Ep853 | Defining And Dominating Your Niche In A Cash-Based PT Clinic
Release Date: 09/25/2025
Ep891 | What To Expect From PT Biz At CSM 2026
The P.T. Entrepreneur Podcast
Episode Summary In this episode, Doc Danny shares why cash-based physical therapy entrepreneurship is entering a powerful new phase. From his upcoming presentations at CSM to the broader evolution of the profession, Danny breaks down how business models have changed, why scalability is now real, and what this means for clinicians who want more autonomy, impact, and long-term opportunity. In This Episode, You’ll Learn Why distraction during documentation hurts rapport and outcomes, and how AI scribes can fix it What Doc Danny is presenting at CSM and why cash-based models are gaining...
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Ep890 | A Thriving Cash-Based PT Clinic In The Dance Niche With Holly Navarro
The P.T. Entrepreneur Podcast
Episode Summary In this episode, Doc Danny shares a conversation between Rainmaker coach Jaxie Meth and Mastermind member Holly Navarro. Holly walks through how she built a cash-based practice in a narrow niche (dance medicine), found her first treatment space, grew through community workshops, and scaled into hiring and a standalone clinic location. Try Claire (AI Scribe for PTs) Want to save your clinicians hours every week and increase capacity without burning them out? . What You’ll Learn How Holly built a real practice around a “small” niche and why narrow can scale What it...
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Ep889 | 4 Signs Your Clinical Staff Has A Money Mindset Problem
The P.T. Entrepreneur Podcast
Episode Summary Cash-based clinics live and die by clear communication, confidence, and value. In this episode, Doc Danny breaks down four red flags that your staff clinician has a money mindset problem and how it quietly crushes conversions, plan-of-care adherence, retention, and clinic revenue. In This Episode, You’ll Learn Why money mindset issues are common in healthcare and how they show up in cash-based care How staff clinicians unknowingly make affordability decisions for patients The damage caused by apologizing for pricing and losing authority Why downgrading plans without...
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Ep888 | The Hidden Asset Worth 250K In Your Clinic
The P.T. Entrepreneur Podcast
The $250,000 Asset Sitting in Your Clinic Right Now Most clinic owners work nonstop to bring in new patients while completely ignoring the most valuable asset they already have. Their past patients. In this episode of the PT Entrepreneur Podcast, Danny explains how past clients can quietly represent hundreds of thousands of dollars in recurring revenue and why most clinics never tap into it. In This Episode, You’ll Learn: Why recurring revenue is the most valuable dollar in your clinic How past patients can generate predictable, stable income The math behind a $250,000 recurring revenue...
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Ep887 | Why Your Best Month Might Be A Huge Problem For Your Clinic
The P.T. Entrepreneur Podcast
How Big Clinical Months Can Quietly Wreck Your Cash Flow Big months feel like a win. More patients, more prepaid packages, more cash hitting the account. But if you do not understand how to manage that cash, those same big months can put you in a financial bind later in the year. In this episode of the PT Entrepreneur Podcast, Danny breaks down why prepaid revenue creates false confidence, how owners accidentally drain their reserves, and the simple rule that keeps your clinic financially stable. In This Episode, You’ll Learn: Why prepaid services are not the same thing as earned revenue...
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Ep886 | The 80/20 Clinic Growth Strategy
The P.T. Entrepreneur Podcast
The 80/20 Principle of Running a Cash-Based PT Clinic In this episode of the PT Entrepreneur Podcast, Dr. Danny Matta breaks down the 80/20 principle for cash-based clinic owners and simplifies what you should track if you want to grow past yourself. Instead of obsessing over dozens of metrics, Danny argues there are three “dollar productive” KPIs that drive almost all clinic growth. He also explains why provider schedules either snowball fast or stall for a year and how to shorten that ramp from 12+ months to around six months with the right focus. In This Episode, You’ll Learn: How...
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Ep885 | One More Reason For You To Focus On Longevity
The P.T. Entrepreneur Podcast
Longevity, Cash PT, and Skating Where the Puck Is Going In this episode of the PT Entrepreneur Podcast, Doc Danny talks about why he keeps coming back to one big theme: longevity. He looks at how the market around proactive health, functional medicine, and long-term performance is exploding and why cash-based clinics are perfectly positioned to play a major role. If you want to move beyond “fix the injury and discharge” and build an ongoing longevity offer, this episode lays out the opportunity and the mindset behind it. In This Episode, You’ll Learn: Why patient experience is a...
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Ep884 | Why Focusing On One Thing Will Change Your Clinic
The P.T. Entrepreneur Podcast
The One Thing Filter: How to Make Better Decisions as Your Clinic Grows In this episode of the PT Entrepreneur Podcast, Doc Danny shares a simple but powerful idea for clinic owners: pick one core outcome your business exists to create and use it as a filter for every major decision. As your team grows, choices get more complex — what to say yes to, what to ignore, who to hire, what projects to start. Danny breaks down how to choose your “one thing,” why money has to be part of it, and how aligning your team around that filter makes leadership easier and your business more stable. In...
