Ep880 | 4 Hard Lessons From 2025 (That Will Make You a Better Clinic Owner in 2026)
The P.T. Entrepreneur Podcast
Four Big Lessons from 2025 for Cash-Based PT Owners In this year-end episode of the PT Entrepreneur Podcast, Dr. Danny Matta shares the four biggest lessons he learned in 2025. From a small revenue dip at PT Biz to the rise of corporate cash clinics, the longevity wave, and why happiness cannot be tied to “winning,” Danny breaks down what actually matters for clinic owners who want a sustainable, meaningful business and life. In This Episode, You’ll Learn: Why PT Biz saw its first year-over-year revenue decline and what actually caused it The danger of chasing brand polish while...
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Ep879 | Two Must Read Books For Clinical Entrepreneurs
The P.T. Entrepreneur Podcast
Visionary vs. Integrator: The Two Types of Cash-Practice Entrepreneurs Clique away long enough and you lose your patient’s attention. That’s why Claire, our AI scribe built specifically for physical therapists, handles the documentation so you can focus on the person in front of you. Try it free at . In this episode of the PT Entrepreneur Podcast, Dr. Danny breaks down two personality types that show up again and again inside cash-based practices: the Visionary and the Integrator. He explains why knowing your type gives you an immediate advantage, how it shapes your strengths, and which...
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Ep878 | From Start Up To Scaling Up A Cash-Based PT Clinic With Kim Manlangit
The P.T. Entrepreneur Podcast
Rainmaker to Mastermind: Kim’s Cash Practice Journey Guest Coach: Michael (PT Biz Rainmaker Coach) Guest: Kim (Rainmaker Alum, PT Biz Mastermind Member) Episode Overview In this episode, Danny introduces a live conversation from inside the PT Biz Rainmaker program between coach Michael and Rainmaker alum Kim. Kim started in Rainmaker while she was just getting her practice off the ground. Now she is in the PT Biz Mastermind, actively scaling her clinic. This episode walks through her journey, early fears, mindset hurdles, and what it looks like to go from “Can I really do this?” to...
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Ep877 | The Best Book I've Read This Year
The P.T. Entrepreneur Podcast
Money, Happiness, and the Race You’re Actually Running as a Clinic Owner Episode Overview In this episode, Danny shares his favorite book of the year — The Art of Spending Money by Morgan Housel — and why it hit so hard as a cash-based business owner. He breaks down how money, attention, and expectations shape your happiness, why comparison quietly wrecks clinic owners, and how to use your business as a vehicle for the life you actually want instead of letting it become your whole identity. Key Topics Covered Why money mindset is such a big problem in the PT profession Why Danny...
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Ep876 | How To Use Gratitude As Fuel
The P.T. Entrepreneur Podcast
How to Use Gratitude as Fuel in Your Cash-Based PT Journey Episode Overview In this episode, Danny breaks down how gratitude isn’t just a feel-good idea – it’s a practical performance tool for stressed-out cash-based practice owners, especially those in the early “nights-and-weekends” grind. He explains why the early stage of business is mentally brutal, how gratitude helps you zoom out, and how to use it as fuel instead of living in frustration over goals you haven’t hit yet. Key Topics Covered The hardest stage of business: early Rainmaker-phase grind Why your confidence wobbles...
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Ep875 | Why Your Cash-Based PT Clinic Isn't Growing
The P.T. Entrepreneur Podcast
The Momentum Equation: Why Effort Alone Won’t Grow Your Cash PT Clinic In this episode, Doc Danny Matta uses a simple physics concept—momentum—to explain why some cash practices take off and others stall out. He breaks down his “business momentum equation” (effort × accuracy), shows why hard work on the wrong things keeps you stuck, and explains how to aim your effort at the right tasks so your clinic actually moves forward. Quick Ask If this episode helps you see your business more clearly, share it with another clinician who’s grinding but not gaining traction—and tag...
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Ep874 | The 3 Paths You Can Take When Starting Your Cash-Based PT Clinic
The P.T. Entrepreneur Podcast
3 Choices When You’re Thinking About Starting a Cash PT Clinic In this episode, Doc Danny Matta breaks down the real decision points for clinicians who are thinking about starting their own cash-based practice. He explains why staying stuck in “research mode” is dangerous, what it actually takes to make the leap, and the three clear paths you can choose—staying employed, going solo, or getting guided support. Quick Ask If this episode helps you get clarity on your next move, share it with another clinician who’s on the fence about starting a practice—and tag @dannymattaPT so he can...
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Ep873 | 8 Trillion Reasons Why You Should Lean Into Longevity
The P.T. Entrepreneur Podcast
Longevity, Cash PT, and the $8 Trillion Opportunity You Can’t Ignore In this episode, Doc Danny Matta breaks down why the global shift toward longevity is one of the biggest opportunities cash-based physical therapists will see in their careers. He shares real-world examples from high-end longevity models, explains why proactive, long-term health programming is exploding, and shows how cash PTs are uniquely positioned to lead this space. Quick Ask If this episode gets your wheels turning about longevity and long-term care, share it with another clinician who needs to hear it—and tag...
