Overview

Most clinic owners don’t burn out because they’re “bad at business.”
They burn out because they’re carrying too much, in an industry that rarely admits how hard it is.

In this episode of No Appointment Necessary, Michael sits down with Jo Turner, a physiotherapist of 30 years, clinic owner, and founder of Mehab. To talk about the side of private practice that rarely gets airtime: identity, pressure, perfectionism, and the quiet emotional weight of running a clinic.

They unpack why better metrics don’t automatically create happier owners, why clinic owners often operate like isolated islands, and how well-being support can improve performance as a byproduct, not the goal. It’s an honest conversation about the “messy middle” of clinic growth, the myths around money and success, and what it really takes to stay in the profession without losing yourself.

Show Notes

• Jo’s shift from clinic owner to clinician coach (and why it happened during COVID)
• Why better metrics don’t automatically mean happier clinic owners
• The “messy middle” of clinic growth: stress, money pressure, and isolation
• Perfectionism, people-pleasing, and the fear of being seen struggling
• Toxic comparison in the profession, and how it impacts confidence
• Practical takeaways: identity, boundaries, doing less, and decision filters that calm the noise

What You’ll Learn

• Why improving wellbeing often improves performance without chasing performance
• How perfectionism and comparison create chronic stress in clinic owners
• Why “more money” doesn’t fix emotional exhaustion
• What the “messy middle” looks like, and why so many clinics get stuck there
• How to spot when growth is costing you more than it’s giving back
• Why clinic ownership can change how people see you overnight
• How to rebuild identity outside the clinician role
• Why doing less can create better outcomes for both patient and clinician
• Simple filters for decision-making: does it make you happy? does it move the needle?

Who This Episode Is For

• Clinic owners who feel stressed, isolated, or quietly overwhelmed
• Physios questioning whether they can stay in the profession long-term
• Clinicians who feel like they “should be coping better”
• Practice managers supporting burnt-out owners or teams
• Anyone tired of hustle-content and keen on a more sustainable view of success

Not For

• People looking for “10 hacks to scale your clinic fast”
• Anyone who thinks wellbeing is fluffy or irrelevant to performance
• Listeners expecting quick fixes instead of real reflection
• Clinicians who only want tactics, not mindset, identity, and behaviour change

Guest Details

Jo Turner - Physiotherapist, Clinic Owner & Founder, Mehab

Jo Turner is a UK physiotherapist of 30 years and owner of two clinics in Gloucestershire and Wiltshire. Just before COVID, she trained as a life coach, a shift that became the foundation for Mehab, her coaching organisation focused on supporting clinician wellbeing.

Jo provides one-to-one coaching, group coaching, and courses designed specifically for clinicians and clinic owners, helping people feel safe, regain perspective, and rebuild a sustainable relationship with work, identity, and performance.

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

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

Overview

Every physio has thought about building a better rehab tool.

Very few follow it all the way through.

In this episode, we speak with Matt Anstey, clinic owner and co-inventor of AFLEX Pro, about what really happens when a clinician turns a rehab problem into a global product. From DIY prototypes and government grants to elite sport adoption and B2C growth, this is an honest look at innovation without the hype.

We explore the difference between running a clinic and running a product business, why “boring but effective” rehab tools are harder to sell than flashy gadgets, and what it actually takes to scale ethically in MSK healthcare.

Show Notes

• How AFLEX Pro started as a personal rehab problem
• From garden prototypes to elite sport and clinic use
• The real cost of patents, IP, and product development
• Clinic cashflow vs product ROI
• Why physios are hard to sell to, even with evidence
• Boring effectiveness vs flashy rehab tech
• Selling to single clinics vs large chains
• The B2B to B2C shift in rehab products
• Why education matters more than awareness
• When a product outgrows the clinic that funded it

What You’ll Learn

• Why most clinicians underestimate the cost and complexity of product businesses
• How to think about product development as a multi-year commitment, not a side project
• Why clinical evidence alone doesn’t guarantee adoption
• How credibility with peers differs from impact with patients
• Why physios struggle with pricing, even when ROI is obvious
• The difference between “cool” products and clinically essential ones
• How staying in clinic can strengthen, not weaken, product credibility
• What it actually takes to go direct-to-consumer in healthcare
• Why education beats awareness when patients don’t know the problem exists
• How to recognise when a product is ready to scale, and when it isn’t

Who This Episode Is For

• Physios thinking about creating a product or device
• Clinic owners curious about diversifying beyond hands-on care
• MSK clinicians frustrated with gimmicks and buzzwords
• Healthcare founders balancing credibility and growth
• Anyone interested in ethical innovation in rehab
• Clinicians considering B2C, digital rehab, or online programmes

Not For

• People looking for overnight success stories
• Anyone expecting products to be easier than running a clinic
• Clinicians chasing hype over outcomes
• Founders who want to avoid risk, complexity, or long timelines
• Anyone hoping evidence alone sells products

Guest Details

Matt Anstey. Clinic Owner & Co-Inventor, AFLEX Pro

Matt is a UK-based physiotherapist and founder of Azzurro Physiotherapy & Training, alongside being the co-inventor of AFLEX Pro, a medical-grade ankle mobility device now used in elite sport, private clinics, and rehab settings worldwide.

Developed with his brother, an engineer, AFLEX Pro was built to solve a real clinical problem: restoring stubborn ankle range of motion when traditional techniques fail. What started as a DIY prototype has grown into a patented, internationally used rehab tool, while Matt continues to run a busy clinic and treat patients.

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

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

Overview

In this episode of No Appointment Necessary, Michael sits down with Simon and David, the founders of Rehab Guru, to unpack what it’s really like to build, grow, and scale a healthcare software company from the ground up.

From military roots and clinical practice to bootstrapping a tech platform used by thousands of clinicians, the conversation explores the realities of running a founder-led business in healthcare, including growth pains, customer support at scale, product development, pricing, and why simplicity often beats shiny features.

It’s an honest, behind-the-scenes look at the intersection of healthcare, technology, and business, without the hype.

Show Notes

• How Rehab Guru evolved from a simple exercise prescription into a full clinic platform
• Why bootstrapping shaped their product, culture, and customer relationships
• The trade-offs between “all-in-one” systems and modular software
• What most clinicians misunderstand about software development
• The hidden cost of poor onboarding and underused features
• Founder-led businesses vs private-equity-backed tech companies
• Scaling customer support without losing the human touch
• How tech can improve patient experience beyond the treatment room

What You’ll Learn

• How to think more clearly about choosing clinic software
• Why most clinics only use a fraction of the tools they pay for
• What great patient experience actually looks like when tech is used properly
• How founders balance growth, product focus, and customer care
• The questions you should be asking any software provider before committing
• Why feature lists matter less than outcomes and usability

Who This Episode Is For

• Clinic owners considering new software or a platform switch
• Physios, osteos, chiros, and MSK clinicians interested in digital transformation
• Founders running (or thinking of running) a healthcare business with a partner
• Anyone curious about how healthcare tech really gets built and scaled

Guest Information

Simon & David - Founders, Rehab Guru

Simon and David are the co-founders of Rehab Guru, a UK-built healthcare software platform designed by clinicians, for clinicians. With backgrounds spanning the military, physiotherapy, sports rehab, and software engineering, they’ve spent over a decade building tools that support better patient care while reducing admin burden for clinics.

Unlike many healthcare tech companies, Rehab Guru remains founder-led and bootstrapped, with a strong focus on usability, customer support, and long-term relationships rather than rapid PE-driven scale.

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

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