Podiatry Legends Podcast
What if growing your podiatry business didn’t mean longer hours, more stress, or chasing endless new patients? In this episode of the Podiatry Legends Podcast, Tyson E Franklin is joined by marketing strategist Neil Ateem, founder of , to explore smarter ways health and wellness businesses can scale in 2026. Neil shares why clinics hit growth bottlenecks, how to scale without burnout, and why selling outcomes matters more than selling appointments. The conversation dives into packaging services, improving patient compliance, leveraging reputation and referrals, and using simple systems...
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In this episode of the Podiatry Legends Podcast, I sit down with UK podiatrist and clinic owner Jonathan Shearer to discuss how networking and relationship-building have played a major role in growing his practice. Jonathan shares his journey from working in the NHS to building a successful private clinic, along with practical insights into community engagement, collaboration with other health professionals, and why long-term thinking beats short-term marketing tactics. This conversation is ideal for podiatrists and health professionals who want to grow their clinics in a way that feels...
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Alan and Sharon Cawthorne from Podiatry & Gait Clinic in Middlesbrough, UK, didn’t plan their biggest career decisions sitting up late at night, stressing about life. They happened on holidays, in a relaxed environment, often at a beach bar. In this episode, we talk about career change, pricing confidence, investing in technology, reducing burnout, and designing a clinic and lifestyle that feels sustainable long-term. This is a conversation about perspective. About stepping back to move forward. And about why sometimes the most valuable thinking happens when you’re not trying to be...
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In this bonus episode, I share ten practical ways to get more out of conferences and professional events in 2026. With so many events coming up, this is the perfect time to stop treating conferences as something you squeeze in between clinic days and start using them as genuine growth opportunities. I cover everything from how to prepare properly before an event, why being fully present matters more than taking endless notes, and how relationships formed at conferences often deliver more long-term value than the presentations themselves. We also look at why leaving early, working during...
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3D printing is no longer a future concept in podiatry. It’s already reshaping how clinics think about orthotics, turnaround times, and control over their systems. In this episode of the Podiatry Legends Podcast, I’m joined by returning guest Kieran Carew from , to unpack what’s really happening with 3D printed orthotics inside podiatry clinics. Kieran brings a unique perspective, combining decades of experience in orthotics with a background in engineering and biomechanics. We explore the practical realities of bringing 3D printing in-house, including setup, training, calibration, CAD...
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To celebrate this 400th episode, I’m joined by Andrew Jacobs, an osteopath turned mortgage broker who specialises in working with allied health professionals. Andrew is also the author of Paid Off and Healthy Money, two books written specifically to improve financial literacy among health practitioners. In this episode, we explore why so many podiatrists feel uncomfortable talking about money, despite financial stress being one of the biggest contributors to burnout and career dissatisfaction. Andrew explains how understanding basic financial concepts, such as cash flow, debt, lending...
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In this final episode of my four-part December solo series, I share why traditional goal-setting often fails podiatry business owners and what to do instead. If you’ve ever set goals in December only to forget them by February, you’re not alone. The problem isn’t always motivation; it’s that most goals are too vague, too shallow, or completely disconnected from the real issues holding you back. Rather than chasing surface-level growth targets, I encourage you to shift to problem-first thinking. Because while a goal gives you direction, a problem gives you focus. When you start solving...
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Small Changes that Make A Big Impact As podiatrists, we’re often guilty of letting the week run us, rather than intentionally designing our schedules to work for us. Patients pile in, admin creeps into every gap, and before we know it, another week (or year) has flown by in a blur. In this solo episode, I discuss why so many podiatry business owners feel overworked and scattered, and how a few small changes can transform your weekly rhythm, energy, and impact. The main culprits behind a chaotic week? Overcommitment – Saying yes to everything, leaving no time to breathe Lack of...
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As 2025 winds down, now’s the perfect time to pause and ask yourself one powerful question: Why did I get into podiatry in the first place? In this episode of the Podiatry Legends Podcast, I invite you to step back from the day-to-day and reconnect with the deeper why behind your work. Because when your podiatry business starts to feel heavy, uninspired, or off-track, it’s rarely a patient problem, staffing issue or business problem; it’s usually a purpose problem. Before You Launch Into 2026... If you rush into the new year without reconnecting to your purpose, you’ll likely...
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Every podiatrist hits a plateau at some point in their career; when growth stalls, motivation dips, and business feels flat. But a plateau isn’t failure; it is feedback. In this short solo episode, I share how to shift your mindset, avoid impulsive changes, and use a plateau as an opportunity to reset, refocus, and rebuild momentum. I also explore three types of plateaus, REVENUE, MOTIVATION & TEAM, and offer strategies to overcome each one. If you’re ready to move from “stuck” to strategic, this one’s for you. Are you looking for a one-on-one business coach? A business owner I...
info_outlineThis episode is not about increasing fees; it's about understanding the value we put on feet. Jonathan Small is a UK podiatrist, and we discuss why the podiatry profession needs to start thinking differently about the value of feet.
