Greg Todd [00:00:00]:
It's just too expensive. So it's like everybody's now trying to create their solo businesses, whether it's solo practice or solo online business. And now we're saying, hey, we can just sell to other people. The difference is we don't have to sell just Apples anymore. Right now we have tech, now we have information. Now we have info edutainment, we have partnerships. And so we're starting the whole curve over again with all this ammo. And I really believe that's what's happening.
Greg Todd [00:00:28]:
I believe that's what's happening. I believe that's why you feel empowered that, oh, I could do this. You want to know why? Because you actually can. You can in today's world. So here's what I would ask you. What would you tell someone that has been doing what they've been doing for about 25 plus years? There's a lot of people listening right now. That. That's.
Greg Todd [00:00:55]:
This is Secrets for Success. Welcome to the Secrets for Success podcast. I'm your host, Greg Todd. Thank you as always for joining me today. As always, I have great guests on, I think, this episode. For some reason, I really believe that this episode is going to talk to a lot of you. I believe it's going to inspire you, and I'm just really excited to have you on. I've been looking forward to this.
Greg Todd [00:01:25]:
Me and you have some really good conversations off camera, especially when you come down here. We really do. We had that good conversation yesterday. That was really good. Okay. Anyways, Jeanette Harris, welcome to the Secrets for Success podcast.
Jeanette Harris [00:01:37]:
Thank you. Thank you so much, Greg. I appreciate it.
Greg Todd [00:01:39]:
So why don't you tell the people a little bit about who you are, how long you've been in the healthcare field, and then we'll kind of fast forward to what's going on today.
Jeanette Harris [00:01:49]:
Okay. Well, I'm a physical therapist. I am from originally Rockville, Virginia, small rural town in Hanover County. I say it's where God lives. And everywhere, everywhere else he visits.
Greg Todd [00:02:06]:
Oh, no, no, no, no. You can't just. Can't just, just do that. Why is this area so amazing that God would want to reside there?
Jeanette Harris [00:02:15]:
And, yeah, was just country. And it's beautiful. It's quiet. You know, you can walk outside and you hear crickets and still see fireflies, you know, deer coming through the field. And, you know, you gotta have a pole light. You don't have street lights.
Greg Todd [00:02:33]:
Okay.
Jeanette Harris [00:02:33]:
Yeah.
Greg Todd [00:02:34]:
Okay, okay, okay. It's that type of country.
Jeanette Harris [00:02:35]:
Yeah.
Greg Todd [00:02:36]:
So that's where you grew up. Grew up. And is that where you still reside?
Jeanette Harris [00:02:41]:
I live now about two and a half hours away in Front Royal, Virginia, which is in the mountains and Shenandoah Valley. It's wine country, so it's even. I guess it's maybe even more beautiful. It's like where I grew up, but with mountains.
Greg Todd [00:02:57]:
With mountains.
Jeanette Harris [00:02:58]:
And so, you know, it's known for Skyline Drive, Larae Caverns. People come up there to look at the leaves because I guess they don't have leaves at their house. Right. So they come from the city.
Greg Todd [00:03:09]:
Yeah.
Jeanette Harris [00:03:09]:
To look at these leaves.
Greg Todd [00:03:11]:
Oh, boy. You can tell she don't like the tourists.
Jeanette Harris [00:03:13]:
Well, I mean, it's a little town, so all that traffic coming in for a minute is like, what back road I'm gonna leave. But no, I appreciate it because then it helps the small businesses in the town. And when I stop and look at the leaves, I can realize or I recognize, like, wow, this is really beautiful.
Greg Todd [00:03:32]:
Right, Right.
Jeanette Harris [00:03:33]:
This is really beautiful. It's peaceful. It's grounding, calming, all of that. So that's where I've been living for the last seven and a half years. Didn't. Didn't plan to be there as long as I am. But I stay, I think, because of the mountains.
Greg Todd [00:03:48]:
Yeah.
Jeanette Harris [00:03:49]:
I never considered myself to be a mountain person or mountain girl, and I actually live in the valley.
Greg Todd [00:03:55]:
Okay.
Jeanette Harris [00:03:55]:
So I got to kind of go over some mountains and get down into the valley. We do get some snow, and it can be a little. Little sketchy and treacherous at times. So I like to be down in the streets in the valley. But I stayed because at the time, the company that I was working for, I just made really good relationships with the staff, and we became like family friends and developed, you know, friendships and things in the area. And so it was, you know, it felt like family was the first place I had been in a while, you know, where I felt like it was a family.
Greg Todd [00:04:31]:
Right.
Jeanette Harris [00:04:31]:
And we would look out for each other and then. But I have since left that company and took another job in the area, literally down the street and around the corner. But I still stay because I still have those connections with, you know, my former patients, you know, the people I work with. And it's fairly close to the church that I attend, so I think that's why I still stay.
