Starting a business is no easy feat, but when you're passionate about helping others and have the support of your community, it's possible to thrive even in the face of challenges. Join us as we chat with physical therapists Morgan Nedley and Taylor Davis, the powerhouse duo behind the successful startup Rise Therapy in Bowie, Texas. Learn about their unique journey to opening their own business, and how their dedication to their patients and community has fueled their growth.
From the highs of hiring their first employee to the struggles of balancing work and family life, Morgan and Taylor open up about the realities of running a small business. Their honesty and resilience are truly inspiring for anyone considering taking the leap into entrepreneurship. Throughout our conversation, we explore the importance of organization, honest communication, and investing in community connections that have been crucial to their success.
It's not every day that you get to hear about the incredible support that can be found in a small town like Bowie, Texas. Morgan and Taylor share how the local community has played a significant role in the growth of Rise Therapy. They express their gratitude for the connections they've made, and the impact they've had on the lives of those in their hometown. Tune in to hear their heartwarming story and discover the power of community support in the world of small business.
www.risetherapytx.com
Music by: Kim Cantwell
Bowie Mural: Located at Creative Cakes
Connect w/Aaron: www.aarondegler.com
Starting a business is no easy feat, but when you're passionate about helping others and have the support of your community, it's possible to thrive even in the face of challenges. Join us as we chat with physical therapists Morgan Nedley and Taylor Davis, the powerhouse duo behind the successful startup Rise Therapy in Bowie, Texas. Learn about their unique journey to opening their own business, and how their dedication to their patients and community has fueled their growth.
From the highs of hiring their first employee to the struggles of balancing work and family life, Morgan and Taylor open up about the realities of running a small business. Their honesty and resilience are truly inspiring for anyone considering taking the leap into entrepreneurship. Throughout our conversation, we explore the importance of organization, honest communication, and investing in community connections that have been crucial to their success.
It's not every day that you get to hear about the incredible support that can be found in a small town like Bowie, Texas. Morgan and Taylor share how the local community has played a significant role in the growth of Rise Therapy. They express their gratitude for the connections they've made, and the impact they've had on the lives of those in their hometown. Tune in to hear their heartwarming story and discover the power of community support in the world of small business.
www.risetherapytx.com
Music by: Kim Cantwell
Bowie Mural: Located at Creative Cakes
Connect w/Aaron: www.aarondegler.com
What happened to my hometown. It seems so different when I look around. It's funny how things have changed since I was young. What I wouldn't give to go way back and take a long look into my past. I remember this town the way that it used to be. Welcome to my hometown, our little town on the map and home to the world's largest, jim Buena. To show you around our beautiful town is our tour guide, aaron Degler. Aaron has a love for road trips, taking the opportunity to stop along the way in small towns across the US, just like our very own, buoy, texas. Spend a little time with Aaron each week as he takes you around Buoy, sharing the value of the small businesses, the organizations, the history and, of course, the people that make up my hometown. After this podcast is over, make sure you give it a like, a share, and please subscribe and review this podcast. I would now like to introduce to you your tour guide for today in my hometown, aaron Degler. Welcome back to my hometown.
Speaker 2:Thanks for taking a little time to join me today. Today I would like to welcome my guest. One was born and raised in Tennessee and has been in Texas just three years. The other was born in California and has lived in Buoy for the past 18 years. Just one short year ago, they opened the doors to Rise Therapy to help our community. Please welcome my guest. They are Ms Morgan Nedley and Taylor Davis. Thank you all so much for joining me today. We are in Rise Physical Therapy. Just like we talked about a year old, an exciting adventure. But before we get into Rise and how everything came about and you working together, we want to get to know a little bit about you. So, morgan, i want to start with you From Tennessee. What brought you to Texas? This is my hometown, but you don't live here. You live at Nott and Buoy, so you have to drive back and forth to work every day. Taylor, she's fortunate she has a few minutes to work.
Speaker 3:I can't even call it that.
Speaker 2:So, morgan, what brought you to Texas, and tell us a little bit about your background.
Speaker 3:Sure, i grew up in Tennessee. For physical therapy school, i went out to California and so I met my husband out there, but he's actually from Ardmore, oklahoma, and the company that he works for their business office was in Ardmore, oklahoma, so we moved to Ardmore for a little bit and we're back to California for a residency for me, and then they were planning to move their business office and they settled on Denton, texas, so we ended up moving there in 2020. And we're there for his work, but we are actually wanting to move closer this direction, so I don't have to drive quite as far but, no plans for that yet, just sometime in the future.
Speaker 2:So kind of share with everybody what your credentials are, What you went to school with, what Sure.
Speaker 3:So for physical therapy you go get your undergraduate degree Typically it's a bachelor's degree And then after that it's three years of physical therapy school where you get your doctorate. So I have a doctor physical therapy degree essentially. And then the residency that I went for helped me to get specialized in orthopedics. So the last little OCS after my name just means orthopedic certified specialist. We can see all the different things, but I especially love orthopedics so it just helped me to gain more knowledge and a little bit more expertise in that area.
Speaker 2:So what is your full name and title? It is, It will be doctor.
Speaker 3:Yeah, technically I guess it's, but nobody, please don't tell me that.
Speaker 2:But just sound really fancy.
Speaker 3:Yeah, it's technically, i guess, dr Morgan Nuddly, pt, dpt, ocs. But I will answer to Morgan.
Speaker 2:So a lot of things, but. But shorten it down, your Morgan.
Speaker 4:Yes, Morgan. We call her Dr Nuddly to make fun of her.
Speaker 3:My patients call me Morgan.
Speaker 2:So did you go to right out of high school, Did you go to undergrad And then right into your program and then residency?
Speaker 3:Yeah, I just went back to back with everything.
Speaker 2:And then Taylor, you've been around Bowie for a long time. You go back to Bowie Memorial Hospital, yes, so share a little bit about you. Went, got out of high school. Did you work there during high school? I?
