Finding Your People Will Lead You To The Success You Desire with Dr. Erica Crafts

Hi, welcome to the Pelvibiz podcast. Are you a pelvic health PT or ot? Struggling to start your own practice? This podcast helps pelvic health PTs and OTs get out of debt, gain the income they desire, be able to treat patients without insurance restraints and learn how to create time freedom for yourself and your family. I'm your host, Dr. Kelly Alhui, founder of Ortho Pelvic Physical therapy, Pelvic health business grower and Pelvi Biz. Over the last two years I went from a solo entrepreneur to a seven person team in counting. I'm here to help provide a clear path to grow your pelvic health business as fast as possible so that you can gain the time freedom, decrease debt, increase income and live the life that you desire. Before we get started today, make sure you click the link in our bio to grab your ticket for Pelvi biz. Now let's get into today's episode.

Welcome guys to Pelly Biz podcast. I'm your host Kelly Alhui. I have a very special guest with me today, Erica. Welcome Erica, go ahead and introduce yourself and tell us about your business.

Hey, I'm Erica Crafts, doctor of physical therapy. I have Edge physical therapy which is a pelvic health also a little bit of orthopedic practice in Moses Lake, Washington. Started as a side business and has grown to a full time business so recently.

That's amazing. So we are going to talk about this guys. Erica has an amazing, amazing story so let's just dive into it. So four years ago Erica started her practice, right?

Yep.

Yeah. So four years ago were you mobile then, Erica?

I was out of a CrossFit gym.

Okay, so she was out of a CrossFit gym. And about one year ago she decided that, that you know what, I think I may join this thing called Pelvibiz. And so that's where Erica and I, Erica and I kind of got on the phone and we just talked and we're like, hey, what's possible? And I don't know Erica, if you remember this, but you were sitting in your bed. Okay. You're sitting in your bed and you're like, I just don't know. You're terrified and you're like, I just don't know how I'm going to do this. And you know you have, how many kids do you have?

Seven total.

Seven kids. Okay, guys, she has seven kids with her own practice. Okay. And at this point she was working another job, right?

Yes. Yeah, 30 hours a week at another.

Job, 30 hours a week at another job and had this side hustle thing going on with seven kids. Okay. Nothing's impossible, by the way. Just. Just wait. It gets better. Okay?

For real, for real.

And I just remember her sitting on this bed being, like terrified and sitting there just being like, I don't know, Kelly, this girl's u crazy. And you just didn't know if you really truly believed in yourself, right?

Oh, yeah, I definitely didn't. No. It was just a little thing on the side doing people almost a favor. And I think I reached out on a Facebook group and you chimed in on the Facebook group. I can't even remember the question that I asked. And you were like, hey, do you want to get on a zoom call and we can talk about it? And I was like, oh, yeah, sure, I'm free. Let's do it. Yeah, yeah. And it was a game changer. You just lit a fire in me that I didn't know I had.

Yeah. And it's game over, guys. I mean, just wait to hear her story. And so, okay, so then she joined Pelvi Biz. And from that point forward, Erica, you know, what was. Where were you at when you were basically working those 30 hours a week? Like, where were you at mentally? 30 hours a week working. And then you had the side hustle. What was. Why did you even start the side hustle? I think that's the first question.

Yeah, I was approached by the CrossFit gym because they were really interested in having an in house PT and offering that. So I guess that's what brought the idea into my head in the first place, like, oh, okay, I think I could do that. You know, treat a couple people here and there, not, you know, and get paid for it, rather than just offering them advice for free. She's like, yeah, just put a treatment table in my office and see people. I did no advertising, I had no website, no social media, nothing. It was totally word of mouth and just people approaching me at the CrossFit gym and being like, oh, hey, my knees hurting. Can you help me? So just a little bit, you know, word of mouth, little bit here and there. And then word got out to the local gymnastics place because my daughter started gymnastics. They wanted the same thing. Hey, we really want an in house pt. All right, so start going there. Then a nurse practitioner in town approached me. Same thing. Really want an in house pelvic pt. I want to offer that. She does women's health services. I was like, all right. So at that point, then I was in When I finally talked to you, I was in three different locations. So working three 10 hour days at the clinic. So 7am to like 5:30pm With a load of paperwork, seeing patients back to back for 45 minutes and only having like a 30 minute lunch. And then at the end of my workday, sometimes beginning of my workday and my days off, including Saturday, seeing patients on the side. So it was just getting exhausting. And my business was picking up. Still word of mouth, no advertising, not, you know, a few. I did do a few workshops here and there and I was like, I just couldn't sustain it anymore. It wasn't sustainable. But I didn't know how to take that step. I didn't know how to go from that steady job to working for myself. I had no clue.

