Why Podiatrists Need a Tribe: Boosting Your Practice Through Connection

You're listening to Podiatry Marketing, conversations on building a successful podiatry practice with Tyson Franklin and Jim McDannald.

Hi. I'm Tyson Franklin, and welcome back to this week's episode of Podiatry Marketing. With me, as usual, is big Jim Mac that I used to say was in Canada, but now he's in Oregon. So how are you doing, Jim?

Tyson, I'm I'm doing fantastic. Kind of been on a world tour, at least a North American tour here in 2024, and happy to be back in The US for a little while. But yeah. No. Things are good.

What are we talking about today?

Yeah. So today, like I mentioned, I've been kind of around The US. I've been to a lot of different conferences this year. And one thing that kinda came up at the last conference I was at is that how important it is to kind of have a tribe of like minded podiatrists or maybe, you know, business owners that that you kinda connect with because, you know, even if you're in a solo practice or maybe even you're in a group practice, it can be beneficial to, you know, have, you know, either professional groups or associations that you join where, you know, you attend their annual meeting, and you, you know, find some different ways to connect with other members there that can lead to, you know, not only, you know, good relations and networking, but add, you know, potential, you know, ways for you to be more successful in your podiatry practice.

Yeah. I was only talking to someone about that today and because they're a solo practitioner. Good good podiatrist. Good business. But they're in an area where they don't have much to do with any other podiatrist.

And I said, you've got to attend events. You've got to meet other people, get business cards, connect with them, meet them at the next event, and and try and develop these relationships over a period of time. Said, because that's what will keep you in the profession is the relationships that you build. If you if you just stay as a solo practitioner hiding away from everybody, even if you go to conferences, if you if you don't maintain those relationships, it's it can be a very lonely place.

I totally agree. Like I said, you know, sometimes that solo provider that, you know, is just out of residency and they start their own business, and they feel like they have to be super independent and kinda, like, know, prove to the world that they, you know, are smart and can do these things. That's a recipe for failure in my opinion. And then I think, you know, we'll get into some of these different ways that you can benefit from it, you know, whether you're a student or you're a resident listening or you've been in practice for five, ten years, or maybe thirty years. There's some real benefits to be a a kind of a part of these associates associations and really, you know, be active.

It's not that you have to, like, you know, writing emails and text messaging people on a daily basis, but you have that annual meeting. Maybe you have a, you know, group of three, four, five individuals from that association that you have developed, you know, a solid relationship with and can really you know, you're not in it alone. You're not the lone wolf. You're, you know, you're amongst peers. You're amongst friends, and you have kind of a support system behind you because sometimes you can't feel, you know, you had a, you know, kind of a bad complication with surgery or, you know, patient outcome doesn't go the way you want to or, you know, you're just know, there's different ways that you need to kind of express these things and not always keep them internalized and having the association and a network of people that you trust, you know, kind of with you and and and in relationships with can be hugely beneficial.

Yeah. And I should say to people, you know, don't dig the well when you need the water. You should be digging the well way way beforehand. If you dig a well when you need the water, you're gonna die of thirst by the time it's done.

Absolutely.

And and I think if you're if you're out there making connections with people, the profession knows who you are. You've got friends in the profession. If for some reason, life sometimes has a way of, you know, throwing us curveballs, when when things happen, if there's a lot of people in the association or in the profession who know who you are and you need a hand, there'll be heaps of people putting their hand up and say, yeah. How can I help? Whereas if you stay by yourself and do not sort of connect with anybody and also you go, oh, I've I've got problems and you nobody's gonna put their hand up because they're gonna go, who are you?

Yeah. Oh, you've just started digging that well. Yeah. Good luck with that.

Yeah. Exactly.

So so where should they start? What what sort of opportunities are basically there?

Yeah. So the first opportunity is really kind of focused on the students and residents. And I think this is actually an area where I kinda dropped the ball a little bit. When I was when I was that age, I think it's sometimes easy to get, you know, kind of overwhelmed by studies and exams, and then you get to residency and you're working long hours and have certain expectations of board exams. But, you know, mentorship opportunities, I think, are a huge aspect of these associations.

For example, I was a big everyone was a student. I was a member of the American Academy of Podiatric Sports Medicine, and I had a great opportunity to go back and and give a talk this past fall and and, you know, kinda meet some of the members. But that was the association that I really enjoyed. It was the kind of podiatry I was hoping to practice. Kind of I don't wanna say I lost my way, but I kind of, you know, kinda got disconnected a bit from that group from podiatry school into residency into practice.

So Are

you saying do you

get bogged down just in the learning and and forget the relationship building?

