Closing Down a Practice to Build an Online PT Business with Andrew Tran | CashPT Lunch Hour #79

Welcome back to the podcast. This is Aaron LeBauer your host of the Cash can do lunch hour. And today my guest is Andrew Tran. He's the founder and creative director of Physio Memes Helping Make Life Humorous for People. If you haven't seen Andrew on Instagram or Facebook, you need to, and especially after today's episode, you want to go check out one of his shirts. Andrew, thank you so much for being here. I appreciate you spending your time with us.

Yeah, man, thank you for having me on, man. Definitely a pleasure being a good friend from you and just following you for a long time, even before I met you.

So awesome, man. Yeah, you know, I was just thinking, I was like, shit, I should have worn your shirt. But I worked out in it yesterday. I have the. Do you. Does your physical therapist even lift, bro shirt and it's all sweaty.

I was going to wear your shirt too, then. Same thing. I worked out a couple of days ago, so it's funny.

Yeah, that's cool. So tell me a little bit. Or tell. I mean, I know you, but I want to share what you're doing with everyone. So you're a physical therapist. Tell us a little bit. Like, how did you get into PT and how did you get in and how did you decide that what you were doing once you graduated wasn't exactly what you were meant to be doing?

Like, can you just take us on

a five, ten minute journey?

Yeah, definitely. I don't really have a, like, you know, a really cool story or like I got injured playing sports or anything. It was like, oh, you know, I love pt. I graduated, you know, just from high school and I was just like, I want to be the medical professional. Like, I love helping people. I love the muscle skeletal system. So I was just like, talk to my cousin. Like, I didn't even think about it. She's a nurse at the point and she was like, what about physical therapy? I need you to pick a major at this point. And I was like, all right, cool. Like, I'll do that. But for me, I knew, like, you had to go to PT school, you know, having to go get your doctorate and go to grad school and all that. So I was like, I want to wait until my junior senior year, then figure out what the heck physical therapy really is. So like freshman year, I just started, like, shadowing, you know, outpatient ortho clinics and then actually, you know, going into pediatrics for probably two years of just like the Children's Hospital Cincinnati. Just amazing. And actually when I went into school, like, Wanting to do that, and then, like, story of my life. Things change all the freaking time. We'll probably delve into that throughout today's episode. But, yeah, wanting to go to peds for a little bit. Went to schools, like, took peds. I was like, hell, no, I don't want to do this. You know, just. So that's basically how I got into PT school. And, like, I've switched between ortho, like I said peds, a little bit of Nero, Just kind of all over the place and didn't really know what I wanted. But yeah, so after, like, all that, actually during. I've told a few people this during physical therapy school. I remember the second year, I was getting burnt out. First year I did great, you know, like, striving for A's and all that stuff. And at the end of the day, I was like, you know, it doesn't really matter if you have 100 or just barely passing PT school. But I remember second year, I was just like, I don't want to be a physical therapist my whole life. No, I love it. I just don't want to do it. I was like, I can see myself maybe like 10, 15. 10 years or so. 15 years maybe to do something else. And I told a couple classmates, I remember returning it. It was one of really, really good friends. And she was like, I can't exact words, but she was like, that's either that's dumb or that's a waste of time. Like, why would you do that? And I think I was just really burnt out because I didn't really know. Like, maybe excited, bored easily and just. I don't know.

Do you, like, are you kind of person that you need something new and stimulating and exciting to, like, focus on?

I think so. I'm very add, so, like, stop at any point. Cause I can just ramble on forever. But yeah, I think I just like learning new things and just trying new things all the time. And a big thing was like, I was actually down my second year just, like, mentally, because I traveled a lot in undergrad and, like, started, like, going abroad and doing all these things. And I was just like, seeing all my friends who didn't go to grad school, and they're like, well, I got jobs, you know, this company, and we're here for a week, traveling and doing this and just traveling all over the place for work. I was like, well, I can't do that with physical therapy. This is before I knew travel PT existed. And one day, one of my professors, you know, came up to me, like, he was like, dude, what's going on? I can tell you, like, because I joke all the time. You get like, you know, span of time where I didn't. And I would just like, going through the motions and whatnot. And I kind of told him the story. Then he was like, dude, I was a travel pt. I was like, wait, what? So that was kind of, you know, the spark that kind of got me back into it. I was like, okay, cool. Like, a little more motivated. I was, like, looking into travel PT a little more excited about that stuff. So, yeah. So when I became a pt started off right away, they told me I need to get experience first. I looked for a bunch of ortho jobs and nero jobs and, like, they had 20 job applications out there. I had one interview with no job offers.

Wow. I get job offers all the time.

Yeah, now I do. Yeah.

So tell me. Like, you know, I had this similar thing happen to me when I went to massage school. I was like, this isn't great, but I don't want to do the same thing for the rest of my life. I want to do something like, I'll be disappointed. I thought to myself, I'd be disappointed if I'm still doing this in 10 years. And in about eight years I was in PT school.