Greg Todd [00:04:56]:
Gotcha. Now, you've been a therapist for 30 years, correct?
Jeanette Harris [00:05:00]:
30 years.
Greg Todd [00:05:00]:
All right.
Jeanette Harris [00:05:01]:
My joke is I started when I was 10, but. Nana, move it up. I started when I was 12.
Greg Todd [00:05:06]:
Love it. All right, so let me ask you something. I told you this off camera that my, my client base, the age range has changed. When I initially started doing sspt, sort of smart success for physical therapists, my avatar was a 28, 30 year old male. And I called that person Calvin because Calvin was my first ever client. Oh, okay. And Calvin lived in southern Georgia and he was a therapist for just a few years. He had spent a lot of money to become a physical therapist, a doctor of physical therapy.
Greg Todd [00:05:53]:
He was disappointed in that. The things that was promised to him as a doctor of physical therapy to make this very sizable investment, he wasn't getting what they sold to him. And he was six to eight years out of school and he was now questioning his path if this is the path that they want to stay on. So that's who my Avatar was in 2015, 2016. Okay, so now we're here in the end of 2024 as we're recording this. Right. That avatar has changed. My avatar today is primarily female and my avatar today is females, usually 50 and above.
Greg Todd [00:06:39]:
Okay. And so I say that because something has obviously changed in a marketplace. I mean, I'm still Greg. I haven't had any type of change, I don't think, but I'm attracting a different group of people over the last couple years. Can you tell me, you've been a therapist for 30 years? How have things changed?
Jeanette Harris [00:07:06]:
Wow, that's a lot to kind of unpack, but I'll try to look at, I'll try to. So when I started years ago, it was, you know, very glamorous, know, and we weren't even doctors then. So when I became a therapist, it was the BS program transitioning into a master's program. So that was like the top of the scale then. And we were still trying to have to kind of fight our way in the marketplaces being recognized as practitioners and not, you know, glorified massage therapists. Not that any, you know, shade or disrespect against them, but just trying to get that respect from the medical community as independent thinkers and practitioners. And sometimes that's still a little bit of a challenge, but not as much as it used to be. So back then, it didn't seem to be as much of a fight with the insurance piece of it as it is now.
Jeanette Harris [00:08:08]:
We used to talk about the, the good old days when we could just seem like we could treat a patient forever. I remember back in the day, total knees and total hip patients would be in the hospital for like six weeks, for like rehab. And now in and out in a day. But we, you Know, we felt like we had a lot of stability, and this is great, and we're here to stay. And then right around 1997, managed care kicked in, and the market kind of fell and crashed, and people were getting out of the, you know, the field. I remember one of my classmates, he just stopped and went to med school. He said, screw this, you wouldn't be a doctor.
Greg Todd [00:08:52]:
You. You. You started to become a therapist 1994, is that correct?
Jeanette Harris [00:08:58]:
Actually, my journey started late 80s.
Greg Todd [00:09:02]:
Late 80s and then.
Jeanette Harris [00:09:03]:
But I graduated in 1995. Had some starts and stops along the way.
Greg Todd [00:09:08]:
All right, okay, let's talk about this, because I started PT school in 97.
Jeanette Harris [00:09:15]:
Okay.
Greg Todd [00:09:15]:
Okay. And you. You became a physical therapist in 95.
Jeanette Harris [00:09:20]:
Right?
Greg Todd [00:09:21]:
Correct. All right, so I hope you all are hearing this as we're talking about this. 1997, Clayton comes in power, and. Well, he came. Power in 1996. Right, right. And actually in 92. Right.
Greg Todd [00:09:37]:
And it's the second term now.
Jeanette Harris [00:09:38]:
Yes.
Greg Todd [00:09:39]:
And the Balanced Budget act hits.
Jeanette Harris [00:09:41]:
Yes.
Greg Todd [00:09:41]:
And that changed everything for us. So in those. There was a time. Y'all listen up. There was a time where you could see a total knee replacement for a year pretty much.
Jeanette Harris [00:09:56]:
Or more.
Greg Todd [00:09:57]:
Right. Medicare would allow you to see People Unlimited. There was. Wasn't all these restrictions, this, that. So there were a lot of people that were flooding into the allied health market becoming physical therapists. I thought when I came out of school, I thought I was going to make 80k. I thought I was gonna make 80k. I thought that I would.
Greg Todd [00:10:19]:
I would have the ability. This is back in 2000, y'all. I thought I'd have the ability to travel. I thought I. They told me that I could become a travel therapist. They would pay for my. My rent, they pay for my housing, they pay for my car, they pay for this, they pay for that. Da, da, da, da.