Yeah, and I think we should go back to. Guys, did you hear what she said? She said she didn't have a website. She probably didn't have an Instagram. I'm assuming she had nothing. And she literally was like, okay, cool, I guess I just need a table and you know, some lube and I'll just start treating. Yeah, and so many people get stuck in that step of that they have to have like this whole perfect layout and everything has to be cute. And really the reality is just have a table and just start treating. And you're proof of it. You can go to a gymnastics gym, you can go to a CrossFit gym, wherever you can be mobile in people's homes, whatever it is you can do. And it takes very little to get started.

Yeah, it really does. And our hands are our best tool. Our hands and our minds. We can do so much without all the equipment. So yeah, I think working in a small town taught me that because when I started here we had very limited equipment in the first place. So I learned that I didn't need to use the fancy stuff.

Yeah, let's speak on that small town, because I always get this objection. So people always say I can never start a cash practice in a small town. What would you say to them?

You're wrong. I said the exact same thing. And I'm pretty sure that's one of the objections that I used with you that you debunked right away. Like Kelly, our you know, local moderate income was like, gosh, I don't even know. 40,000, which is nothing. Like these people can't afford PT. Most of the people I see at the clinic are on state insurance and Medicare. I wouldn't be able to see them. You know, I was wrong. I was wrong. You can do it. They're there. They're there. Yeah.

You just got to find the right people and see who your people are.

Yes, exactly. Yeah.

Yeah, that's awesome. Okay, so now, okay, let's go back to like, let's just do like March, April ish. Come to pelvi biz. You're in Tampa, Florida, and you know, you meet lots of other pelvic health pts. They tell some stories. You probably get inspired by that. And then do you leave there? And then did you go home and be like, should I quit my job yet? Or what was your thought process?

Gosh, you had us write down our goals, right? And I was definitely that small minded person. So it's like you knew how most of us were thinking. I remember you being like, go bigger, go bigger. Like, quit keeping them. Quit being small minded about it. And I was like, oh, I'm bit deaf. Yep, that's me. Erase. Start again. Yeah, I started off with like very small goals, like just decrease my hours at my job. You know, not even. Still was not even in my mind that I should quit that other job. I mean, you were drilling it into us. It's not that it. But for some reason that mindset just wasn't there quite yet.

Yeah, I know.

I remember that there are the other women in there who quit their job, just like straight up quit their job. Didn't have any patients yet, didn't have a location, didn't have a treatment table, nothing. And here I am hesitating for like three years.

So, yeah, I remember guys she went down to, she's like, kelly, I'm gonna go down to 20 hours a week instead of 30. And I'm like, are you sure you're gonna be overbooked and you're still gonna be tired. She's like, yeah, that's what I'm gonna do. I'm not doing any. I'm not gonna go anymore.

And.

I don't know if you remember, this was like two weeks later. You're like, kelly, I can't do it anymore. I need to leave.

Yeah, exactly. I think I put in my notice at my job that I was decreasing my hours again. And you're right. Within two weeks I sent them another. Like, didn't even, didn't tell my husband nothing. Just on the fly Saturday night. Like, I am so done with this stuff. I can't do it. Send them an email. Like, erica, you just need to stop thinking about it. Stop overthinking. Sent email, like, gave him my notice and I Was done a month later. I only did like two weeks of that shortened schedule.

Right, right. We could see the writing on the wall. It was there.

It was.

It was definitely there. But it's so scary, right? Like, talk to us about, like, what made you actually sit down and write that email. I think that's important because a lot of people just stay in that fear state and they won't write that email and they're like, no, I can just keep doing the rat race.

Right? You know, since starting Pelvi Biz, you showed me just with those little tweaks and changes that I made with starting to use social media more and starting to do some workshops and just all these little things that I did. I went from. I think I talked to you in like February. By the time I came to Pelvi Biz, I had had my highest month yet. I went from like a thousand dollar month, $800 month to a $5,000 month, like, huge jump. And I was like, holy crap. Okay, like 5,000. I can do that. And then just. I guess. Yeah. With your continued mentorship and continuing to make those little. I mean, little changes too. It wasn't like these huge things. It was just these little changes that added up to big, big improvements. I am very much like a. I don't want to call it black and white, but I want to see the numbers down on paper. Right. We have our meetings and I'm like, can I screen share? I want you to see my to do list and my numbers. Right. I'm like, super type A. So as soon as those numbers started coming in, I was like, holy crap. It was finally proved to me that I really could do it. And my breaking point was I had no time for my family. I had no time for my husband. I was like, why am I doing both of these? This is ridiculous. And it makes no sense for me to go backwards and work more at the clinic again and make less money versus working for myself, feeling more fulfilled and making more money in less amount of time.