Yeah.

And. And now within 10 years of that, I mean, I'm pretty much not doing physical therapy. So was that kind of. Were you like, oh, yeah, like, this would be great, but I've got something bigger in mind.

Yeah, maybe not something bigger, maybe something different. Because at this point, like, you know now, like, I had zero interest in doing the business. So, like, definitely wasn't thinking that route. But I was just like, but for me, my mindset, I was just like, well, this is a doctorate degree. I thought I was making good money from it, but income to debt ratio wasn't factored in. So I was like, well, I don't know what I want to do that's going to make me the same amount of money or at least more amount of money because I didn't want to at least go down in income at that point. I was like, I don't know what it is I ever told my classmate. And after she kind of shot me down, she was one of my really good friends out of all kind of like, still love her. One of my good friends still. I didn't tell much other people when I was in school. I was like, okay, well, I guess this is dumb. I don't know. But yeah. So I was Like, I didn't know what it was. I was like, I'm gonna do something different. But I think definitely, like, the travel component was big in my life.

Yeah. So when you got out of PT school, did you just go right into doing travel therapy or did you go do something else?

Yeah. So I went to strange travel therapy after. I didn't get any of those, like, 20 applications, no job offers or anything. So I was like, well, I guess I'll start applying. Like, start looking into. I was already looking into travel companies, but I was like, you know, it's keeping on the back burner, building relationships. And I was like, you know what? Let's just do this. And so I started off the contract a little bit outside of my hometown and started about. I think I did two contracts, and then, you know, started learning some, you know, marketing and business and, like, branding with physical therapy with, you know, with Greg Todd. And so then again, story of my life, things always changed. And I was like, oh, I could do something with this. And at that point, I'm just like, the way was presented. And I talked to a lot of other people, like, you know, just, like, following you and just listening to you, you know, that you were putting out made it seem like, you know, business in itself or opening clinic or anything else, like, wasn't as bad as I had thought. I knew it was gonna be a lot of work and, you know, the grind and everything with it, but, like, the way school made it was like, you have to have $200,000 to open up your own clinic. I was like, yeah, hell, no. That's more than my debt that I have now, so why would I do that?

Right? I just kind of laugh at that because more everyone is like, like, there must be the same business curriculum that they've passed out on all these. Or the NPTE has some, you know, number that they say, okay, students need to know it's gonna be $200,000. Because everyone's like, yeah, they told us it's gonna cost 250 or $200,000 for business.

We need to open up in a stadium. Like, super big square footage. Like, all this stuff.

Yeah, it's ridiculous.

Yeah. So at that point, I was like, okay, cool. Like, you know, I kind of flirted with the idea. I was like, the way it's presented, to me, it's just like, going into school and, like, not expecting to do acute care. If you never thought about it, you're ortho mindset, it's like, okay, cool. Or home health, like, you Just never knew about it. And now it just, like, kind of sparked that interest. So that's when it kind of like, the entrepreneur started turning with that.

And at what point was it, like, was there something that happened or changed that you were like, all right, now I'm going to create a business.

So when I created the business with physio Memes, it started off. So physio memes will backtrack a little bit, like, after I graduated 2016. And a lot of this is. I think this is around the era where memes started popping up and started going viral and everything with it. And I graduated, and I was just looking up an account just for physical therapy memes. Like, you know, I just started, you know, Instagram. I was looking stuff up, and there wasn't really anything out there consistently posting out memes. And so I. That's how I kind of started Physio memes. Literally just a memes page. And I was creating my own. If, you know, people. Like, if I find one, I would just repost it or whatnot. And then a year later, this is when it was kind of the same thing, but with physical therapy, like, apparel, I was like, I love physical therapy. Like, I want to rock some, like, you know, PT apparel. That's funny. You know, that's a little bit different. And, like, I saw pictures of, like, apparel, like, maybe a few shirts here and there, but, like, there was no links, There was no sites or anything. With this, I started creating my own kind of the same thing with the memes, but I started doing with apparel, and then I was like, you know, like, I can create a business out of this and, you know, just learning stuff with branding and just putting yourself out there, being like, what with consistency and all that stuff. Just learning business stuff along the way. And that's kind of how I end up starting fizzy beans with that business.

Wow, that's awesome. Yeah, that's cool. So it basically came out of a passion and interest of yours.

Yeah.

For sharing and finding funny stuff. And you're like, yeah, other people want this. Before you created, like, or sold your first shirt, where people say, hey, Andrew, can you get me a shirt like that? Or, where'd you get that? Or were you like, maybe I'll create one and see what people think?

I think I just started creating just some stuff and then just posting a few designs here and there and basically kind of slowly caught on. People were like, oh, make sure it's like, no, I was getting small sales, just a few sales here and there because People saw what I was posting. Some designs I posted were pretty shitty. Some of the stuff I have now probably isn't the best. But I know it started off like, I have time hop. So every once in a while I'll see stuff from a year ago. And I was like, oh, what the heck was I doing?