Yeah. I think I'd always come from kind of a very academic background. And while I was a a pleasant person to hang out with and, you know, had a good time with other folks, I didn't necessarily value the networking and the kind of relationship building with not only, you know, my I definitely enjoyed doing that with my peers, but I didn't really understand how beneficial it can be to, you know you know, have a mentor who's five, ten, fifteen years into practice. They get to know you at some of these annual events or, you get their email and you're there's some back and forth there. Like I said, you just get bogged down in the studies and sometimes the exams that you get the blinders on, you just kinda like it's like one one goal after the other, and you just kind of, you know, saddle those things on your own shoulder.

So, you know, it can be really helpful to have a seasoned practitioner on in your corner. You They can provide you guidance, especially during residency. These mentors can kind of help you refine your skills, but also kind of keep kinda keep half, you know, a foot or a couple of toes in the real world to know that once you're out of residency, there's there's more to life. And, you know, it it could be a great way to potentially, you know, navigate some of these challenges and, you know, get some career advice. You have people that, you know, have their own networks of people.

I mean, they know, you know, doctor Smith in Philadelphia, whether that's somewhere where you'd wanna practice or not. Or it just kinda helps accelerate your networking professional growth that I think sometimes as students and residents, we kinda neglect those things because we're so busy doing other other other things.

Like, I was lucky when I first graduated. I met just a cup just enough other podiatrists who knew other people that I I never felt alone. I always had someone that I could sort of talk to, bounce a few questions off. But I wish same thing in hindsight. I wish I had done it more.

I still I had that small group, but I didn't really go outside of that group too much. So I think I missed out a lot of opportunities where if I probably, I didn't go to association events, didn't go to conferences. These are just people more in a social sort of circle. So, yeah, I think I dropped the ball on that area too.

I mean, even when I was in practice, right, I was in a large orthopedic center. There was about 17 orthopods, some of which did some foot and ankle. But honestly, it's a weird mix sometimes when you join a large practice because you wanna be seen as strong and kind of an individual and, you know, self self motivated person. But there's gonna be times when you need some guidance either from people within your practice or outside. So, you know, getting it some mentorship is a huge aspect of joining and kind of being an active member of some of these associations.

But I think overall, even, you know, after that, just you like, advancing your career and opening up job opportunities would have to be it'd have to be beneficial there as well.

Yeah. That's really the second key point is it it can be a real benefit to your career. You know, after you get to know some of these people in the association, you know, they give you some feedback about, you know, where are some good places to join. But if you've gone to that meeting seven years in a row, you've been sociable, you've been helpful, maybe you're, you know, kind of leading students or leading residents or doing some kind of track or participating in some of the the contest or the the things that are available for students and residents there, you know, the the the executive directors will get to know you. Some of the you know, the the attendings will get to know you.

And it just really helps you potentially, you know, network and source jobs. So when you're done with residency, you can really find a practice that aligns with your goals and values because, you know, you're not just, you know, kind of kind of a shot in the dark. Maybe you've met someone and know someone for two or three years at one of these meetings. So these connections can also just lead to some great collaborations and partnerships that just wouldn't be part possible if you were working in isolation or, you know, just kind of randomly applying to jobs around the country or, you know, picking a couple cities. It can be really a benefit to, you know you know, maybe it's maybe it's not your first job.

Maybe it's a second job. Maybe you you've gone somewhere you're not necessarily happy in your practice, but you find that, you know you know, doctor Smith in Philadelphia is looking for an associate and you had a good relationship with They reach out to you, reach out to them. So, you know, career advancement and job opportunities is another huge component of why you don't need to go it alone and why being active in these associations is really helpful.

Yeah. And you touched on a little bit too when you're even talking about your residency. If you're on in one part of, say, the country and you want to move to another part, if you've made enough connections, those connections will probably know somebody. And what they say is that six degrees of separation from pretty much everybody in the world. Well, it used to be, but, you know, it's probably only about three.

It it feels like it feels like two or three in podiatry.

Yeah. Well, I think podiatry yeah. It's probably two or three, and you could connect with nearly any podiatrist in the world anywhere. So and I I know myself right now that through podcasting, I've connected with so many hundreds of podiatrists around the world. But I've had people that have been in some obscure countries who said we're looking for somebody, and I go, oh, okay.

Let me just ask a couple of people. I've asked a few other people. They've gone, oh, I know this person wants something completely different. I've put them in touch with each other, now they're working together. And and it's only because you've got those relationships actually formed.