In less amount of time to where you got to hang out with your kids, you got to hang out with your husband. Yes.

Yeah. I needed my back. It was. It was too much.

Yeah. Yeah. Okay, so that's awesome. So now Pelvibiz. Yeah, you're making around 5k and now you're like, wow. And guys, by the way, remember, she's been doing this for three to four years before this, and the max she was making was like one k a month.

Okay.

So this is a massive jump. For her, she really got a fire lit, and it is game on. So then you quit your job. Okay, and then what are you thinking now? Like, are you thinking, okay, now how am I going to get patients in the door? Am I going to be able to live? Like, what are the thoughts going through your head?

I feel like I did all that thinking before, like, all that panic, like, oh, my gosh. I think I just came to such a breaking point that those thoughts weren't even an issue for me at that point. Those are my thoughts, like, all the months coming up to it. But at that breaking point, I was like, you know what? Sink or swim. I just got to do it now. I felt like you gave me the tools to get the patients in the door, and I saw that it was working, and as long as I kept using those tools, that they would keep coming. I take it week by week. You know, I think we all have those weeks where you get a lot of cancellations and you're like, oh, my gosh. Or you look ahead at your schedule and it's not very full, and you start to freak out. Oh, my gosh, what do I got to do? But you just got to calm down and go back to the system. Yep. Yeah. And just start implementing those basics and just taking it week by week. Week. And so far. So far, so good.

So far, it's been amazing for you. So, okay, what has now? What have you found? Like, quitting your job? And what has that given you back time? Has it given you back freedom of treatment? Has given you back, like, less notes at night? Like, what has it given you back by quitting your job?

Yeah. The first thing I noticed was not taking my documentation home at night. What a relief. That was my most full day working for myself. I see seven patients in a day, and at the clinic, I was seeing 12 or 13. So I don't have this load of paperwork, which therefore gives me more time with my family. I'm not stressed out. I'm not distracted. I can actually be present with my kids and with my husband more. So everything Kind of a snowball effect, right? So time and money, you know, we're living. I was living paycheck to paycheck almost like, above my means, because I had to, because I had no choice with the number of kids that we had. And now I'm comfortable. I'm actually able to pay myself amount. That keeps me comfortable every month so far.

That's so amazing. That's like. It just gives me goosebumps. It really does. Because that's awesome because the same thing happened with me and I get that, like, that experience of, oh my gosh, is this gonna be my life the rest of my whole life? And then all of a sudden you have something that really pops and you're like, wow, I now can be comfortable. And it's just such a. You're at peace, you know, there's more peace.

Yeah, for sure. I just like this weight lifted off of my shoulders. Absolutely.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. That's awesome. So, okay, so now, how many people are you seeing now a month? Like, in general a month.

My goal is usually to hit 20 a week. I schedule at least 23 a week. So 60amonth? No, 80. 80?

Yeah, I think it's around 80 or 90. Yeah. They even seen. Yep.

Yeah.

That's awesome. So now are you looking to hire. Are you looking like, are we looking to hire a pt? Pta admin, where are we at?

All of the above. I have a pta. She's in town. She's just working as a personal trainer right now because she wants to work outpatient but hasn't found a position that she likes. So I reached out to her and was like, hey, are you interested in pelvic PT at all? So I talked to her. She's coming to shadow me in a couple weeks to see if it's something that she likes. So fingers crossed that works out and I can get a PTA in here. And then my husband's also a physical therapist, so I'm trying to talk him into doing more and more hours. We had a 16 hour car ride a couple weeks ago and I played your podcast and Greg Todd's podcast.

Great.

Because I was the one driving. I'm like, I'm in charge. Like, is this subliminal messages, right?

Yes, it is.

Yeah. So hopefully here, I think he's starting, you know, to think more. I'm chipping away at him slowly, but he's definitely sitting mindset like, I need that steady paycheck. I need those benefits. And so I've been showing him my numbers. I'm like, oh, this is where it's at. Look, I've got my benefits in there. I'm saving for PTO retirement. I'm paying medical, dental, everything based off of what I am making here at Edge. And I'm writing myself a bigger paycheck than I did at the clinic.

