Business School for the Rehab Chiropractor

How Chris Spinella Lost $50,000 to Insurance and Deciding to Go All In on Cash Care

Dr. Chris Spinella  built his early career owning an insurance based chiropractic practice. The work was steady, but the margins were thin. Low reimbursements meant high volume, long days, and constant pressure to see more patients just to stay afloat.
Then everything changed.
After a major insurance company mishap, Chris lost more than $50,000 in unpaid claims. Money that had already been earned simply disappeared. That moment forced a hard look at the business he had built and the risks he was carrying without realizing it.
Chris knew he wanted out of the insurance model, but the transition was not easy. He worried about losing patients. He worried about his staff. He worried about supporting his family. Despite the fear, he had a strong conviction that a cash based model was the right path forward.
Instead of easing into it halfway, Chris committed fully. He invested heavily in business education, refined his clinical skills, and even became a patient at Justin’s practice to experience the model firsthand from the other side.
The result was a successful transition.
By clearly communicating the value of the new model, Chris retained many of his existing patients. Over time, he expanded into a larger facility and brought on an associate, creating a business that supported both growth and quality of care.
In this episode, Chris shares what it really takes to leave insurance behind and why conviction matters more than comfort.
Here’s what we talk about:
Life inside an insurance driven chiropractic practice
The $50,000 insurance loss that changed everything
The fears that come with leaving insurance behind
Why conviction matters when changing your business model
Investing in education to support a major transition
Retaining patients through clear communication
Expanding into a larger facility and hiring an associate
Helping other chiropractors make the move to cash care
Chris’s story shows what can happen when you commit fully to a model that aligns with your values and your long term goals.
Apply for a Non Member Ticket to Our Next Live Event in Orlando on Jan 31–Feb 1

Ask Justin: Perfectionism, Price Mistakes, and Why "Fine" Is Killing Your Biz

Click HERE to watch this video episode on YouTube!The Ask Justin Show is where real practice owners submit real questions about the decisions they’re stuck on right now.No theory. No comfort answers. Just clear thinking around what actually moves a business forward.
In this episode, Justin Rabinowitz tackles some of the most common traps that keep practices stuck at “stable but not growing”—including perfectionism, underpricing, and waiting for the right time to act.
If your business is technically working but hasn’t meaningfully changed in months (or years), this episode will challenge you to look at what you’re avoiding.
Here’s what we cover:
Why calling yourself a “perfectionist” is useless unless you can clearly define what perfect actually means
How vague goals create stress, indecision, and stagnation instead of progress
Why the best time to raise your prices was yesterday—and what your schedule is already telling you
The economics behind pricing and capacity (and why waiting until you’re slammed is backward thinking)
Why being stuck in the middle on pricing confuses the market and guarantees mediocrity
The hard truth about cash practices charging $80–$150 and trying to compete on both value and affordability
The “when–then” fallacy that keeps smart clinicians waiting instead of building
Why hoping things will change is not a business strategy
The tension between needing new patients and needing systems—and why avoiding systems caps your income
What it actually takes to grow past $25K–$35K per month without burning out
Why “fine” is often just fear in disguise—and not the vision you signed up for when you took on debt and risk
Justin breaks down how business owners get stuck by playing small, delaying decisions, and protecting short-term comfort instead of building something intentional.
This episode is for owners who know their practice could be more—but haven’t yet decided if they’re willing to do what that actually entails.
Apply for a Non Member Ticket to Our Next Live Event in Orlando on Jan 31–Feb 1

