Talking Pelvic Health with Kaylee Garrett Simmerman, PT, DPT
Kaylee Garrett Simmerman, PT, DPT, is a pelvic health private practice owner of Femme Empowerment and Advocacy in Tampa Bay, Florida. Kaylee cohosts a podcast directed toward her population called Girlfriend’s Guide to Health and Happiness. She also runs Facebook groups and offers a wellness program for people wanting to get back into fitness.
Interview by Jenna Kantor, PT, DPT
I met Kaylee Garrett Simmerman, PT, DPT, through an online business course for physical therapists in January of 2017. Kaylee was quick to take charge of her career in the midst of the course and built a substantial online following on social media with educational videos, Facebook groups, and as a cohost for a women’s health podcast. In less than a year, Kaylee was able to build a successful cash-based physical therapy practice for pelvic health in Tampa Bay, Florida.
Share a little about yourself, your background, and the type of physical therapy practice you own: I am a very dedicated and compassionate physical therapist who specializes in pelvic health. I went to school and realized I had an entrepreneurial mindset early on. I always wanted more and to be a boss who guided, led, and showed people the best way to make things happen. As a practitioner, I have an ability to relate with my patients on a human level, which gives me a competitive edge. I think it is important to develop a strong relationship with each patient in order to provide her or him the best care.
Describe your essential business philosophy: A foundational principle of my business is character building. Building that one-on-one relationship with the patient is essential. You have to be their friend, especially with pelvic health. You have to be able to meet them on their level and advocate for them.
Describe your marketing strategy and highlight your most successful action: I would say social media, email marketing, and face-to-face marketing. I do both front end and back end marketing. My goal is to be the women’s health physical therapist in Tampa Bay, Florida. My most successful action has been my ability to post consistent videos on Facebook. I am building that same success on Instagram right now.
What unique programs do you offer that set you apart from the competition? I am a cohost on a podcast directed toward my population called Girlfriend’s Guide to Health and Happiness. We talk about all the things no one wants to talk about in the world of being a woman—pelvic health, nutrition, menopause, all the stages of a female’s journey, and so on. In addition to interviewing medical professionals, we bring on patients who are willing to tell their own story. Last of all, I run Facebook groups and I offer a wellness program for people wanting to get back into fitness.
What are the benefits of PPS membership to your practice? I am a key contact with the Private Practice Section. It is great to know who to talk to legislatively when I have a question. Being a key contact has opened up that door for me. I also like reading all the Impact magazine articles.
Jenna Kantor, PT, DPT, owner of Jenna Kantor Physical Therapy, PLLC, hosts a podcast, Physiotherapy Performance Perspectives, and runs an online course, Powerful Performer. Jenna is a cofounder of Fairytale Physical Therapy, which brings musical theatre shows to children in hospitals and teaches dance via therapeutic exercises. For more information, view http://www.jennakantorpt.com. She can be reached on Twitter at @jennakantor.