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How to Choose the Best Franchise Location
This is perhaps one of the most exciting phases of your franchise venture. You’ve already been approved to be a franchisee, your financial obligations to the parent company have been met, you know what region you’d like to be in, and now it’s time to find the perfect location. Here are some tips to use as a guideline as you continue on your franchise venture as a Physical Therapy Now franchisee or as the franchisee of the franchisee of another business growing rapidly.
It is imperative that you don’t merely choose just any leasing agent to find the perfect location for your franchise. Instead, find a COMMERCIAL leasing agent. These individuals have a first hand take on not only the properties currently available for lease, but also for those that are due to come on the market. Commercial agents are well versed in the demographics of your particular region, which falls in line with the requirement of all Physical Therapy Now locations to have a highly visible retail space.
Think along the lines of a specific storefront that has a well-branded name such as Whole Foods, Exxon, Target or Wal-Mart. When your signage is clear, your company has a strong brand in its chosen field, AND your facility is in a high-traffic location, your franchise business will surely reap the benefits of being visible.
Your chosen franchise will likely come with size requirements that you must adhere to when scoping out your location. For Physical Therapy Now, each franchise location must offer a specific minimum square footage and those facilities that exceed a certain square footage must be pre-approved by the Physical Therapy Now franchise management team. Traffic considerations are also an essential factor when determining the best location for your franchise.
Once you have chosen your location and your franchise management team has approved it, you will move into the lease negotiation phase. Your franchise family will offer support in every area and will provide guidance if needed through each step of this process. However, it is STRONGLY recommended that you hire an attorney to oversee these negotiations. A lawyer with expertise in commercial lease negotiations will introduce certain factors that you may not know to consider.
In most cases, a build-out is required for your franchise location. It is imperative that you contact a professionally licensed and certified architect for this project. Your franchise has likely chosen a preferred architectural company, so you may not need to search for anyone to fulfill this task!
There will also be specific requirements in place for restrooms, work/office space storage space, cleaning/janitorial facilities, as well as customer space, if applicable.
Once the architectural layout of your facility is designed, you will need to find a licensed general contractor. It is most advantageous for you (and your business) to get bids from no less than 3 General Contractors, so you can make a fully informed decision based on not just cost, but also experience, past projects, references, and reviews.
Physical Therapy Now is one of the fastest growing Physical Therapy franchises in the country. Are you curious about what it’s like to be a franchisee? Consider reading about some of the franchisees featured on the Physical Therapy Now blog located in Florida who are currently in different phases of the franchise venture.
To learn more about opening a franchise location with Physical Therapy Now, call us today at (800) 481-4582. We would love to partner with you!
Why Do Physical Therapy in Miami?
Healing from an injury, surgery or suffering from an ailment of any kind can be a literal pain! Regardless what your specific issue is, there’s a pretty good chance that physical therapy in Miami can not only address your pain but could very well eliminate it altogether. There are a host of reasons why you should consider doing physical therapy in Miami, some of which are included in a previous blog post. Today, we’re adding on to that blog by giving you 5 MORE reasons why you’ll benefit from physical therapy in Miami.
Opioids are medications used to treat pain. This century-old tradition has evolved in most recent years to treat chronic pain. According to the National Institute of Drug Abuse, “When these drugs attach to their receptors, they inhibit the transmission of pain signals,” but when taken at high doses or abused, can “induce euphoria,” and the addiction, in most people, sets in almost immediately.
Physical therapy can help reduce your need for these meds because your customized program will be monitored by a professional who will help you get stronger, reduce pain, and will work in tandem with your medical doctor to devise a plan to wean you off of your pain meds slowly.
Are you missing work because of your injury or ailment? And are your finances negatively impacted as a result? When you begin physical therapy in Miami, you’ll see near immediate improvement in your physical condition, and we’ll orchestrate a game plan to get you back to work sooner than you originally planned!
Do you know your insurance company WANTS you to get better? When your health improves, you’ll eventually need to see your doctor less, and you’ll need less physical therapy (if any at all)! For the insurance company, that means less money will have to be paid out for your medical care, physical therapy sessions, and medication. For you, getting healthier could mean no more deductibles or out of pocket expenses. With Physical Therapy Now leading the charge in your recovery, both your physical well-being AND your wallet will reap the benefits!