Yeah, what's the one that's your favorite? What's the design or meme that you think is the best, the funniest?

Oh, man. I feel like I always get this question and I'm never prepared for it.

Put you on the spot.

Yeah. No, it happens all the time. And I feel like get asked this at every interview. What's the.

I mean. Okay, so what's the. I'll give you a minute. What's the most popular? What's the most popular?

So the most popular one is one of my coffee mugs, and it's one that I was so hesitant to, like, release. I was like, I don't know how people are gonna feel about this, especially with, you know, our profession being majority females. Like, it's just like, PC, like, all this stuff anyways. But it's. She wants the dpt. I loved it. And I was like. With that humor, I was like, this is very borderline the highest sales I've had and is mainly bought by women. So I was like, okay, definitely not offending anybody with this. But yeah.

Yeah, that's awesome.

Yeah. So that's one of the most popular one. And then the one. The shirt that you got. Yeah. The phrasal therapist, even lift, like, that's a newer one that's blown up a little bit as well.

Yeah. Yeah, that's awesome.

Yeah.

And then what's the. What's the one that was the worst or that you. Or even the one that you thought, like, man, this is an awesome idea. And it was like. Like crickets,

man. I probably have quite a few of those. Oh, yeah. I love this one. I feel like I have a lot of them, but I have, like over 200 products now. So, like, on top of my head, I can't think of any right now.

Well, let me ask you this instead. And I've done this too, where I've put out products or courses. Like, man, this is. Blow people away. People are going to want this. I'm going to, you know, I'm going to give it to you for 100 bucks. And then it's like, no one buys the damn thing, you know? And the thing that I didn't think people cared about. People buy a lot of or, you know, it's like. But as an entrepreneur, you have to be able to say, look, like this thing I thought was amazing and that no one wants, like, you got to figure out a way to change it or keep going past it. Isn't that right? I mean, you can't let. You probably have like three or four really good ones and, you know, dozens of ones that people are like, exactly.

Yeah. So. And I guess, you know, especially something that we learned, like, you know, with business, like, one that's what the market dictated. You have to be kind of remove the emotion away from it from what people want. Because what you think what people want is definitely not always what. Sometimes it lines up, but sometimes, sometimes it doesn't make if you don't ask them. So, like earlier on, like, I mean, I don't even do this all my product, but sometimes, like, I'll do either polls or just ask people, like, hey, do you prefer this or this? And then, like, I had people vote at the beginning a lot when I was starting off and people were like, vote this one.

I was like, really?

I was like, that's what you guys want. And I think just learning what your audience wants. And if you have a few different variations with it, like, I'll still post things up and people just vote on it.

Yeah, that's awesome.

Is there.

Are there other ways or specific ways you're surveying your audience? You're doing like Facebook, Instagram, doing anything specific.

Yeah. So especially with Instagram having the poll now your story. So I was doing it on my feed, but doing the story just so much quicker. People just take literally a half a second and just click when it click one of the buttons and then, you know, just voting that way. Sometimes I'll like, just message just, you know, a few friends that like, who are in the nist. That would be like my more target audience. I'd be like, I'd do something for like, women who like to work out. Then, you know, I'll just like, probably like message like a small group of people with that. I'll send stuff to email sometime as well. And just getting people to vote that way.

Yeah. Yeah, that's awesome. How else are you using Instagram to promote your business? Like, is that because you mentioned, like, you just started physio memes on there and did it blow up right away or did it take. I mean, how long ago was that? And it take a while to get some traction?

The first year, it was a very slow growth. Didn't really know what I was Doing. I was just, like, putting stuff out there. Like, especially with Instagram's algorithm now, like, it was always changing. Like, earlier on, like, I didn't even, like, think about it or knew anything about it. I was just putting stuff out there. But when I decided to, like, a year later was when I decided to make apparel and products and put up a store set, all that up, I was like, okay, well, now since I'm trying to monetize off this little bit, like, I think I need a strategy with this. So I started learning a lot more about that. Just trying to study and just learning from people who have done very well with it. And honestly, the big thing, like, there's no one hack for, like, growing, you know, with Instagram. And I don't think a lot of people, like, want to know, like, what's the one thing? And if it's the one thing and everyone knew about it, like, what's the one? It's like, what's the one exercise that's gonna help me with my back pain?

Right.

It's kind of the same thing. And it's just like, okay, well, it just depends a little bit of this, a little bit of that, depending where you're at, you know, and. But the big thing was, like, honesty, consistency. That's just anything in life, you know, with, you know, business, you know, working out, just whatever you want to do is being consistent. And I think if that's a hack, you want to say that's like, the most boring thing people like, well, I want to hear something else, like, what hashtag should I use? Or whatever. But definitely it's like, me being consistent. When I started doing that, like, I haven't missed a post since. I decided to be consistent with that. I think it was, like, November of not this year or the year before and haven't missed a post since then. And I think that's helped out a lot.

