Private Practice Is Not Dead: How Dr. Alexis Epperly Built a Thriving Direct Primary Care Practice

Book a call with our team: Https://www.entremd.com/success

What does it really take to build a thriving private practice in today's healthcare landscape? In this episode of the Profitable Private Practice Podcast, Dr. Alexis Epperly shares her journey from serving as a Navy physician to launching and growing her own direct primary care and lifestyle medicine practice. She discusses the mindset shifts, challenges, lessons, and strategies that helped her move from employee to entrepreneur, as well as the role mentorship, community, and continuous learning have played in her success. 

Welcome to The Private Practice Channel — Your Go-To Resource for Building a Profitable Private Practice

If you're a physician navigating the complexities of private practice, this channel is designed for you. Dr. Una brings you actionable strategies, expert insights, and real-world advice you can implement immediately.

From elevating patient experience to mastering the business side of medicine, we cover it all—so you can build a thriving, profitable, sustainable practice.

Subscribe now and join a community committed to transforming healthcare through entrepreneurial excellence.

Join the movement: www.entremd.com/movement

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:00

Welcome to the Profitable Private Practice Podcast, the show that proves that private practice isn't dead. It's just getting started. I'm Cheka Anachuku, and every week I sit down with thriving private practice doctors who are rewriting the rules and redefining what success looks like in healthcare. From smart business moves to mindset shifts and everything in between, we're here to show you how to build a practice that is not only profitable, but purpose-driven. If you're ready to thrive like these doctors, join the movement at ontremd.com forward slash thrive. Now let's dive in. Hello, hello, hello, everybody, and welcome back to the Profitable Private Practice Podcast. And today I have with me Dr. Alexis Everly. Hi, Dr. Everly. Hi, Chetto. How are you? I'm doing great.

SPEAKER_01 0:46

How are you? I'm doing great. It's wonderful to be here.

SPEAKER_00 0:50

I'm so glad you're here. So, just so we can get started, could you please give us a 60-second introduction of yourself?

SPEAKER_01 0:57

All right. So I'm Dr. Alexis Alexander Epperly. I'm a family physician and I'm also board certified in lifestyle medicine. And I founded Joya Family and Lifestyle Medicine as a direct primary care and health coaching practice so that we could take the time it takes to really help people guide them through their health journey as they're building habits that are going to keep them healthy for the long term.

SPEAKER_00 1:24

That is amazing. And so just I like to start with, you know, with a little fun fact. So I learned that you were in the Navy. So could you tell us, you know, a little bit about your time there and if um you know your time from there influences the way that you practice medicine now?

SPEAKER_01 1:40

Oh yes, absolutely. So I did. I did serve in the Navy. Um actually went to the military medical school, and so I was in the Navy, uh starting in medical school, and then I served for 13 years, and I loved it very much. Um, my husband and I met in the Navy. He's still in the Navy, he's actually about to retire. Um and so I uh I you know left my active duty service early before retirement, because one of us needed to stay home and uh be more available for the kids. But but it was wonderful and I loved it, and it does absolutely inform my practice of medicine and my uh business of Joya Family and Lifestyle Medicine, because the Navy is all about keeping people healthy. If you're taking care of the active duty members, you need them to function at their best, and so a lot of what we learned is about um healthcare prevention, and I bring that into my practice today.

SPEAKER_00 2:42

Wow, that is amazing. That's beautiful. So it definitely does influence, you know, the way that you practice medicine now. So now there is a common narrative that private practice is dead, and I've heard, you know, a lot of people say it. My mother is like an advocate for the fact that private practice is not dead. So, what is your take on that statement?

SPEAKER_01 3:03

That's right. Well, I'm gonna say no, private practice is not dead, and it's what is my evidence? My evidence is uh your mom, Dr. Kino, and and all this the growth that I see, both in, I'm personally in the, as you know, the profitable private practice movement, but I see also the bigger group when we're in our, you know, when we're in those uh seminars, the quarterway seminars. So um yes, I see people are thriving in private private practice and what we may have not known in, because I absolutely had um instructors or attendings tell me that private practice was dead because they saw this wave of insurance-based um and um like the insurance-based kind of ownership of practices, and then that went on to other companies that aren't even medical owning private practices. That that might be what is um the problem there, but when you put physicians back in ownership and in control of private practice, we actually do a really great job.

SPEAKER_00 4:13

Yes, you do. You do an amazing job. Okay, so let's get into you know some of the deeper questions. Could you tell us about you know the first moment that you entertained the thought of even becoming an entrepreneur?

