Ep863 | Why You're Scared To Charge $250/Visit (And How To Get Over It)
Release Date: 10/30/2025
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...
info_outlineThe 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...
info_outlineThe 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...
info_outlineThe 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...
info_outlineThe 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...
info_outlineThe 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...
info_outlineThe 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...
info_outlineThe 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...
info_outlineThe 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...
info_outlineThe 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_outlineNo Money, No Mission: The Truth About Pricing Your Cash Practice
In this episode, Doc Danny Matta shares what he’s seeing across dozens of clinics: most cash PT owners are undercharging—especially in high cost-of-living markets. He breaks down a four-clinic pricing test, why price ≠ local median income, and clear targets for sustainable margins so you can hire, retain talent, and keep your mission alive.
Quick Ask
Help us reach our mission of adding $1B in cash-based services to physical therapy: share this episode with a clinician friend or post it to your Instagram stories and tag @dannymattaPT so he can reshare!
Episode Summary
- Pricing drives scale: Bigger, healthier clinics almost always charge more and keep volume steady enough to grow.
- Four-clinic test: Comparing average visit rates vs. local median household income showed no clean correlation—the lowest-income market had the highest price point.
- Fear tax: Owners fear backlash when raising prices; in reality, drop-off is rare and usually limited to poor-fit patients.
- Market targets: Most markets need $190–$200+/visit average. High-cost markets (NYC, SF, LA, Boston, Chicago, etc.) should target $250+/visit.
- Mid-sized-city edge: Lower overhead + above-average pricing = clinics running 40%+ net margins.
- No money, no mission: Healthy pricing funds salaries, benefits, space, culture, leadership development—everything that sustains impact.
Lessons & Takeaways
- Price for your costs, not your fears: Match rates to COL, rent, salaries, and benefits—or growth stalls.
- Volume x Price = Revenue: Find your sweet spot; small price lifts often don’t dent demand.
- Benchmark with peers: Mastermind conversations expose underpricing fast.
- Raise with intent: Reinvest into team, space, and patient experience.
Mindset & Motivation
- Permission to charge: Premium outcomes and experience justify premium pricing.
- Mission requires margin: You can’t build great jobs or serve at scale without profit.
- Courage compound: Every successful price raise builds confidence for the next.
Pro Tips for Owners
- Set targets by market: Standard markets: $190–$200+ AVV. High-COL markets: $250+ AVV.
- Audit contribution margin: Know your per-visit profit after labor, room, and overhead.
- Use pricing tiers: Eval premium, follow-up standard, package/plan discounts tied to outcomes (not minutes).
- Communicate simply: “To reach your goal, most people need X visits over Y months. The investment is Z.” Then pause.
- Grandfather gracefully: Honor legacy rates for a window; apply new pricing for new plans.
Notable Quotes
“What you charge isn’t just income—it’s how you fund salaries, benefits, space, and leadership.”
“No money, no mission. Your purpose can’t survive long-term on underpricing.”
“Most fear a mass exodus after a price raise. It almost never happens.”
Action Items
- Calculate your actual AVV (average visit value) over the last 90 days.
- Compare against your market target ($190–$200+ or $250+ in high-COL areas).
- Plan a 10–20% price adjustment with clear rollout (date, scripts, FAQs).
- Reinvest the lift into team comp/benefits and patient experience.
- Benchmark with two peers this week—confirm you’re not the outlier undercharging.
Programs Mentioned
- PT Biz Part-Time to Full-Time 5-Day Challenge (Free): Get crystal clear on your numbers, pick your path, and build a one-page plan.
Resources & Links
About the Host: Doc Danny Matta — physical therapist, entrepreneur, and founder of PT Biz and Athlete’s Potential. He’s helped over 1,000 clinicians start, grow, and scale successful cash-based practices across the U.S.