Yeah. Was that. Was that the thing, like, just being consistent for a while that really triggered your growth?

Yeah, because the first year, I wasn't consistent. I was just, like, just doing it whenever I kind of wanted. Like, just a few weeks and just here and there. But, like, definitely consistent. Definitely helped out.

What's your posting schedule?

Like?

Are you doing, like, one a day, three a day, Instagram stories every day, all

definitely post on my feedback once a day. And everyone's audience is a little different. I usually have one post in the morning, and then if I have a second or third post, I usually try to space it out. In general, I usually do it. For most audiences, do it before lunch or school. I mean, it's lunch or school. Like, work with school in the morning, around lunch this time, and then like a little bit later in the evening. So if I do a second or third post, it's usually, you know, around the lunchtime or in the evening, and I kind of play with it and then I try to stay on the store. Like, I always want something on my store at all times. So if people. You're on Instagram all day, it's like, it takes two seconds once you share something, like repost something and you do it as well. Right. It takes you 15 seconds to do a little Instagram story or whatever. And it's just like do one in the morning, one at lunchtime, maybe one in the evening or whatever. It takes you less than a minute to do.

Yeah, that's awesome. See what. What else are you doing? So what else are you doing from promote, like, how, like, your business is a little different than a lot of people, you know, who are trying to target people locally. It's more. You've got more of a national audience. So, you know, what are some of the things you've got your Instagram. Are you doing anything on Facebook with physio memes and you've got a website? Or is it mostly just the Instagram promotion that's driving traffic?

Yeah, it started off with Instagram. Like, I didn't even start Facebook until almost a year later. And I just. I basically just hooked the accounts together. So when I posted my Instagram, this little button, you just hit that also post to Facebook. So there's some people that don't have Instagram, we don't have Facebook. So, like, Instagram's a little bit bigger because I started like a homeless a whole year earlier. But yes, I'll post on both of those because like I said, not everyone's on both platforms. So it's just little bit more of a reach that way. And of course, selling the products on my website that I have.

Are you running ads? Are you doing like, Facebook ads or Instagram ads?

Yeah. Yep. So since Facebook owns Instagram, I just, you know, do the Facebook ads manager and just run ads through both of them. I've been doing that for a little about a year or so. Like, I've learned ads mainly I learned because, like, I didn't really mention this. I know. You know, working with you last year, like, I wanted to have my own practice at one point and just trying to do both, you know, having to practice the Physio meetings at the same time was just like I burnt myself out before I even started. And like, because basically I realized that physio was a bigger passion that I had. Not as much of a practice as I thought I did. Again, I still love it, but mainly the stuff that I was learning with ads was towards like physical therapy practices. So like having to learn those like at the end of the day, like, you know, you've told me this is like business is still business, like making money, still making money. And it's just like, how do I use this, what I've learned for physical therapy practices into my businesses. Right. Like into the marketing with the messaging, you know, attention grabbing. Whether it's like headlines or post videos, whatever, whatever that is a good offer. And so just kind of learning like that and just like we were talking about earlier, like what does your audience want? And just like one. Just talking to a lot of people. Like a lot of times I'll post stuff on my page. A lot of times I'll talk to a lot of people in the DMs. It's like, well, what do you want? So yeah, so learning with that and like recently working more with E comm ads and just slightly different ways to go about it. But yeah, so I definitely do run ads.

Yeah. And you're using, are you using email as well? Are you doing marketing through email or just like, hey, thanks for buying the shirt.

Yeah, I do a little bit of email marketing. I have an ad. The thing is no secret because like Facebook, you can literally go to anyone's Facebook business page if you guys are listening, don't know and just look at the ads they're running because apparently like, I don't know, the transparency thing with Mark Zuckerberg last year and it's just like it's so sponsored you can see when some company doesn't add. I don't know like why that was an issue, but so I have ads, I collect people emails. Collect people's emails and then doing some email marketing with that as well. Not as much as I'd like with sales or whatnot, but same thing with, you know, it's the consistency with that too. Like just keep people just seeing you the email. Like they're not unsubscribing after two years. Yeah.

Yeah, that's cool. So tell me more about. You mentioned it and I was gonna, I was gonna ask anyways, but you mentioned that started you wanted to start a practice last year.

Yeah.

Tell me more about how did you come to the Decision like, okay, I want to start a practice, I wanna start a clinic. And then what happened after getting into it for a few months.

