We recently connected with Eric Neufeld and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Eric , thanks for joining us today. How did you get your first job in the field that you practice in today?

Following college, I had a number of jobs ranging from handyman to animal trainer. I was a little lost, but knew there were some things I was drawn to. Namely working with my hands and in some science/medical field. I was in my early 20s and my Mom, friendly by nature, randomly met a woman whose son was a “prosthetist” and they got to talking. She presented this to me as a great idea that I should look in to. Of course I ignored her, but the topic kept coming up for a few years and finally I took it seriously enough to look in to it. At the time I was living in New York City. I cold called a prosthetist and asked if I could come shadow him for a day or 2. Within 30 seconds of being exposed to the field of prosthetics, I knew it was my calling. I turned the observation in to an apprenticeship. I followed this with graduate school and formal training and then entered the workplace as a resident with an amazing private practice that supported my growth as a practitioner and a business owner. I feel beyond lucky to have found a field that 20 years later continues to light me up and that presents ongoing opportunities to reinvent myself while serving others.

Eric , before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

Agile Orthopedics is a prosthetic (artificial limb) provider in Colorado. We provide prosthetic services to amputees following trauma and effects of diabetes and other diseases that can result in limb loss. We fabricate all of the devices we fit on-site at our laboratory and every device is fully custom made. What sets us apart from other providers in this space is the utilization of intentionally designed mobile clinics. We operate a fleet of upfitted sprinter vans that allow us to provide comprehensive care in-home. This is important as the patients/clients we serve have significant physical disabilities, and in many cases financial and social constraints that make attending traditional outpatient appointments very challenging. By breaking down the barriers in logistics and transportation, we are able to provide truly patient centric care.

What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?

Operating in the “blue ocean” has been by far the most effective strategy for growing our business. Finding places none of our competitors want to work has been the key. This doesn’t mean it’s easy. Our business model of utilizing intentionally designed mobile clinics has allowed us to see patients in their homes, which can be uncomfortable at times to say the least. We have also developed business in homeless shelters and with the homeless community in general and with the department of corrections. There is essentially no competition for this clientele. In many ways, these are the patients that need our services the most. Our strategy has in turn directed our mission, which includes serving the underserved.

Let’s talk M&A – we’d love to hear your about your experience with buying businesses.

In 2021 our growth included a small acquisition in Southern Colorado. The business was a perfect addition to our practice, and supported our mission of serving the underserved. The sellers were a husband/wife team I’ve known for over 20 years who needed to move across the country for family reasons. What they wanted to sell the business for was reasonable and required very little negotiation. Due to the size of the deal, I didn’t need to take on debt or investors. The process was by all measures smooth, though not without it’s hiccups. The few challenging moments were due to the business being a true family run business, with the pride attached that you see with this kind of model. I tried my best to respect the history, but ultimately had to begin to integrate it with our company which created some tension during the transition, but ultimately everyone felt respected and treated fairly. 1 year following the acquisition, it has become our best performing market and ultimately one of the best business decisions I ever made.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.agileortho.com
• Instagram: @agileortho
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/agileortho
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/agile-orthopedics/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/agileortho

Image Credits
Agile Orthopedics