We were lucky to catch up with Dr Bek Jarzombek, DC recently and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, Dr Bek thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. We’d love to hear the backstory behind a risk you’ve taken – whether big or small, walk us through what it was like and how it ultimately turned out.
The story of taking a risk with a rogue path to success.
I am a doctor of chiropractic. My first year in practice I moved to a new state to work as an associate doctor with a head doctor I wanted to learn from. Within the first month of moving there I felt I made a mistake and that the job would not be a long term desire of mine. The weather was rainy, the head doctor was a great person but style of mentorship was not ideal for me, and I realized I had no friends or family near me.
I made the best of the situation, learned a lot of valuable skills, and gained experience that would have taken me additional years to gain, in a different setting. For that, I am grateful.
Within a few months of starting my job, I was promoted from associate to clinic director at a satellite clinic. Over the course of 6 months I built a successful practice. I was starting to make good money but my heart didn’t want to live in that state and I wanted to be closer to my family.
At about 8 months of working at that job, I took a risk and put my notice in to leave. I decided I would move back to San Diego with the sunshine, my closest family, and pursue the niche of chiropractic I was best at: horses and equestrian riders. There are not many chiropractors with that type of practice. So I was prepared to create something from scratch that is considered somewhat of rogue path in my profession. My plan was to give myself 90 days to build a practice and be able to pay my bills. If at 90 days I couldn’t pay my bills, I would have worked part time as associate at a traditional chiropractic office. My mentality about money was this: If I got patients better, the money would come. Simple as that. And that is exactly what happened. The word on the street got out and referrals quickly snowballed.
Long story short, In 2017 I launched Giddy Up Chiropractic. My practice grew within 90 days and has been successful ever since. All because I took a risk.
Dr Bek, 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?
Dr. Bek Jarzombek is the owner of Giddy Up Chiropractic and Giddy Up Time 501c3. She is also an equestrian rider and Doctor of Chiropractic for humans and animals. Her primary specialty is horses and riders. She has been in practice since 2016 and adjusted thousands of humans and animals. Her practice philosophy is ‘movement is life’ and has a passion for empowering my patients to live life without a “hitch”.
Dr. Bek completed her Bachelor of Science degree in Kinesiology and Business Management at James Madison University in Virginia. She completed her Doctor of Chiropractic (DC) from Life Chiropractic College West in California and graduated with the highest levels of clinical and academic honors. She was awarded the Clinical Excellence Award for her graduating Summer Class of 2016 and the California Chiropractic Association Outstanding New DC of 2018. Bek has served as the Chair of the Animal Chiropractic Task Force, been a participating member of the Governmental Affairs Committee, served as a board member for CalChiro San Diego District and the Chair of the Women’s Committee. In addition to her human licensure, in 2016 she was granted additional certification by the Animal Chiropractic Certification Commission (ACCC) of the American Veterinary Chiropractic Association (AVCA), the world leader in animal chiropractic. This additional certification establishes that I have met specific standards of knowledge and clinical competency within the chiropractic and veterinarian professions.
Bek’s love of horses and riding started as a little girl. She’s always had a fascination with anything and everything involving speed and a helmet. So much so, her dad gave her the nickname: Lightning. Giddy Up Chiropractic was inspired through the death of her father, when she was 18 years old. His passing sparked her desire to become a doctor. As the years progressed, Bek’s own journey of health ailments from horse riding accidents led her to develop the principle that: “Movement is Life”.
It is evident that the design of the body, two legged or four legged, is at its best when every joint is able to MOVE freely, dynamically, and adapt to the environment’s demand. Where there is motion, there is life. With that, comes proper nerve impulse for the brain and body to efficiently communicate. Chiropractic ensures the nervous system of every vertebrate creature, 2 or 4 legged is maximized to 100% capacity. This includes the brain, spinal cord and spinal nerves which give neurological instructions to all other systems in the body. Because of these principals, Dr. Bek’s chiropractic work is known for maximizing athletic performance, preventing injuries and reducing recovery time.
At a young age, Dr. Bek’s first personal experience with chiropractic was after sustaining a significant horse-riding accident. She was thrown off my horse and severely injured. After the initial acute medical treatment, consistent chiropractic care helped her body heal, adapt, prevent future injuries, and maintain health and performance.
As a result, she have dedicated her professional career to this non-invasive wellness specialty that focuses on spinal health and its neurology.
Giddy Up Chiropractic accomplishes three elements with all patients:
1. Maximize Athletic Performance
Performance comes from the brain and body being able to efficiently communicate and send messages back and forth. This takes place through the neurological highway called the brain and spine. Therefore, it makes sense to keep this system, called the nervous system, maximized and healthy.
2. Prevent Injuries
Injuries occur on two levels: acute and chronic. Acute is something that has happened recently. Chronic is something that has been developing over a long period of time. Properly maintaining the spine and body can help avoid or solve many injuries related to ligaments, tendons, muscles, biomechanical insufficiencies, and pain patterns.
3. Reduce Healing/Recovery time
No creature is perfect. And Injuries do happen. However, quickening the process of healing is possible. Cells require three things to survive and thrive: oxygen, glucose, and activation. Oxygen: exchange of gas, glucose: nutrition or fuel, and activation: impulse needed to maintain strong neurological communication. The chiropractic adjustment is the fastest method of activation to reset the nervous system of the brain and body.
Dr. Bek is passionate about advancing the animal chiropractic profession, developing real deal animal chiropractors, and mastering the art of sound (pun intended) business models. She credits her own successes to a willingness to take risks, make mistakes, trust her intuition, and surround herself with people who believe in her.
“It’s never too late to dream big. If there is something you want to accomplish in life and are willing to work hard, anything is possible. Never let roadblocks be the final factor that hinder you from moving forward. Remember that dynamite comes in small packages. Giddy Up.”
How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?
Providing a service that delivers results, with excellent customer service develops a reputation in any market! Results create referrals.
Referrals build a business.
Excellent customer service maintains a business’s success.
Other than training/knowledge, what do you think is most helpful for succeeding in your field?
Take care of yourself!!! Physical, mental, spiritual.
Build relationships with others in your field or those that contribute to making your business successful.
The riches are in the niches. This becomes more evident the longer you are in practice. Build a practice of patients you really have a knack for, and the type of clients you jive with. This will keep practice fun and avoid exhaustion.
Clear intentions on the service or product you are providing. Don’t get lost in details that do not matter. or confuse people.
Stay inspired. Stay connected. This line or work can be lonely at times.
Avoid burnout. Say NO to what you don’t want. Don’t overwork!!! Too long of days and work weeks accumulate over time. Take scheduled breaks and vacations! Celebrate your wins…like REALLY celebrate before moving on to the next goal.
Keep dreaming!!!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.giddyupchiropractic.com
- Instagram: @drbek.giddyupchiro
- Facebook: Giddy Up Chiropractic
Image Credits
Julie Ahn Photos Captured Moment Photography