We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Jenna Goar. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Jenna below.

Jenna, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. So let’s jump to your mission – what’s the backstory behind how you developed the mission that drives your brand?

My husband and I just moved to Columbus, Ohio in May 2022 from Iowa City, Iowa. I worked for a great private practice in Iowa called Rock Valley Physical Therapy, which is where I started my career. For 3.5 years, I had the opportunity to manage a head and neck specialty clinic for this company. I loved my job and the people I worked with. However, my husband’s career path led us to Columbus. It was difficult for me to leave my job because I am very passionate about treating patients with head and neck conditions, and I wasn’t sure I’d be able to find anything similar in Ohio. I began my job search and turned down several offers that just didn’t feel right. I realized quickly that physical therapists in Ohio who specialize and treat head and neck conditions exclusively were rare, and that there was a need for this kind of PT in Columbus. After connecting with a local ENT group, Ohio ENT & Allergy Physicians, I decided to start my own practice in August 2022. I had never planned to start my own business, but I knew there was a void I needed to fill, and it felt like the right thing to do. So I went for it. My brick and mortar clinic has been opened for 2 months and I have already had the opportunity to educate and work with several individuals who have been looking for an answer to their dizziness, neck pain, or jaw pain for years. This led me to my mission which is to provide the highest quality, one-on-one, head and neck physical therapy in the Columbus area, and to educate patients on the life-changing benefits this specialized form of physical therapy can have on their lives.

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 grew up in Englewood, Colorado and lived there through high school. I played several sports growing up, and had a physical therapist who truly cared about me and my interests, and took this seriously when treating me for an elbow condition. From then on, I had an interest in physical therapy. I completed a degree in Exercise and Wellness in 2014 at Brigham Young University. During that time, I had a great internship in a physical therapy clinic and that confirmed my decision to pursue physical therapy as a career. I went on to earn a Doctorate of Physical Therapy degree at the University of Iowa in 2017. During PT school, one of my clinical rotations was with a physical therapist who did a lot of vestibular therapy, a specialized kind of PT to help people suffering from vertigo and other inner ear conditions. I immediately fell in love with vestibular therapy and knew I wanted to learn more. Unfortunately, in PT school, the vestibular portion of the curriculum is taught in just a couple days throughout the entire 2.5 year period. I didn’t get much more exposure to vestibular therapy until I graduated from PT school. I started working for Rock Valley Physical Therapy, my previous employer, in an outpatient orthopedic clinic in a rural setting. I saw everything from head to toe, but about 20% of my caseload was vestibular, thanks to a physical therapist who had built up that caseload, and then left on maternity leave around the same time I got hired. After a year in that clinic, I had the opportunity to become the manager of a new head and neck specialty clinic for the same company. I have since treated head and neck conditions exclusively and wouldn’t have it any other way.

The work that I do as a physical therapist who specializes in head and neck conditions is very different than a lot of physical therapists who treat orthopedic conditions. I received a vestibular certification, so am now considered a clinically-certified vestibular therapist, trained to assist people suffering with inner ear dysfunction (vertigo, dysequilibrium, dizziness, etc). One of the reasons I love my job is because of the number of people I have been able to help who have been suffering with dizziness or vertigo issues for years. I use video frenzel lenses, which is a very important diagnostic tool to help me correctly identify and diagnose vestibular conditions. I have also taken several continuing education courses on the jaw and neck, so I am able to help many people who suffer from TMJ/TMD, as well as those with neck pain, headaches, and concussions. I am also certified in trigger point dry needling, which is a technique used to help reduce muscle tension, or trigger points in the muscles. Something that sets me apart from other physical therapists in addition to my specialty areas is that I do a LOT of hands-on work with my patients, and all of my sessions are one-on-one. I am most proud of recently starting my own practice and being successful within the first couple months of being open, being able to educate and help many people who have lived with dizziness or pain for years with no solution. I want people to know how much I love treating patients with head and neck conditions, and it makes my day when a patient tells me their symptoms are completely resolved after working with me. It provides me with so much joy to see people finally get an answer and to feel better.

Any fun sales or marketing stories?

Before moving to Ohio, I made a cold call to Ohio ENT & Allergy Physicians to see if they had any interest in partnering with me, or my previous employer (who had considered opening a specialty clinic in Ohio even though they are based out of the Quad Cities.) I spoke to someone at the front desk very briefly, asking if there was a manager I could speak to. They immediately transferred me to the COO of their company. I spoke with her on the phone and told her who I was and that I’d be moving to Ohio soon, and if they had any interest in talking with me. She asked me to send my resume as well as some more information to her and she would share it with the board president and get back to me. I thought I may never hear back. I had already reached out to a couple other places with no luck. The very next day, I got an email from her saying that the board president wanted to do a Zoom call with myself and my bosses at the time to discuss potential partnership, or us leasing space from them. Even though that didn’t work out with my previous employer, I was able to foster a great relationship with Ohio ENT & Allergy Physicians and I currently rent space from them. They have been my main source of patient referrals as I have started my own practice, and a big reason why I have been able to be successful so quickly.

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

The most effective strategy for growing my clientele has been connecting with other professionals in the Columbus area. Connecting with Ohio ENT & Allergy Physicians, as well as some local dentists, has helped me tremendously. I always try to get in front of providers when I can because I know if I can just spend 5 minutes talking to them, they will understand who I am and what my mission is. I was able to speak at a physician meeting at Ohio ENT & Allergy Physicians, as well as at a local dental forum group, both for a maximum of 10 minutes, and have gained several referrals from these providers.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.headneckpt.com
• Instagram: @headneckpt
• Facebook: Head and Neck Physical Therapy, LLC
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenna-goar-a61b7657?original_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2F

Image Credits
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