Once everybody listen, today is my first official start of my podcast. It's called Resolution Podcast, and I'm excited to do this. I've been looking at this for a while now, and I will tell you from a perspective of really want to give my thoughts because it's so hard when I'm actually doing treatment with people to kind of tell you guys what's going on.
There's a lot of stuff behind the scene. There's a lot of stuff I talk to the patients about that I don't. Portray out there in the camera. So this is something I can kind of tell you guys on behind the scenes, my thoughts about different conditions, different injuries, how to treat them, what's going on with the chiropractic profession, what's going on with the medical profession, what is happening, and how.
Um, different professions are sort of inner fighting behind the scenes and the pharmaceutical companies are getting into it and stuff like that. So, with that said, I'm gonna take this first time, actually talk about my start as a chiropractor. How did I get started? How did I even find a chiropractor? How do I get into the profession?
So it all started, um, back in the day my, my mom got in a bag. Well, she, we all got in the. Same car accident. And, um, my mom was injured. Everybody was sort of injured and, um, one of somebody told us, Oh, we should go see a chiropractor. We're like, Okay. This was me. I think I was in 10th grade, something like that, ninth grade, 10th grade.
And I also thought, thought about being a doctor, but. I never knew like what kind, what I want to do and stuff like that. So I go, we all go to chiropractor. My mom has some back pain and neck pain, stuff like that. And um, next to, you know, we all go see this lady actually in Virginia. I don't remember where she is anymore, to be honest with you.
Um, and I was like 14 at the time, 20 years ago or something like that. And um, and she fixed my mom's back pain and neck. Instantly. My mom came, I was sitting in the waiting room and my mom came, sat next to me. She was like, It was my turn to go in. And she was like, Look, Reza, you know, he, she fixed my back pain and nobody else could.
And you wanna be a doctor and once you do what she's doing, And I was like, I literally remember I looked up, I was like, Okay, I, I could, I could see that. So going back one year, my sister actually. was going to the library and she was looking at, um, massage books. So she was reading massage books. So she would come home and she'd be like, Hey, I want to try what I learned on.
I was like, Okay. So I'm laying there on my stomach. She was like, Massage me. And then she's like, Oh, can you do the same thing to me? I was like, Okay. So I turned around and kind of massaged her what I, whatever she taught me right there. And then she was like, Oh, that was really good. I was like, . So we circle back to like one of my, like a family party we had at my house.
So one day at the house party and it was just a family party we had. Um, one of my uncle was like, Oh man, my neck really hurts. And then my sister goes, Reza is pretty good at massage if you want it. She like, volunteered me. I was like, I don't wanna be. Massaging people right now. She's like, No, no, do it. You know your uncle, you know, his neck hurts and stuff.
I said, Okay. So, uh, so I massage his neck and he was like, Oh, that felt really good. And then next thing you know, he pulled out 20 bucks and he just handed to me. I was like, Wow, $20. I was like, five minutes, you know? That was really amazing. And then, you know, my other uncle goes, says, What about me? I was like, Okay, well, you know, I did it for this.
So I'm massaged my other uncle and he gives me another 20. And so next thing you know, I made 40 bucks and then somebody, I was like this, and now my aunt now making 60 bucks every family party. And I'm like, Wow, this is great. So I became, you know, with my hands, I was sort of good at what I was doing, like as far as like massaging or there, people were enjoying it for what I knew, you know?
And this is again, I was like 14, 15, I don't know. And so long story short, they were like, or long story longer, and they were like, um, You know, I was always sort of at F House party, you know, I got my name known for like, give me a good massage. And so then forward to that moment. When we first went to a chiropractor, my mom turned to me and was like, Reza, you're good with your hands.
Wouldn't you be a chiropractor? And I was like, Hmm. . That really triggered with me. So then I started thinking about it. I looked into it, it was really good. So I was like, Okay, well that's something, you know. So since high school, I've been trying to be a chiropractor actually. And um, I came to graduation. I graduated high school.
I went to. College. I went to college at the Virginia Military Institute. It's a military college. It's a senior military college in Virginia, the toughest military college in the country. I don't wanna brag about it, but, uh, it did happen. And, um, so VMI is, um, so I went there first year in, I'm in biology class, so I decided to be, you know, going to medical field.
So I'm, I'm studying biology. Um, next thing you know, . Um, my dad passes away and this was like my, it was like the second, second semester, um, of my college. And we go to, so I'm sort of, kind of going along and summer school hits and I'm doing research, and then my sister one day calls me Saida. I mean, if you don't get into carby school, what are you gonna do?