Yeah, so I was. When I learned like the marketing business and everything with PT taking like that course, I was like flirting with the idea of opening a practice and actually stopped travel with PT at that point after those two contracts worked for out of network practice that was transitioning from in network to out of network. Like that was when I got hired on. And so learning the transition was actually you know, very rewarding and like interesting to see and then working a little bit in the out in that setting and then so I was like at that point, you know, trying to do my own thing. And I think the big thing was after I learned like it wasn't as, as bad as it seemed. I think like, well, everyone's doing this now. And I think that was probably like a part of the reason why I wanted to open my own practice, like a cash practice. Seeing how people doing successful and how like you know, if you want to make more money, you have to do your own practice. And like now I've realized like there's other ways to do business and stuff like that. So then fizzy memes was not in still not point where I'm at like you know, 100% full time or anything with it. And so starting two businesses like early on splitting like you can't like trying to half ass like two things like doesn't work so but yeah, so you know, working with you like I was seeing like maybe a couple patients at that point just like early on but like having that realization that having to pick one or the other and I ended up picking going back to physio means because like I kind of grew out of nowhere like and that passion just kind of developed and I always wanted to keep as a side hustle. So then I realized like, well this is where my passion was. Even though it's not making as much money profiting off, you know, less money off t shirt versus you know, 150, 200 plus dollars an hour. Like I'm willing to, you know, go with my passion more so than like not that like it's easy, you know, selling $200 a visit or anything like that. But so that's just kind of how my journey ended.

Was it like were you like working out one day? You're like that's it, like I'm not doing this. Or did it, I mean it did it hit you all of a sudden or was it something that was just Underneath there is like, why am I not putting in the effort? Or something like that.

Yeah. So for the listeners, I know you know this story a little bit better since I was working with you last year. Like there was like six weeks where I wasn't working at all, like no PRN or nothing really. And so I was in hustle mode. I was like trying to do this. We had done a mastermind, you know, two day mastermind together and was all, you know, all in on this. And I was super laser focused, like this is definitely what I wanted to do. And I was like physio moves to be on the back burner. And at the event met some people who like for the first time, like kind of knew on social media whenever met in person. And then one of them was like, we were just talking, it was about physiomes, like wait, what? Like this seems awesome. Like why aren't you doing like with physio memes? And then like other people were, you know, during that weekend as well at the live event was like kind of like asking about stuff like they want to do a pair for their businesses. Like I got so many people coming up to me like, well, I need help with this, I need help with this. And it was like, why aren't you doing this more like you doing a practice, like what's going on with physio memes? And I think that was like the wheel started changing, churning after that mastermind and I was just like, oh man, am I doing something wrong? And then like I was just like kind of talking with some people and like having some hard conversations with myself. And then I was like, screw it, you know, I'm so open to a practice. And then like the week after I came back, like thoughts going to my head and everything. And like I was still trying to like again do 5050 with those and it wasn't working and I burnt out, was very stressed and had a lot of anxiety and stuff and and then that was when I realized I was like, I can't do this just for my mental sake and everything. So that's kind of how that came about.

Yeah. Basically choose one thing and go all in.

Yeah.

So right now you're still doing some contract work or something like that or

how's I'm working PRN right now. I was doing a contract job before here down in Charleston now. Came down to visit and couldn't find a contract job down here. So I just had a PRN job just working per diem so doing that on the side still and you know, it's still nice where like I don't feel the stress being the PRN guy coming in with like, you know, the bureaucracy behind being the full time employee, like productivity and all that stress and all that. Like I just come in like whenever they need me and it's just like. So it was like a little less stressful.

Yeah. So that's cool. So that still allows you. Because I think one of the things you said to me is like, I don't want to get pinned down in one area.

Yeah.

You know, I don't want to get pinned down. I want to travel and I want to be able to go different places. And so with a combination of an online business and PRN or even travel, you could just like move around to different places and pick up work.

Yep, exactly. I'm liking it down here in the Carolinas, man. So it's a lot warmer than Ohio where I'm from. So it's like I said, like I'm PRs, I was alright. You know, if I want to go somewhere for a weekend along, a long weekend or go to an event or whatever, like, hey, can you come in? I'm like, nope, that's nice.

That's cool. You think you'll be down there for a while? Are you gonna go check out somewhere else?

I don't, I don't know. I was expecting to be gone by this point.

Yeah.

But I moved out here like right during the wintertime. So like I didn't see this snow, which was nice this year. And I don't know, things are getting warmer. I've started creating more friends here and I'm like, I was trying to leave but like this is kind of nice. So we'll see.

Yeah. Charleston's an awesome city, man. I've been there a couple times and the food is awesome. It's cool. Old town, I love it. So.

Yeah. Yeah, exactly, exactly. So we'll see. Maybe what? Like I can just decide one day like I'm tired of this and just like pick up a move which is like ideally kind of what I want in my life. Like, you know, big things like just traveling whenever I want. I like to hear so far.

Yeah, that's awesome. Yeah, no, I totally get it. Like that's one of my goals is to have location independence and be able to go where I want to go when I want to go and you know, go live somewhere for a month or two or year.

Exactly.

Things that hold me back right now are having two, you know, in school. I can't move them around. That's really awesome. So I want to get back to a little bit of the process of your business. Like, you're obviously not, you know, living in Cincinnati or Charleston. You're not the one like packing and shipping and printing all the shirts, right?