So, yeah, think whether you're in business for yourself or yeah, but you're being an employee is your career direction. You just need to make these make these connections because you don't know you don't know what you're gonna be doing in ten to twenty years time.

No. Absolutely. And and and and kinda on that vein, it's it's a great way to kind of your knowledge and your thinking. And I'm not necessarily saying it's just like, oh, this is a new way to do a bunion or a new way to treat a a sprained ankle, but you can see how other people are practicing. Right?

You know, there's a lot of people at this meeting I went to in the fall where they like to treat runners. Right? And, you know, how do they set up their practice? You know, you can ask them questions about, you know, what was your marketing like? How did you get those you know, how did you become the team podiatrist for the Washington Wizards or Yeah.

The Los Angeles Lakers? And kind of, like, you know, get get general sense of, like, what it's gonna take if that's the direction you wanna head to. Because, you know, if you're in isolation and you're kinda like and and it's possible to do it by yourself, but it's not gonna be as much fun or as engaging. So when you're, you know, with your peers attending conferences, you're gonna be able to broaden your perspective. You're gonna keep you kinda updated on the kind of the latest ways to, you know, have a sports medicine practice, for example, the meeting I went to this past fall.

What are some techniques, you know, ways to to run a practice, a way to build a practice? It's just that continuous learning is gonna kinda fuel kinda innovation and helps you, you know, provide better care for patients in the long run if that's you know, when you kind of build a practice or you join a practice that you're really interested in, I think it it just, you know, it leads to better patient care.

Yeah. I like that idea too what you said then. If somebody is the podiatrist, say, for the Washington Wizards or or a sporting team or they're in an area of podiatrist, you go, well, that's something I'd really like to know more of. You said you go online, stalk them a little bit, get the information, know where if they're speaking somewhere as well, and go out of your way to introduce yourself to them. Because most people I've ever met in podiatry, I say majority of podiatrists that you meet who are speakers are very approachable, super nice to talk to, helpful, friendly, and will usually open invitation.

If you're in my area, please drop in. Let's go and have a coffee. Let's catch up. There's very few tosses in the like, even though some people might go, oh, they're a bit of a tosses. I think there's very few tosses.

I totally agree. I think, you know, for the most part, a lot of podiatrists are super giving. You know, they give up their time to come to some of these conferences and speak. You know, they're not necessarily getting paid very much. It's a weekend.

They're probably away from their family and friends. So there's a lot of kind of giving and very supportive people in the profession. And that kinda dovetails into the next topic and that's

Before you go on to that, I just wanna let people know too. If you do have a bad experience, if you do approach one person and all of a sudden, they're not as friendly as what you thought they're gonna be, don't take that as the norm. That is an exception to the norm. That is not not what normally happens. Like you said, most of them are are very giving because the podiatry profession, most podiatrists are are caring people.

So Yeah. They they do wanna help people. So if you get someone who's not as friendly as what you thought, don't be put off by it. Just move on to the next one and you'll fight. If you get two out of two, then maybe it's you.

I mean, everybody's gonna have a bad day here and there. Right? It's like no one no one has got a hundred per you know, a % batting batting average. But at the same time, like you said, like, you know, most likely just, you know, don't blame yourself and just move along. So

Yeah. Okay. Onto your last point.

Yeah. So the the the last the fourth out of fifth fourth out of five points I wanted to make today was, you know, we kinda touched on a little bit, but it's really the camaraderie and emotional support you can have. You know, when you join an association, you kinda develop a network of folks that you trust and kind of help help you out. Right? Because, you know, even, you know, practicing solo or sometimes within a group when you're just getting started can be can be isolating.

And when you're part of one of these groups, kinda built a sense of community, you know, everyone's kinda gone through similar experiences you have. No one you know, we're not kinda reinventing the wheel when you go through residency and start practice and stuff. So, you know, there's gonna be a lot of shared experiences. And if you can kind of learn from someone else's experiences, it can be a a great way to foster camaraderie. You know, you can provide, you know, some emotional support for others, you know, and receive some yourself.

That just helps reduce stress. I think just knowing you're not alone. There's other people there that that care about you and your practice, that your friends can really help you kind of stave off some of that impostor syndrome or that isolated feeling of that when you're either in practice solo or sometimes when you're in a group and don't necessarily feel you know, you're trying to prove yourself. You're kinda, like, on that balancing, you know, that kind of that wire where you're kinda balancing between wanting to kind of show them that you are, you know, super motivated and independent at the same time, willing to learn. It can be kind of tough when you're first getting started.

So definitely the camaraderie and emotional support aspect are important components of joining an association, really being involved in association.

