Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Dr. Courtney Harris. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Hi Dr. Courtney , thanks for joining us today. It’s always helpful to hear about times when someone’s had to take a risk – how did they think through the decision, why did they take the risk, and what ended up happening. We’d love to hear about a risk you’ve taken.
The biggest leap of faith and risk I’ve ever taken was leaving my full time job and turning my then side hustle into a full time job. Not only did I jump head first into being an entrepreneur, but I moved and opened my physical therapy practice in my home state. I was born and raised in Charleston, SC and always knew one day I would move back. Well, after 20 years, I decided it was time. What gave me the biggest push to make this decision was the pandemic. I am extremely family oriented. Not being able to go home to see my family for safety reasons was very challenging for me. At that time, I was a home health physical therapist in North Carolina and had the safety and job security until COVID hit. Going inside patient’s houses in the middle of a pandemic brought on a lot of fear, anxieties, uncertainty and impending doom. Unfortunately, the company I was working for lacked the compassion, were far from supportive or helpful during the pandemic. This along with already possessing the desire to move back home to be closer to family was all that I needed to make the decision. But, the switch to becoming an entrepreneur in a territory that was now unfamiliar to me (20 years difference) was where the biggest risk allied. I not only wanted to live closer to my family, but I no longer wanted to have someone in control my actions and the decision making a work setting. I no longer wanted to be connected to a company that did not align with my core values. I also did not like the direction healthcare was going. So rather than complain about it, I wanted to be the change. Becoming an entrepreneur was the riskiest thing I’ve ever done, however was the best decision I’ve ever made and I don’t regret it. When you take the leap of faith and listen and trust God, your life can change quickly for the better! Success has come quickly for me! In less than 3 years, my practice has two locations, in the process of hiring staff and in the near future I will be purchasing my own building to have a standalone location!
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
I received my BS in Health Sciences at Florida A&M University in Tallahassee, FL and my Doctorate in Physical Therapy at Temple University in Philadelphia, PA. I am currently enrolled in a manual, sports and orthopedic fellowship program where I get to enhance my skillset to efficiently diagnose and effectively treat my clients to get them out of pain and to reach their goals. I became a physical therapist because of a personal experience. I am a former athlete and tore my ACL three times. While in PT, one of my physical therapists tore his ACL around the same time I did. He was more empathetic, understanding, encouraging and I progressed more in PT with him than with any other therapist. I felt the reason I did so well was because I had him as my primary PT. I wanted to be able to bring that same energy to people and make a difference in their lives. Recovery-N-Motion Physical Therapy + Wellness was founded in 2017 and incorporated in Charleston, SC in 2021. As the Founder and Owner, the practice was created in order to leave my footprint on this Earth, to make my family proud, to be the example for my now daughter, and for my ancestors who suffered more than I will ever understand in order for me to be where I am. Now I’m working in my dream job not only as a PT, but owning a practice and providing the core values that clients deserve through trust, integrity and communication to name a few. Providing healthcare that should be the standard in two locations in Summerville and Mt. Pleasant, SC. We are a sports and performance based physical therapy practice who specialize in treating the root cause of pain and injuries and not just treating symptoms. We help athletes, active/fit adults enhance their sport performance, improve their quality of life and maintain and active lifestyle. Our unique model has successfully streamlined the relationship between consumers, healthcare and finances. Providing high valued and quality services plus focusing on relationship building and the human connection is my expertise. I personally love to problem solve a person’s body, make people whole again, so they can continue doing what they love without pain. I am most proud of being able to make an impact in so many lives that goes beyond the physical. Being able to transform lives and being a blessing to others is truly a blessing. God has blessed me with a gift and I am fortunate to be able to be a service to others. 1 Peter 4:10-11.
How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?
I recently gave birth to my sweet daughter Chiloh Cori-Ann 9 months ago. Being a small business owner, you are not privy to paid maternity leave or family medical leave. Prior to getting pregnant, I was on a trajectory to hiring and continuing to build the business. Once I got pregnant, I had two directions I could go. I could continue the hiring process or I could continue to save in order to pay my expenses and have a desirable maternity leave. I chose to continue with the hiring process, however to be smart, I needed to continue saving in case hiring was not a possibility. Ideally I wanted to hire in order to keep the doors open and have the practice continue seeing clients in my absence. Months went on without finding the right fit for my practice. I had to eventually pivot and postpone the hiring process. The goal now was to continue saving so that I could enjoy a minimum of 12 weeks with my new baby. Looking back on it, I’m glad that things worked the exact way they did.
Can you tell us about what’s worked well for you in terms of growing your clientele?
Building and maintaining relationships with likeminded referral sources and getting out, giving back and empowering the community.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.recoverynmotion.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/?trk=homepage-basic_sign-in-submit
Image Credits
Thuc Phan GOAT Media