The Ketamine StartUp Podcast

Starting a ketamine clinic can mean challenging the status quo - and that can feel isolating when colleagues question your vision or patients don't understand the treatment. But here's what's reassuring: every major breakthrough in medicine started with physicians who were willing to stand alone and persist through doubt. In this compilation episode, we're featuring three remarkable doctors who fa...

Most doctors dream about leaving the ER grind, but here's what's remarkable: Dr. Nico Grundmann didn't just escape - he built something that's actually changing how we think about mental healthcare at scale. In this conversation, Sam sits down with Dr. Grundmann, an emergency physician who took his systems-thinking background and created something unprecedented: a five-location ketamine practice t...

Medicine has come a long way in the past 50 years, but here's what's fascinating: many of the breakthrough treatments we use today for pain, addiction, and mental health started with a handful of doctors who were willing to go against the grain. In this conversation, Sam sits down with Dr. Howard Kornfeld, a triple board-certified physician whose career reads like a roadmap of medical innovation....

Making the jump from hospital employment to opening your own practice? We've been there, and we know it's terrifying. When we first started talking about leaving our stable salaried hospital jobs to open a ketamine clinic back in 2018, everyone thought we were crazy. And honestly? Some days we wondered if they were right. In this episode, we're sharing the real story behind Reset Ketamine and how...

Running a private practice is challenging, but ketamine clinics face unique complexities that amplify every difficulty. Navigating regulatory hurdles, staffing challenges, supply chain disruptions, and shifting public perception about ketamine are just a few of the obstacles you'll encounter. These aren't anomalies - they're the norm. The question isn't whether you'll face difficulties, but how yo...

While your ketamine therapy practice may be transformative for individual patients, it represents only one piece of a larger healing puzzle. When mental health conditions appear ubiquitously across a culture, it signals systemic-level problems that require community-based solutions alongside your individual treatment approach. In this conversation, Sam Ko interviews Mike Margolies, co-founder of t...

Marketing a ketamine clinic presents unique challenges that traditional medical practices simply don't encounter. High advertising costs, frequent platform bans for ketamine-related content, and the need to build trust around an innovative treatment create significant barriers that demand a strategic approach. In this episode, Kim and Sam share the exact marketing framework they presented at the 2...

Insurance is one of the most crucial yet misunderstood aspects of running a ketamine clinic. Many medical professionals assume their existing malpractice coverage extends to ketamine therapy, only to discover costly gaps when it's too late.  In this essential episode of the Ketamine StartUp Podcast, Sam sits down with Canyon Clifton, a specialist insurance agent whose family business (Clifton...

Setting proper expectations for ketamine therapy patients isn't just good practice, it's essential for therapeutic success. In this episode from our mastermind session with Ketamine Startup 101 students, we dive deep into the four crucial things every patient should know before their ketamine infusion.  Drawing from our experience running a ketamine clinic since 2018 and teaching others since...

In this episode of the Ketamine Startup Podcast, Sam interviews author and longtime spiritual seeker Steve Gelberg to discuss his groundbreaking work on the intersection of music and psychedelic therapy. Steve shares insights from his recent book, Tuning In , exploring how music can support healing, deepen emotional experiences, and guide patients through altered states of consciousness. This epis...

In this episode, Sam presents a comprehensive overview of ketamine therapy from a clinical lens. Originally delivered as a lecture titled “Exploring Ketamine IV Infusions: A Novel Approach for Depression, PTSD, Anxiety, & Chronic Pain” to the UCLA–Betty Ford Addiction Medicine Fellowship, this session walks through everything from the mental health crisis to ketamine’s evolving role in modern...

Welcome to Season 2 of the Ketamine Startup Podcast! In this first episode back, we’re answering one of the most common questions we get from listeners, course students, and clinicians we coach: “When is the right time to go full-time with my ketamine clinic?” Maybe you’re juggling hospital shifts while growing your clinic on the side. Maybe your patient flow is starting to build and the clinic is...

Welcome to the season one finale of the Ketamine Startup Podcast!  In this special episode, we guide you through the wealth of content we've covered, helping you find episodes that match your interests.  Whether you're looking to navigate the business side of ketamine therapy, hear from fellow medical professionals, or explore controversies and innovations, this episode connects you to t...