Speaker 4:did So. My first job in high school was actually for the lady who did all of their employee health stuff and their quality control. I was her secretary essentially. I mean, i maybe worked 15 hours a week, so it wasn't a whole lot. I was just through work program through the school. But that was my first job right out of high school or right in high school. And then after high school I had a couple different jobs, but I ended up back at Bowie Memorial after I graduated in 2015 from PTA school.
Speaker 2:So from being there in high school, did that make you say you know, I want to do this, I want to Well, i kind of always knew I wanted to be in the health care profession.
Speaker 4:I actually thought I wanted to be in occupational therapy And I quickly figured out that that was not for me. I worked before I went to PTA school. I worked at Advanced Rehab Well, actually, it was formerly Bellmire when I started working there as a rehab technician And so I got to work with physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, kind of all of it, which I'm really glad that I got that job, because it kind of opened my eyes to what the difference is between each discipline And I quickly figured out that physical therapy was much more fit to me.
Speaker 2:So what's the difference? for those that might not know, what's the difference between occupational therapy and physical therapy?
Speaker 4:So a lot of people like to cut the body in half and say physical therapy deals with the legs, occupational therapy deals with arms. But that is not accurate. We see a lot of arms, shoulders, elbows We can do wrists, but occupational therapy a lot of times they deal with more activity of daily living, specific things. So if you are in the hospital they're going to be making sure that you are not having trouble with toileting, with showering, with dressing, bathing, more things geared to that where we're working on walking, specific things and kind of lower extremity strength. And it kind of depends on what facility you're in.
Speaker 4:So when we were at Fit and Wise, occupational therapy did do some shoulders And elbows and hands and wrists. A lot of times if it's hand specific, we refer out for occupational therapy because they have certified hands specialists that are trained in that specifically because the hand is a very complex thing. So there is some overlap there between the two. Occupational therapists do a lot of splinting and stuff for the arms And they're usually a lot more creative. I am not a creative individual. They're quirky, usually a little quirky, and they just have that creative brain. So that's kind of just the difference there.
Speaker 2:Yeah, And then so you went to school for PTA. So, Morgan PT, taylor PTA. What's the difference?
Speaker 4:So physical therapy now is a doctorate degree program. Physical Therapist Assistant is an associate's degree program. So I went essentially. It took me about two years to get my prerequisites. You can do it a little faster, i think, if you're a little bit more on the bar than I was. It took me about two years to get my prerequisites And then the program is a two-year program. So some associate's degree program. And then I ended up going back to UNT And I got my bachelor's degree in rehab studies and business management. But that was not required for my PTA degree.
Speaker 4:But, the difference between PTA and PTA in the clinical setting is I cannot treat a patient until they have been evaluated And the plan of care has been set by the doctor of physical therapy. After she sets that plan of care then I can treat And then, depending on the insurance Medicare, every 30 days or 10th visit she has to see them to kind of assess where they're at. Change goals if we need to change goals And then other insurances, it's 60 or 90 days.
Speaker 4:It just kind of depends, i just have to treat under her licensure.
Speaker 2:And then you got out of PTA school in 2015? Yes, sir And went to work at Boomer Hospital. And then how long were you there?
Speaker 4:So I started on my temp license in June In the hospital closed in November.
Speaker 2:That was a few months later.
Speaker 4:Yeah, it was terrifying and heartbreaking all at the same time. So after that, that's when I went back to the nursing home. I got a job there, and I was there from November until March And realized Skilled Nursing was not my favorite setting. I enjoyed a lot of the staff there, but it was not my favorite, and so then I went to fit and wise back to outpatient setting. And that's where I was until I came here. That's where we met.
Speaker 2:So I ask all these questions You coming from Tennessee, going to California, coming back all over, and you relatively stayed around Decatur, just 30 minutes away Then how do you both meet? You meet up at Fit and Wise Indicator.
Speaker 3:Yes.
Speaker 4:In.
Speaker 3:Bridgeport.
Speaker 2:In Bridgeport, so it's Bridgeport.
Speaker 3:Bridgeport. Yes, it was very much a God thing 100%. Because when we moved here I had a job somewhere else for another company down in Hazlet And I wasn't enjoying it as much. It was supposed to be transitioning to full time And it just really wasn't And I was needing full time hours. And so I was on the job hunt, looking around, and someone I had worked with in Ardmore told me about a job in Bridgeport. She said they're great, you should apply. And I wouldn't have seen it otherwise. I was looking and applying but I hadn't seen it.
Speaker 3:So she sent me the link And I applied. The interview went well And I got the job. And it was just something that I was really praying about, because before I applied to that job I had applied and interviewed for a job kind of closer to where I live, like 15 minutes away from Denton, and I didn't get it And I was disappointed And I was just really praying. I got to hope I hope you open, that. I know you'll open the doors, please open the doors for something like where I'm supposed to be. And so then Fittenweiss and Bridgeport, all the doors opened, everything fell into place. And then I ended up taking the position of another PTA who was working the same schedule as Taylor. So we ended up having the exact same work schedule long days together, short days together So we were able to spend a lot of time together And we just hit it off right off the bat.
Speaker 2:And then, how long were you both working together at?
Speaker 3:I started in January of 2021.
Speaker 4:And you, i've been there, since You've been there for a long time. I went to Fittenweiss in March of 16. I was at Decatur originally. I went on maternity leave and had my daughter And then, when I came back, i went to Bridgeport, because it was much smaller, more intimate facility, which is what I liked from Bowie. So I had been there since 2016. So, and then I left in October of 2021. 2021? Yeah.
Speaker 1:Holy moly 2021.
Speaker 4:October of 2021, I left there.
Speaker 2:There to do Home health. Home health, yes. So, and then you were still working there.
Speaker 3:Yes, So I think in 2021, I hadn't been working there for very long And she said hey, I've always wanted to open a clinic. She was like no pressure, You should just think about it.
Speaker 4:Kind of joked about it a few times And then I was like no, i'm serious.
Speaker 3:And then she was like no, but seriously you should think about it. And that was pretty early on, I think, because starting July or June we started having serious conversations about it and kind of seeing what our options were and what we needed to do to make it happen and that kind of thing. So she left in October kind of knowing that it was a transition, to eventually be able to try to start that Printer police Hopefully.