Nope.

So can you tell me a little bit about, like, how does that work?

Yeah, so, yeah, so it's a process of print on demand. So basically, you know, stuff I have on my site, I've partnered with another company essentially to do the fulfillment side. So whenever I make a sale, I have like, you know, my design. So basically I kind of like, own my designs. It's like, you know, the product and when a customer makes an order, it gets printed. The company will get it. They'll print it, package it, and ship it out to you and make it seem like it's for me. Like, I mean, I guess it is, I guess for me, but like, I don't ever have to deal with it.

Yeah.

So that's the other part of, like being able to travel and do whatever. Like if I can just do it from a laptop, like they're working with a company able to fulfill and print all that for me. Orders get made until shirts don't get made or whatever doesn't get made until someone puts an order in.

Okay. So you basically create a design, you email it or upload it somewhere and you choose how the product looks and everything and the order comes in and it goes. Basically this other company gets notified, they print it, they ship it, and then you get the profit.

Yeah.

And there's probably a picking or pay, you know, like some kind of. They get a cut of something and you get a cut.

Yeah.

That's awesome. So is this like, is it just like a drop shipper? This is a company. This is the company that they create the product and they ship it for you. Is that right?

Yep, yep. So yeah. So they will. They have all like the shirts and, you know, the peril, the merchandise there. So like just a blank one and basically just. Just prints it on there. So like. Yes. So they do get a cut because of like, you know, them doing it on demand, the labor for that, and then also them shipping it. So like the profit is just a little bit less than if, you know, if you have a clinic and you want to order 100 shirts and you want to give it out to your patients, the cost per shirt is going to be a lot less because you're bulk ordering and they can do it all at once. It's a Lot easier that way. But to do like on demand like that. So that's the downside of it. But for me, like, if I order a bunch of shirts, like we said earlier, like, this is so hot. Like, I love this and it's crickets. I got 100 shirts sitting over here. Like, what the hell am I doing? If you have like a winning, you know, something's like a winning product or whatnot, like, you can have a bulk order with that and do it that way if you know it's in a sellout. So, like, a couple ways to go about it. I have a friend who does very well with his and T shirt company. Like, he's not in the PT space or anything like that, but he, you know, bulk orders it and does well and sells out and all this stuff too. So just kind of like, whatever works best for you. For me, the print on demand works a little bit better just for my lifestyle.

Yeah, no, that's cool. So any tips or tricks? Because we're starting to work with a company to do some drop shipping and that kind of stuff. Is there anything that you've run into when doing that that you're like, yeah, make sure you ask about this or don't do that.

So what I usually tell people is some Swiss companies a couple times as I've started, some of it just based on speed, some of it based on either quality issues. It's not too often, but like more than one of them have more than I'd like. Customer service, just kind of all that. So the big thing is, you know, if you're going to do a print on demand and doing with that, just make sure you're happy with the quality of the shirt and products. Just have what samples sent to you. You know, just have it and order it and send it to you. And then like, if you're fine with that, like, for me, when I first started, I didn't know like the names of any of like the brands of shirts, the blends and all this. Other people were asking me this stuff. I was like, I thought a shirt was just a shirt.

Right, right.

So just doing that, like, and if you want something specific, right, make sure you order it and see how you'd like the feel for it and do it with that. So I think that's the biggest tip in most places, like, especially now with print on demand and doing all this stuff. Like, most of the places are pretty good, but it's just like. So just test it yourself and if you're gonna do that, like, see how long that takes to get to you and process and all that stuff.

That's awesome. What are some of the other like software or things that you're using as an online entrepreneur and business owner? Like, what are some of the things that like are making your life easy?

Oh, I probably to do more of that stuff. I'm not as organized as I'd like. So with, let me see, with just having tasks, having a whiteboard, like I'm really bad at writing things down in a planner, the productivity planner. Like, you know, when I work with you, you gave me like I was using that for a while and then, you know, I tried a different productivity planner and I think me just writing that, I know it's better to write down, maybe I should discipline myself a little bit better. But just using trello, a trello board, I think that's something that's nicer. It's just setting mom on the go on my phone a lot more things, things a little bit easier. And I have, you know, certain having more people like help out with physio means slowly growing and just having to use that first tasks and stuff. And I think that's has definitely helped help me out a lot.

That's awesome. Are you sure you have other people working for you or you have like brand ambassadors or doing anything like that?

Yeah, I am working on getting some, some brand ambassadors on a consistent basis. I had an intern or have an intern who honestly was. She's a PhD student now. She's awesome and she literally wanted to do the exact same thing that I was doing. And I was like, I was gonna show her, I was like, you know, like abundance mindset. You know, like I've showed a few handful of other PTs who are trying to do what I'm doing and you know, I see other people making shirts, which is awesome. Like, you know, the more awareness we can get out for physical therapy and more humor and stuff. Like it's awesome. And so I'll show all this stuff. And she was like, well I'm a student, I don't have any money to even, you know, have a store up for just a monthly payment or whatnot. So I was like, well, you know, if you want to like I can show you everything I'm doing. I started off earlier, I was just, when I just started, I didn't have money to pay her for that and you know, now I'm paying her a little bit. So just for certain tasks with that. So it was just nice having to be able to delegate that. But yeah, I was like, at any point, if you want to do this, you know, like, on your own, you can go ahead or, you know, you can help me continue going with it. So, like. So, yeah, just little small stuff. I'm actually working on hiring someone else as well. Going through a process right now. I just started yesterday, so.