In part 2 of this special two-part compilation, Kim and Sam continue to share the most powerful moments from Season 1 of The Ketamine Startup Podcast . This episode revisits key insights from leading experts in ketamine therapy, clinic operations, and entrepreneurship , covering essential topics like patient safety, financial strategies, and personal growth in the field of interventional mental he...

In part 1 of this special two-part compilation, Kim and Sam share some of the most powerful moments from Season 1 of The Ketamine Startup Podcast .  We revisit key insights from top experts in ketamine therapy, clinic operations, and business strategy , covering everything from patient care to financial planning to the deep responsibility of running a ketamine clinic. Whether you’re just star...

In this episode of the Ketamine StartUp Podcast , Drs. Sam and Kim Ko share insights from their years of experience in running a ketamine clinic. They dive deep into the top mistakes practitioners make when starting a ketamine clinic and how to avoid them. This episode is a must-listen for medical professionals exploring the world of ketamine therapy. What You’ll Learn In This Episode: ・The criti...

🚨Content Warning: This episode contains discussions about suicide, trauma, and PTSD. Listener discretion is advised, as some content may not be suitable for all audiences. Please prioritize your well-being while listening. In this episode, Sam sits down with Dr. Mel Herbert, acclaimed emergency medicine physician, founder of EM:RAP, and advocate for mental health in healthcare. In this compelling...

Running a ketamine therapy clinic comes with unique challenges, but implementing best practices can make all the difference. In this episode, hosts Dr. Kimberly Chan Ko and Dr. Sam Ko share the 13 best practices they’ve developed since opening their clinic in 2018.  Recorded during a live mastermind session with their course students, you’ll gain a thorough understanding of important consider...

In this episode, Sam welcomes Dennis Wichern, a retired DEA special agent who now runs Prescription Drug Consulting, to discuss various aspects of compliance and regulatory guidance essential for running a ketamine infusion clinic.  Dennis shares his extensive background in federal law enforcement and provides valuable insights into the DEA's procedures for audits, record keeping, and securit...

This episode of the Ketamine Startup Podcast, comes from a presentation Sam gave at the American College of Emergency Physicians Scientific Assembly on October 1,  2024. Discover the journey of opening a ketamine clinic, the efficacy of IV ketamine for depression, anxiety, PTSD, and chronic pain, and the mechanism behind its success.  You will learn about the growing mental health crisis...

In this episode of the Ketamine Startup Podcast Sam interviews Dr. Tiago Gil, an anesthesiologist from Brazil and a pioneer in the ketamine treatment landscape in his country. Dr. Gil shares his unique journey from traditional anesthesia practice to becoming a specialist in ketamine therapy, offering deep dives into the intricacies of ketamine’s impact and its practical applications. Discover the...

In this episode of the Ketamine StartUp Podcast, hosts Kim and Sam delve into the essential concepts of set, setting, and integration within the realm of ketamine therapy.  Recorded during a live mastermind session with their course students, this discussion sheds light on the profound impact these elements have on the therapeutic environment and patient outcomes.  Whether you're a seaso...

In this episode of the Ketamine Startup Podcast, we collaborate with Dr. Carl Bonnett, the founder of Klarisana and prior podcast guest, to explore the often misunderstood concept of ego death through the lens of Matthew Perry's experiences with ketamine therapy.  The conversation also covers topics like the efficacy of ketamine in treating mental health conditions, near-death experiences ind...

In this quick episode of the Ketamine Startup Podcast, Sam shares some updates in the psychedelic world, in particular the recent FDA decision on MDMA therapy and the developments in the investigation into Matthew Perry’s death.  This episode covers the complexities of operating a ketamine clinic amidst recent controversies affecting the public perception of psychedelic therapies. Sam finishe...

In this episode of the Ketamine Startup Podcast, Sam sits down with Dr. James Leathem, co-founder of Advanced Wellness and Pain in Arizona. Dr. Leathem shares his unforeseen path into medicine and psychedelic experiences that shaped his career from anesthesiology to entrepreneurship.  The conversation explores the intricacies of ketamine therapy  and the challenges of operating a ketamin...