Speaker 4:There was still a lot of fear. Yeah.
Speaker 2:So because I mean home health, good job, wonderful job, had a steady job at Fitton-Wise and Bridgeport to step into the unknown of opening a business in a small town, absolutely terrifying. What causes that change? Because I think there's always something. Sometimes it's bad things, sometimes it's good things But I always think there's a driving force that goes, that gives you the little boot You know, and you talking about it and knowing that transition. And what's the thing, if I go, yeah, we'll do that, we're going to be on it.
Speaker 4:If I'm being honest, i think I had been in prayer about it. We had both been. I had been prayer in prayer about it even longer, just because I wanted whatever decision I made to be the one that God had in my path and I wanted him to be the one directing it and not my own volition making it happen. And so I think when October came I don't even I was just going through a really rough season of change and kind of some anxiety and things, and I just remember being on my closet floor and just praying and on my knees and just being like, okay, god, like if this is what you want me to do, i will do it, but I need you to just make it clear to me that I'm doing what you want me to do. And so I had applied, i had sent an application to the home health company their Healing Hands Healthcare, and I would highly recommend them to anybody who needs home health Fantastic company.
Speaker 4:And I got a call the next day and I really was just going to dip my toe in the water. I just wanted PRN. I was like, okay, i just want to kind of work here and there, help you out, just to see if it's something I can even do. And they called and were like we want you full time. And I was like I don't want full time, i want to kind of pull back a little bit. I want to be able to have this season to-.
Speaker 2:Because you were going to quit at Fittenwise Indicator, Bridgeport.
Speaker 4:Yeah, I mean really, I was going to kind of do both for a minute.
Speaker 4:And then when they were like no, like we could use you more than it was. Like oh, okay, and they kind of came to this agreement that I would work part time so that I could take my daughter to and from school, which was huge to me because I thought I'm going to do this Like I wanted that time to be able to spend with her, and it was the best decision I ever made because, i'll be honest with you, it was really even hard for me. I had many prayers. I was like God, this is really comfortable, like this is really nice, i'm able to spend time with my daughter and I'm making it decent money and I'm working for a company that truly values their employees and they value you over all things. And I just kept getting the response I didn't call you to be comfortable, like that's not what he called us to do, and so that was my kick in the rear.
Speaker 4:And then I actually reached out to Summer Napier, who is the owner of Healing Hands Healthcare, and she I kind of sat down and had coffee with her and kind of spilled to her you know what was on my heart and what we were wanting to do And she just really was like okay, if you need anything, let's do it. You know, if you need any help from me, let me know how to help, but I think you need to go for it, and so we did. January, we bought our entity.
Speaker 2:So then? so then you have that feeling, yeah. So how do you approach Morgan?
Speaker 4:Oh, okay, so we had let me rewind. So we had had that conversation millions of times And then when I left, you know we weren't around each other every day.
Speaker 4:So, like I think there was a season of we were both like trying to pray it over and mull it over and be like, okay, we're still researching things, gathering information, paralysis, analysis, you know, over analyzing every step. And then I think, finally, one day we're like, okay, we need to go have coffee, we need to sit down, and we we were really good about praying through everything. I feel like that, honestly was is one of the big things that has been kind of always grounded us back to ground zero, as we just prayed through everything And we just finally were like, okay, we're just going to take it one step at a time. And in that we I went to her and she's like, yeah, we're, i'm in, let's do this. And I was like, okay, we're doing this.
Speaker 3:I think, to like going into business with someone like it feels like I've known her a lot longer than I've known her.
Speaker 1:But at that point.
Speaker 3:I've known her for less than a year, and so to go into business with someone who you, i mean you probably don't know that.
Speaker 2:Because, it's a marriage, and when you go into business together it's a marriage. It's so funny that you said that.
Speaker 3:She's my, she's my other self. It is a marriage 100%, but I think the thing that made it an easier decision for me is that by the time we decided for sure we were going to do it, we'd had so many tough conversations.
Speaker 1:And.
Speaker 3:I've had friends I've had my whole life that I can't have tough conversations with, and like finances, like expectations, things that I was worried about or struggling with, things that she was worried about or struggling with, and like we knew that we could bring something to the other person And they would listen and be open minded And we could have a positive conversation about it. And I think for me, like if you're going to any type of relationship, but especially a business relationship, that's really, really important And that's something that put my mind at ease for sure Oh, mine too, for sure.
Speaker 4:Yeah, i mean. and still, you know the tough conversations never end. Yes.
Speaker 1:It's one after the other.
Speaker 4:But it's getting easier because we know, like in a marriage, you know after time it just gets easier to be like okay, hey, this is my problem. And it just gets easier because you're not afraid, like she can't leave You're stuck.
Speaker 1:You're in.
Speaker 4:Exactly. So, I mean that definitely was a big one, because it I mean it is, it's terrifying.
Speaker 2:And through the prayer and knowing what you're supposed to do. the name of the business is Rise Physical Therapy. Yes, where does that? where does Rise come from?
Speaker 4:So I was driving to work and there's a Danny Goki song called Rise and it was on. I listened to Air One pretty constantly.
Speaker 2:And Danny Goki is a Christian artist.
Speaker 4:Yeah, and so that song came on and it just I mean the music for me, when for her to has always been kind of our like I don't know, it just moves us always, and so I always have Christian radio playing, because, you know, just that constant positive input keeps you above, rising, above all the negativity. And I mean business owners, don't? I mean at least us. I guess I can't speak for everybody, but we don't always feel like we're doing everything right or that we're always doing exactly what we're supposed to do. We fall down, you know, constantly, and so it's just a reminder that we just have to keep rising up. You know, even though you know we get kicked down or we do something wrong, we're going to fail, you just keep rising up. Each time you get up, you're going to be a little bit higher, you're going to be a little bit higher, and so that's kind of yeah, And it's like the, the spiritual component of Rise as well as the physical component.