I said, I don't, I don't know. I was just trying to do that and she was like, Well, why don't you study engineering? And uh, I was like, actually, she actually said, What if you don't get into medical field? What are you gonna do? I said, I don't know. And she was like, Why don't you study something with engineering?
So like, if you can, you know, if you can't find a job or if you don't go to school, you can at least work. I said, Okay. So I switched to civil engineering and the reason I did that was, Um, it, I looked up, you know, I was never interested in engineering, but I was like, All right, well if I'm gonna switch because of a job, I better get the one that makes the most amount of money.
And at the time, this was back in 20 2006 or so, civil engineering made base salary the most money out of all engineering. I think that might be different, but, but, so then I switch to civil engineering and I'm doing pre-med at the same time because I'm still trying to go to school, go to chiropractic school, go into the medical field.
So then, I'm, I'm looking into the me, you know, I'm in the military college, then I realize that they don't have chiropractors in the military. So then, you know, that kind of holds me back from trying to join anything. So I don't do that. So, but, but again, I don't want to give up, you know, I'm in the toughest military college in the country and I want to finish this.
I want to be able to say, I, I did it. You know, I don't want to be getting out. Although, you know, so many times I was like, What am I doing here? Like, I'm not even gonna go to military. I'm sort of wasting my time here. So, um, then, you know, we kind of go through, I study, you know, my dad passed away, so my mom moves back to Boston from Virginia because her, her side lives there and, and then, so then we kind of, I'm kind of going through life here and.
studying civil engineering. I hated engineering. Oh my god, what a passion. I barely like, I'm just trying to get through it. You know? My brain was not made for like math. My brain was for, I was really good at memorizing things. I was really good at like putting, you know, tune and two together as far as medical stuff.
I was good with my hands, but math wasn't my forte. But hey, I didn't do too bad. I graduated pretty good. I don't remember my GPA though. Maybe I was 2.8 , 2.9. My me, my, my GPA for all the pre-med courses was 3.5, 3.6, something like that. So, um, but I went through it and, um, I graduated. Then I'm applying to chiropractic schools, so, , we sit down.
I think my sister was like, All right, let's look into it. So me and my sister all sit down together and we trying to figure out what school to go to, and I go to Univers Bridgeport. Um, number one, it's a, it's one of the best, um, science based car pack school in the country. Second of all, is the only.
University based chiropractic school, and third of all, it was close to Boston because my mom lived there. So I can like hour and a half, two hours I've been like from Bridgeport to, to Redding where she lives. So then I go there and I finish chiropractic school. Um, during this time, you know, I'm dating my wife now and so I get, you know, we get engaged my last year of car past school.
Then my fourth year comes along, I graduate. , um, 2013 December, 2013, and this is a four year program and stuff like that. So car back school. My school was a four year program and so I graduated from there and we go to, um, towards okay, where I'm gonna live. So I'm trying to find a job, but my wife already found.
A job. So she found a job and I was looking into, okay, well she found a job in Maryland, now I gotta move to Maryland. So I decided to move to Maryland. Now I got, I don't know what to do. So I'm looking at Maryland situation, but I missed the deadline for the, for the jurisprudence tests of the Maryland Board exam.
So basically, here's how chiropractic, chiropractic, , um, license works. You take four board exams to get towards your licensing. Obviously you have to pass all your classes. You take four board exam, 1, 2, 3, 4, and then you take a phy physical therapy exam, so you can do like physical therapy, modalities and stuff like that.
And so, When you do that, then every state you have to apply to every state's licensing board, and every state is different. Like DC and Maryland, they have a jurisprudence test, which is like a law test. Like, Oh, what can you do in Maryland? What you can't do in Maryland, what you can do in dc, what you, But I missed the one for.
I mean, for Maryland, I missed the, I missed the Juris Buddhi test, so I had to wait until August to take it and at September to get it, something like that. But this is like beginning, you know, towards January and February and stuff like that. So I was like, Well, I can't wait till, you know, I need to make some money here.
Like I can't be doing this stuff. So then I decided to go to Virginia. Virginia didn't have a ju p. So, because it didn't have a jurisprudence test, I was like, Okay, cool. So I took, I sent all my board score, I sent everything to them, and the next thing you know, they came at me and said like, um, here you go, you got your license.