If we think differently, so to will our patients.
Thinking differently is not about charging more, it's about valuing what we do, the service we provide, the lives we change, and the long-term benefits to the patient.
What we do as podiatrists and what the patient gains from seeing us holds tremendous value, more than just pain relief. We can give patients their lives back by allowing them to be active and mobile.
Level of Care & Fee Structures
Podiatrists need to value the solutions we have at our disposal. We can provide services far better than any other health profession, and when we provide this service, we need to value it and charge accordingly.
Respect from our patients only comes once we respect ourselves.
Funding Your Fees
You get what you put out. If you do not value what you do, your patients won’t value it either. Undercutting another podiatrists fees is not good for you, your business or the profession.
You may think patients cannot afford what you're really worth, but is that true?
How are they funding and prioritising other aspects of their life? Haircuts, beauty treatments, teeth whitening, eating out all costs money, and people budget for this, so it's important to remember they also budget for healthcare.
Listen to Patients
Podiatry brings value to patients lives. When someone is in pain, they will probably have a money figure in their head on how much they are prepared to pay to have it fixed.
Therefore when we’re setting our fees, how can we determine what is value for the patient?
What's more important to the patient is not the fee you're charging; it's the cost of it not being fixed properly. This is where the patient really suffers.
If you cut your fees too low, you may unknowingly cut time with the patient or short-cut a service.
Clinic Registration Fee
Jonathan introduced a clinic registration fee for all new patients because a lot of work goes into their first visit before they arrived.
If an insurance company can charge an admin fee, why can't a podiatry business do the same? I think it's brilliant!
You Can't Do That
Some podiatrists will say, 'you can't do that', but Jonathan Small has proven you can. And his business is in a small town with a competitor only 50 meters away.
It's simply a change in mindset.
Defining Our Fees
We shouldn’t define our fees based on what we think is valuable to the patient. We think their health is the most important aspect, but time is more important or convenient for some patients.
Can you have an on-time guarantee or more convenient hours and be prepared to charge a premium for this service?
VIP Experience
Can you create a VIP Experience? That's a game-changer. Are you able to give your patients a choice or different service levels?
Car companies do this all the time. They have the basic model, and then there are added extras. They offer extra because they know a percentage will say YES.
It’s then up to the consumer to decide...not you.
Value Perception
It’s all about each visit's perceived value, but not just from the patient; it's also the perceived value from the podiatrist.
What else can and will you do at each consultation to justify the fee you charge. How else can you increase the value of each visit?
"You’re not going to rush through an appointment if you know you're charging more than your competitors".
While your competitors are bulk billing, cutting fees and rushing patients through their clinic in an attempt to make more money, you can take your time with each patient, add value to each consultation, work fewer hours and in the end make more money and have a better reputation.
Respect
If you want more respect from your patients, you need to be charging what you’re worth.
Stop being told by GP's that you should be bulk-billing certain patients. They have no right to tell us (the podiatry profession) what to do.
Reinvest and CPD
When you're making good profits from your business, it's not about taking more holidays; it's about reinvesting back into your business, buying new equipment and providing more services. This helps your patients and your community.
Don't be 'that podiatrist' that's too busy and flat out with patients, who don’t value their feet, which prevents you from attending CPD events and upskilling.
It's All About the Experience
When patients go to a restaurant and eat a high-quality meal, they’re happy to pay $150-$200, and if the service were good, they'd drop an additional $20 tip without giving it a second thought.
We need to be delivering a nice meal experience.
Final Tip
Step away from you being the only opinion on the value of feet and the value of the services you provide for those feet.
Listen to the A-type patients that happily pay your fees and respect the value you provide. Never listen to C's and D's that do not value their feet, do not listen and want the cheapest treatment possible.
If you have any questions about this episode, please send me an email at , or you can connect with Jonathan at Health First Foot & Gait Clinic.
If you want to learn more about Jonathan's short 2-hour course, follow this link to FOOT VALUE.
Jonathan's previous episodes:
Ep 006: Work Smart, Not Harder
Ep 044: Podiatry Success Is A Mindset
Ep 081: Don't Live In The Land of Low Fees
This episode was sponsored by PODIUM and to learn more CLICK HERE.
My Next Event - Podiatry Marketing: Success Leave Clues
This marketing workshop is like no other, and when you complete this 4-hour workshop you will have a definite competitive advantage over other podiatrists in your area because you will know what makes a podiatry business successful.
Every successful podiatry business leaves clues, and for the past thirty-plus years, I have been paying close attention and taking note of what successful podiatrists have been doing, and it has nothing to do with your podiatry knowledge.
For more detail, please visit my EVENTS PAGE.
If you want to learn more about my next 12-Week Podiatry Business Reboot or join the Podiatry Business Owners Club on Facebook, please follow the links.