Entrepreneurial Spirit
By Stacy M. Menz, PT, DPT, PCS
I have been waiting for this issue to come along ever since we laid out the editorial calendar back in May of 2015. I find entrepreneurialism fascinating and love the ideas that are out there regarding innovative business concepts.
As an owner of a pediatric private practice, I started my practice with the idea of looking at each problem or scenario with the thought of “how do we make it happen” and truly looking for the solutions to fill the holes in my current market, serve my unique population, and create a business that is sustainable. I love ideas, but sometimes I struggle with how to take my ideas from a concept to the reality of my business. I have been lucky enough to work with some great people who have been able to help me draw the line from a nebulous concept to a concrete plan for implementation and success. Some initiatives have worked and others haven’t. Even those ideas that haven’t come to fruition have opened up doors to other opportunities and relationships that have proven beneficial.
I believe that many of us who are private practice owners are entrepreneurs, and we started our practices because we saw a need in the marketplace and thought, “I can do that.” What separates us from others who have seen the same need and thought “I can do that” is that we actually made the leap. That is the hardest part and the things that differentiate entrepreneurs—the willingness to dream and then take the leap.
As our field continues to evolve and health care continues to change, I believe that entrepreneurs have a great opportunity to drive change. We believe in innovation and think outside the box. We know that innovation isn’t just rearranging the furniture; it’s changing the furniture altogether or changing the dimensions of the room. The current state of our health care system provides so many opportunities for us to create positive change. Our profession is uniquely trained to have a large impact on how things like chronic disease and musculoskeletal disorders are treated, all at a lower cost and in a more conservative way than many other medical interventions.
What are your stories of innovation and entrepreneurialism? Who influenced you? What was it that got you to take that leap of faith? I would love to hear your story.