How Tony Tran Built a Profitable Cash and PI Practice Without Burning Out

Dr. Tony Tran graduated chiropractic school in 2016 and followed a familiar path. He joined a personal injury focused clinic, learned the system, and fell into the trap many associates do early in their career- overworked and underpaid.
Over time, the model started to wear on him. The days felt repetitive. His schedule was full but his autonomy was limited. He wanted more control over how he practiced, how he spent his time, and how the business actually worked.
In 2020, during COVID, Tony opened Prolific Wellness.
He started in a 150 square foot office with a clear intention to build something different. Over time, he strategically dropped insurance panels, leaned into cash care, and kept PI patients only when he could control the quality and structure of care.
Today, Prolific Wellness operates out of a 1,500 square foot space with three treatment rooms and a team of  five people. The business is roughly 50 percent cash and 50 percent PI, with a long term goal of becoming fully cash based.
In this conversation, Tony breaks down the decisions, tradeoffs, and math behind building a practice that supports growth without sacrificing control.
Here’s what we talk about:
Why Tony left a PI heavy associate role to open his own practice
Starting a business during COVID and why it forced clarity early
How and why he dropped insurance panels strategically
Building a profitable practice inside a 150 square foot office
Growing into a 1,500 square foot space with a real team
The current 50/50 cash and PI model and where it’s heading
What he looks for when hiring an associate
Why understanding the math of your business matters more than feelings
Tony’s story is a reminder that scale does not start with more space or more patients. It starts with understanding your model and building intentionally.
Apply for a Non Member Ticket to Our Next Live Event in Orlando on Jan 31–Feb 1

How To 2x Your Revenue Without More Clients - Money Math for Chiro Biz Owners

Click here to watch this week on Youtube!
Most chiropractors struggle with money—not because they aren’t great at what they do, but because they’re focused on treating patients instead of building a business. So, if you want to double your revenue without adding more hours to your schedule, this episode is for you… There are only 3 ways to make more money in your business:
1- More customers – but only if you have the right marketing and sales systems in place
2- Increase your pricing – treating for an hour at a higher rate can double your revenue without adding more clients
3- Increase visit frequency – more appointments from existing patients = more revenue with less effort
Still not convinced? My business grew 34% in just 10 months back in 2020 using these exact strategies.
Ready to take action to get unstuck? Get your non member ticket for our next live event in Orlando FL on January 31-Feb 1

Scaling a Clinic Without Losing Your Family with Dr. Jeremy Dinkin

In this episode, I sat down with Dr. Jeremy Dinkin to talk about what growth actually looks like behind the scenes.
Jeremy shares the real story of building a profitable practice out of the corner of a gym, resisting the urge to scale too fast, and eventually moving into his own space the right way. We dig into the decisions that protected his profit, the chaos of a build-out no one prepares you for, and the leadership mistakes that show up once you start hiring.
We also talk honestly about the identity shift from clinician to leader, the pressure that comes with growth, and the moment family forced a hard look at how the business was being run.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
- How to think about space, rent, and profit before you expand
- What most clinic owners get wrong about hiring and leadership
- Why simpler communication and fewer KPIs create better results
- How personal brand impacts your ability to hire and scale
- If you’re building a practice and feel stuck between growth and burnout, this conversation will hit close to home.
Connect with Dr. Jeremy Dinkin:
Instagram (Personal): @RSMAthleteDoc
Instagram (Practice): @RSMSportsMed
Website: rsmsportsmed.com
Follow me on Instagram:
@justinrabinowitz
Want to go deeper?
Join us at our next live event to learn how to scale profitably, lead with clarity, and build a business that supports your life.

"Hiring Changed Everything" Dr. Nicholas Hedges on Scaling Past the Owner Bottleneck

In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Nicholas Hedges to walk through his journey from graduating chiropractic school to building his own practice in a new state—without a built-in network or safety net.
We talk honestly about the realities of opening a practice early, the mindset shifts required to grow, and why scaling and hiring become non-negotiable when your body becomes the bottleneck. Nicholas also shares how a serious wrist injury forced him to think differently about leverage, longevity, and building a business that doesn’t rely solely on hands-on care.
This is a real conversation about ownership, risk, leadership, and what it actually takes to build something sustainable.
In this episode, we cover:
- Opening a practice in a new state with no connections
- The early struggles most new owners don’t talk about
- How injuries can force smarter business decisions
- Why hiring and scaling aren’t optional long-term
- Shifting from “do everything myself” to real leadership
 
Want to experience these conversations live?Join us at the next Rehab Chiro Mastermind Live Event — non-member tickets available.

Sales, Marketing & Self-Worth: How Dr. Mike Guardino Transformed His Practice

In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Mike Guardino, owner of Functional Chiropractic & Rehab in Raleigh, NC — and someone whose story perfectly captures what it really looks like to build a rehab chiropractic practice from scratch.
 