Greg Todd [00:10:36]:
And I was making 80, 85,000. Now, just remember this. Back then, we didn't have the inflation that we have today.
Jeanette Harris [00:10:45]:
Right.
Greg Todd [00:10:46]:
So back then, you can get an apartment for. I'm talking a nice apartment. Hooked up apartment for 600 to $800.
Jeanette Harris [00:10:52]:
Yep.
Greg Todd [00:10:53]:
You get a part for 6, $800. My car, I had a 95 Toyota Corolla. I brought it brand new in. In 95, I paid 10, 2 for it. Right. You guys following this? Like this is. This is what. What it was back then.
Greg Todd [00:11:09]:
So when Jeanette graduated in 1995, she was in the heyday. Even though we didn't know it was the heyday, it would start it. It is what it is. Right. Okay. But the Balanced Budget act hits. We have lots of debt in our country. And Clinton says, hey, I'm going to, I'm going to get rid of that debt.
Greg Todd [00:11:29]:
And by the way, he actually did, but we had to take the grunt of it.
Jeanette Harris [00:11:33]:
We did.
Greg Todd [00:11:34]:
And so over the years, have you noticed a difference?
Jeanette Harris [00:11:41]:
I noticed our salaries, I feel like, have not increased with the cost of inflation. Because you were talking about this 80K. I don't, I can't remember what I started with as my annual salary, but for some reason I remember I was just hitting 85. And that was in 2013. And I remember that specifically because I moved from Virginia to Alabama and they were going to try to talk down to like 83 or something. I said, no, I won't do it for. Until like, like 2000 was going to make a whole different. But it was the mindset thing and.
Jeanette Harris [00:12:18]:
But you know, at that time it was an increase because the cost of living was cheaper still.
Greg Todd [00:12:24]:
Right?
Jeanette Harris [00:12:25]:
Yeah, In Alabama. But I've been out for like several years and you know, just to get to that amount in 2013.
Greg Todd [00:12:33]:
Right.
Jeanette Harris [00:12:34]:
And to think now when I see some of the salaries because, you know, I still get calls from travel companies and blah, blah, blah, and they're like, oh, yeah, we're going to pay starting salary of like 85. And I'm like, this is what I was making in 2013. So why would you think a new grad that's coming out with what they have to pay now for school, which is sometimes probably maybe about two to three times what I paid, they can't make it.
Greg Todd [00:13:03]:
Right.
Jeanette Harris [00:13:03]:
So that's why a lot of them go into traveling, because they can get a little bit more money, but it's still, they're still under the water with it.
Greg Todd [00:13:10]:
Right. So I think we, we have to really just understand that the math doesn't. Math.
Jeanette Harris [00:13:17]:
Yeah, the math ain't math.
Greg Todd [00:13:18]:
The math ain't mathing. And that's why so many of us are feeling like we're forced. We're forced to do things that we thought we wouldn't do, you know? So I, I see two fundament, like two glaring issues here. You've been a therapist since 1995. Okay. So if you're talking about. All right, over the next 20 years. So from 95 to 2005, 2005 to 2015.
Greg Todd [00:13:45]:
Okay. We're not even talking about the last 10 years. Some. The 20 years since you're becoming a school that you can go from. I don't know what you started at, but you're going to 85. And right now there's just very little to no increases. Right. Okay, so we have that issue.
Jeanette Harris [00:14:05]:
Right.
Greg Todd [00:14:06]:
Maybe you didn't come out with insurmountable, ridiculous debt, but you're still, you're still not, not ascending now because you can't. Because we're, we're being paid via third party payers and they're not trying to increase their expenses. Right.
Jeanette Harris [00:14:24]:
They're always trying to cut, just how to cut and usually their cuts are coming through what they're trying to, you know, reimbursed for, for our services.
Greg Todd [00:14:32]:
Right. So, so that, so that's one issue. So you have the issue for the OGs, right. But then you got the issue for the young bucks.
Jeanette Harris [00:14:39]:
Yeah.
Greg Todd [00:14:39]:
Because the young bucks are coming out of school and they're spending 100, 150, 200, $250,000 to get the same degree that you got my guy. Right, Right. To basically treat the same people. So whether it's, you have a bachelor's like me, you got a master's, you got a doctorate, either way, we're all treating the same people. And there's no CPT code for BPT?
Jeanette Harris [00:15:02]:
No.
Greg Todd [00:15:02]:
There's no CPT code for MSPT. There's no CPT Code for BSPT. No, it's just a code right there. That's it. 97110 at 7110 all day, baby. That's it. So because of that, again, the math just ain't math thing. Right? Okay, so.
