We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Kevin Pisle a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Kevin, thanks for joining us today. Setting up an independent practice is a daunting endeavor. Can you talk to us about what it was like for you – what were some of the main steps, challenges, etc.

What am I going to do after this? Am I going to move my family? Do I want to associate for someone else? Do I want my own office? Can I do this by myself? All of these questions I needed to start answering while completing my Chiropractic education. I have told myself since ending my time in the Marine Corps that I was too stubborn to work for someone else. So be it, I would open my own Chiropractic practice. About 6 months before graduating from Logan University I started my search for a space. That ended up being the easiest part of opening my practice. After graduating and awaiting renovations to be finished with the space, I endured the arduous adventure of business management that is NOT covered in Chiropractic curriculum… setting up EVERYTHING. The checklist consists of (but not limited to) setting up business insurance, malpractice insurance, establishing as a medicare provider, deciding a payment processor, deciding to be in network with insurance companies or not, HIPPA compliance as a small practice and more. The nuance to this checklist in each of these tasks was not made aware to me until I was in the thick of it and needed to just figure it out.
Once opened it was expected to not have a full schedule right away. During that time I was able to market myself and spend time fine tuning my paperwork and office flow. In time, more and more patients have entrusted me with their care, referred their family and friends, and I have had the privilege in becoming a proficient small business owner and Chiropractor.
If a new graduate were to ask me for insight in starting their chiropractic office I would recommend to utilize your creativity and be comfortable starting with the bare minimum. Being realistic in ones financial readiness is paramount and starting small will only give you a stronger foundation to build your business. The opportunities for Chiropractors are much more flexible than that of traditional medical providers. We can open our businesses in a multi practice medical office, boxing gym, orthodontist office… exploring your community for your location is limitless. As a hands on practitioner, you do not require all the gadgets and gizmos. Your table, computer, and eagerness to improve patients health are the essentials to starting your practice. With more patient inflow, the more you can add and make available to your patients but there is no shame in starting with the minimum.
Reminiscing the start of this journey I am grateful for the difficult lessons I had to learn. I am entirely knowledgable of my business operations, I am independent in growing my business in its most prosperous direction, and I am inspired to educate others who are inquisitive enough to ask.

Kevin, 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?

I was introduced to chiropractic as a possible career when I sought out care myself for some nagging injuries I was dealing with. I have always been drawn to helping people and also wanted to learn more about helping myself. Ultimately I decided to apply to a few chiropractic programs following my wife’s encouragement.

In practice I treat everything from low back/ neck pain due to sprains/strains, disc herniations, radiating pain into the arms/legs, etc… The aches and pains of life as I sometimes call it. I specialize in a low force adjustment technique, known as Cox Flexion/distraction, that is different than what many think when talking about chiropractic care. It does not involve the short quick movements which result in cavitation of joints, aka “popping and cracking”. It is a gentle technique that is well suited to all patient populations from adolescent age, high school athletes, pregnancy patients, weekend warriors, and even osteoporotic geriatric patients. It provides gentle, rhythmic, decompression to the joints of the spine and extremities which helps to improve range of motion, reduce irritation to spinal nerves, increase health of the intervertebral disc, and reduce pain perception.

The most important thing that I want current and potential patients to know about me is that my primary concern is to empower them to take control of their pain through home exercises and education about their conditions. At the end of the day, patient care and positive outcomes are my priority. I strive to provide high quality care at an affordable and accessible price. Healthcare should not just be for people who can afford the best insurance.

Training and knowledge matter of course, but beyond that what do you think matters most in terms of succeeding in your field?

As a chiropractor, the minute you recognize that no one is going to work harder for your future than you, is the minute you start down the path to success. Unlike much of the rest of health care, there is no formalized “safe” job space. Meaning a job that has a guaranteed income/benefits afforded to other healthcare professionals who work within larger systems. Not saying there are no chiropractic jobs within large medical systems, but they are the extreme minority. The vast majority of chiropractors are small business owners who have built their own success.

Can you tell us about what’s worked well for you in terms of growing your clientele?

My most reliable source for continued growth has been word of mouth from my current and former patients. I feel the biggest driver of this has been my constant effort to provide high value care and to empower my patients to take control of their pain and get back to living life without unnecessary limits or fear that they will forever be in pain.

Contact Info:

• Website: frenchtownchiro.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/frenchtown_chiropractic/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/frenchtownchiro/