When I graduated from chiropractic school, I wasn’t sure what option was ideal for me – opening a new office, buying an existing practice, or being an associate. In school, we did have a “business class” each quarter, but it still didn’t clarify things.
I decided to be an associate (in a non-Integrity office.) Now, there were many signs showing that I was in the wrong place; but I ignored them, because I felt trapped. One was an offer of an associateship in a very successful Integrity office [granted, this was before I knew how important Integrity was.] And, the experience was terrible. There was no direction, purpose, teaching/training, nor systems in the office…besides some dusty binders from an out-of-business practice management company from the 1990s. I worked there for a year and a half, battling unhappiness and depression almost daily. I was trying to figure out how to grow a business, on my own, from material from a business that was no longer in business! Finally, it got to a point where something different had to be done.
I found an office in rural Mississippi that was looking for an associate. I had never been to Mississippi, thought about living in Mississippi, or had any connection to Mississippi. But, I met with Dr. David and Inez Saum and Dr. Shana Thomas and saw what they were doing and the lives that they were changing and how successful they were, and I thought to myself – “I wanted and needed to be a part of that.”
My wife and I took the leap and moved to Mississippi and I was seeing 100x more patients and new patients than I was in my first office. I saw that there was an office system in place. Every staff member, including the associates, had their responsibilities and ensured that patients received the best quality care.
I worked and learned with them for 4 years and felt comfortable to spread my wings and fly on my own and open my own practice.
I have taken the Integrity system and coaching and have applied them in my own office and the growth we have seen in the first 3 years is nothing short of incredible! I still struggle with going my own way and doing my own thing and not following the Integrity system, but as soon as I start doing the system, everything seems to work out better.
I love the 6 core values and the 12 (or 13) principles of success and apply them in both my business and personal lives.
The office is shooting for the stars! I constantly must remind myself that good is the enemy of great. “Great” is my destiny.
I AM…born to heal
I CAN…change the health of my community
I WILL…do whatever it takes
Because, I BELIEVE…I was born for this!
Dr. Jerry Pokorney