The Paul Gough Show

In today's podcast, I’m answering YOUR biggest questions about growing a profitable PT practice, overcoming the challenges holding you back, and what it really takes to build a business that gives you the freedom and lifestyle you deserve. Plus, with PPM Live just around the corner, I’m giving you a sneak peek at what’s coming to Orlando and why this could be the wake-up call so many clinic owners NEED right now.Here's some of what I discuss:Why the size of your clinic TODAY shouldn't determine how BIG you can dream for the future.The hidden PROFIT leaks that could be costing your PT business more money than you realize.Why attracting new patients is becoming more challenging and what clinic owners need to be thinking about.The difference between building a successful PT practice and building a business that gives you REAL freedom.Your biggest questions about PPM Live, who it's for, and what makes this year's event DIFFERENT.

In today's podcast, I tackle one of the biggest challenges facing PT clinic owners right now: finding, hiring, and keeping GOOD people in a world where attitudes toward work, commitment, and personal responsibility are changing FAST. I share some brutally honest thoughts on the state of the PT profession, why so many business owners are frustrated with their teams, and what it REALLY takes to build a successful clinic in today's world.Here's some of what I discuss:Why finding GOOD physical therapists is becoming increasingly difficult, and what clinic owners need to understand about it.The growing clash between what employees WANT and what business owners NEED to run a successful practice.What a recent experience at McDonald's taught me about the changing standards of customer service, work ethic, and accountability.Why hiring someone with the right attitude might be more important than finding someone with impressive clinical qualifications.The uncomfortable truth about why some clinic owners struggle to attract and afford the BEST people in the profession.

Today, I tackle the question nobody asks at business conferences: when your clinic becomes successful, do your friends and family get a claim on the lifestyle it created?I break down the Savannah James flight controversy and give you my verdict on whether a successful friend should be paying for the people around themI reveal the unspoken guilt and judgment that follows every successful clinic owner, and the one trait I had to learn to let all of it roll off meI share the "unspoken perk" of success that most owners never realize they've earned, and how I decide who gets invited into itI explain why most owners chasing "freedom" never find it, even with the money and time off, and the other freedoms I think matter more

Today, in the final of four sessions leading up to PPM 2026, I reveal why the $2 million clinic everyone brags about is the one nobody should actually want to own.I pull back the curtain on the real numbers behind an "impressive" $2 million clinic, and I ask the one question that shows whether you'd buy your own business if it were for sale tomorrowI reveal the new scorecard I use to measure a clinic, and the profit zone that decides whether you're building real wealth or just a bigger headacheI break down the three-engine blueprint I'd use to rebuild a clinic from scratch in 2026, and why most owners are scaling the exact oppositeI share the seven-question test that shows whether your clinic is modern and profitable, and the "pizza in the fridge" mistake that keeps most owners stuckBook your seat now for PPM Live: https://ppmlive26.com/

Today's show is part three of four, as we ramp up for PPM - and I expose why the "obvious" fix for a busy clinic might be the most expensive mistake you can make, and what to check before you make it.I reveal the hidden math behind adding to your team that most clinic owners never run until it's too lateI help uncover the handful of places in your clinic where money is quietly leaking out right now, and what to fix firstBook your seat now for PPM Live: https://ppmlive26.com/

Today, I reveal why a PT sipping an iced matcha latte through a straw during a job interview is the least of your worries as a clinic owner.I show you the real red flags behind "unprofessional" interview behavior — and why it's not actually about the drink I discuss why the location of your own interviews might be secretly sabotaging your ability to hold staff accountable later

Today, I break down the real-world warning signs that you've hired a bad PT, drawing on over 70 hires and 15+ years running a physical therapy business.I point out the subtle red flags — from "it's not my job" to victim-mindset excuses like blaming pay demands on student loans — that separate great employees from bad onesI explain why professionalism doesn't guarantee good hires, and why interview performance often has nothing to do with who someone becomes 90 days into the job

In part two of four during the run-up to PPM, I ask the question every clinic owner avoids: would your best PT actually stay if they had other options? Here's what I covered:The employment deal that used to work, and why it quietly stopped workingThe six things great PTs are evaluating whether they say it out loud or notWhat actually makes people leave (and it's rarely the reason owners think)Book your seat now for PPM Live: https://ppmlive26.com/

In the run-up to PPM, part one of a four-part series, I ask:Are you profitable enough to hire good staff?If not, what needs to change?Book your seat now for PPM Live: https://ppmlive26.com/