SPEAKER_01 4:27

Oh gosh, I think that was probably um about 2004-ish, when um I had um a wonderful idea that came to me. I'm gonna give the Lord the credit for this. Um, but for a type of practice that is, I think it really uh fulfills what family medicine is all about. And so what I discovered back then is the family physician can't do it by themselves. And I've been waiting for the time to uh open a practice, but that still was kind of an up and down, you know, mountain valley perspective. But that really was the key, that was the kernel of it.

SPEAKER_00 5:12

Wow, that is amazing. And then so from that, what were some of you know the key turning points that, or like decisions that you know you had to make before even starting your practices, like mindset shifts or anything like that?

SPEAKER_01 5:26

All of that, and I think that's what took so long. Part of it, part of it is actually just that we're you know, we were still a family in service to the military, and so we were moving around a lot. So you, of course, you don't want to open up a practice and then move in three years. So um, one was timing, but as life goes, you are always learning different perspectives along the way, and they are informing. So they were informing me, and in terms of mindset, seeing um how practice is run, having an opportunity to see both the military but also civilian practice, uh, learning about direct primary care, which I learned about in 2013. Um and then sort of just kept, you know, you guys we use the term lurking sometimes, but just kept um reading about it, listening to podcasts, and um learning how this works in real life for other providers. Um and then doing health coaching. So I did health coaching for three years, and that was just my entry into entrepreneurship. Um and it all informs.

SPEAKER_00 6:37

Okay. So could you talk a little bit about your health coaching journey?

SPEAKER_01 6:42

Yeah, so um, when I discovered lifestyle medicine, I realized that we can do things in our life that are going to either make us sick or bring us towards health and prevention and sometimes even heal conditions. This was the first time, honestly, in Western medicine, we are very much taught to prescribe medication. So this was an opportunity for me to recognize that people are healing by changing their diet, they're healing by changing their activity level, their stress management, but getting better sleep. And I just nerded out and dove all the way into that. And I was so excited about that. That's what I wanted to share with people. So health coaching was born out of my understanding in certification and lifestyle medicine.

SPEAKER_00 7:35

That is wonderful. Okay, then. And so now I have no doubt that you know private practice can definitely be challenging. Um, yes, it's thriving, but I'm not going to say that it's always smooth sailing. So there's definitely going to be challenges in your walk with that. So, what are, if you don't mind sharing, some of the challenges that you faced and how did you overcome them?

SPEAKER_01 7:58

Well, you mentioned mindset, and that's number one. You have to believe you can do it. Yes, you have to believe you can do it. And um, and so I do think it was it's been business coaching along the way. Different before before the uh profitable private practice movement, um, I was I had a different business coach, but all and all of the business coaching is important because it helps you to build confidence and you see um, you know, you see the evidence that it works in other people's businesses. Um so that's number one mindset. And then number two is just learning. It is the immense amount of information you have to learn. So when you're just a an employed physician, you know, your job is not easy, but the patients show up, you have a staff, there's a lot of support. You do no, you never asked, like, how did you pick this electronic health record? Or so um, there's just a huge amount of learning in terms of the basics of running a practice, even whether medicine's being practiced or not. It's like you know, the compute, the technology, it's the labs, it's the referral systems, everything. So it's been it's been great, but that it is a real challenge.

SPEAKER_00 9:21

Yeah. Okay. And then so in that learn, especially the mindset one, what were some of the things that you did to overcome that? Because, you know, there's a lot of um, from like, you know, interviews that I've listened to with private practice doctors, there's the thing of imposter syndrome, or you know, where they feel like they have to do everything by themselves, and it's always, you know, a mindset thing. So, what were some of the things that you did to overcome the mindset drama?

SPEAKER_01 9:50

Um I would say that one thing that that perhaps some people would say you don't need to do, but I did it, is to get an MBA. And I I did that so that I could have um just some, I just wanted a foundation of business experience. And in fact, it does not inform me much in terms of how to um how to run a medical practice, but but I did learn a lot in terms of um just the big picture of business. What is you know, what's because that's that's not a language that I was given in medical school. So it's a language that it gave me, and and that was important. And once I had that language, then I thought, okay, I'm ready. So I graduated in December and in January I started the LLC. Um, so it was just and here, listen, and you might find this among the other people that you interview, but as a physician, my number one strategy is in problem solving is learning. So that's what I know to do. I know how to how to learn something. So yeah. Yeah, that was an interview I had. Oh, I'm sorry, go ahead. Oh, I just wanted to say that was the beginning, but that's also what that's also when I uh was deep diving into the entree MD podcast. And um, and so I joined PPPM um, I think it was about a year ago. Um, and that this is the specific physician specific business education. And it's exactly it's exactly what you need when you're looking around and you see these other doctors, and they may have been practicing for a few months, or they're 20, 30 years into their careers, but they're growing. You it's like I can see the long view of how to do this.