Speaker 3:that applies to our patients. they come, they're hurting, they have injuries, whether it's after surgery, whatever it may be, And our goal is to always help them to rise to the occasion and help them to grow and get stronger and return to doing the things that they love to do and to meet their goals and that type of thing.
Speaker 2:So there's a lot of purpose behind Rise. So we're just as we record this we're just about a week, couple weeks past your one year anniversary. So first year is probably a lot of successes probably more challenges than successes where there's probably days where you've questioned over the last year what are we doing? It was just the right decision. Should we go do something else? Should we be looking for jobs? All those things are normal in us when, when someone opened a small business, and so when you opened a year ago, did you open both full time, because we live in a small community And it just sometimes takes a little while, and so did you both start full time when you opened the doors.
Speaker 3:No, so she, like she mentioned, went to Home Health in October And I actually transitioned to Home Health as well. I believe it was March of 2022. Yes, 2023. 2022. And so, and the reason we did that is because for me, it would give me more flexibility. And so when we opened, i was just here two afternoons a week Because I was doing the evaluations and then those patients, because we didn't have a whole lot.
Speaker 3:I could see them And then eventually I was transitioning to being here to full days And then before long, I want to say in the summer, I was here about three full days a week And then by August, beginning of September, end of August I was here full time, And then it just kept growing and growing, And by the end of September I was here full time.
Speaker 4:And over the summer it was because my schedule was so flexible, I would come in the afternoons and I would come in and do admin stuff and insurance check-in.
Speaker 3:Yes, because up until.
Speaker 2:September. We'll start September. You're doing everything. You're calling. You're treating your insurance. We're the cleaning lady here We're the insurance.
Speaker 4:Ladies, we are a two-man band, so that's still the case Now.
Speaker 2:a year later, you're still a two-woman band.
Speaker 4:Yeah, october we hired her first, our first for an office, yes, and so she transitioned in and started taking care of calling patients. We taught her insurance stuff, how to verify insurances. We still do our own billing claims, all that stuff, but we finally had some help on that end in October.
Speaker 3:Yeah, yeah So it's been nice to have someone to answer the phones while we're treating patients. Yeah, Makes us feel like we can actually give them our full attention.
Speaker 2:Instead of going back and forth Yes And fold in a bunch of different directions.
Speaker 3:Yes, that's been very nice.
Speaker 2:Yes, And so is there just three of you.
Speaker 3:No. And then, yeah, when was that? February, maybe Of this. Yeah, maybe February or March. In earlier spring, early winter, whatever you want to call it, we started having a wait list, probably beginning of the year. Yeah, Which for both of us is stressful, because when someone calls and they want to get in and they're hurting. We want to get them in as soon as we can, so it's just really hard to tell them I'm sorry that we have a wait list. You're gonna have to wait, however many weeks.
Speaker 3:So, I think in February, maybe early March, not even early March we started the wait list just kept growing and growing and growing and it got to where we were like about a month out And so, and this happens, let me just say this too, because Yes, and that's normal, yes For months they have a wait list, but we just didn't want to.
Speaker 4:No, we didn't. We have to get you know because we would be getting orders from surgeons' offices And if they're post-op, you know they've had a surgery. Joint replacement. What have you? we have to get them in much sooner. So, if you know, if we get orders for back pain or general weakness and stuff like that, we have to. I mean, we have to get the surgeries in for it.
Speaker 2:So the surgeries, they weren't necessarily a month out.
Speaker 3:No, those had to get in.
Speaker 2:Yes, it was those that maybe had back pain. Yeah, need some post there just to get stronger balance those things.
Speaker 3:Any post-operative patients. We get them in when the surgeon wants them to get in but that just pushes the wait list. Even further back, yes. So then we decided to hire a couple PRN PTAs and they have been helping us out two half days a week, so one who works Monday Wednesdays and one that works Tuesday Thursdays, one of which we both worked with. She was PRN for the Fittenweiss and Bridgeport, so we knew her well and she was a great therapist.
Speaker 3:Which was huge, and so she, thankfully, was willing to come work and was excited about it. It was a God thing for her too that it all worked out. And then the other is actually Taylor's sister-in-law, who also works PRN at the Fittenweiss and Decatur. I think Yeah, she was in peace for a while. Yeah, she's just helping us out temporarily because she's going to have another baby soon. Yeah, but they've been a big help.
Speaker 3:They've been a big help with helping to try to get that weight down a little bit, Shout out Cara and Emily, because they're amazing.
Speaker 4:Yes, thank you, Cara and Emily.
Speaker 2:Yes, so what's been one of the biggest struggles challenges, i won't say struggles challenges in the first year?
Speaker 4:There Sanity.
Speaker 3:Definitely just For me, dealing with the constant state of being overwhelmed and having so many different things to do and just learning how to prioritize. Or I'm a big list person, so if I need to do it and I don't have time or write it down on a list, i've converted Taylor to the list method.
Speaker 1:Oh, that's been so nice.
Speaker 3:But I think just Well, and that I would say that and probably always feeling like I don't know if I'm doing things right, business-wise, insurance-wise, because a lot of things, especially starting out, we've never done it before. So we hope we're doing it correctly and we try to do all the research we can, but that constant state of just not being sure if I'm doing what I'm supposed to be doing was quite stressful.
Speaker 4:Yeah, I think I remember thinking a year ago. when we make it to our year mark, we'll be like, okay, we know what we're doing.
Speaker 2:No, So do you feel like?
Speaker 4:No, i mean I definitely, we know a lot more.
Speaker 4:Yeah, I definitely feel like we have a much Like. If I think about what my stresses were a year ago and the handle we have on those things now, i'm like, oh yeah, okay, we understand. I mean as much as anyone can understand insurance. We understand insurance And billing like we had never done billing before And so that was a crash course. Thank God our EMR has a really good person to help you get through that. But I mean there was definitely some hurdles there trying to figure out And you can't I mean you don't mess that stuff up.