I was like, Cool. So I got my license in from Virginia and I was like, like, Okay, what am I gonna do? I need to find a job. Um, so while I'm going through this licensing situation, I'm sitting at home, I'm living in my wife. Parents' basement. So we're living there and I was like, Well, you know, I'm a man here.
I gotta find a job. Like I can't be like, my wife's gonna work, I'm just sitting at home. So I started looking at jobs. So temporary stuff. There's this thing called engineering for kids. . And so they're basically looking for teachers, you know, to go with like 10 year olds, eight year olds, nine year olds, stuff like that.
And kind of do, well guess was just got a degree in engineering and this guy. So I was like, okay, well I'm sure they're gonna give it to me. So I basically was super easy. Nobody, no other teacher was actually engineering there, but he just gonna read a pamphlet, be like, okay, you know, And then he teach himself physics stuff.
So I'm doing gym four kids, I'm staying from Maryland. I'm driving all the way, you know, 40 minutes in to make. $40. I don't know, something, I don't know, something small. I don't remember. $40, $60. I pretty much wanted gas money. I was just trying to do something because there's no way I can stay at home, you know?
Not my personality. So I was like, I can't be just sitting at home. My wife go to work. I'm sitting there just chilling. I don't, So I was waiting. So finally my licensing for Virgina came through and I was like, Okay, well now I want to go and work Virgina. Now I'm thinking, Okay, so I got my licensing, what should I.
Um, should I go work somewhere? But the thing is that I looked it up, Virginia Chiropractors less salary was less than Maryland by far, but maybe like 30 K. So I was like, well, I definitely wanna work in Maryland, but I definitely need to do something Virginia. Wouldn't I just find a part-time job? I couldn't find a part-time jobs.
So then I went to, um, I was like, Well, I don't want to, you know, get hired for one year somewhere. , then I would have to, you know, you know, I'm probably gonna get settled there. I I, I just wanna work somewhere for like another six months and then come back to Maryland to find a job there because it made a lot more money.
And I lived in Maryland, so that would make more sense. Um, so. . I was like, Okay, but maybe I can start my own thing. I'm like, All right, so I'm looking for other, So I'm starting to, I'm looking for chiropractors, Iranian chiropractors, like I'm Iranian myself. So I thought, Oh, my people got me, so maybe I can contact some of them and say, Hey, can I do like a percentage thing?
Would you guys, And so nobody was really kind of talking to me, and one guy was like, Oh, yeah, yeah, you can come to my office. I'll help you out. I was like, Okay. So I go to him, I was like, Listen, I have no money, I have nothing. I, I want to work. I wanna start something and I'll give you a percentage. I was like, you know what percentage fair to you?
And he was like, Alright, it's 70 30. I like, uh, he keeps 30 and I keep 70. I was like, Oh, that's perfect. I mean, that's really nice. Actually. I was gonna do a lot, you know? And he was like, Yeah, don't worry. My secretary, your secretary, my office. Your office, my stuff, your stuff. Just do your thing. I'll help you out.
I was like, Oh my God. What a nice. ? Well, not so much. I go to, um, I start, he was like, Okay, well you have business cards. I was like, No. He was like, Okay, well let's make some business cards at Staples. And, uh, I put my office, you know, put my office. I won't mention his office name. I put his office name on it.
Put your name, put my name on the card, and I put the office phone number so that my secretary would answer for you. I was like, Okay, cool. That's not a problem. That sounds good. Um, So, but here's the problem. My idiot self didn't think about, Hey, how does that make sense for you to put somebody else's phone number on somebody else's office number on there?
And all you're doing is advertising that. and I'm like, and I didn't think about it. I thought about, Oh, that's nice. Oh, I get to have a secretary, you know, this and that. It kind of sounded really good at the time. So I'm started advertisement. I'm going everywhere, so I'm trying to figure out what to do.
Right. Um, so I called one of my, somebody I knew, one of my old professors. I was like, Hey, listen, what do I do here? They were like, Okay, well how much money you have? I said, I got $700. , that's all I had. I had $700 in my pocket. And so they say, Okay, take 50 bucks. Go to Vistaprint and print out some business cards.
I was like, Okay, cool. So I'm Bus. And then he's like, Oh, you gonna go to every single store? So then I'm going to every single store, every single, like you name it, restaurant, something like that. But the first part I did, I went into, uh, before I tell you this, here's what I'm gonna tell you. Um, Okay. I, I went to first place I was gonna go into, I went to this, um, uh, this whole big, um, town center kind of thing.
