The 6-Month Stress Test: Would Your Chiropractic Clinic Survive?

Step 2: Install the Right People in the Right Roles

Think of a Formula 1 pit stop team.

During a race, when a car pulls into the pit, a team of specialists works together in perfect coordination. One person changes the tires, another refuels, another makes mechanical adjustments. The driver doesn’t do any of it.

Now imagine if the driver had to get out, change his own tires, and refuel before getting back in the car. That’s what most clinic owners are doing—handling every aspect of the business instead of leading the team.

Your goal should be to replace yourself in every possible role.

✅ Practice Manager → Oversees day-to-day operations.
✅ Marketing Team (or Agency) → Handles patient acquisition.
✅ Chiropractors & Therapists → Focus solely on patient care.
✅ Support Staff → Ensures smooth front desk and admin processes.

You are not the pit crew. You are the driver. Your job is to focus on the bigger picture, making strategic decisions that move the clinic forward.

Step 3: Build Systems That Allow the Clinic to Run Without You

Most business problems aren’t people problems—they’re systems problems.

If you’ve ever had a staff member ask you the same question for the tenth time, or if things fall apart whenever you’re away, chances are you don’t have clear systems in place.

A well-run business operates like an assembly line, where every part of the process is documented, optimized, and repeatable.

Here’s what that looks like in a clinic:

📌 Patient Onboarding System → How new patients are scheduled, greeted, and taken through their care plan.
📌 Front Desk SOPs → Clear guidelines for handling calls, payments, and scheduling.
📌 Marketing Playbook → A step-by-step system for generating consistent patient flow.
📌 Hiring & Training Guides → Ensuring that every new team member meets the same standard.
📌 KPIs & Performance Metrics → Regular reports to track patient retention, revenue, and team performance.

When these systems are in place, the business runs consistently and efficiently—whether you’re there or not.

The Mindset Shift: Do You Want to Own a Business or a Job?

Let’s go back to the treadmill analogy.

Most chiropractors keep running faster, believing that working harder will eventually bring them more freedom. But the truth is, the faster you run, the more trapped you become.

The real path to freedom isn’t about running harder. It’s about stepping off the treadmill and building a machine that runs itself.

This shift isn’t just about working less—it’s about building a legacy business that can:

✅ Grow beyond just you
✅ Serve more people in your community
✅ Create opportunities for your team
✅ Give you true financial and time freedom

Some business owners fight this idea because they like being the technician. They love adjusting, interacting with patients, and being hands-on.

And that’s fine. But that’s not a business.

A business is an entity that works independently of the owner.

The real question is: What do you want?

If you want to scale, grow, and create more freedom, then you have to start thinking like a business owner, not just a chiropractor.

Because the moment you stop being the bottleneck, everything changes.