Greg Todd [00:15:25]:
So seeing that, I'm assuming that had something to do with what you have really put a lot of effort in over the last few years, and that is to go into diving into entrepreneurship and saying, hey, you know what, all right, I got, I have to change some stuff. Can we talk about what spurred you to say, hey, you know what, I know I've been doing this for 30 years, but I've got to do something different here.
Jeanette Harris [00:15:56]:
Yeah. As you were sitting here talking about that, I was thinking about when I first kind of jumped into entrepreneurship. And I've cut my teeth on so many things, from phone cards to washing machine rings to, you name it. And. But I always, what got me started is I needed more money. I wanted to travel more and have, you know, freedom to do what I want, when I want. And not really at that time looking to or thinking really to work for myself because I really love what I did and I still do, helping patients and their families. But again, the math wasn't mathing.
Jeanette Harris [00:16:44]:
And then it just got to be, you have to do more with less, you know, especially after the balance budget and all the insurance. Ish. And it's just like. So, you know, I'm looking at how can I increase my income without doing more PT stuff, which I did that too. So at one point in my career, I was working about 70, 80 hours a week. I had a full, yeah, I was like nuts. You know, work a full time job and then, you know, side hustling with more PRN stuff on the, you know, the evenings weekend. So that didn't last long because I ended up getting sick.
Jeanette Harris [00:17:24]:
But yeah, I just started looking at different opportunities. And probably the one that has served me the longest, that I did the longest was Mary Kay. And I got into it because I had a makeup habit. I loved makeup back there, you know, eyeshadow and all that jazz. And so I joined just to form my own, you know, to afford my own habit. But then I got to be really good at it. And I learned a lot of principles in that company that I still use incorporate today on how to talk to people, listening to people, the importance of making that other person feel special.
Greg Todd [00:18:03]:
Right.
Jeanette Harris [00:18:04]:
And you know, and just service. And then it just helped me to work on my, my confidence because I was very shy, very introverted, didn't like to really talk to people and still have a challenge with that sometimes. But so, yeah, that just kind of was always in the back of my head. And then I had one, another one of my classmates when I was going to another company, doing something else. Elsa. After I left Mary Kay, she made the comment, why aren't, why isn't she just happy being a pt? And I was so offended by that. I still get triggered by it. I'm just like, but here she is over here doing her extra step, becoming a doctor, blah, blah, blah and whatever else.
Jeanette Harris [00:18:50]:
But to suggest that I should be happy just being a pt, which is nothing wrong with that if it could afford me the lifestyle and the freedom that I want without killing myself. And so I just. That always stuck in the back of my mind. It still does. And now with the way things are with the economy and everything and people are just leaving health care because they're burnt out, they're tired. I can't keep doing the, the same thing that I always did and get the same, get different results.
Greg Todd [00:19:26]:
Right?
Jeanette Harris [00:19:26]:
That's insanity.
Greg Todd [00:19:27]:
That, that, that is insanity.
Jeanette Harris [00:19:29]:
And I've been insane, bro, you know, for a while. And so I'm like, no, I gotta do something Different. I mean, I still wanna serve my people, but there's gotta be another way, better way.
Greg Todd [00:19:40]:
Yeah.
Jeanette Harris [00:19:40]:
So. Yeah.
Greg Todd [00:19:41]:
So do you know that we have a few things in common? I started my. My clinic in. In 2005. Right. But I think one of the biggest game changers for me was 2013. 2013. I got introduced to Beachbody through a classmate, a physical therapy classmate. She was the president of our Student Body association for Physical Therapy at fiu.
Greg Todd [00:20:10]:
I was the vice president. We still, you know, kept in touch, but she reached out to me because she was. Beachbody is a lot like Mary Kay. At least back then it was. Right. Okay. Awesome product. Most people are basically coaches or distributors because they're addicted to the product.
Greg Todd [00:20:29]:
Right? Okay. All right. So we were addicted to shakes. You were addicted to makeup. Right. But during that time, and then I ended up getting addicted to the product because I wasn't well physically. So I started using their nutritional stuff, and it helped me a lot. And then I was like.
Greg Todd [00:20:45]:
She was like, you need to become a coach. You're sending all these people to me, and I'm making so much money, but you know so many people, and you're just. You talk a lot about what's going on with you, and all these people are coming to me. Why don't you just become a coach? So I was like, look, I don't need this. Whatever. I was like. I said, all right, okay, fine, fine, fine. I'll become a coach.
Greg Todd [00:21:01]:
So I did. And I started to get into it because I'm like, this thing is paid for my product. It's paid for my product. And I decided to kind of start with it. And even though I was technically an entrepreneur in my clinics, I learned so much during that time. I saw so many people that, based on what the world says are not qualified, helping so much more people than I was helping so much more people. And I know you saw that in Mary Kay, too.