Oh, awesome.

Awesome.

What kind of role are you looking to fill or what are some of the things that you, like, don't want to do anymore?

So basically with E Commerce, a little bit different. It's a lot of launching a lot of products and just finding, like, the one, like the winning product or one that people like a lot because you put stuff out there. But, like, if it's not getting in front of people, just launching a lot of ads, essentially, this is a strategy with it. I know, like, different strategies with the PT clinic is like, let it run for a little bit longer, seeing the metrics or whatnot. But for E Commerce, it's like, you know, money loves speed. So it's just like, put this out there. And there's a lot of other industries where it's like, people, like, are, you know, using, like, very similar designs or whatnot and just doing their own variations with it, you know, which is fine, whatever. So. So I'm delegating. Like, I know how to do it now. I'm setting my systems. Finally, basically someone just running my ads and launching products. Like, it's not hard. It doesn't take too long to do. But it's just like, this is getting tedious now. Like, it was good for like a month when I just, like, had worked with the coach and he kind of showed me the new strategy with us. Okay, this makes sense. I was doing it, but now I'm just, like, trying to just delegate that end of it.

Yeah. With other people doing this too. Are you. And as this grows, are you having any issues with copyright or people, you know, copying your stuff or do anything like that?

Not. Not yet. I haven't had that issue yet. I think with just physical therapy, it's just so niche. Not a lot of people are in the E. Com space and, you know, doing print on demand or drop shipping or whatever with physical therapy just yet. So I think I, you know, answer in the space at a good time, like other niches, like the entrepreneurial one. Right. There's always gonna be an entrepreneur brand. Like dogs and cats and nurses is a big one. Right. Because nurses, like, there's a lot more nurses in the country, in the world.

Yeah.

Physical therapists and people know what the heck they do, right?

Are you branching out into other professions, like nursing, ot, even, like, fitness stuff?

Um, so I have a little bit of fitness stuff I try to integrate with, With. With. With what I'm doing now because PTs, you know, we exercise and. Or should be. And I. I do want to branch out because a lot of people have told me that. But I was like, I started thinking about it again. I gotta. I'm ADD as heck. So I just need to, like, focus. I was like, let me do well with this first. Hopefully delegating with this. Like, things go well and, you know, this new person I'm bringing on and I definitely do want to get more than the healthcare, the whole healthcare space with it.

Awesome. So what's next for physio memes? What's your. What are. Like, what's the next few years gonna bring? What's your goal?

So, like, my. My end goal with. With physiomes, kind of like what I. I got started with just, you know, just creating memes and just always want to create, like, just humor and laughter and whatnot. Like, that was my goal when I kind of started that, like, and then creating. I didn't realize this when I first started because it was honestly kind of a selfish thing of like, I just want my own shirts, you know, if people want to buy it, sure, here it is. And just slowly realizing stuff that it was a marketing thing and a brand thing for like, just whatever the business and companies are. So like. Or even just professions. And I realized this is branding in a way, branding the PT profession. And, you know, just like, everyone else is probably listening. Like, no one knows the hell a physical therapist, what we do. So, like, it's just cool. Like, when I have had people tell me, like, even like one of my shirts, you know, that says, like, sipping on my tensorfacial latte. And you know, people are like, oh, what kind of latte is that? What kind of drink is that? Whatever. So it's kind of creating that conversation, you know, creating the humor with it. Or like someone had like a physical therapy and chill shirt on and it's like, oh, like, you know, funny. Like, you know, Netflix, whatever. And then they're like, oh, so you're a physical therapist? Like, I need physical therapy and just people wearing that. I have like a pelvic health therapist basically telling me, like, one of their shirts that says, like, vagina doctor on there. Oh, so kind of like, what do you do as a vagina doctor? Ob. What do you do? She's like, no, and, and she actually gets a lead every time she wears that. She tries like wear that as much as possible. She gets leads on all day just having that conversation. And I was like, that's the fucking easiest way to get a lead for like, you know, like a twenty, twenty five dollar shirt of doing that. She's like, this is like a big way. Like it's like a billboard.

Yeah.