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Ep883 | What To Do With A Difficult Staff Clinician
The P.T. Entrepreneur Podcast
What To Do With a Frustrating Employee In Your Clinic In this episode, Doc Danny breaks down one of the hardest parts of owning a clinic: dealing with a talented but frustrating employee. You know the type. Great with patients, solid outcomes, but sloppy with systems, notes, and follow through. Danny walks through the three real options you have, why “letting it slide” destroys culture, and how to use a performance improvement plan to either turn things around or coach someone out. In This Episode, You’ll Learn: The classic pattern of the friendly, high-output clinician who struggles...
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Ep882 | Why Your Clinic Isn't Getting More Referrals
The P.T. Entrepreneur Podcast
How to Turn Patients into Raving Fans (and Referral Machines) In this episode of the PT Entrepreneur Podcast, Doc Danny breaks down why most clinics are stuck in “purgatory” with word of mouth and what separates average clinics from the ones patients can’t stop talking about. Using a great chicken joint and a mediocre Italian restaurant as examples, he shows you how clients really think about your business and what has to change if you want more organic referrals in 2026. In This Episode, You’ll Learn: Why saving clinician time with an AI scribe like Claire can quietly add $30,000 in...
info_outlineThe One Thing You Must Nail When Starting Your Cash-Based PT Clinic: Your Niche
In this episode, Doc Danny Matta explains the #1 decision that will make or break a new cash-based clinic: defining a clear, winnable niche. He shares real client stories (Rainmaker → Mastermind), how his own clinic launched by owning the CrossFit space, and a simple 3-part test to choose a niche that actually grows your business.
Quick Ask
Like the show? Share it with a clinician friend or on your IG stories and tag Danny—help PT Biz move closer to the goal of adding $1B in cash-based services to our profession.
Episode Summary
- Core thesis: If you don’t define your niche early, your business will stall. If you do, traction accelerates.
- Rainmaker → Mastermind arc: Rainmaker helps you go full-time; Mastermind helps you scale beyond yourself into a standalone space and team.
- Real example: A client’s schedule exploded after she narrowed her audience, created content for them, and showed up where they congregate (workshops + the right Facebook groups).
- Danny’s launch playbook: He chose CrossFit in Atlanta (credibility + interest), then expanded later to runners and entrepreneurs as the clinic’s reputation grew.
- Mission + money: “No money, no mission.” You can do pro bono after your model supports itself.
The 3-Box Niche Test
- Can you help them? Litmus test: if you only got paid after they achieved the outcome, would you take the bet?
- Do you like working with them? Authentic energy wins. If you don’t enjoy the group, your marketing will feel forced—and flop.
- Can they afford you? Some populations (e.g., heavy Medicaid pediatrics) won’t support a cash model. Match your service to a segment with willingness and ability to pay.
Why Narrow First (Then Expand)
- Speed: Clear messaging and offers convert faster when you’re “the go-to” for a specific problem in a specific community.
- Referrals: Specialists are easier to recommend than generalists.
- Ops simplicity: Marketing, workshops, and content focus around one avatar—less guesswork, more reps.
- Expansion later: Once you dominate one niche, broaden to adjacent groups with confidence and social proof.
Field Notes & Examples
- CrossFit start: High credibility (MobilityWOD teaching, comp-team experience) + enthusiastic buyer segment (membership fees, gear, coaching) = fast traction.
- Entrepreneurs niche: Emerged organically via networks; recurring “continuity” check-ins became a valuable service.
- Runners: Military background created deep reps with run-related injuries—an easy adjacent expansion.
Pro Tips You Can Use Today
- Audit your schedule: Which past patients did you love helping? Start there.
- Map the congregation points: List 5 IRL spaces (gyms, clubs, studios) and 5 digital spaces (FB groups, forums, local hashtags) your niche already uses.
- Publish niche-proof: Create 3 quick pieces: a “Start Here” guide, a case study, and a workshop outline tailored to one avatar.
- Use the bet test: Would you take the patient if you only got paid after the result?
- Plan for give-back later: Build profitability first, then add pro bono for populations you care about.
Notable Quotes
“Until I got really clear on who I wanted to work with, I struggled to get traction. When I defined my person, my schedule exploded.”
“No money, no mission. A strong business lets you create the impact you want—including pro bono.”
“The riches are in the niches. Specialize first; expand later.”
Action Items
- Write a one-page niche brief: problem, desired outcome, objections, congregation points.
- Book 1–2 workshops this month with that niche’s top local hubs.
- Record a 3-part content series answering the avatar’s biggest pains.
- Set a 30-day focus rule: all marketing time goes to this one avatar.
Programs Mentioned
- Clinical Rainmaker: Coaching + plan to get you full-time in your clinic.
- Mastermind: Scale beyond yourself into space, team, and systems.
- PT Biz Part-Time to Full-Time 5-Day Challenge (Free): Get crystal clear on expenses, visit targets, pricing, 3 go-full-time paths, and a one-page plan.
Resources & Links
About Danny: Over 15 years in the profession—staff PT, active-duty military PT, cash-practice founder and exit—now helping 1,000+ clinicians start, grow, and scale cash-based practices with PT Biz.