Getting to Physical Therapy Now is easier than ever. No matter where you are in the Miami-Dade area, you’ll find a Physical Therapy Now location within 5 miles of your starting point. Getting care when you have physical limitations can be a challenge, so we want to make it simple to get in those much-needed physical therapy appointments. If you’re having trouble with transportation, no need to worry. We can help with that as well because helping you get better is our priority!
When you get in that regular movement that your body craves (and needs), you increase the flow of oxygenated blood that goes directly to the site of the injury. With the help of your a skilled physical therapist in Miami, you’ll experience less pain and an increased range of motion soon after your sessions begin. Plus, with specialized training in wound care management, we’ll closely monitor incisions, stitches and, soft tissue and/or developing scar tissue to ensure your wounds are healing properly without infection.
No matter what your ailment is, we can help. Our expert physical therapy and occupational therapy staff throughout the Miami-Dade area have years of experience successfully treating physical therapy patients just like you. Call us today to set up your first appointment at (800) 481-4582. You don’t have to suffer anymore, and now, you have a dedicated team at Physical Therapy Now supporting your physical therapy success!
What Does Physical Therapy Involve
It’s that time, and you can’t put it off any longer. You NEED to do physical therapy in Miami, but you need to find the perfect location with a stellar reputation. Plus, you’re not sure about physical therapy, so you’re putting off making (and possibly also keeping) that initial appointment.
Good news! You don’t have to wait any longer, because we’re answering that common question, “What does physical therapy involve?”
Whether your doctor recommends physical therapy in Miami or if you are making the decision to go independently, you’re off to a great start. In the state of Florida, you don’t need a prescription for your doctor for physical therapy and you can call Physical Therapy Now immediately to get started. You will be greeted with someone from our friendly and professional staff, and you will briefly tell them about your injury or ailment.
Were you injured in a car accident and are experiencing neck pain? Did you trip or slip and fall and now you have back pain that won’t heal? Perhaps you were hurt performing an everyday task and need to get better so you can get back to normal or maybe you had surgery and need to rehabilitate that area and regain strength.
You’ll also share any necessary insurance information and we’ll being the communications with your insurance company you so have a full understanding of any financial obligations you’ll have. If you have Medicare or Medicaid, you will share that information as well. If you don’t have insurance, no worries. Here at Physical Therapy Now, your physical well-being is our priority, so we’ll work with you to find the most affordable way to get you the physical therapy in Miami you need.
Because we have so many Physical Therapy Now locations in Miami-Dade, you are guaranteed to find a location convenient to you. We hire the best physical therapist in Miami for each of our sites, so no matter which Physical Therapy Now location you choose for your physical therapy in Miami, you’ll get excellent care from a well-trained physical therapy team who has specialized training for your injury or ailment.
When you arrive at your first appointment, you will sign off on some paperwork, and your first physical therapy session will get underway. You’ll chat briefly with a member from your physical therapy team, and you will also discuss the specifics of the pain you are experiencing.
Some people expect that physical therapy will involve a fitness work-out, but physical therapy isn’t a sweat session. It focuses directly on the injury/ailment and any other areas surrounding the pain source that could be contributing to the pain you are experiencing.
The targeted strategic exercises and movements will allow you to increase strength and mobility while your progress is monitored and documented by your physical therapy team.
Our goal is to get your physical therapy in Miami completed as soon as possible. We’ll communicate with you about how many suggestions we recommend for you each week and the duration of each one of those sessions. Some people need just a few weeks for physical therapy, others need a few months. As we observe your progress, we’ll adjust any goals and expected timelines for the completion of your physical therapy.
Here at Physical Therapy Now, our goal is to partner with you to help you regain strength, increase mobility, and get you back to living life pain-free, so you can get back to your day to day activities and enjoying life the way you should. Call us today to get started at (800) 481-4582 or visit our website to learn more about the services we offer to our patients.
In addition to the physical therapy you will receive in a traditional setting, we also offer innovative physical therapy options, including aquatic therapy, cyber therapy, laser therapy and much more. Call us today to get started, so we help you drastically improve your quality of life today!
The Top 3 Private Practice Problems
Oh! The headaches! There are too many to list when you think of all that’s going wrong with your physical therapy business. But today, we’re giving you the tools on how to fix three of the most common problems, plus a big solution that you may have never considered.