Yeah. I mean, you said too about the impostor syndrome. The amount of podiatrists I've had come up to me and say, oh, I would do this or I'd do that, but I feel like an impostor. That I don't really sometimes I just don't don't really feel I know enough. And I'm like, do you realize nearly every podiatrist I talk to says exactly the same thing?

Even the ones that that are up on stage talking, when you get to know them and that subject comes up, they will all admit they all felt like imposters at certain times in their career. Yeah. You can't you can't know everything. But it's good to know other people who may know parts of podiatrists or areas of it that are better than you that you can just call on. There's a story of Henry Ford, and he he called all the reporters in in the town or something into his office and said, you can ask me any question on any subject and I'll be able to answer answer it in fifteen to twenty seconds.

So they all came in there. Next thing, they asked a question, and he goes, hang on a sec. They're all the phones. Put me on the Bob in the department c. Bob asked him a question, and then he put the phone down and answered it.

Did this three, four, five times. Everyone went, hang on a sec. You're not actually answering the questions yourself. You're ringing other people who have got the answers. He goes, exactly.

He goes, that's the he said, I surround myself with with a smart group of ill because I can't know everything. So I surround myself with people who are smarter in different areas that I can call upon, that can answer every single question that I need. I think podiatrists need to do the same.

That's a good point. I like that story.

Do a little Henry Ford.

Absolutely.

What else you

got? Okay. Well, last but not least, it's it's it's something that I sometimes don't realize and kind of downplay. But I think maybe it was maybe people realize now, you know, since we were in COVID, you know, post COVID, and that kind of stuff that, you know, in person at an in person conference or a meeting that can be super energizing to you and to your practice and and potentially can help you avoid burnout. I know that anytime I go to a meeting in in the real world with podiatrists, you know, people are sharing what they're passionate about.

It can just really reignite your enthusiasm for for your work and the profession in general. So I definitely recommend, you know, groups like the AAPSM. You know, they offer, you know, at their meeting, you know, there's exchange of ideas. There's you're discussing challenges. But you can really kind of renew your motivation to grow your practice, to better serve your patients.

I know that when I go there and give a talk, I I learn so much. You know, even though I get some help to give, you know, educational talks, I learn so much from the audience and from the attendees about, you know, what's going on in their practices and just gets me really fired up and excited to, you know, do what I do with podiatry growth and the services I provide. So definitely don't downplay that, you know, yes, sometimes it feels like, oh, I'm gonna fly all the way to Columbus, Ohio. I'm gonna spend this much money, you know, at this conference. Obviously, you need to do medical education credits, but at the same time, there's something about being around people that are smart and motivated that kinda rubs off on you.

So, you know, if you're you're feeling a little bit down about the profession or you're feeling a little, like, alone, I definitely think that, you know, really kind of reconnecting with an association or a group of people that you haven't in a while will, you know, be a great catalyst to energizing your practice and your attitude and really help you avoid burnout potentially.

Yeah. Well, as this episode comes out, my bum will be in The United States. And I will be. I'll be in an event. I'll be at business black ops that I go to every year, or I might be getting very close to heading over towards Vegas, and I'm gonna catch up with some podiatrists in that there as well.

But that's the thing. It's I don't know. It's just getting it. And and I feel so invigorated. When I come back from my American trip every year, I am so inspired to just do more, and and I know next year, I'm going to the show in Liverpool.

So I'll be doing that on it's on the February next year, and I'm doing a one day workshop the day before. So if anyone wants any information, go to my website, tysonfranklin.com. All the info is there. So yeah. And it's just and it's connecting with people.

Like I said, connect, get inspired, become a better podiatrist.

Absolutely.

So anything else to say before we wrap up?

No. I just like I would just recommend that, you know, whether you're a resident, whether you're a student, whether you're in practice, like, you know, find an associate at least one association that, you know, really kinda speaks to you, that you feel like you want to get involved with. You know, there's a lot of them out there in our profession. So don't hesitate. You know, go to the annual meeting, you know, make connections, reconnect with, you know, with folks that practice the way you wanna practice, and you'll be you'll be pleasantly surprised by the energy, the motivation, and just how you feel when you're a little bit more connected to the profession.

There's heaps of events in America. Do it here.

Absolutely. Yeah.

There are a lot

of I've I've been busy this year. I've been very busy this year.

A lot of events in America. So okay. Big Jim. Thanks for that, and I look forward to talking to next week.

Sounds great, Tyson. Okay. See you. Bye now.

Thanks for listening to Podiatry Marketing with Tyson Franklin and Jim McDonnell. Subscribe and learn more at podiatry marketing. That's the website address, podiatry dot marketing.