Jeanette Harris [00:21:30]:
Right?
Greg Todd [00:21:31]:
Okay. And so I. I bring it back because it was such an aha. Not only did I see the focus on personal development, the focus on building and enhancing your skill sets, which I'm sure Mary Kay has. Beachbody had that as well. But I think also it was just seeing people that according to the world, according to your classmate, that says, why aren't you just happy being what you are? And that they're so. I don't say addicted, but they're so their identity is in their title. Right, right, right.
Greg Todd [00:22:09]:
That don't change your title, because that's our identity. So you should Just be happy with this identity. And I saw so many more people that didn't have that identity that were helping so much more people. And it made me really start to question things. So it's very similar to you. And then, you know, you know, obviously I was in a different situation because I had my clinics, but it really did allow me to take it to the next level with my clinics and with my other businesses and then to start this, because it really just said to me, you know what? There's so much more that so many people can do that they feel they're limited by because of what title they have or what they don't have. And then now it's like, I don't feel like I was doing it kind of as a hobby. Now I don't think there's a choice because the world has changed.
Greg Todd [00:23:01]:
You know, inflation is absolutely ridiculous. Cost of living is. Is nuts. My daughter's apartment at college costs more than my first house per month.
Jeanette Harris [00:23:15]:
And it's probably not even 500 square feet. Well, it could be.
Greg Todd [00:23:19]:
No, no, it ain't. Ain't no 500 square feet. You're lucky if it's 300 square feet. And she's sharing.
Jeanette Harris [00:23:26]:
Wow.
Greg Todd [00:23:27]:
The living space with another roommate. And I'm like, oh, my gosh, this is more than my first home that I bought in early 2002. 2003 is when I bought that home.
Jeanette Harris [00:23:40]:
Yeah.
Greg Todd [00:23:41]:
I'm like, how the hell are people supposed to live unless. Unless we do, like, what you're doing, which is saying, hey, listen, there's apparently I believe that I'm enough. Some days I don't, but I believe.
Jeanette Harris [00:23:54]:
Right.
Greg Todd [00:23:55]:
I've seen other people that definitely don't have it like me, that are doing more. So, okay, so what is it? And today I just don't feel like we really have a choice. You know, you hear me talk a lot about, about the errors of wealth. Right. In the beginning. I personally think we're going through a bell shaped curve.
Jeanette Harris [00:24:16]:
Yes, we are.
Greg Todd [00:24:17]:
Okay, so. So, so y'all follow me as you listen to this. You know how we, we started off to where, you know, we talk about the agricultural age right from the beginning of time to the 1700s. Right. And you got this agricultural age. And we are not. Not us because, you know, like, we're slaves, but by choice. Yeah, right.
Greg Todd [00:24:39]:
It was a bad choice.
Jeanette Harris [00:24:40]:
Yeah.
Greg Todd [00:24:41]:
But we, the people that were making money were able to sell their product. Right. They had land and they were able to sell their product to other people.
Jeanette Harris [00:24:53]:
Yes.
Greg Todd [00:24:54]:
And then things change. Right. So it started here, and then we go to industrial, and then we go to distribution. And then after that, here's what I believe is happening. What I believe is happening now is we have just, we changed the curve probably maybe about like 10, not maybe more than 10 years ago, but it went distribution and then now it's on the bottom of the curve again. And that's technology, information, education, partnerships. And now guess what? I think we're going right back into, not agriculture, but I believe we're going back into. Everybody is now the small business owner.
Greg Todd [00:25:30]:
That's what I believe is happening. If you think about it, with the agriculture.
Jeanette Harris [00:25:35]:
Yes.
Greg Todd [00:25:36]:
If you're the Harris family, the Harris family can sell apples to the Joan family. Right, right, right. Okay. Do you not see that? Corporate America, and I'm talking especially for us as healthcare. It's like you can't work for it that long anymore. It's just too expensive. So it's like everybody's now trying to create their solo businesses, whether it's solo practice or solo online business. And now we're saying, hey, we can just sell to other people.
Greg Todd [00:26:08]:
The difference is we don't have to sell just apples anymore. Right now we have tech now, we have information, now we have info edutainment, we have partnerships. And so we're starting the whole curve over again with all this ammo. And I really believe that's what's happening. I believe that's what's happening. I believe that's why you feel empowered that, oh, I could do this. You want to know why? Because you actually can. Yeah, you can in today's world.
Greg Todd [00:26:34]:
So here's what I would ask you. What would you tell someone that has been doing what they've been doing for about 25 plus years? There's a lot of people listening right now that that's the case. They want to do something different. They're scared. But the math ain't mathing anymore. They're tired, they're working a lot of hours and it's hard for their body to keep up. And they know they need to change. What would you tell them?