SPEAKER_00 11:57

Yeah. So let's talk, and you mentioned it um quite a bit. So let's talk a little bit about you know, PPPM, or even your journey with Dr. Una, because you know, you mentioned um you're kind of binging on the Entre MD podcast. So, how did you how did you find out about that?

SPEAKER_01 12:12

It was in uh a direct primary care uh Facebook group that I learned about Dr. Una's uh podcast. And yeah, it's and then I you know in in DPC it's been wonderful. Other uh physicians who are already doing it are usually very generous in their time. And so um when I spoke to some people, they would also say that you know, recommend Dr. Una's podcast. So that was how I was introduced.

SPEAKER_00 12:47

Yeah, that is amazing. So then what was your I will I guess it would be like your final shove to join um PVPM?

SPEAKER_01 12:56

Well, um I had just done some of the weekly challenges and um and was getting a lot of great value out of that. And so I wanted to have more of a consistent um connection to not to Dr. Uno, but also to the community and to what she's teaching.

SPEAKER_00 13:17

So okay. And so since joining um, you know, PPPM, could you talk a little about you know the wins that you've seen in your practice, whether it's tangible or intangible wins?

SPEAKER_01 13:29

I would say um number one is is framework because I'm learning a lot about you know what's important, putting putting the important things first, like um building a referral base as an example. And what's what's helping me in my growth is having a strategy that I'm able to kind of go back to rinse and repeat. So some of the wins are I have been growing quarter over quarter, which is um a blessing. And um and not just in numbers, but also in my understanding of how medical practices run up. So it's a constant learning opportunity.

SPEAKER_00 14:18

Yeah, that's amazing. You know, even I had a um podcast episode that I did with one of the doctors in the business school, and something she was saying was how, like, you know, when she runs into a situation, the thing that she does is learning, you know, something you mentioned that you know you probably hear with a lot of docs, but something that she said that really stood out to me was that she will find somebody who is who has already dealt with whatever it is that she's going through and has already succeeded, and then she'll just latch herself to them so that she learns everything that you know that they're already doing and that they succeeded at. And that way she's not necessarily dealing with that issue anymore because she's already found a way to overcome it. And so, especially with the community, that is um, you know, EBS, that is PVPM, that is something that you see a lot, which is like, okay, I have this issue and now I need help with it. And there's just a whole bunch of other doctors that are like, I've been through this, girl, I got you. Let's do this together. So I love you know seeing that in the inside of the communities.

unknown 15:20

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 15:21

So and on that, what I know if I'll if I ask this question, I feel like I know what the answer will be. But since joining PPPM, what has been your favorite thing about it?

SPEAKER_01 15:34

Um, I would say my favorite thing about it is knowing that I can go back in and get some more strategy. So it's like it's it's very solution-oriented. And um, and so I can just one uh if when I listen, uh when we have our live sessions, I know that I'm going, I'm taking serious notes because I'm gonna take uh home a lot of information. And then if later I need that again, um I can go back to my notes. Yeah, and then go back and I can go back and listen. Um, so because there's so much information that you get, and you I can't absorb it all in one setting. So it's uh it's like an encyclopedia that I can go back in and search, you know. You can't go back and search.

SPEAKER_00 16:29

Okay, that's amazing. All right, and then so since um, you know, having your private practice, what are some of the doors that you know you wouldn't typically expect? But you know, some of the doors that have been opened um for you because of your private practice.

SPEAKER_01 16:47

You know, I did not realize how close our the community is in the entrepreneurial world. And so being out in the community, in the networking events, um, but doing speaking engagements and um having the opportunity to meet other entrepreneurs one-on-one and then other small groups, that friendship, those friendships, those relationships, that's uh actually probably just as important as the business is for me because I'm very relationship oriented. So yes, I am loving being a part of our community here in Manassas and our greater Northern Virginia community. It's it's fantastic. So that's that was surprising. I did not expect that at all.