And I didn't realize that at first and it's like, you know. So my goal with physio memes is to help physical therapy like physical therapist, whether it's one the profession to people's businesses. Because I realized a lot of people just don't have a payroll for the business and just kind of promoting that, you know, the physical therapy profession and the brand. Because as all of us, and I know you said something, you know, along the lines with like your goal is to Prevent, you know, 100,000 unnecessary like back surgeries or surgeries. Like, you know, my goal is kind of like, you know, very, very similar to that. Just like as any other physical therapist, you know, preventing unnecessary surgery like the opioid epidemic that's like, you know, very, you know, you know, bad in our country right now. And if bringing that awareness, whether with you know, through apparel, that's my goal with it. Other companies do that and also with sell my own products and bring in humor, laughter along the way. Just kind of doing, rather than just saying just physical therapy.

That's awesome man. That's really cool. No one else is doing that. Caitlin, the woman who's working with me now as our physical therapist, anytime she wears a shirt that says physical therapy something on it, she picks up new patients. I mean she worked out, she does power lifting and worked out the other day with your shirt on and she got three total body diagnostics.

Oh, that's awesome. Yeah. And I think that's what a lot of people don't realize and like even if it's like a little bit of your own clinic and stuff, like a lot of people just, you know, it's one of the cheapest ways to market I think. And it's just like having good shirts with it. And you know, definitely something that I started to realize like earlier on, like it was after like a few months and I had realized all this and just like my vision of like you can only do and you know this as well, like you can only do so much being one on one training that time. So like having a bigger impact doing it, doing it this way of doing to the online world and, you know, affecting this, like, that's my vision with physio memes.

That's awesome. Is. Is there anything that you would go back and do differently? You know, looking back over the last few years, like, oh, I would do that differently or I shouldn't have done that.

So I know your audience is a lot of, you know, caspt business owners learning all this stuff, set up your systems. Early on, I told myself a year ago today, I was like, even before more than a year ago, I was like, I'm gonna have all my systems set up. And when I started, like, that's one thing I learned, right? Learning business. And I just never freaking did it. And I've done it now, but I was like, all right, hire some people on, go through all this stuff. And it's just like, do that before you get busy. I was like, oh, I'm not that busy now. Like, I'll just do it later. I'll just do it later. And like a whole year later. So I set things up and it's just like. So I think that's one thing I would do differently because I would probably be a lot further than where I'm at right now, a lot less stressed and all over the place.

So.

So once you figure out something that works for your business, like just record it, do that. They get a little training for it. And then like, that'll make your life so much easier. And then if you want to bring someone on, you know, when you ready to delegate, like, boom, go through that.

Right. That's awesome.

I think. I think that's the biggest thing.

Yeah. It took me five years to do my systems. I was like, oh, shit. Well, that's awesome. That's a great. Yeah. So at least you got it four

years earlier than I. Yeah.

If someone else who's listening wants to get into some business or even just online business, what's your best advice for them? I mean, besides creating your systems, which is great.

Yeah. No, no, no, no, no. I think in general, if, you know, listening to this and a wedding structure, going cash practice or even online business or anything like that, I think getting. Just don't wait till things are perfect. I think it's getting starting and putting yourself out there, just doing that, just taking action. You don't know where you're going to go. Right. When I first started, like, even with just physio means I was like, I'm just going to do apparel, doing all this stuff. And then some people start reaching out to me, like, I didn't really Think about doing this, like, making apparel for other people's companies. And I'm like, setting up people's stores, making them shirts, designs, whatever that is. And I never thought about doing that. But then people came out to me, just, like, doors open, like, opportunities open. You start having connections, doing stuff. But if you're, like, sitting back and not doing anything, you're waiting for the perfect timing and doing all this, like, it's just never gonna happen. And, like, there's certain things, like, even with myself, like, as I say that, like, take it that next step. Like, I'm like. Like it's scary, like, the unknown, and it's just like, what happens if I do that? And just like, would you just. Just start taking action? Just doing something you're gonna mess up along the way. Things gonna be shitty along the ways. Like, I have a bunch of, you know, shirts I never sold, designs I never sold. And you'd know. Like, I think that's this big thing. Like, you never know what's gonna happen once you start.

Yeah. Dude, that's awesome, man. Well, congratulations on your success. I know you've. You've come a long way and you got some big and a big impact to make in the. In the world, especially our profession.

So. Thanks, man.

Yeah. If someone wants to get in touch with you to, you know, find you on Instagram, get a shirt, even get you to help them set up a store for themselves or the other stuff you're doing, like, how do we. How do we find you? Where should they go?

Yep. So my website is fizzybeans.com. i think we scroll to the bottom. All the social media handles are down there, but it's. Instagram is physiomemes, and if you want to, you know, reach out to me there, just email me andrewziomemes.com so any of those works? No. Online business. So on my phone a lot, or at least more than I probably should be, but those are good ways to reach out to me.

Okay, perfect. That's awesome. Well, thanks for today. I really appreciate you spending time with us.

Thanks for having me on, man. I appreciate it, dude. Yeah.

All right, so for the cash, PG Lunch Hour, this is Aaron Labourer and Andrew Tran. And you guys have a great day. We'll see you on the next show. Peace.