Business Muscle

Would we open a cash-based PT practice in 2026? Absolutely. In fact, we'd argue there's never been a better time. In this episode, we discuss why we're such strong believers in the cash-based model, from escaping the headaches of insurance to building a business that's both profitable and rewarding. We break down the low startup costs, high earning potential, and ability to create a better experie...

Everyone seems to be waiting for interest rates to drop before buying a home—but is that actually the smartest move? In this episode of Business Muscle, we sit down with mortgage expert Lacey Faria to discuss why waiting could end up costing buyers more in the long run. We break down the realities of today's housing market, refinancing, and why some of the best opportunities happen when everyone e...

Your questions, answered! This week on the podcast we’re answering some of your best business questions — including the best purchase we’ve ever made for our business for under $1,000, what we would do if we had to start over and lost everything, and the biggest things we’d do differently if we could go back to the beginning. We’re talking about lessons learned the hard way, the mistakes that actu...

Everyone is motivated when things are going well — but the real challenge is staying consistent when you’re exhausted, overwhelmed, stressed, not seeing results, running on no sleep, or trying to balance work, kids, and life. On this episode, we break down why consistency has less to do with motivation and more to do with systems, structure, and minimum standards. We talk about stopping the cycle...

This week, we sit down with Matt Ganem, a recovering heroin addict turned entrepreneur, real estate investor, author, and CEO of multiple addiction treatment and behavioral health centers across Massachusetts, Delaware, and New Jersey. Matt shares his powerful journey from addiction and early recovery to building and scaling successful businesses that help thousands of people. We dive into the rea...

In this week’s episode, we’re calling out the real problem with most women’s networking events — too much venting, not enough strategy! While community and support matter and we love women who support women, too many events leave women emotionally drained instead of walking away with actionable ideas, referrals, or business growth opportunities. We break down the difference between networking that...

In this week’s episode, we’re talking about why women struggle to talk about money — and how that silence can hold us back in business. Inspired by Emma Grede’s book Start With Yourself, we break down the conditioning that teaches women to stay quiet about finances, and how that impacts pricing, negotiating, paying ourselves, and owning our success. We also cover the key business numbers every own...

On this week’s episode we welcome Chris Cuozzo, the owner of Christopher Cuozzo, LLC, a thriving multi-million dollar custom clothing brand. Chris shares his journey from starting his business as a side hustle in 2009 to building a distinguished company specializing in custom shirts, suits, blazers, and tuxedos. Tune in to hear Chris discuss what makes his brand unique, the inspiration behind star...

Today on the podcast, we sit down with Lori Haverty, founder of Tread, who has spent over 20 years in the fitness industry building a high-energy, community-driven brand with locations in Reading and Winchester. Lori shares the real story behind how Tread came to life back in 2015 while she was teaching at another studio, and what it actually looked like to scale from one location to three. We get...

In this episode, we sit down with Madison Macmillan, the creator behind the viral account @enzothebluestaffordshire , to talk about how a few funny videos of her dog turned into a massive online following. With Enzo recently hitting 1 million followers on TikTok , Madison shares the story behind the account, the viral moments that helped it grow, and the running jokes that fans love—like the debat...

RAWR Organic Bars If you’ve ever thought about launching a product, this is the episode you need. Today on the podcast, we sit down with Jake and Rachel Beaudry, founders of RAWR Bars, to break down how they went from selling at a local farmers market to building their own production facility. We dive into every phase of their journey—from starting from scratch and figuring out production, packagi...

After interviewing over 60 business owners across fitness, physical therapy, wellness, and beyond, a few consistent themes have emerged — and most of them are simpler than people expect. In this episode, we break down the five biggest lessons that keep coming up: why starting small (instead of waiting for perfection) is often the smartest move, the reality of sacrifice in the early stages of build...

In this episode, we sit down with Justina Gallow to talk about the real story behind selling her business, The Remedy Exchange. We dive into the identity shift that happens as entrepreneurs grow, the difference between burnout and simply evolving past a business, and the signs that it might be time to move on. Justina shares what led her to the decision to sell, the fears that almost held her back...