So, yeah, I mean, guys, what more can you need? I mean, listen, you guys should be really listening to Erica right now because a lot of you guys, that's A massive concern of people, Kelly. How am I gonna get benefits or if I don't have benefits, I don't know how I'm gonna survive. And I need to stay at this job. Like, that's what holds people back. And the reality is, if you're just able to make more, you can pay whatever you want in benefits.

Yeah, yeah. It hasn't been a problem at all. And then I'm interviewing this week for an administrative assistant.

That's amazing. That's awesome, guys. So massive. I mean, Erica's had massive growth. She basically went from like five people to 80, 90 patients a month, guys. And it's just such massive growth. And she is on track to definitely do six figures, not multiple six figures this year. And we're just super, super proud of her. I'm super proud of her for just pushing through, you know, being a mom with kids and a female business owner in general and just stepping up to the plate, saying, you know what? I'm gonna take back my control and I'm going to live the life that I want and, you know, put in the work.

Right. It's worth it.

Yeah, yeah, it's worth it. Yeah. So someone, Erica, that's, you know, on the fence of, like, should I leave my job or should I not? Like, what is one big advice that you could give them or one tip or just something that you can give them to be, like, kind of push them to be. To say, yes, I can do this.

Yeah, stop overthinking it. Jump in, do it. If you have the heart, you have the will, you can make it happen for sure.

Yeah. I always say there's isn't, like, PT places always calling us every day, asking us to work here, there, and everywhere else. So if it doesn't work out, guess what? You got a backup plan, you know?

Yeah, yeah. Yep.

Yeah. So I think. I think that's really important. But, yeah, I mean, anything else, Erica, that you know that someone. Let's just say, I don't know, someone that's doesn't even have a practice, and it's just like, what's that? Oh, I don't know enough. I don't know enough about pelvic health. Is there any advice that you could give to them that would help them be like, okay, actually, I can have confidence in myself and do this.

Yeah. I mean, there's so many resources out there, right. Like our pelvi biz group, all of us. You know, there's some of us who are new pelvic pt, some of us who are veterans. And we're all, every one of us, the veterans, the new ones are bouncing, you know, ideas off of each other. So lean on your support groups, ask questions. Pelvic pt. Yes. We say it's, it's complicated. Right. But it's just, it's another muscle in the body and same thing. Just don't overthink it. Go back to your basics. If you can apply it to another muscle in the body, you can probably apply it to the pelvic floor and get good results. So, I mean, as long as you know the basics, you know the muscles, you know, maybe taking a level one course, you can absolutely do it. And you're only going to get better with time, so you got to practice it to get to that point.

Yeah. So good mentorship is always good, I always say. Yep, good mentorship. And then just be like, willing to be like, okay, I'm going to try it, you know, and just go for it.

Yeah. You don't know until you try.

Yeah. Well, thank you, Erica, so much for coming on here. Can you go ahead and give us your IG and your website so that people can find you?

Yeah. Instagram is @edgept Moses Lake website is www.edge physicaltherapy.com and we're located in Moses Lake, Washington, which is on the eastern side of the state.

Awesome. Awesome. You know what, I'm gonna ask her one more question.

Why not?

So one more, Erica, because I want to look back on this podcast and let's do it again and let's see where you're at. So what is your big goal? Like, what is your big dream? And over the next year, what would you like to accomplish?

Okay, so if we're looking at the next year.

Yeah, the next year.

Okay. We're going to be in a bigger place, so get a larger space. And I would have another full time PT, if not two, a PT assistant and a PT or two PTs and admin, possibly two. I would like to decrease my treatment time a little bit so that, you know, I have a little bit more of my time back and they're doing a little bit more of it and offering even more to the community. So getting people in there for classes and things like that become kind of the staple name in town for physical therapy.

That's right. She's going to be. Guys, she is going to be. Be on the lookout. You guys really should follow her. I'm telling you, she's gonna have an amazing year this year. And even in a recession, I think we didn't even get to that, but even in a recession, she. She's gonna do amazing things. And, yeah, you guys should go check her out, because we all need to be inspired by someone's journey, so why not yours, right?

Yeah. Thank you.

All right. Thank you so much for coming on.

You're welcome. Thanks, Kelly.

If you are ready to change your life, click the link in the show notes to get your ticket to Pelby Biz. Let's go.