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Ep872 | Christmas Tree Lots, Steaks and Why The Work Should Be Hard
The P.T. Entrepreneur Podcast
The Christmas Tree Lot, the Steak, and Why the Hard Part Is What Makes It Worth It In this episode, Doc Danny Matta shares a story about a Christmas tree lot in Columbus, Georgia, the best steak he’s ever eaten, and how hard work—and the struggle that comes with it—makes success and reward deeply meaningful. He connects that experience to clinic ownership, growth, and why building a successful cash practice is supposed to be hard. Quick Ask If this episode helps you reframe the hard parts of business, share it with another clinician who’s grinding through a tough season—and tag...
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Ep871 | The Key To A Successful First Hire In Your Cash-Based PT
The P.T. Entrepreneur Podcast
The Hardest Hire: How to Nail Your First Staff Clinician in a Cash PT Clinic In this episode, Doc Danny Matta explains why your first staff clinician is the hardest hire you’ll ever make—and how to do it the right way. He breaks down why your business looks risky from a candidate’s perspective, why most PTs are wired for security (not startups), and how to sell the future vision of your clinic instead of apologizing for your current “shitty little room.” Quick Ask If this episode helps you think differently about hiring and leadership, share it with another clinic owner who’s...
info_outlineHow to Use Gratitude as Fuel in Your Cash-Based PT Journey
Episode Overview
In this episode, Danny breaks down how gratitude isn’t just a feel-good idea – it’s a practical performance tool for stressed-out cash-based practice owners, especially those in the early “nights-and-weekends” grind. He explains why the early stage of business is mentally brutal, how gratitude helps you zoom out, and how to use it as fuel instead of living in frustration over goals you haven’t hit yet.
Key Topics Covered
- The hardest stage of business: early Rainmaker-phase grind
- Why your confidence wobbles when you’re part time and building on nights/weekends
- How to reframe “I’m not where I want to be yet” with gratitude
- Using your “past self” as a perspective check
- Why high achievers are most vulnerable to frustration and burnout
- Being grateful beyond revenue: health, family, and relationships
- Balancing ambition with contentment
Gratitude as Fuel, Not Fluff
Danny shares a post from PT Biz head coach, Courtney Morse, written to early-stage Rainmaker clients who feel like they’re not moving fast enough:
- Your business might look early, messy, or slow – but you took control of your future.
- Most people stay stuck, complain, and never take action. You didn’t.
- You stepped out, bet on yourself, and started building something from nothing.
- Gratitude isn’t just a holiday feeling – it’s a strategy to keep going.
Reframing Your Progress
One of the strongest gratitude practices Danny recommends:
- Imagine going back 2–10 years and telling your past self where you are today.
- That version of you would probably be fired up, proud, and amazed you actually took the leap.
- But current you might be frustrated that you haven’t hit a certain revenue number yet.
Gratitude helps you hold two truths at the same time:
- You’re not where you ultimately want to be yet.
- You’re also much further ahead than you used to be – and that’s worth celebrating.
High Achievers and the Gratitude Gap
Danny talks about why ambitious clinicians struggle with gratitude:
- High achievers expect progress and often move the goalposts as soon as they hit something.
- They fixate on what hasn’t happened yet instead of what has.
- This can lead to chronic frustration, even when things are objectively going well.
Beyond Business Metrics
Most practice owners can quote revenue and visit numbers on demand – but rarely track:
- Dinners or time spent with friends
- Moments with family they’re building this whole thing for
- Time invested in their own health
Danny challenges you to be grateful for:
- Your family, who supports you regardless of how the business performs
- Your health and ability to even take a swing at entrepreneurship
- The flexibility and privilege of having the option to start your own practice at all
When You Miss a Goal
Danny shares a story about missing a seven-figure revenue goal by ~$50k in one year and being miserable about it, until his wife reminded him:
- A few years prior, he would have been thrilled just to replace his $84k Army salary.
- In that context, “only” doing $950k in his own business is an incredible win.
Perspective plus gratitude completely changes how you experience your progress.
Practical Ways to Use Gratitude as a Strategy
- Regularly ask: “What would my past self think of my current life and business?”
- List non-business wins: family, health, relationships, freedom, flexibility.
- Use gratitude to pull yourself out of tunnel vision on a single missed number.
- Let gratitude energize you to build the next year, instead of beating yourself up.
Big Takeaways
- Early-stage business is brutally stressful – especially when you’re still working full time.
- Gratitude isn’t soft; it’s a mental reset button that keeps you from burning out.
- You can be ambitious and still deeply grateful for how far you’ve come.
- You don’t have to be miserable to hit big goals.
Free Resources from PT Biz
- PT Biz Part-Time to Full-Time 5-Day Challenge: Get crystal clear on your numbers, visit rate, and path to leaving your job for your practice.
physicaltherapybiz.com/challenge - Book a Free Discovery Call: Talk with a PT Biz advisor about your clinic, challenges, and next steps.
Book your discovery call - Try Clair, the AI Scribe for PTs: Offload your notes so you can focus on patients and get your time back.
meetclair.ai
Connect with PT Biz
- Official Website
- Podcast: PT Entrepreneur Podcast