When you open that bill in the mail or your email inbox every month, you probably shutter and the thought of sending in that payment. The interesting thing is… you know it’s coming, and you know it has to be paid each month, but still, you dread it because that payment in exchange for the space you’re using is painful!
First, know that you do have options. The chances of your landlord decreasing your payment are slim to none, so here’s what you can do:
You may be thinking “Well, that’s obvious!” However, these are genuinely the solutions you need to consider if you want to shift the direction of your private practice physical therapy business. More revenue can happen by tapping into your marketing budget to increase your online presence and physical presence in the community.
Changing locations may seem like a massive undertaking, and while it will be a big project, the long-term benefits will serve you – and your budget well.
Patients skip appointments either because getting there isn’t their priority, they weren’t able to get there, or they just forgot.
The effort to make sure your clients make their appointments happens long before the day they are supposed to be there. You should have systems in place to make sure they have proper reminders. That appointment card you’ve been filling out is great, but it’s probably buried in the bottom of a bag before they get home or worse, is dropped somewhere in that short walk from your office to their car.
Don’t stop filling out those cards, because they do work for some people, but also consider text and email-based reminders, along with the friendly phone call one or two days before.
If all else fails and they still don’t get there, call them immediately. Kindly ask why they weren’t able to make it so you can address their concerns to help them get back on track.
You’re not the first, and you’re certainly not going to be the last physical therapy private practice that absolutely DREADS billing. But, here’s a little something you may not know: there are hundreds of physical therapy businesses out there that have zero or minimal problems with billing. Do you know why? Because they’re doing it right. And do you know what that means? We’re going to get real here: YOU’RE DOING IT WRONG.
Billing should not be a hassle. It’s how you make money and when it causes you stress and headaches, that means you’re not doing it the right way early on, and that leads to all the problems you’ve been experiencing.
It would be best if you shifted the way you’re handling your billing now to avoid all those headaches later.
You probably never imagined that you would consider this option, but: FRANCHISE YOUR PRIVATE PRACTICE PHYSICAL THERAPY BUSINESS. Physical Therapy Now is one of the fastest growing physical therapy franchise operations in the country and here’s are four reasons why:
We could go on and on with more reasons, but sit back and think for a moment about that short list above, and how much of a difference that could have on not just your physical therapy business, but on your life. When you choose to franchise with Physical Therapy Now, you’re also choosing massive success potential!
Do you think franchising your private practice is something you’d like to explore a little more? Consider starting with our 7-step application process. You are not obligated to move forward with franchising your business, but the application process will give you more insight as to what is required to become a Physical Therapy Now franchisee.
To get started, go to our website or give us a call at (800) 481-4582. Your franchise family is waiting for your call!
Miami Physical Therapist for Concussions
What you know for sure is that you were in a car accident and now, you aren’t feeling 100%. Your body is sore, you have a headache, and you’re feeling irritable and short tempered. The best thing you can do now? Get to a medical professional immediately. Whether it’s the emergency room, an immediate care facility, your doctor, or your physical therapist in Miami, don’t wait any longer. Prolonging medical treatment for even just a small bump to the head can be life-threatening.
The Centers for Disease Control describes a concussion as:
“A type of traumatic brain injury—or TBI—caused by a bump, blow or jolt to the head or by a hit to the body that causes the head and brain to move rapidly back and forth. This sudden movement can cause the brain to bounce around or twist in the skull, creating chemical changes in the brain and sometimes stretching and damaging brain cells.”
Some medical experts may refer to a concussion as a mild traumatic brain injury, (TBI); however, this term should not be misconstrued. Specific care needs to be taken for concussions to ensure the brain heals fully from the injury.
There are numerous concussion symptoms. Some of the most common include:
There are several ways your Miami physical therapist can help you to heal from a concussion properly. The primary goals include the effort to:
You will undoubtedly be prescribed adequate mental and physical rest following your concussion. However, the time will come when it is imperative to transition from rest to increase your overall strength. Not only will your Miami physical therapist closely monitor your symptoms, progression, and healing, but he/she will also create a customized exercise program that will aid in the healing of your concussion.
