Understand What Game You’re Playing

Today on PT Breakfast Club, we’re talking physical therapy business, cash PT positioning, fall recovery, and the uncomfortable question: are trainers reaching patients better than physical therapists? Jimmy McKay, Tony Meritato, and Dave Kittle dig into whether PTs are defending the wrong thing: the license, the title, the visit, the referral, the insurance model, or the certification. The conversation starts with concierge/activity-based PT, including the idea of a physical therapist joining an older adult on the golf course to help them safely return to something they love. Then Tony brings up an Instagram trainer teaching older adults fall recovery and big movement strategies. Is that physical therapy? Occupational therapy? Personal training? Practicing without a license? Or just useful? From there, the crew gets into cash-based physical therapy, premium patient experience, why “1-on-1 care” is not enough as a value proposition, and how concierge PT can position itself around fewer handoffs, less confusion, and more continuity. Plus: Tony explains why he sells an experience instead of physical therapy, Dave shares early results from his direct mail/postcard campaign, and Jimmy closes with the bigger lesson: understand what game you’re playing. In this episode: • Concierge golf PT and activity-based care • Trainer-led fall recovery and the PT license debate • Cash PT vs insurance-based PT positioning • Patient experience, handoffs, and continuity • Why small clinics can create magic • Direct mail, postcards, and analog marketing • Understanding the game you’re actually playing Chapters: 00:00 PT Breakfast Club intro 00:56 Concierge golf PT and activity-based care 03:52 How to price premium PT experiences 10:52 Trainer-led fall recovery: PT, OT, or just useful? 14:29 Is the PT license really the moat? 17:45 Are trainers doing it better? 18:04 Uber, Airbnb, and PT disruption 21:30 Why cash PT needs better positioning 24:44 You’re buying fewer handoffs 30:08 “I don’t sell physical therapy. I sell an experience.” 31:40 Why small clinics can create magic 33:52 Hiring the right PT for premium care 42:55 Dave’s postcard campaign results 49:01 Is analog marketing coming back? 53:37 Understand what game you’re playing Follow: Tony Meritato: Total Therapy Solution Dave Kittle: Concierge Pain Relief / The Dave Kittle Show Jimmy McKay: PT Pintcast This livestream is for conversation and entertainment only, not medical, legal, billing, or business advice. #PhysicalTherapy #PTBusiness #CashPT