Jeanette Harris [00:27:09]:
I would definitely say you need to surround yourself with people, like minded people that can help you see your possibilities. Because sometimes you can't get outside of your own head and you can't see what's outside of your own backyard. So if you're in that boat like I was and sometimes still am, can't see the forest for the trees, surround yourself by people who are visionary that can see potential for you because sometimes they can see more in you than then you can see in yourself. The other piece, I would add, if you, like most of us have.
Greg Todd [00:27:53]:
We.
Jeanette Harris [00:27:54]:
Worked hard to get into PT school or into all these health professions, and we work equally as hard, if not harder, to get out of them, to graduate and all that. So if you can do that and survive that, then you most definitely can take a chance on yourself. Because, you know, when you're working for someone else, you're taking a chance every day for that person. You're building their hopes, you're building their dreams, their futures, their incomes. And you're, yeah, you're getting a check, but you're only getting a piece of what you're helping the corporation to make. If we could take that same energy or even a portion of it and start to invest it into ourselves, what are the possibilities like? The possibilities are endless. We are created to be more than just somebody's employee. Not that there's anything wrong with that.
Jeanette Harris [00:28:52]:
If that's what you enjoy doing and you love it, you know, beautiful. Because, you know, everybody needs somebody to help them and work for them, that kind of thing. So we're going to always need employees and workers.
Greg Todd [00:29:04]:
But.
Jeanette Harris [00:29:04]:
But if you're a person that feels like, well, I can be more than just an employee, why can't I be the employer?
Greg Todd [00:29:12]:
Right.
Jeanette Harris [00:29:13]:
You know, that's a different mindset, A little different. And like you said, it does take work and work hard. But if you're working hard for someone else, why not work hard for yourself? So you can make a difference in your life and the people that you love or care about. So that's what I would say, definitely surround yourself by positive people, people that, you know, are visionary. They can, you know, see potential, you know, definitely, you know, just take a chance on yourself. What's the worst could happen? You know, what's the best that could happen?
Greg Todd [00:29:54]:
Is the downside a lot smaller than the upside? If that is, yes, for you, they'd go for it. And that's how I look at it. So interesting that you said all of those different things. I think there's a couple things that I want to just kind of hit on. I think all of us just have to decide is, do we want to be leveraged or do we want to have the leverage? When you are working for someone, you're being leveraged. And again, that's fine if that's what you want to do, right? But if you feel like, you know what, I like the comfort in working for someone, but I don't like the discomfort that I'm feeling because I am working for someone and the discomfort that I'm feeling with my compensation package with this, with that, then, hey, you've got to look at other options. Right? I think. I think that's a huge thing.
Greg Todd [00:30:57]:
I also will say this. You just mentioned this, and this is something that I've told people many times. The hardest thing I've ever done was go through PT school.
Jeanette Harris [00:31:08]:
Lord, say that again.
Greg Todd [00:31:11]:
I am going to say it again. The hardest thing I've ever done. And I've owned multiple businesses. I've dealt with thousands of customers, thousands of highs, lows, this, that. There is nothing harder. I'm talking physically and just more challenging than actually getting through physical therapy school. There's been no day in business. And I always say to people, I just believe the reason why most people don't make it in business is they just don't allot the energy to it.
Greg Todd [00:31:43]:
When you're in PT school, you put so much of your energy and effort because it was so hard to get in.
Jeanette Harris [00:31:49]:
Yes.
Greg Todd [00:31:51]:
It was an investment. I mean, the investment might not seem like, as, like a lot today, but that then I was like, a lot. Right, right. And it was so difficult to get it. Can I say that again? It was so difficult to get in that you're like, listen, I gotta get out of this thing.
Jeanette Harris [00:32:08]:
Yeah.
Greg Todd [00:32:09]:
I have to find a way. So you put all your energy into getting it done. Could you imagine if you put that energy into building your business? Are you kidding me right now?
Jeanette Harris [00:32:21]:
I could be retired. I would be retired.
Greg Todd [00:32:23]:
Good. Great.
Jeanette Harris [00:32:24]:
Lord have mercy. Yes.
Greg Todd [00:32:25]:
So, you know, it's funny because Jeanette right now, she's here for an event that I'm hosting and I shared with the group yesterday. I shared. You know, there's three different things that people got to look at. I know. I talk about the opportunities. Right. Level one opportunity, which is what if you're an employee and you're trading time for money and you're not in control of your pay? You're working at level one. Right?
Jeanette Harris [00:32:47]:
Right.
Greg Todd [00:32:47]:
Okay. Versus level ten opportunity where I'm in full control of my pay, I'm in control of who I serve. I can serve people. One too many. And I could serve people regardless of where they're at, location wise.
Jeanette Harris [00:32:59]:
Right.