Mike moved to a brand-new city where he knew no one, opened immediately out of school, and spent the first few months barely seeing patients. But instead of quitting, he doubled down on learning sales, marketing, pricing, and leadership — and rebuilt his practice into a thriving, scalable business.
 
If you’re a student, new grad, or current practice owner feeling stuck, this episode will show you exactly what’s possible when you develop the skill sets no one taught you in school.
 
In this episode, you’ll learn:
- How Dr. Mike opened in a new city with zero connections
- The mindset shift that finally moved his business forward
- Why most rehab chiros undercharge (and how to fix it)
- The hiring mistake he’ll never repeat again
- What it actually looks like to go from clinician → CEO
 
Want to get in the room with us?
Our next Rehab Chiro Live Event is coming up in Orlando, Florida.If you want the workshops, the playbooks, and the breakthroughs that move your business forward, Click here to get your non-member ticket before we sell out.
 
 
📲 Follow Justin on Instagram
For daily business insights & behind-the-scenes coaching:@drjustinrabinowitz

He Lost $20K in a Month… and Built a Thriving Practice Anyway (with Dr. Tito Torres)

In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Tito — one of the most resilient and disciplined business owners in our entire community. His story isn’t the typical Instagram highlight reel. In fact, Tito opens up about the month he lost $20,000, the days he went 0-for-7 on sales, and the moment he questioned whether he should shut his doors for good.
 
But what happened next is exactly why he’s winning today.
 
If you’ve ever had a bad month, questioned the work, or wondered if you’re cut out for this — this episode will hit home.
 
In This Episode You’ll Learn
- Why the only way to lose in business is to quit
- How to avoid “working hard on the wrong things”
- The exact Instagram strategy Tito uses to fill his pipeline
- How to think about hiring when your market demands bilingual staff
- What new grads should look for in their first job
- Why Tito is doubling down on growth — and what’s next for his business
 
Want to be in the room for the next evolution of your business?Our next Rehab Chiro Mastermind Live is happening January 31-Feb 1 2026 in Orlando, Florida.
Non-member tickets are officially open.
Click here to reserve yours and experience the event everyone’s talking about.
 
Follow me on Instagram: @justinrabinowitz
 

How My Team and I Prepare for a Live Event (The Real Behind-the-Scenes)

This week's episode is a special, behind the scenes look. You're going to want to watch this one. Click here to watch on YouTube!
In this episode, I'm giving a behind-the-scenes look at what goes into making a live eventYou’ll hear the real conversations with my team, the prep, the energy in the room, and how we get ready before anyone walks through the door
You'll learn...
- The biggest business lessons that emerged from this year’s event.
- Why “how you make people feel” matters more than any strategy.
- Real member transformations, including revenue jumps from $77K to $587K.
- How being in the right room can collapse years of trial-and-error.- The role team plays in scaling what you can’t do alone.
Want to be in the room for the next one? Grab your non-member ticket for our Orlando Live Event on January 31–February 1.
 
👉 Click here to reserve your non-member ticket 
 
Follow me on Instagram: @justinrabinowitz

The $72,000 Package: A Masterclass in Value & Sale with Dr. Nicholas Bledsoe

In this episode, Justin talks with Dr. Nicholas Bledsoe of Valley Spine Chiropractic about how he launched a successful cash-based practice in a small town, built a powerful marketing engine from scratch, and eventually transformed his entire business model through coaching, systems, and mindset shifts.
 
Dr. Nicholas shares:
- How he opened a cash practice in a town where he knew no one
- The exact marketing moves he used (gym networking, chamber events, boots-on-the-ground hustle)
- Why Google reviews became a foundation of his growth
- What changed when he joined the program and raised his prices
- How writing his new book is helping him attract and convert better clients
- His vision for hiring, expansion, and becoming the go-to provider in his community
 
Connect with Dr. Nicholas:Instagram: @valleyspinechiroBook: Beyond Relief: Finding the Root Cause — available on Amazon
 
Ready to take your practice to the next level?
Click here to grab your non-member ticket at our January 31–February 1, 2026 Live Event in Orlando, Florida — the premier experience for growth-minded chiropractors ready to scale, systemize, and lead.
 
Follow me on Instagram: @justinrabinowitz