
- Yelp: https://s.yelp.com/hAIsNYkQHF