Greg Todd [00:33:00]:
And regardless where I'm at, location wise. Right. Like, that's like level 10. Right. And there's no cap to the amount of people that I can serve. All right. So the thing is, is that we put all of our Energy. And we have focused so much of our years of skillset to become proficient in level one opportunities.
Greg Todd [00:33:24]:
So it's like, how much better can you get? Yes, like, how much better can you get? You're 30 years in the game, okay? So it's like, how much better can you get? What? What? Another 30 years is going to change at all? It really doesn't matter because you're in a level one opportunity. Again, I'm not saying it doesn't matter. It matters to your patience. Of course that matters. But I'm talking about putting food on the table, right? I'm talking about being able to have a life to where you can vacation and you can do this and you can. And you're not thinking about money all the time. Right. To me, that's a certain level of bondage and slavery I don't want to deal with.
Greg Todd [00:33:58]:
I don't want to be thinking about that all the time. Right. Okay. I just want to. I just want to be free and serving and just serve and I don't have to worry about, oh my gosh, it's 3:33. Oh my gosh, no, I don't even want to think about that. It's when do I want to serve, how do I want to serve you? And that's it. Okay? So I say that because if you're not in a high level opportunity, it doesn't matter how much energy you put.
Greg Todd [00:34:26]:
Doesn't matter. It's a low level opportunity. Conversely, now you now have a new opportunity, a level 5, a level 7, a level 10 opportunity. If it doesn't matter how good the opportunity is, if you put no effort into it, and no effort means that the skill set can't get better, the skill set can't get better and there's very little effort. It's a level 10 opportunity. It will never get off the ground. Do you see what I'm saying? I think this is really important for all of you to understand. And Jeanette really hit it hard with this, said, if I could do these other things, why can't I do this? And if you can just give the same level of intention to those things that had a very, very distinct cap on it that you give to this thing over here that has no cap, some downside, but very little downside, your whole life can change.
Greg Todd [00:35:25]:
Your whole life can change.
Jeanette Harris [00:35:26]:
Yeah. What I know now, a lot of it is the conditioning, right? You know, that we had or I had back then, and there's a lot of still the condition around. Oh, you know, you're going to be a doctor PT or doctor this and doctor that. And you get to see so many people. And yeah, you get to see so many people because there's only so many hours in the day.
Greg Todd [00:35:49]:
But.
Jeanette Harris [00:35:49]:
But there's still a lot of money left at the end of your month that's not taking care of all your needs. And again, you can go for extra certifications and extra training, but you're still, you're still limited on how many people you can serve, the way you can serve them, the cap and everything. Because I thought about that. I thought about going back to school and getting my doctorate. And then I always would ask the question and I would talk to people about is it going to move my decimal point in the right direction?
Greg Todd [00:36:23]:
Yeah.
Jeanette Harris [00:36:24]:
And they would like, well, you could go into research and I don't like the research. Or you could da da, da, da, da, da. And then finally, one of my directors, she finally, you know, she just came clean. She said not really. She was honest about it. She said, you would do better if, you know, if you want to spend the money, maybe get more, you know, of course she thought certifications, you know, in advance, the, you know, orthopedic specialist or whatever, da, da, da. But she said, at the end of the day, it's not going to really move your decimal point in the right direction. I said, well, I'm going to spend that money.
Greg Todd [00:37:01]:
Yeah. Then I'm not going to do it.
Jeanette Harris [00:37:02]:
Yeah, I'm not going to do it.
Greg Todd [00:37:03]:
Yeah. And I think if people just like, understood that, and that's even a decision that I had to make. So, all right, if I go back and get a doctorate again back then.
Jeanette Harris [00:37:12]:
Yeah.
Greg Todd [00:37:12]:
Going to be a lot less than it is now. But today, if you go back and you say, hey, I'm g. Spend $50,000. Okay. Any to 50 to 100 will get it today. If it's a transitional program. Right. So 50 to 100K.
Greg Todd [00:37:26]:
I'm thinking of what. And by the way, I'm not saying not to spend the money. I'm just saying to allocate the money to something else. So I think you either allocate the money to learning a set of skills and being around groups of people. That's one way. I think you allocate the money to learning a skill set or building an asset. That's another thing, Right. Preferably you're doing all of them altogether.
Greg Todd [00:37:49]:
Right. Okay. I'm around certain people, I'm learning a new skill set and I'm building an asset all at the Same time. Right, Right. So if somebody said to me, Greg, I, you know what, I'm willing to invest 50k, or let's say, let's say 75k. Okay. I can either a go back and get my, my dpt, a transitional dpt. Number two, I can go and I can get.