Speaker 4:You got to figure it out, you got to do it right And so don't worry anybody, we haven't messed up your insurance, we figured it out, i mean. But yeah, i guess I would say for me the biggest hurdle has been mentally, like I definitely struggle with some anxiety, and so this has kind of really brought that to the surface. And trying to Thank God for Morgan That's another thing. That's why it's been a God thing, because she is somebody that is just so. She just has such good mental strength and has really kind of just put her arm around me and like, okay, this is how we're going to tackle this, like this is something we can do to help this. How can I help you carry the burdens that you're carrying? And so that was a huge struggle just to try to figure out how to handle everything and not let it overwhelm me. And so I've come a long way, but I definitely have a long ways to go. So I feel like that was definitely my biggest.
Speaker 2:Because when you open a business, it's really about the passion for what you're doing. Absolutely It's not necessarily the passion and you don't necessarily know all the business things that go along with it. It's not the passion for that, that's the stuff you have to learn. But helping others and that passion is what keeps you going on a daily basis to help and rise those up. What have been some successes you've had this year? I mean, i would definitely say business growing in a small community And how do you grow that?
Speaker 4:business.
Speaker 2:Successes first.
Speaker 4:We'll go with some successes.
Speaker 3:Well, also, i mean, we didn't okay, we went to two doctor's offices and then we didn't have time to go to anymore, which I guess is a good sign.
Speaker 4:It's a good sign, but we felt so bad because we had offices calling and being like we want you to bring us script pads and we want you guys to come by and drop off cards, and it's like, okay, yes, we really want to do those things. We had a list of doctor's offices, we were going to.
Speaker 4:And we literally made it to the clinic, the main clinic here in town, the Faithful Health Clinic and we made it to the United Regional Group in town And then it was just like the floodgates opened and it just was like okay, i mean our front desk girl, hailey Blesser. Hart had to take cards to places, because it was just like it just kept rolling in and we were like, okay, we just got it, we just got to keep taking it.
Speaker 3:I know we kept going okay, well, maybe we'll have time to do it.
Speaker 4:Yeah, it's going to slow down after the first year. Yeah, so that was a huge success because we didn't anticipate for that. We had prepared for it to be a much bigger battle to get people in because it's a small town. I knew the people were here because I remember when we closed the hospital we discharged a lot of people, and so I knew the client base was here.
Speaker 3:It was just a matter of tapping into that and letting people know that we because there's still people that have no idea, and so I mean that just baffles me with how busy we are So I would say that's the biggest success for us is just I think at least for me, i think you do When we feel that there's been success is when someone comes here because they said, oh well, so and so had their behavior and you really loved it Absolutely Or so, and so said really good things. Like that's when you feel like, okay, we're making it easy, it's a big difference, like this is why we're here and we're succeeding. At that, obviously, all the glory goes to God 100%.
Speaker 4:That's when we feel like okay this is good We're doing okay, yeah, so that was huge.
Speaker 2:And so really, besides doctors offices going to visit those couple, do you do much advertising or like a paper?
Speaker 4:I mean, we did a couple for our grand opening, yeah, august, and then, like the paper reached out for the Chamber banquet So we did their ad for that, but we haven't. We don't have like a recurring ad in the paper, which we probably should, but it's almost at this point it's like we need more staff, i know. I would feel that advertised. Yeah, tell people, no, you can't come in for that every month. And then we got to talk to your synergy shakers.
Speaker 2:Yes, which is?
Speaker 4:wonderful, so that was some good. And then we sponsored cheerleading and then like my daughter's basketball team, but besides that I mean not a whole lot. It's been word of mouth which in you know, bowie, texas, that's kind of the best thing, is word of mouth. So we've really tried to invest our energy into that, into people, which that's what's most important to us. We want to be servants, so that's what we're interested in.
Speaker 2:And then interesting that when you start you worry is there going to be enough people to come, Are we going to, is this going to work? And then a year later you have the opposite problem. Yes, And you have growing pains because you have more people that want to your services and you do staff, And I'm sure it's a challenge, especially in the rural community, to get that staff.
Speaker 4:Yeah, very, that has been another. Really that's a good point, that's a really huge challenge.
Speaker 3:That's been a challenge for sure. Yeah, we've had a position posted for a PTA part time to full time, depending on patient volume. It's been posted for three weeks, maybe more. We've had one application. It's going to be a struggle, i think.
Speaker 2:And the struggle sometimes is probably not only location. But some probably look at a year and they go hmm, i don't know. But when you see from where you started a year ago to part time, part time to now full time, hiring more staff, we are in it's growing very quickly And I agree And I think our community and our community as an older community you work on all ages but it's an older community and those have a lot more needs And we speak about older. There's a lot that have surgery but you just don't do just rehab. That's the importance of of pre-hab. We talk so much about rehab and post-surgery, but what about pre-hab?
Speaker 4:So important People don't realize when they go in for these joint replacements. I've actually been shocked at the amount of surgeons who have really been like your knee's not strong enough, i won't replace it, and so they'll send them here. And I'm really appreciative of that. Because you don't realize the healthier your muscles are, the healthier your joints are. When you go in for that surgery you're setting yourself up for success. Afterwards You're going to heal so much faster. You got to think about a muscle that hasn't been used correctly for years And then you come to therapy and your joints correct. That muscle's got to wake back up. That sometimes takes a long time because that muscle has not been utilized in so long. So we educate our patients pretty regularly that you know we're here to help you learn how to exercise on your own. Insurance companies don't pay for people to come here for a whole year. This is not personal training.
Speaker 1:We can't.
Speaker 4:As much as we would love for that to be that way, it's just it's not. Your insurance doesn't pay for that. We have to push home exercise programs. So we, you know, tell people like we want to give. We are here to teach you the tools to do this on your own. We just are here to help you gain what you need. And then you got to go on your own. Go to the gym. Please join gyms, please join activity classes, because that is what's going to keep you going, that's what's going to keep your body healthy.