Okay. Shopping, shopping center. First place was like an Asian, like nail, nail salon. I stand at the door, I bought a go and my heart just kind of pumps. I was like, , uh, you know, I can't go in, so I pick up my phone immediately and act like I'm on the phone. So I'm standing by that door and I'm acting like I'm talking and act to myself, like, Okay, you need to go in now.
My heart started pump and this is getting real, right? This is getting real. I'm about to go inside. This is getting real and I'm gonna, let me put this down. This is getting real. And I got super scared and I was like, Okay, I'm gonna do this. I'm gonna have to go to this thing. Um, coming down, um, I'm starting to talk myself.
I say, Rezo, you gotta go. And I'm like, Outside. I was like, What are you gonna say? There's all these people gonna just stare at you. What are you gonna say? I was like, Okay, just go and say here. You know what you are. I was like, Okay. So I walk in there, say, Hey, I'm a chiropractor. Everybody just staring at me.
I was like, Ah. All the women there, like the people that are working there, the people are getting nails done and. Okay, well here's my card. Okay, thanks. Matt. And I run out of there so fast. I got so scared and so I was like, Okay, I gotta, I gotta figure this out. So I go to the next place. It wasn't as intimidating, There wasn't too many eyes looking at me.
And then, then I'd go to a mattress places and then, so I'm basically going over there introducing, I say, Hey, I'm a chiropractor, you know, I'm new to the area. Hey, what's up? What's up? So, and I'm starting to get some traction. I'm starting people asking some questions. And so with that, then I go to this medical doctor.
He happened to, I also graduated from vmi, my college, and so we hit it off and I was like, Yeah, this and this. And he's like, Okay, don't worry, I got you. Good guy. His name is Dr. Gardner Alexander. He's a super nice guy. And so I go, I was like, Okay, so like a month passes by, I'm getting nobody. Nothing. I'm making zero money and I'm like, What is going on?
So I called back Dr. Gardner. I said, Dr. Gardner, hey man, you say you're gonna send me a couple people. What's going on? My man? And he's like, I've been sending you people. I was like, I haven't seen a single soul. He's like, Okay, let me call one of them. He called one of 'em up, call me back and said, Yeah, he came and he said he saw you.
And I was like, What? And I said, Okay, there must be a miscon. I was like, Okay, I'll call you back. So I pick up the phone call, I, I pick up the call and I call the office where I'm working at. I said, working, because I haven't seen a single soul. And so I called them up and I said, Okay. Um, hey, I like to make it.
I changed my voice because I wanted to see what they're gonna say. I changed my voice. I said, I'm gonna, I like to make an appointment. They were like, Um, Sure. Um, Dr. Al, Hold on. We gotta, we're gonna scratch that. Scratch that. Um, Dr. So-and-So is available today. You want to come and didn't mention my name at all?
Okay. And I was like, I called the office that I'm working in and I put in that post because I'm. I, I don't, you know, I haven't seen a single soul. I call, I changed my voice. I was like, Hey, I'd like to speak to, you know, I don't know what I said. I was like, I like to speak to, I like to make an appointment.
And at that point they're supposed to mention which doctor? Me or the other guy, they don't mention him. It's like, Oh yeah, the other, you know, they, they mention other doctors like, Oh yeah, he's available, blah, blah. Didn't mention me at all. And I was like, Oh my God. This whole time I've been coming from Maryland all the way to Virginia, 40 minutes.
I have no money, gas, you know, I'm spending all that of money on gas traffic. This now come in the morning leaving at night, no money at all. And I'm just this, I'm just advertising this guy. Then I called my wife. I was like, Hey, can you, . She's like, Okay. So she calls, She literally was like, I like to make an appointment with Dr.
Eftar. And they said, No, he's not available. Dr. Soso, the doctor saying he's available. I was like, Oh my God. I remember that day my throat fell down into my gut and I was like, Yo, I just lost everything. I worked for past month and a. And that was one of, one of the most devastating times I remember, like, you know, as far as from a business aspect.
So I, I get myself together, I go the next day, I go to the doctor and I said, Listen man, I don't think your secretaries are, are mentioning me when people are. And he got up, stood up on top in front of me, pounding on his desk. You think I am stealing patience from you, Oza? No. I said, Maybe they're not.
They're doing a fantastic job. You don't know what you're doing. Nobody's calling, Calling here, asking for you. And I know people have because I was one of 'em. And I asked for me and my wife asked for me, and I was like, And this is not gonna work out. So I leave, I just wanna think about it. The next day I come back, I say, I can't do this.