Balance issues are quite common in individuals who have suffered a concussion. Your qualified Miami Physical Therapist will aim to reduce or eliminate your dizziness and balance problems through specific treatments and exercises.
Your physical therapist in Miami will investigate the possible causes of your headaches and will assess the details surrounding the pain you are experiencing. A variety of proven techniques and treatments will be utilized during your Miami physical therapy sessions.
Have you or a loved one received a concussion? This injury is most common in sports injuries and car accidents and needs immediate treatment to increase the chances of a full, long-term recovery.
The experts at Physical Therapy Now in Miami have years of experience in successfully treating concussions and other traumatic brain injuries. We will create a customized treatment plan specific to your injury and are committed to helping you fully recover from your concussion. Don’t wait any longer! Call us today at Physical Therapy Now to set up your first appointment, and we’ll get you on the road to recovery! You are not alone, and now you have a talented, experience physical therapy team committed to your health and well-being. We are Physical Therapy Now, and we’re with you!
Finding the Best Miami Physical Therapist
Have you heard about the therapeutic benefits of physical therapy in Miami? Are you wondering if you are a candidate for therapy services? Consider visiting Physical Therapy NOW and allowing our trained and certified staff become your partner in recovery.
Physical Therapy in Miami has proven to help physical functionality, reduce pain, and improve recovery time in individuals of all ages and athletic abilities, and can work for you too! If you are looking for the best Miami physical therapist, call our team today. We look forward to working with you and will meet and exceed your expectations!
Many of our clients are new to physical therapy in Miami and don’t know what to expect when they visit Physical Therapy NOW. At Physical Therapy NOW, our team works with you to make sure you know what happens during your treatment. When you first arrive at any of our locations, you will meet with a therapist and develop a targeted treatment plan that considers your health status and goals. The resulting plan is made to support your injury, condition or need, and the therapist will educate you about the specific recommended therapies to best support your recovery. Our team at Physical Therapy NOW will de-mystify physical therapy for you so you can receive the best Miami Physical Therapist.
If you are new to physical therapy in Miami, you’ll love the therapeutic benefits of our services! At Physical Therapy NOW, we offer a full range of therapeutic offerings provided by the best Miami physical therapists, including:
Getting started on physical therapy in Miami is easy. Physical Therapy NOW has multiple locations in the area, including a center every 5 miles in Dade County, and every 7 miles in Broward County. We work hard make sure using our services is convenient to you and we hire only the most skilled employees. Call us today to meet with the best Miami Physical Therapist so we can get started on your recovery immediately!
If you are suffering from any pain from a surgery, injury or ailment, physical therapy in Miami might be the perfect form of treatment for you. The best Miami physical therapist is at Physical Therapy Now and we have extensive experience working with patients just like you.
We know your pain is significant to your circumstances, and we will treat you – and your therapy – as individuals because not only is that what it takes to get better, but because that’s what you deserve. Call us now to make your appointment, and we’ll explore physical therapy in Miami as an option for treatment. If your insurance company questions physical therapy, we’ll step in and handle that as well. We’re ready to take your call at (800) 481-4582 to see if Miami physical therapy at Physical Therapy Now is right for you!
The Secret to Franchise Success
Here at Physical Therapy Now, we wholeheartedly believe that we don’t just have a franchise – we have a FRANCHISE FAMILY. Just like related family members support one another, we do the same. We do hold our franchisees to high standards, but that high standard is fully supported in many ways. One of those ways is by making sure our franchisees have every opportunity to further their knowledge and education of any and everything in the physical therapy field.
Support for the Physical Therapy Now franchisees begins much earlier than you may imagine. In fact, it starts during our unique 7-step application process. We are quite particular about choosing our franchisees, and our vetting process is a way to select only those who we genuinely believe will be an excellent fit for our franchise family.
Once an application is approved, your Physical Therapy Now support team will shift into all-out support mode immediately. One of the first steps is site selection. We will provide all the support needed to make sure you find the perfect spot for your franchise, and will also help with your lease, build-out and equipment, signage and much more.
We don’t just hand you the Physical Therapy Now franchise and hope that you will succeed. It all begins with the training you receive at our corporate offices in sunny Miami, Florida. The training is completed in three different ways: There is training in a traditional classroom setting, “on-the-job” training, and online training through our exclusive instructional program.