In this episode, we sit down with Madison Ciccone — master instructor at SoulCycle , speaker, coach, and now navigating her mom era. We talk about her journey into the world of boutique fitness, what it actually took to stand out in one of the most competitive spaces in the industry, and how she built longevity after nearly a decade of teaching and reaching hundreds of thousands of riders. Madison...

In this solo episode, we break down exactly how we doubled our new clients in one month—and no, it wasn’t from a viral post or a lucky break. We walk through the four specific levers we focused on to drive real growth: increasing Google Ads spend to capture high-intent leads, hosting more in-person events to build trust and community, showing up more consistently on social media with clear calls t...

Today’s episode is personal for our co-host, Elise. We’re talking about IVF — but through the lens of entrepreneurship. This season has forced her to confront control, patience, uncertainty, and resilience — the same traits business demands. IVF has a way of making you do everything “right” with zero guarantees. Sound familiar? We dive into the parallels: why no one will advocate for your outcome...

In this episode of the Business Muscle Podcast , Elise and Ariel sit down with Liz Morrison , owner of Be Well with Liz Morrison , certified personal trainer, functional nutritionist, and wellness professional with 18 years of experience in the industry . Liz shares the real story behind building and rebuilding her career — from opening her first boutique studio to stepping away from it during ear...

Today on the show, we’re joined by Kevin Carr — longtime coach at Mike Boyle Strength and Conditioning, co-founder of Certified Functional Strength Coach, founder of Movement As Medicine, author of Functional Training Anatomy , and partner at MBSC. Kevin has worked with everyone from U.S. Olympians to everyday adults and brings a rare perspective that blends performance, rehabilitation, and busine...

We made the decision to build our personal instagrams this year — not to become influencers, but to attract more aligned clients, build authority in our space, and connect with a PT who wants to build their own business. The goal was 100 followers. Ariel gained 1,000 in 30 days! In this episode, we break down what actually worked to grow the right audience. We share the mindset shift from posting...

In this episode, we talk with world champion powerlifter Meg Scanlon — a record-holding athlete, coach, mom of twins, and founder of Onward. Meg shares her 13-year journey from trainer and gym owner to top-ranked lifter and successful online coaching entrepreneur. We dive into her biggest lessons from burnout, the shift to digital coaching, building athlete retention, and developing a coaching phi...

In this episode, we break down one of the biggest mistakes PTs make when opening a cash-based practice: not tracking the right metrics. We talk about why being “busy” doesn’t automatically mean you’re profitable, and how flying blind leads to overworking and under-earning. You’ll learn the four numbers every PT owner should be tracking from day one—phone consult conversion rate, new client evaluat...

Today’s conversation is with Jackie Lightner, therapist, founder, and CEO of LightWork Therapy & Recovery — a women-centered mental health organization redefining leadership in behavioral health. Jackie breaks down how she grew from a one-woman private practice into multiple IOP/PHP locations, the mindset shifts required to lead a team of helpers, and how she uses emotionally intelligent leade...

In this episode, we break down one of the simplest (and most overlooked) ways to increase your revenue: answering the phone! We talk about why speed to response matters, how missed calls turn into missed opportunities, and why potential clients need to hear from a real human while motivation is still high. We also share one of our favorite tools, Quo, and how it helps streamline communication so n...

In this episode, we sit down with Eliza Shirazi — founder of Kick It and The Fempire® — to unpack how she turned a college passion project into an award-winning, nationally recognized fitness brand. Eliza shares the early vision behind Kick It, the turning points that shaped her growth (including her game-changing New Balance partnership), how she built a nationally accredited certification, and t...

On today’s solo episode, Elise breaks down three patterns she’s seeing repeatedly across conversations with business owners at very different stages — and why these things are quietly stopping growth heading into 2026. These aren’t theoretical mistakes or trendy business buzzwords. They’re real, fixable issues that came directly out of recent conversations with business owners who feel stuck, plat...