I give him the keys. I said, Thanks, and I just leave. And I remember a month and a half, I spend money on cards, this and this and that. I pretty much just advertise this guy for free. And, um, That was, that was devastating. And I remember I was like, What am I gonna do? So what am I gonna do? I can't just give up.
I saw a few more months. What am I gonna do? Go back and stay in the basement. Um, so I go to, I decide to go on Craigslist and I find, um, a, a. in Springfield, Virginia, and this room was for $200 a month, but I was sharing it with this tax guy and the tax guy was like one big room and he was on one side. I was on this side, but he was actually engineering in the morning, so he would just come at night after I leave to do like tax work.
And so internet was included, this and that. There's no waiting room, no nothing. So it was just a room and all I had was my car pack table that my mom bought, and that's it myself and some tools from school that I bought when I was in school, and that's it. Like little scraping tools, and that's all I had.
And so I go, . I say, Okay. So I go to the guy, I'm like, Okay, I like to get this back. He's like, Okay, 200 bucks. I say, All right. So I had, I had $700. Well, at that point I had $650 in my pocket because I put 50 bucks towards cards that I had to throw away cuz there was the other guy's address and phone number.
Um, I had $650. I had three months worth of rent, which 2, 4, 6, and I have 50 bucks left over to make business. I said, All right. So I go make new business cards, I change my office name, I get official name, Metropolitan Headache and sp, and I put it on the card. I put my own personal cell phone number as the office phone, which I still, you know, is no longer my cell phone number, but I still use it to this day.
And so, um, so I use that and. I start hitting the road, I'm going every single store, every single thing. Now I'm vicious like, I'm like, I gotta make this. I'm not gonna let this take me down. I will make through this. I'm gonna succeed. This is, there's no way this is gonna take me down. And so I go to all these places.
My first big break was. At Staples, I go to Staples and I'm big on ergonomics. If anybody has a met to my office, I talk about everybody's, Okay, where's your computer? Where's this, where's your desk? Where's, how are you sitting in front of the computer? Um, so I go to Staples. I see that they have a lot of ergonomic desk and chairs and stuff like that to for sale.
So I go to the, the manager and I say, Hey, um, I'm a chiropractor. This, and. Um, I'm big on ergonomics. I, I will help you sell your product, so your desk and chairs, as long as you let me advertise myself, I will help you sell that. They were like, the lady was like, Okay. So I said, All right. So I said, Why should I come?
She was like, All right, just come, you know, you know, to tomorrow. I was like, Okay. So I show up tomorrow. Then I ask like, When is a high volume time? No, nothing. And I show up and. And I start standing there and like a few people come in and out and I'm gonna end up with this. Can I leave you guys a little bit of cliff anger?
I'm gonna end up with this. So few people come in and out. I was like, Okay. Nobody's really coming down to buy, you know, desk and chairs. I'm standing next to Dex now. I'm starting to get desperate and the hour rolls by. I'm starting to get desperate. I'm like, Man, I came here. Nobody's coming to buy a desk and chair everybody looking pens and papers or computers and stuff.
So I'm start walking around an hour and a half rolls by. I'm like, Okay, this is getting crazy. Like I just wasted my time here. Two hours, roll by. Now I'm starting to talk to myself. Now I'm starting to talk about Reza. What are you doing? Like you're a doctor. You know, back then I was like, I just graduat, You're a doctor now.
You just at a staple selling desk in chairs. You're just selling desk in chairs. Like, what are you doing? And, and so. , it's just getting worse. Two and a half hours rolled by, three hours rolled by. I'm like, Okay, I wanna talk to the next person. I see. And so this, this guy walks by and I was so desperate. I was like, I gotta talk to somebody.
I can. I just walk out of this stables talking to nobody. So I give my card, I said, Hey, I'm a chiropractor. And he said, Oh, okay. He, he grabbed the car and he was like, Oh, okay. He was like, he looked at it, he was like, Oh, that's cool. You're a chiropractor, huh? I'm gonna go to see one tomorrow. I said, No, you're gonna come see me tomorrow.
And I don't know what got to me, because as soon as I said that, I was like, Whoa, how did I just say that to somebody? I felt so embarrassed. He's just like, looked at me and was like, Oh, okay. Uh, and if you wanna know what he said, stay tuned for my next podcast. Subscribe to my channel, and this is a really good story because this was one of my biggest break.