Speaker 3:Yeah, we've had a lot of shoulders or knees where the a lot of times the doctor will say, well, i want to do surgery. Or they'll say, well, you can either try physical therapy or I can do surgery. And a lot of times the patient will say, well, no, like, i want to try to avoid surgery if I can. And so there's been a lot of cases We've had a few shoulders recently where the doctor said, well, i'd like to do surgery and the patient says, well, no, i'd like to avoid it if I can. And so they come to us And there's a lot of times when we can help eliminate the need for surgery, we can help to decrease that pain and improve their function and get them back to doing the things they want to do without having to have surgery. So it's definitely prehab is something that should be talked about more, absolutely Very much our huge supporters of that. And if someone comes to me and says I'd like to do physical therapy, so I don't have surgery, i just say, perfect, awesome, you're in the right place.
Speaker 4:Let's do this.
Speaker 3:Yes, 100% Yeah.
Speaker 4:It's very exciting.
Speaker 1:But you may have to wait a month.
Speaker 3:Unfortunately.
Speaker 2:We're working on that. I promise We're trying, we're trying, but it's going to get better. Yes, it's not, it's not. It's not saying that to prevent people from doing it Because even if you have to wait a month, you're still going to be better off. Absolutely Right Then not doing it at all. Yes, yeah.
Speaker 3:And we do have a new physical therapist. Oh yes, she recently graduated from physical therapy school and she's taken her boards in July, and then she's coming to work first full time.
Speaker 4:How exciting That will help a lot. Yes, we're super excited about her. She's going to be a great addition, excellent.
Speaker 3:She's from here in.
Speaker 4:Bowie, she's a hometown girl.
Speaker 3:Yeah, we're really, really excited, that's very exciting.
Speaker 4:Yes.
Speaker 2:And so what? what type of? I'm sure people wonder what type of insurance you take. all insurance, you take Certain insurances, or is it they just come in and see and well and that's a complicated question.
Speaker 4:So we are contracted with Medicare Aetna, cigna, humana, blue Cross Blue Shield And people ask because Blue Cross Blue Shield, the Texas, but if you have Blue Cross Blue Shield Louisiana, illinois, it doesn't matter because we're contracted with Cross Blue Shield. And then we are what's it called? We are certified out of network with United Healthcare. So a lot of those United Healthcare Medicare Advantage plans they're in an out of network benefits are the same, so we can see them. And then some plans have out of network benefits that are the same, so we can always look that up for you. So if you're not sure, if we didn't mention the name of your insurance, but you want us to look, we will always look.
Speaker 3:And we'll let you know. if and there are some different, strange little insurance companies that have a not very common name, a lot of times we can't take them but everyone's, while there is one that we can. So we always call and make sure yeah, to ask us, and we can look it up.
Speaker 4:And we are now credentialed with yes, tricare.
Speaker 3:TriCare.
Speaker 4:East.
Speaker 3:East, whatever territory we're in. Yes, yes, we are, so that's a new one.
Speaker 4:We haven't even posted about that one yet.
Speaker 2:So you take a wide variety of insurances and, whether it's rehab, whether it's prehab, all different types of injuries they're non-injury pain strains yes just balanced deficits.
Speaker 4:That's what people don't realize. If you're falling, you need to be here, because we need to prevent that from happening, because that's how you're going to break something, that's how you're going to end up with half tap surgery because you've broken your femur. We help with all of those things, Yeah.
Speaker 2:Looking back, is there anything that you would have done differently starting out?
Speaker 4:Make you think Should have prepared for that one.
Speaker 2:Yeah, as new business owners, because I think there's, i think we always have a great idea and it's a good idea, and we just sometimes just go into it and then we look back oh, i probably should have done that just a little bit different. And it doesn't have to be necessarily, but I just wonder because, again, i think, being in a small town, everybody comes in, they see everything. They say, oh, it looks nice, you have all this equipment, you just must be just doing great, but they forget about your building overhead, your employee, because growth and get more employees is great, but now you have to have payroll, and then you have issues of benefits and then all these questions that come up and then you have because we're either of you, ever a manager or in charge of people.
Speaker 2:So not only do you have to learn the business, but now you have to learn how to be a manager, and there's nobody that is teaching necessarily how to be the most effective leader.
Speaker 4:Yeah, i would have. I would have went to some SBA classes. I found that and I was like dang, i should have totally signed up for some of those. Msu, i think, has them for free. And I'm like dang, i should have totally went to some of that stuff, because a lot of it was just great work, where you're just like literally just pouring over articles trying to figure out what you need to do and asking questions of a million people and when you probably could have gone to one place and they'd be like here it is laid out for you.
Speaker 3:Yeah, maybe some like business courses and insurance courses, billing courses.
Speaker 4:We've been so blessed by people to ask questions of those though I cannot even tell you they've been so wonderful. Yeah, definitely that.
Speaker 2:And I think that's important to be able to reach out to people and ask that we would have not made it this far.
Speaker 4:I love good resources 100%. Yeah, we could have done a smaller business loan.
Speaker 3:Yeah, yeah, a small business loan to the SBA And we, you know, didn't know if we would start full time right away or not. So we wanted to get a loan that could cover salaries before insurance started paying, because it takes about anywhere between six weeks to three months for the payments to start going through. So we kind of knew there would be a lag in payment for a while, so we got a loan to cover that, just in case. Thank the Lord we haven't had to touch it once.
Speaker 4:That's wonderful. That was I would say that's a huge success here, Because we totally thought that was going to be gone in no time. But we'd yeah, no, it's still sitting there, and so we definitely would have gone for the smaller one. I mean that's a huge success.
Speaker 2:I mean, i don't know, probably, if the everyday average person that doesn't own a business, to not be able to, to not have to use that is huge. I mean that's, that's a very commendable one. I mean I would, i would say that is definitely a God thing, that yeah. And when you go into it right, right attitude, right spirit, it changes everything It does, because he does open the floodgates And you're doing the yes, he does doing all those things So.
Speaker 2:so how do people, how do they get a hold of you? How do they get a hold of rise website phone number? What's the best?
Speaker 3:Yeah, we have a website has some information on there kind of of what we offer. It's wwwRiseTheorptxcom. We also have an email address which is just info i-n-f-o at risetherptxcom. And then our phone number is 940-242-4400. And so we try to always have someone here who will answer the phone. But if it is not answered, we do tend to get back to within 24 hours, as long as it's not over the weekend. If it's a Friday, we'll get back to you on Monday, but we try to call back as quickly as we can.