We choose to educate our franchisees using these three different styles because whether an individual is familiar with owning a business, running a business, or a seasoned investor, there are key details that need to be fully understood during the franchising process. Because we know it is our job to make sure you have every educational opportunity available, we take it upon ourselves to provide the formal and informal education needed to build and maintain a Physical Therapy Now franchise.
The importance of staying “in-the-know” doesn’t end with training early on in the franchising process. Because the business world is ever changing and ever evolving, it is crucial to stay on top of the latest studies, technologies, and developments related to the physical therapy industry. We provide this support by assigning a dedicated corporate liaison to each franchise operation. With this practice in place, the franchisee has a direct line of communication to its most crucial support system: the Physical Therapy Now Franchise Corporate Offices.
Here at Physical Therapy Now, we know your success begins with how the Physical Therapy Now Corporate Offices support you. Our franchise model sets you up to win, and we’ll be with you from the beginning when you apply to become a franchisee. We’ll be there to support you at your grand opening, and each evening when you turn off the lights to your Physical Therapy Now franchise, you’ll know you have a franchise family on your side, supporting your success. We are here for you, and take to heart the words “franchise family,” because that’s what we are.
Car Accident Rehab in Miami
When you are injured in a car accident, your life comes to a standstill. You can no longer do the things you love, and you can no longer go to work. Your focus must now shift to your health and healing, and the best way to do that is with car accident rehab in Miami at Physical Therapy Now.
Car accident rehab in Miami isn’t a “one size fits all” attempt at helping you feel better. There is extensive planning and research involved in creating a personalized physical therapy plan that is specific to you, your car accident, and your injuries.
For example, if you are suffering from whiplash and low back-pain, we will create a treatment plan that targets those key areas that have been injured, taking special precautions to make sure your pain is managed and under control. Your physical therapist in Miami will monitor your progression not only during each session but also in between.
Many patients undergoing physical therapy in Miami may have wounds and scarring that need to be monitored as well. Here at Physical Therapy Now, our staff is trained in wound care and will look closely at scar tissue, bandages and dressing to ensure the wound is healing properly.
There are numerous injuries that can happen in a car accident. Some of the most common include:
Whiplash – This is perhaps the most common car accident injury. It can occur in any accident but happens most in rear-end and side-impact accident collisions. Whiplash can happen even in low-speed accidents. It occurs when the body receives a bump, hit or blow that thrusts it forward, causing the head to snap back abruptly and then snap forward immediately after that. Symptoms of whiplash include pain in the neck and shoulders, headaches, irritability, problems sleeping, and ringing in the ears.
Physical Therapy for whiplash focuses on the soft tissues that were damaged when the injury occurred. Depending on the severity of the whiplash injury, the timeline for physical therapy in Miami can vary from a few weeks to a few months.
Broken Bones – This can be a wrist, rib, finger, ankle, leg, arm or one of the many bones in the human body. When someone breaks a bone, no matter how big or small, it can cause intense pain that requires several weeks (or months) of healing. These injuries often need extensive physical therapy to ensure the bone heals properly so the patient can recover fully and adequately.
Many people think physical therapy for broken bones will be a painful, grueling process, but that isn’t true. Physical therapy is meant to make you stronger as comfortably as possible.
Concussion – Concussions are quite common in car accidents and can be often undiagnosed if the injured individual doesn’t seek medical treatment immediately following their car accident. Symptoms of a concussion include headaches, dizziness, ringing in the ears, problems concentrating and problems with balance.
When you do physical therapy in Miami for a concussion, your physical therapist will tailor a program to fit your needs that may include exercises for helping with any balance issues you may be experiencing.
When you need car accident rehab in Miami, there is one place you need to be. Physical Therapy Now has multiple locations throughout the Miami-Dade area, and you are guaranteed to find a location convenient to you. Call us today to set up your first appointment at (800) 481-4582. Your physical therapy team is waiting for your call! Physical Therapy in Miami is what you need, and we will meet and exceed your expectations!
Does Physical Therapy in Miami Help?
Sure, you can sit back and try to heal on your own, hoping for the best outcome. However, why leave your short and long-term health to chance? When you have been injured in a car accident, physical therapy will have a HUGE impact on your health and well-being. Today, we’re answering the most common question asked by people just like you who have been injured in a car accident: Does physical therapy in Miami help me get better?
