Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Amy McMillin. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Amy, appreciate you joining us today. Do you think your parents have had a meaningful impact on you and your journey?
My parents are hardworking blue collar people. They had me quite young; I was actually born the day after my fathers 22nd birthday and my mother was 18. Living in a quaint town and in the country we did not have internet or much television; the summer of the OJ Simpson trial was brutal, as it was the only program on the tv, my hand was forced to find other entertainment. My brother and I resulted to reading books, drawing, board games, and walk through the woods exploring the land. But of course, that was only after our chores were done.
You see both of my parents worked, and my brother and I were expected to help around the house. Everyday we had quite the chore list that was expected to be finished by the time our parents got home from work. Contributing to the household was expected of us kids as my parents put long hours in at the local post office and construction sites.
I believe that the expectations of contributing to the family unit while my parents worked set my brother and I up for success. It taught us the value of family collaboration, responsibility, sense of accomplishment when getting something done off the list ( which I still use daily), and laid the foundation for a strong work ethic. My brother and I would not be entrepreneurs without the guidance and expectations of responsibility without my parents, and for that I am forever grateful.
Amy, 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?
Hello! I am Amy McMillin, a vestibular physical therapist and owner of Custom Care Rehab where We bring the Therapy to You! My team and I cover all of NorthEast Ohio, providing therapy and wellness services to patients who are too busy or dizzy to be seen a traditional clinic setting. We are the business of bringing the house call back to medicine.
I was with a major health care system for 15 years, working as a vestibular and concussion specialist. I treated people who had brain injuries from concussion, car accidents, brain tumors, and any condition related to dizziness. The problem I noticed over the years was 1) you had to live close enough to our clinic to see me for a session 2) if you were lucky enough to live close, you still had to find transportation to get to our clinic or drive while you were dizzy! Not ideal, patients who are dizzy often feel very lousy with driving in the car.
So in the beginning of the Covid pandemic, when only a limited number of patients were allowed to be seen in the clinic because of the essential services mandate, and I realized that people with vertigo were suffering and not able to get treatment. I don’t know if you have ever been dizzy, but you truly don’t want to be dizzy for long, especially not months while you wait for an opening with a doctor. And you definitely don’t want to drive when you’re dizzy; so I thought why not solve this problem by going to the patients myself! The company took off after word started spreading and I left my corporate job in a year. People really love the idea of not having to drive while they are dizzy, a specialist who can treat their symptoms comes to them, and we aim for seeing patients 2-7 days upon first call.
Now I started the company with the mindset that only dizzy patients would like the mobile therapy business model, but the inquires for orthopedic and injury prevention started coming in. I have expanded our services to include treatment of all orthopedic conditions: low back pain, shoulder pain, knee injuries, and even monthly maintenance sessions to prevent injury! I have found that the busy professional and overscheduled families also value the time savings and convenience that Custom Care Rehab provides.
What sets Custom Care Rehab apart from others?
-We focus on results, white glove service, ease of accessibility, & convenience in treatment for clients of all ages.
-how much time we spend with clients, each session is 60-70 minutes long
-the mobile therapy concept, bringing the house call back to medicine
-follow up phone calls, emails, text check ins- all part of our customer service
-all sessions are client driven meaning we schedule based on what the clients body needs, not what is dedicated insurance
-Treated like a member of our family, clients are not just another number.
Can you tell us about what’s worked well for you in terms of growing your clientele?
I feel most comfortable going back to my roots of community in clientele growth. When you network and meet fellow small business owners you can establish a sense of community and be part of that fabric. Coming from a small town, each person in the community can contribute to that fabric and that is what feels most familiar to me. I want Custom Care Rehab to be the business that you think of when you want a healthcare provider that cares about you as a person, not just a patient to “fit into the schedule”. I do not want to own a huge conglomerate where I am removed from the business. I love talking to the clients, hearing their stories, learning what is important in their lives, and how we can make an impact in their wellbeing.
Have you ever had to pivot?
I am currently in a pivot period! Feeling pretty good about the growth of my business and now I am ready to reach more people. I have a mission of empowering people with the tools to treat dizziness at home no matter where they live. Again, you should not have to be lucky enough to live near a vestibular specialist to get care for your condition. I am learning more about digital content, video editing, and social media, with the goal of producing content on Youtube for people in search of answers for treating their dizziness. It has been fun trying to getting comfortable in front of a camera and make evidence-based quality content for people- there is a lot of bad advice out there on the internet and I am hoping that someday I can grow enough to really help people! I have also decided to teach an elective at my kids school on the topic of entrepreneurship. I love teaching and talking to young minds! Kids should learn about the feeling of empowerment that comes with owning your own business, thinking for yourself, and solving problems with critical thinking.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://customcarerehab.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/customcarerehab
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/customcarerehab
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/customcarerehab
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@customcarerehab1920