About this episode

What does it actually take to open a physiotherapy clinic and make it work?

In this episode, Michael sits down with Richard Higgs, owner of Handforth Physiotherapy and Rehab, to talk through the first seven months of building the clinic.

They cover visibility, location, team development, employed versus self-employed models, mentorship, marketing, patient experience and why clinics need more than one way for patients to enter the business.

They also discuss investing in new services, lifetime value, and why sometimes the biggest lesson is simply backing yourself.

Show Notes

• Richard’s journey from the NHS to clinic ownership
• Why a completely full diary is not always a good thing
• Choosing a visible clinic location
• Naming the business after the local area
• Supporting newly qualified clinicians
• Building a culture of learning and development
• Employed versus self-employed models
• Giving clinicians responsibilities beyond treatment
• Investing in CPD and protecting the business
• Creating a clinic environment people want to be in
• Community visibility and local marketing
• Why constant promotional posting becomes noise
• Meta ads, SEO and AI search
• Using WhatsApp to improve patient communication
• Building multiple entry points into the clinic
• Pilates, massage and specialist services
• Understanding lifetime value
• Richard’s biggest lessons from opening the clinic
• Why every investment should add value
• Backing yourself as a clinic owner

What You’ll Learn

• Why visibility matters before any marketing begins
• How location and naming can influence growth
• Why development and progression can improve retention
• How mentorship can work inside a growing clinic
• Why employed teams can make culture easier to build
• How patient experience extends beyond treatment
• Why some marketing works better than others
• How specialist services can create new revenue streams
• Why lifetime value matters
• How to think about investment commercially
• Why confidence matters when starting a clinic

Who This Episode is For

• New and aspiring clinic owners
• Physiotherapists considering private practice
• Small and growing healthcare businesses
• Clinic owners building their first team
• Newly qualified clinicians
• Anyone interested in the reality of opening a physio clinic

Guest Details

Richard Higgs – Clinical Director and Owner, Handforth Physiotherapy and Rehab

Richard is a physiotherapist with around 15 years of experience across the NHS and private practice.

After running a smaller physiotherapy business from a single treatment room, he opened Handforth Physiotherapy and Rehab in East Cheshire.

His approach focuses on visibility, patient experience, clinician development and building a clinic where both the team and the business can grow.

Visit https://hmdg.co.uk for further information.

Follow Michael on LinkedIn. https://www.linkedin.com/in/mjschumacher100