Because movement through physical therapy helps pump oxygenated blood to the site of the injury, your flexibility and range of motion will gradually improve the more you move. When a highly qualified physical therapist closely monitors your movement like those at Physical Therapy Now, your risk of more injuries will be dramatically reduced. Another benefit: When you move: much-needed nutrients are able to make their way to the injury site much easier, and that too, promotes faster healing!
All that movement may seem counterproductive to reducing pain, but actually, it is the movement in particular that helps the pain to decline. Another proven benefit is that most people can reduce or eliminate the use of prescription and over the counter pain relievers as a direct result of physical therapy.
Just imagine: being able to move freely with NO PAIN! Yes, it is possible, and you will increase your chances of being able to dramatically improve your quality of life with physical therapy in Miami. Whether it is going back to work, going out for dinner, getting back on the golf course, or playing with children or grandchildren, you will get back to doing those “little” things that bring you joy much sooner with physical therapy in Miami at Physical Therapy Now.
Those everyday things we take for granted suddenly make a HUGE difference when you don’t have to worry about HOW you are going to manage your pain, and HOW you are going to get up and down the stairs, or HOW you are going to do something simple, like take a shower. As you begin to heal, get stronger and improve your overall quality of life each day, your stress levels will decline because those things you’ve been worrying about no longer exist!
The insurance companies don’t always have a good reputation when it comes to cutting checks for the injured. However, did you know that the insurance adjusters, in most cases, may ENCOURAGE you to do physical therapy? The benefit isn’t just for you: when you heal and get better, the insurance companies don’t have to pay for your care over an extended period. You’re getting better in a faster period benefits everyone!
When you need physical therapy in Miami, don’t hesitate to reach out to the best Miami physical therapist at Physical Therapy Now. We make it so convenient for you to get to one of our many locations in the Miami-Dade area, with a facility located every 5 miles, no matter where you are! And if getting to a Physical Therapy Now facility presents a challenge, we can come to you by way of Cyber Therapy or In-Home Therapy.
We also offer highly successful aquatic therapy, which is an excellent option for physical therapy in Miami. Call us today to set up your first appointment and we’ll get started on your personalized physical therapy plan today!
Focus on The Franchisee:
It’s not a huge surprise that Terrence “Terry” Diaz is one of the newest Physical Therapy Now franchisees. A career in the medical field was somewhat inevitable. His mother is a Registered Nurse, and his father is a medical doctor, but his career didn’t exactly unfold the way his parents imagined.
Terry was a 7-year-old boy growing up in Jersey City, New Jersey when his parents announced a big change: they were all moving to Spain so Terry’s dad could go to medical school. His mom’s career was pretty flexible so she could find work as a nurse easily.
Terry didn’t know what to expect and knew only the most basic Spanish words. Like any other kid, he was a little nervous about the move, but once there, he quickly adapted.
“Within two months, I was speaking fluent Spanish. Kid’s can pick up new languages fast, and I did it, but it was because I had to. Everyone was speaking Spanish.”
Four years later when his father finished medical school, Terry, now 11, would take that open mindset to Panama when they all moved once again. Panama is where his father was born, and Terry had a host of aunts, uncles, and cousins there. As expected, his mother found a job, working as an RN for the Department of Defense.
Terry quickly found his way, forming close friendships in his new city and going on to graduate high school. He did well in school, made good grades (his parents wouldn’t have had it any other way), and learned that he is – as he puts it – “a numbers guy.” However, despite his knack for numbers, his parents had a specific vision in mind for his future.
“My Dad really wanted me to go into medicine. I didn’t want to disappoint him, but I knew that wasn’t what I wanted to do,” Terry says.
Terry gave into some subtle pressure from his mom to dabble in the medical field, even if just a little.
“She came to me one day and said, ‘look, why don’t you just do something in medicine to see what you think… something might come out of it.’ So that’s what I did. I decided to be a paramedic.”
His short stint as a paramedic proved what Terry knew all along.
“I knew I didn’t want a career in medicine, but I more or less, I did it to please my Dad. And I don’t regret it. Medicine just isn’t the career path for me.”
Terry decided to go his own path and made plans to move back to the states. New Jersey was the only place he knew, so it seemed perfect. He applied to Rutgers University, was accepted, and made a move back to his home state.
