Building a Bulletproof Clinic: How to fire yourself from your own business

This one chart can set you free!!!

Hello everyone - Stefan here. At age 35 I achieved the goal I set for myself when I was 25…

To have a business that runs with or without me and have the ability to ‘fire myself’.

That same business I am describing now, 5-6 years ago used to rely on me completely. I’d treat patients, market for new business, hire, mentor, fire people, clean the floors occasionally and everything else in between …

Yep - sounds stressful. I know that some of you know that feeling. In fact - so many clinics that we work with, tell me the reason why they wanted their own practice was to help more people and have more freedom.

Here is the problem with that: no one tells you how different your level of thinking needs to be as the business owner vs the chiropractic operator. Well … get ready … because I am not going to be nice to you. I will tell you exactly what you need to hear if your ultimate goal is, in fact, freedom!!!!

I call it the “Fire Yourself Chart”.

It represents a visual system to show the following point:

Running a chiropractic clinic is more than just delivering adjustments and managing patient flow—it's about building a business that works for you, not one you are constantly working in.

The Technician Trap: Where Most Clinic Owners Get Stuck

Imagine chiropractor X … let's call her Sarah.

Sarah is a talented chiropractor with a passion for healing and helping people. She opens her clinic with dreams of making a difference and enjoying the independence of being her own boss. Fast forward a few years, and Sarah finds herself drowning in the day-to-day grind—managing schedules, handling finances, dealing with staff issues, and even cleaning up after hours. Despite her success in attracting patients, Sarah is more stressed and overworked than ever.

This is the "technician trap".

To avoid what 99% of small businesses do - you need to think and act differently than 99% of people. And let me tell you - it’s not that easy. You will feel challenged, out of your comfort zone, your colleagues and friends might judge you …

But if you want to own a business and not the business to own you … then you’ll need a major mindset shift.

The Mindset Shift: From Technician to Entrepreneur

To escape the technician trap, clinic owners like Sarah need to adopt the mindset of an entrepreneur. This means shifting focus from being the primary service provider to being the visionary and strategist of the business. Instead of asking, "How can I serve more patients?" The question should be, "How can my business serve more patients without me being the bottleneck?"

One of the systems I help clients with is “The Fire Yourself Chart”. (see below)

Freedom Through Business Mastery

It looks very complicated but what I want you to pay attention to is how ‘decentralised’ the business owner (director) can be from the day-to-day operations. By the way - firing yourself from the business doesn’t mean you don’t see patients anymore. Some chiropractors will never give that up - it’s the best part of their ‘job’. However, the term ‘fire yourself’ means that you have a true business that CAN (or has the ability to) run with or without you!!!

Ultimately, the path to freedom for chiropractic clinic owners lies in mastering their business, not just their craft. By systematising operations, delegating tasks, cultivating leadership, and elevating your marketing, you transform your clinic into a scalable business that thrives without your constant presence.

So, ask yourself: Are you ready to work on your business instead of in it? The journey starts with a mindset shift and the commitment to becoming not just a chiropractor, but a true entrepreneur. Your business—and your freedom—depend on it.

Thank you for reading.

If you truly found this article helpful, please share it with someone who may also benefit from reading it - it would mean the world to me.

My mission with these blogs is to inspire chiropractors to build their BEST practice on their own terms. To help you help lots of people, make money, and have fun along the way.

p.s. In case you missed the last blog,

p.p.s If you enjoy watching chiropractic business content - head over to my YouTube channel for more.