Speaker 4:And we have Facebook too. Yeah, rise therapy services on Facebook, or you can just come by, come by.
Speaker 3:So any hours are Monday through.
Speaker 2:Friday.
Speaker 4:Yes, we're Monday through Thursday, eight to five. Fridays We're here eight to noon because the afternoons we utilize to catch up on everything from the weekend.
Speaker 3:So we thought, and I will say our voicemail says we're open from eight to five on Friday. We just haven't wanted to give our afternoons up because we use them to do so much other managerial business things. So, I will be changing the voicemail soon To reflect, to reflect, to eight, to noon. Yes, but we're here in the office just from eight to noon on Friday.
Speaker 2:So just a couple more questions and think in. As For family, how has the business? Taylor, you're a mom, yes, morgan, you're not. Yet How does that affect a family being Guys? I would say, you know, sometimes it doesn't affect it the same it does moms and wipes. How has that affected? How you know?
Speaker 4:because I think it is a challenge, especially when you have spouses at work full-time and you have kids and I'll say My husband has I mean anybody that knows him He is one of the biggest supporters that I've ever had. He, i mean from the get-go. I can even before I even. I mean when I was at UNT getting my Boucheroch degree, i was in my taking business management classes And I had kind of pushed around the fact that I was gonna open a business. But I didn't even know. But I had to write a business plan And as soon as I had that written he was like I'll put a business and I'm just like no. So I mean, he's really been my biggest cheerleader and you know his schedule. He's a firefighter, so he works one on two off and He's just, he gives a hundred and fifty percent everything and so he's our maintenance.
Speaker 3:Yeah, he's our, whatever we.
Speaker 4:Yeah, and he, i just I wouldn't have been able to do it without him, because I already feel so much guilt, because I mean I, my mental capacity, my physical capacity, is at its max because I'm, i mean I'm pouring everything I have into this and He just really kind of meets that with so much grace And has just taken over. I mean, he already carried so much of the responsibility But he's just jumped in it, taking it with stride, and just has been he huge help to me and My daughter just loves it. She thinks it's amazing. She loves to come up here. She's a big playground. She wants to open her own business.
Speaker 3:Yes, she's open a lemonade stand, so if anybody wants to buy, lemonade.
Speaker 4:It'll probably be out here. So I just I, but that was so exciting to see my daughter tell. You know everybody that, oh, i want to. I want to open a lemonade stand. I want to own my own business like me. I'm like to. That was Huge, just to see that. Okay, like she sees that I'm working for something I'm not just taking away from her.
Speaker 4:You know and that as a mom is huge because I want to drive into her that You can dream as big as you want, you can do whatever you want to do. It's gonna take work, it's gonna be hard, but as long as you have the drive to do it, you can do anything you want to do, and so that that's amazing to see that she kind of picked up on that And so loves coming.
Speaker 2:She really does, she loves it up here Yeah so has that guilt gotten Better, has eased as the time goes on, or do you still? is that something you still struggle? I definitely think it. I think it's natural for it is.
Speaker 4:I definitely still struggle with it. I mean there's definitely things that I miss out on, that I'm not able to be there for it. But I mean She's got a talent show on Monday and I just even mentioned that. I got the text message and Morgan was like all right, let's look at the schedule, we're gonna clear that spot. I'm like wait, wait, wait, like let's Put the brakes on, let me find it exactly what time I need to be there, and if I can make it work, i'll make it work. So that's been huge is because she I mean that when we came into this, we knew why we did it families the most important thing, and so the goal is at some point that we'll both be able to like pull the reins back a little bit and be able to have That time with our family. But you know, right now, this is this is our baby.
Speaker 4:Yeah, yeah, so definitely, i still struggle with that guilt sometimes. It's definitely not gotten easier, but I Feel like we're just taking it in stride.
Speaker 2:You know, i'm Mm-hmm, and how about for you, morgan?
Speaker 3:how has yes, and no kids yet for us. Um, i think yeah, but I think it has been difficult because Not only am I working Full-time hours here and mentally, physically exhausted by the end of day, probably more so mentally From all the things that we're doing, but then I'm driving an hour home.
Speaker 3:And I think the drive honestly takes more out of me than anything, and so then, by the time I get home, i'm Really exhausted, and so I think that's been tough, because my husband is someone who likes to go, go, go and do things, and so There's times where I just don't have the energy, or I try to rally and drink some caffeine and then go play some tennis or something but I Think, more than anything, the drive is what's been a challenge.
Speaker 3:As far as that goes, i think there'll be days even if I live closer, obviously that I based on really exhausted by the end of the day And not having as much time for things at home Cooking, cleaning, foundry But in my mind, our goal doing this is that eventually we don't know when, but hopefully eventually It will all pay off and we'll be able to have more time with our families and our kids and whatever we Want to do.
Speaker 3:It'll give us the flexibility that we're hoping for, so I think that mentality has been beneficial for me, even when I'm exhausted of this. Hopefully won't be forever and it's for a specific purpose, but it's definitely been hard. I think it's not as hard. I don't have as many things going on, i don't have kids activities and things like that, so it's been a little simpler in that regard. But, it definitely does drain you and you're probably not as fun of a person.
Speaker 2:Differently from being an employee. Yes, you go home, you're physical tired, but when you're an owner and you're still doing the same work you did as an employee. But now you're physically and then you're mentally exhausted.
Speaker 4:You just never shut off Sure work, like I think we try, we do. we try really hard to you know, when we're not here, we try to turn it off, um, and it's just hard you can? there's always something they're like oh gosh, i need to do this. Yeah, your to-do list is just ever-growing.
Speaker 3:I think more the last couple months It's been a priority for us to try to Check out do enough here that when we're home on the weekends, we really don't have to do work things, yeah, and I think that's been really helpful. It has 100, because then it's not well, okay, we're gonna meet on Sunday and we're gonna do this and we're gonna talk about this. It's like no, the weekends are the weekends and then we'll do the work when we come back on Monday.
