Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in health and wellness but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Chris Tutt, Owner of ProActive Physical Therapy Specialists, located in Portland, OR, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
We're involved in helping people through our 16 outpatient physical therapy clinics in Oregon and SW Washington.
Tell us about yourself
I am a helper by nature and entered the field of physical therapy in 1991. In 2001 I decided I could help people better than anyone using a different model that places the patient at the center. That model is not a medical model but a customer service model. In our model, we use laughter, empathy, trust, and physical therapy to help the person. Our model has evolved over the years to include an additional talent management perspective, but our core values remain the same. Using our patient-centered model, we've successfully expanded to 16 clinics and looking to open three more in 2023.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
I believe my biggest accomplishment as a business is being able to help people grow and take on more responsibility in our organization. My role in our company is to help people be successful however they define it. I absolutely love it when our people are successful and when they look like shining stars to their peers.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
One of the hardest things about being a business owner is having to let someone go. I believe when we hire a person, they are the right person for the job. We all pour our heart and soul into everyone one of our 120+ employees to help them be the shining stars that I know they can be. Sometimes there will come a time that despite all of the training, coaching, and coming alongside them trying to help them be successful that we have to cut tires and let them go. I absolutely hate that part of the job because I was able to identify what we needed to do to help them be successful.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Know your industry. Become an expert on every aspect of the industry that you want to get into.
- Do something that you absolutely love and are passionate about. It is said that if you do something you love and are passionate about, you will never work a day in your life.
- NEVER get into something to make a bunch of money. Identify a service or object that improves people's lives and manage it by driving forward with your revenue and sales and take care of your people on the backend, and the business will take care of itself.
- BONUS! 4. Always hire on values! Hire those with values that are spot on with your company's values. If you hire on values, the person will have the same value as that of your company. People will never break their own personal values and thus will never break their own personal values.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://proactivepts.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chris.tutt.37
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kingtuttster/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-tutt-a2943a10/
If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.
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