SPEAKER_00 17:35

Okay, that is amazing. All right, and so now if there is, let's say that there's a private practice owner who is, you know, listening to this episode right now, and you know, they're in a place where they feel overwhelmed or they feel stuck, or you know, like they're at that point where they just feel like they're just they've been stagnant, they don't really necessarily know what to do or how to move forward. What is one thing that you would tell them, something that you know that they can hold on to and use to move forward?

SPEAKER_01 18:03

I would say that um the route forward is up and down, and you're learning something at every step step of the way. So if you're going through something difficult, you're also learning something that's gonna make you stronger and it'll make things more efficient for you in the future. Uh, so we can embrace that a little bit. Um, and that finding um a community with guidance, and those are that comes in many ways, but finding a mentor and community with guidance is really that's the voice that's gonna keep you going when you think I'm lost, I have no idea what I'm doing. And then that community is like, oh, but wait, have you just take this one uh this next right step is what we need. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 18:55

That is amazing, that is awesome. And then so I know that um community has been a big thing, and you know, it's even part of the advice that you gave to the people listening. And so um on that base, could you talk a little bit about, you know, in the community, um, the PPPM community at least, like what has been something that you know they've really helped you with? Because I know it can be a very helpful, like you ask a question, and there's a bunch of people who are like, Okay, yeah, I can um help you with this. Or I know there was one call that I was in and one person mentioned something about how you know they were trying to um, you know, build up their referral base and you know, be seen out there. And then a whole bunch of other doctors were like, Oh my gosh, I'll interview on my podcast. Like it was just a bunch of them. So by the end of the call, she had like six, six podcast interviews scheduled just like that. So, has there been a moment for you where you know that's what you've done within the PPPM community where there's been people who have just been so willing to help you?

SPEAKER_01 20:00

That's great. I I would say it's when you know, when you're listening and you're thinking, um, this is a great tip, but can I do it now? Or how do I how do I use this information right now? And so, for example, just um I think the last time I was logged in, um, I've been thinking, I'm kind of getting to the point that I'm trying to decide, is it time to bring on a team member? And and so then I can just ask that question in the chat and and people give really wise answers, which is very useful. And then another thing I had I did uh have the opportunity to do um uh Dr. Tamara's podcast um several months back. And so it is it's a welcoming community, um, and people do. I love, you know, when we learn from each other, we're learning like on a horizontal, we're also learning on a vertical, but it that's what helps meet us exactly where we are.

SPEAKER_00 21:10

Yeah, that is amazing. I love that. Okay, like the the the communities for EBS and for PPAPM have always been my favorite thing, like it's the most where I interact because especially with when it comes to like live events, I'll just sit back and I'll just watch everybody. And you know, they're all doing their own thing, but like they're learning together and helping each other. And so I just love being able to see that. And now, so for people who you know want to connect with you and they want to learn more about you know what it is that you do, where can they find you?

SPEAKER_01 21:45

Well, uh, my website is Joya J-O-Y-A Family Med M E D dot com. So that's the website, and uh anyone who is interested in uh meet and greet can schedule a free meet and greet right there. Um, but we also have um my Instagram handle is at dr dralexis underscore Eperly and YouTube is Dr. Alexis Eperly. No underscore.

SPEAKER_00 22:18

No underscore. Okay. And to close us out, if there is one thing that you want someone who is listening to take away from your journey and from this episode, what would it be? You have to give me a quotable quote.

SPEAKER_01 22:33

A quotable quote. So um I'm I'm gonna say that the journey is not linear, but we are always moving towards our purpose, and um we are learning from whether these were positive or negative events, we're learning from all of it to just like bring out the best that we have to offer the world.

SPEAKER_00 23:03

Yeah, that is awesome. Okay, so thank you for this, Dr. Everly. And I want to say a big thank you to everybody who listened to this episode. And there's something I like to say at the end where it's that if you heard something, you know, that you believe would be beneficial to somebody else, to another private practice doctor inside of your world, go ahead and share this with them. Do not allow this episode to be your best kept secret. And so, with all of that, I want to say a big thank you to everyone who is listening, and a big thank you to Dr. Eberly. And we will see you guys next time. Thank you so much. Thank you for listening to the Profitable Private Practice Podcast. If this episode inspired you, share it with the private practice doc in your life and subscribe so you never miss an episode. Don't let this podcast be the best kept secret. I've Shatana Chiku, and I'll see you next week.