Speaker 4:I think it's been helpful as well, because I mean, i think at the beginning everything has a sense of urgency. Yeah, where it's like you just feel like you can't wait to do anything, like you just have to get it done right. And now we're kind of getting in the groove of like, okay, this is urgent. This is not urgent like we have to prioritize because there are so many things and we still need that family time. So it's gotten a little better.
Speaker 4:Yes, it's a work in progress 100% yes and it will be, i mean, for however long we exist.
Speaker 2:Yeah, you learn your business. You learn what works, what doesn't work. But in the beginning it's was do everything and we got a. Yeah, it's different, but when you have a like similar, when you have a goal and it makes the work you're doing now and The long hours and some of the sacrifices you make, it makes it worth it because you know in the long run It's gonna be better for Not only the community but your families And and your staff and everybody it's gonna. It's gonna be better by putting the time in now, yeah.
Speaker 2:So, just to finish up, always ask everybody What makes this, what makes you call this my hometown? And and I've had guests in the past that say, well, we're not from here, so we can't really call it my hometown. But I think, in a small community, when you invest your dollars to open a business and then not only do you invest your dollars But you invest your time and energy and the people that come into your business, it is now your hometown because you're making connections with those and and Morgan, in the future You're gonna be might want to move closer, may not move to buoy, but might move closer, but this is your hometown and people know you as being here in boo. So what makes it Might be easier for Taylor, so I'll let Taylor go first and wait. Well, i give you time to think more. What makes it? what makes you call booey my hometown?
Speaker 4:I mean, since booey, when we're a hospital closed, it has been my goal in one way or another to be back here. That has been my driving force, like I loved, loved, loved working here. You know, some people are like I hate going to Walmart because I hate running into people that I know, and I mean I hate going to Walmart, but that's not why, but I just love the Community we have here, like When I'm talking about you know how I want to make time for family and things like that. I can remember one day specifically that I was in here and I can't remember exactly what had happened, but my daughter was at school and something had happened and I need to go, i need to go and get her. And I was. I mean, i had my hands on a patient, i was working on them, and I saw the tucks come through and I and I kind of was like, oh, i was like I said, hey, morgan, so and so happened, like I'm gonna have to at some point. You know, figure out either who's gonna go get her or I'm gonna have to get her. And the patient I was working on was like, oh, like, why are you still here? Go? and I was like well, i need to finish, and she's like I'm fine, you need to go.
Speaker 4:That comes first and, like You know, i think we're so much harder on ourselves sometimes than our patients are, because I mean these people truly, for the most part, i mean I think they're probably few that don't love us And they're here.
Speaker 4:I mean they know that we're here for them but they're also here for us. You know what I mean, like, and that was huge for me just to have somebody to just be like no, i'm okay, you stop what you're doing and you go take care of that, i'm fine, i'll see you next time. So that was really humbling to me, just to know that. You know I'm just not providing a service to them and they're just taking, but they also are giving something to me in a way of just like showing me love and showing us love, showing our business love, and that they're here for us. And The support I mean just the outpouring of support that we've had From the get-go. I mean you don't find that, you just don't, i, just I. You know, i thought when I graduated high school we'd be out here, but I love this town.
Speaker 1:We didn't go anywhere.
Speaker 2:Now, you're here, we're here, you're planted.
Speaker 4:We're planted.
Speaker 2:Morgan, what about I?
Speaker 3:think for me it's similar to what she was saying, like the first thing that popped into my head when you said that was the people. Mm-hmm, i think the people are what make anything feel like a home, no matter Where you are. So I think the connections that we've made and the kindness that's been shown to us and the support and people going out of their way to do things for us or Share about us to their friends or whatever it may be, it's just been very overwhelming.
Speaker 3:It's not something that You see that often a lot of communities and we've just felt very just Taking care of, loved and supported with everything and I think that Even you know with the Chamber of Commerce, very supportive help, help us get going, help us to know how to do a grand opening But then for them, like for the majority of our patients, they just have such genuine care and love for us and it's just so evident And so for me, like that's what makes me we feel like a home, because there's people here who love us and support us and are behind us with everything that we're doing.
Speaker 4:Yes, you can't, you can't buy that. No you can't. It's so humbling. I mean, we have people bring it. I mean Just stop by just to give us coffee, or yeah just to come by and say hi. I mean people that we've discharged months ago. They still pop in and just say I just want to come by, i'm gonna check on you.
Speaker 4:I mean that and we love that we really enjoy that They still want to come see us or they'll be sad and it's all their last day, because they like coming. They love the conversation and we joke that it's a coffee shop because everybody who's here ends up being coming friends. We're all just conversating and laughing and I mean they just make it so enjoyable. What keeps us?
Speaker 3:going therapy is not always super enjoying.
Speaker 2:And so, even when they get his charge, their insurance says you're done with your visit. Things don't come by and visit, have some coffee and see you and yeah, and chat and always and that. And that's what family does, yes, and that's what a community does.
Speaker 2:Just check in on you and see, just miss seeing yeah so Well, thank you, morgan, and tell her for visiting with me day sharing about rise physical therapy. I think it's a great addition to our community. I think our community is it needed it Definitely a need for a community, and you feel that need and I think when we fill a need, the God's foot in our heart, that we get overflowing From that more than we can handle, as you've seen them in the in the recent months. Yeah, so No, it's gonna be great to continue to grow.
Speaker 4:Thank you. Thank you so much for asking us to be here. You're welcome.
Speaker 2:Yeah. So thank you for both of you, and they can, and I'll put in the show notes so that where they can find you on your website, phone numbers, all that fun stuff, so, and then then we'll just refer to Morgan's Morgan, not So, thank you and thank you to each of you for joining us today on my hometown and look forward to seeing you around my hometown. Thank you for listening to today's podcast, if you would like to connect with Aaron.
Speaker 1:You can do so by going to Aaron degler comm or Find him on social media as Aaron degler on Instagram, facebook and YouTube. Once again, we greatly appreciate you tuning in. If you have enjoyed this show, please feel free to rate, subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcast. We greatly appreciate that effort And we will see you around in my hometown.