But…
“I was only there for one year because there is a little something in New Jersey called winter,” Terry laughs. “One year was all I lasted and then I had to go! I went straight to the south.”
He went as far as Gainesville, Florida to The University of Florida, and in 1987, graduated with a degree in Industrial and Systems Engineering. His first job out of college, ironically, was at a hospital in Miami, albeit, not practicing medicine, but rather, management… as a Management Engineer at Cedars Medical Center (now University of Miami Hospital).
Over the course of the next six years, he would move on to another hospital in Miami and continued to advance in his career, working his way up on the administrative side of the hospital as the Assistant Director of Surgery.
Then came an opportunity that would usher him in a different direction.
Terry explains, “The hospital wanted to transition into offering it’s patients ancillary services, like laboratories, radiology, physical therapy, genetic testing…. anything that could support the work of the physicians and medical staff, it was my job to help form the groups to make that happen.”
These service locations were set up all around the Miami-Dade area, but there was one territory in particular that didn’t make the cut.
“It was Stuart. The hospital couldn’t extend its reach to cover that specific region, but Stuart needed these ancillary services. So, I approached the hospital with the idea of doing it on my own, and they gave me the green light.”
It was perfect because Terry had helped dozens – if not hundreds – of other people get their ancillary facilities up and running so he felt confident he could do the same thing on his own.
He and a colleague decided to become businesses partners, and they too began opening ancillary service locations in the form of a mental health center, a laboratory and even an adult daycare facility. Then, one day, there was a casual conversation with one of his employees that single-handedly changed the way he would do business for the next two decades.
“She came into the office, and she seemed kind of down. When we asked her what was wrong, she explained that her mother recently had a mini-stroke,” Terry explains. “Luckily, her mother was going to be okay, but that employee subtly mentioned that it was ironic that her job of doing ultrasounds may have helped her own mother who was asymptomatic.”
It was an eye-opening moment for Terry, and he immediately began to think of how many people he could help if only he could make getting these ancillary services more convenient. His business focus shifted dramatically, and Terry, along with his business partner, took on an innovative business venture: mobile units.
These bus-style vehicles would be outfitted with the ability to perform EKG’s, ultrasounds, and much more. It was so successful that the duo sold the company in 2006. They repurchased it in 2009, grew it to 28 buses across the nation, and sold the company once and for all in 2018.
Professionally, it was great, but now, Terry needed something else to do.
“I started looking at all kinds of franchises, and because I know healthcare from the management side, I was motivated to go in that direction. Physical therapy specifically stood out to me because I’ve seen for myself how much it can truly improve someone’s life.”
Terry went to a franchise fair in October of 2018 and in a matter of weeks, was meeting face to face with Andy Zapata, the owner of Physical Therapy Now.
“I was extremely impressed with Andy. I know what it takes to make a business run, and I know healthcare from the administrative and management side – but Andy offered me something different that I hadn’t ever experienced.”
Terry explains, “He has a team that is so energetic and knowledgeable, and it is so refreshing. They are very entrepreneurial-minded, yet at the same time, Andy makes sure all the methods and systems are in place that – for other companies – can cause so many headaches when they aren’t done correctly. Andy educates himself in every area possible and then shares that knowledge with his franchisees. He makes sure things are done right the first time, so at Physical Therapy Now, those headaches don’t even exist. It’s remarkable what he’s doing. To see how well he has it covered, that sold me.”
Terry is used to calling the shots himself, but on this one, is admittedly happy to default to someone else.
“I just have to keep listening to this guy more and more because – even though building businesses is what I do – Andy? This guy knows physical therapy and the business of physical therapy.”
There is one more guy from which Terry will gladly accept input.
“My father… he thinks this whole franchise is a good idea, and I’m happy about that. He still tries to be my teacher, and he likes to tell me what therapies work best for what, and I’m like, ‘Whoa! I’m on the management side of this!’ But all in all, my parents are proud of me, and that means a lot.”
Terry Diaz hopes to open his first Physical Therapy Now location in Hillsborough County, Florida by Summer 2019. His future plans as a franchisee include opening many more Physical Therapy Now facilities in the Tampa Bay area over the next five years. To learn more about Physical Therapy Now, go to www.physicaltherapynow.com