Greg Todd [00:38:14]:
I can maybe go into real estate or put money into the stock market, crypto, etc. Etc. Or I can go and I can start a business and learn the skill set that it takes to build a business. I would tell them, in this order, do number three first. I think number two would be your next option. Number one would be my last option. That, that's what I would do.
Jeanette Harris [00:38:37]:
Yeah.
Greg Todd [00:38:37]:
Because a business, at least for me, at least for me, business has, it's probably, it's, it's, it can be risky, but business has been the highest return on investment asset I've ever built because I believe I'm serving God's children.
Jeanette Harris [00:38:53]:
Right.
Greg Todd [00:38:54]:
I'm serving more children with option number two, which is real estate. Okay. Yeah. So. And I feel like it's a much easier entry into the game, whereas a real estate, at least what I've realized now is it's, it's a, it's a much higher level of entry into the game.
Jeanette Harris [00:39:11]:
Yes.
Greg Todd [00:39:12]:
Right. So at least maybe the real estate I'm doing, I don't know, maybe there's some out there you can get 2005. I just don't know of it. Okay. But, but to me, that's what just makes the most sense. And it really still comes down to, you could serve more of God's children. That's really what it is. And which one can you do? And in option three, a transitional dbt, you can't really serve any more people.
Jeanette Harris [00:39:35]:
You only have so many hands and.
Greg Todd [00:39:38]:
Only have so many friends and so.
Jeanette Harris [00:39:40]:
Many hours a day.
Greg Todd [00:39:40]:
So many hours a day. You're using two limited resources, time and your body. That's it.
Jeanette Harris [00:39:48]:
Yeah. And they're both running out.
Greg Todd [00:39:49]:
And they're both running out.
Jeanette Harris [00:39:50]:
Yeah.
Greg Todd [00:39:51]:
Father Tom is undefeated.
Jeanette Harris [00:39:53]:
Yes.
Greg Todd [00:39:54]:
Father Time is undefeated. Well, thank you.
Jeanette Harris [00:39:59]:
Thank you.
Greg Todd [00:40:00]:
You know, yeah. This has been fun and I knew we're gonna have a good conversation. And I just think it's important maybe this was an awareness episode. You know, it's like, guys, I think you, you hear. I mean, I know I'm a little wacky, but, you know, Jeanette's fairly logical. You guys heard at least some logical person just like, look, she loves what she does. She loves what she does. As a pt she loves working with people.
Greg Todd [00:40:26]:
And honestly, I think if it was serving all your needs, I think you would do this until. Until you couldn't do it anymore. And I think you're going to continue to do it in whatever capacity you can.
Jeanette Harris [00:40:36]:
Right?
Greg Todd [00:40:37]:
But I think there is. There is something that is not happening for us that we all thought was going to happen. And I think you just focusing on your clinical expertise and serving people unfortunately won't get us to the promised land that we were all sold on. I want everybody to understand that. I want everybody to get that. And not everybody that is an entrepreneur, grew up an entrepreneur and was out there, you know, had on their. You know, was their mini Elon Musk or Steve Jobs or. That wasn't me.
Greg Todd [00:41:14]:
I didn't want any part of this crap. But I don't think I really had a choice because at the end of the day, my identity is not in being a physical therapist. Okay. I want to live a good life. I want to live a good life. I want to enjoy what I do. I want to enjoy who I do it with. But then I don't also want to do it all day either.
Greg Todd [00:41:33]:
I want to enjoy life.
Jeanette Harris [00:41:35]:
Right.
Greg Todd [00:41:35]:
There's a lot to life, and I want to explore this beautiful world and I want to do beautiful things. I want to do it with beautiful people. And I don't feel like I need to work all day, all night, so I gotta find the best way to do that. And I think you're figuring that out, too.
Jeanette Harris [00:41:52]:
I am. So time freedom. That's what it's about.
Greg Todd [00:41:55]:
Time freedom. So, anyways, thank you for being on the podcast. I appreciate you. Where can people find out more about you if they want to follow you?
Jeanette Harris [00:42:03]:
I'm on Facebook and Instagram. On Instagram at Stronger by designpt.
Greg Todd [00:42:12]:
Okay.
Jeanette Harris [00:42:13]:
And then my Facebook group is Menopausal Women Overcoming Weight.
Greg Todd [00:42:19]:
Okay.
Jeanette Harris [00:42:19]:
Weight. Weight loss and. Okay, all of that. The name may change, but. Yeah, just look for me on Facebook.
Greg Todd [00:42:26]:
Okay. Okay, we will. So you know what I'm doing? I'm going to bring you back for another episode. All right. I'm going to show an episode, get a nice update, see where you're at. We'll take it.
Jeanette Harris [00:42:35]:
I'm looking forward to it. Thank you so much.
Greg Todd [00:42:37]:
Thank you, Jeanette. Appreciate.
