Ep881 | I Was Right... 14 Years Later

Big Ship or Small Boat: Are You in the Right Organization?

In this episode of the PT Entrepreneur Podcast, Doc Danny tells a story from his time as an Army PT in Hawaii and how a denied human performance proposal, that finally got implemented 13 years later, forced him to ask a hard question. Am I on the right ship or do I need to build my own boat? If you feel boxed in by red tape, slow decisions, and limited influence, this one will hit home.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

• The human performance proposal Danny and a strength coach pitched to their division in 2011–2012
• Why a project that would save millions and improve readiness still got shut down
• What a general meant when he said “the Army’s a big ship and it turns really slowly”
• How that moment planted the seed for Danny leaving to start his own practice
• How to tell if you are in the wrong organization for your personality and goals
• Why some people thrive in big systems and others feel suffocated by them
• Why regret is worse than trying and failing at your own thing
• What to do if you suspect you need to build the job you want instead of waiting for it

The Schofield Barracks Story

Back in 2011–2012, Danny was the only physical therapist for an entire brigade at Schofield Barracks in Hawaii. Between him, another PT, and a shared strength coach, they were responsible for thousands of soldiers spread across multiple brigades and clinics.

Injury rates were driving a constant stream of soldiers into civilian clinics and hurting deployment readiness. Danny and his strength coach friend put together a human performance proposal that would add a handful of contracted providers. The math was simple. A few hundred thousand dollars of contract help could save the Army millions and keep more soldiers ready to deploy.

They took the plan to the division commander, a general who was also one of Danny’s patients and very supportive of what Danny was doing clinically. Danny walked into the meeting convinced the proposal would be approved.

It was denied.

“The Army’s a Big Ship and It Turns Really Slowly”

The next day, the division commander pulled Danny aside and explained his decision. He said he liked the idea, but told him the Army is a big ship and it turns very slowly.

That comment stuck. Danny remembers thinking, “If this is such an obvious win and we still can’t move, do I even want to be on a ship like this?”

More than a decade later, his strength coach friend called to say the division had finally launched a human performance program that looked a lot like their original proposal. “We were right. We finally won,” he said. Danny laughed. It took over ten years for the ship to turn.

Are You on the Right Ship?

The point of the story is not just that the military moves slowly. The point is to help you ask whether you are in the right environment for how you are wired.

Big organizations:

• Move slowly and carry layers of approval and red tape
• Limit how much control you have over clinical model, scheduling, and innovation
• Can be a great fit if you value stability, structure, and predictable paths

Entrepreneurship and small clinics:

• Move quickly and let you act on ideas without begging for permission
• Give you direct control over patient experience, offers, and operations
• Come with more personal risk and fewer safety nets

If you constantly find yourself saying “There is a better way to do this and nobody will listen,” that is a sign. If you love solving problems, want to experiment, and are tired of watching your ideas die in meetings, you may not be in the right organization.

Don’t Wait a Decade for Someone Else to Say Yes

Most physical therapists never planned to start a business. The default story is to join a big rehab system or national chain, climb the ladder to clinic director, then maybe move into regional leadership.

That can be a great path for the right person. But if you feel like you are on a big ship that turns too slowly, you may need to build the job you actually want instead of hoping someone else creates it for you.

Trying and failing at your own thing is almost always better than never trying and sitting with regret later. At some point, you will not have the same window to take a swing.

Action Steps If You Feel “Stuck”

• Check your frustration. Is it about one boss or one clinic, or is it about the whole system?
• Write down the kind of care you wish you could deliver if nobody told you “no.”
• Run the numbers on what it would take to replace your income in a small cash-based practice.
• Talk to people who have already left big systems and ask what they would do differently.

Need Help Building Your Own Boat?

If you suspect you are in the wrong organization and want a concrete plan to go from employed to running your own cash practice, the PT Biz Part Time to Full Time 5-Day Challenge will walk you through:

• Exactly how much income you need to replace
• How many patients you need to see and at what visit rate
• Three different paths to go from part time to full time
• The basic sales and marketing systems you will need
• A simple one-page business plan so you can take action

Join the free challenge: https://physicaltherapybiz.com/challenge

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