The Business ATvantage

The most sustainable careers in athletic training aren’t built on hustle, titles, or nonstop output… they’re built on integration. When your values, identity, clinical practice, leadership habits, and professional goals align, you stop reacting to the profession… and you start shaping it. In this final episode of the season, we bring the entire PIVOT framework home with The Power of Integration; t...

Change in athletic training doesn’t happen when a plan is written; it happens when that plan is executed, tested, and refined over time. Many athletic trainers stall not because they lack vision or strategy, but because sustaining change requires resilience, feedback, and consistent follow-through. In this episode, we break down what transformation actually looks like in athletic training. You’ll...

A clear vision is powerful, but without organization and strategy, it stays just an idea. Many athletic trainers work hard every day yet still feel reactive, stretched thin, or stuck because their daily actions aren’t aligned with their long-term goals. In this episode, we break down how strategic organization and planning turn vision into execution. You’ll learn how to create systems that support...

Most athletic trainers enter the profession with a clear goal, but somewhere along the way that vision can become blurred by expectations, pressure, and “doing what you’re supposed to do.” Without a defined vision, it’s easy to drift into roles that look successful on paper but feel misaligned in real life. In this episode, we explore the power of vision and how clarifying your personal and profes...

Athletic trainers spend so much time managing what’s right in front of them, recurring injuries, inefficient workflows, frustration with their role, or feeling stuck in the same patterns. But symptoms aren’t the real problem. In this episode, we break down how to inspect what’s actually going on beneath the surface so you can make smarter decisions in your clinical practice and your career. You’ll...

Most athletic trainers spend their days reacting to injuries, schedules, policy changes, and whatever crisis hits next. But preparation isn’t a checklist…it’s a mindset shift. In this episode, we break down how to move from constant reaction to intentional, proactive growth in your athletic training career. You will learn how to recognize misalignment before it becomes burnout, how to mentally and...

Athletic trainers spend most of their career reacting to injuries, staffing issues, policy changes, and constant fires. But staying in survival mode leads to burnout and stalled growth. In this episode, you’ll learn how to balance defensive “reactive” work with offensive, proactive leadership strategies that put you back in control. We break down what a true pivot looks like in athletic training,...

Not every change is a pivot. This episode of The Business ATvantage shows you how to recognize when surface-level tweaks just aren’t enough, and how to make meaningful, aligned shifts that actually move your career and your profession forward. You’ll learn the difference between refining your work and strategically pivoting, how perception and messaging elevate your value as an AT, why advocacy ne...

We’ve all been there—constantly responding to injuries, admin requests, and policy changes. But what if you could move from reaction to intention? In this episode, we explore how to take control of your professional journey, build self-leadership, and align your decisions with your long-term goals instead of just putting out fires. You’ll learn how to apply business strategy to athletic training s...

On this season of the podcast, we’ve been discussing everything you need to know in order to transition from self-employment to business ownership. In today’s episode, we’re talking about business scalability and sustainability, and how they both apply to the growth of a business. For the context of this episode, sustainability refers to the ability to maintain or support a process continuously ov...

On this season of the podcast, we’ve been discussing what you need to know in order to transition from self-employment to business ownership. In today’s episode, we’re talking about the necessary legal components of running a business. One of the benefits of owning a business is the ability to separate the business entity from yourself personally. Separating business affairs from personal affairs...

On this season of the podcast, we’ve been discussing the transition from self-employment to business ownership. In today’s episode specifically, we’re moving the conversation toward the tangible steps you need to take to start your business. Before we jump straight into the tangible steps, we discuss the importance of having a “why” prior to starting your new venture. Starting a new business is a...

In this episode, we discuss the relevance of performing market research and a competitive analysis for your business. We also discuss how doing so can help you determine the viability of your business, and give you a competitive advantage. When starting a business, we have to weigh the factors. What type of time, energy, and money will it cost us? And what type of time, energy, and money will it a...

In this episode, we discuss the various business entity types and which might be best for you. What are the risks of continuing to operate as a self-employed person versus a business owner? With that information, you can decide on an appropriate next step for your self-employed work, based on an analysis of your individual situation. Unfortunately, there's not a general standard for whether or not...

In today’s episode, we explore the benefits of being a business owner. Two of the benefits include tax advantages and risk mitigation. First, let’s touch on some distinctions about business ownership. All business owners are self-employed, but not all self-employed people are a business. If you are self-employed, you do business under your social security number. Whereas if you own a business, you...

We are kicking off season four of The Business ATvantage Podcast. This season, we will discuss the transition from self-employment to business ownership. In this episode specifically, we will define what it means to be an Independent Contractor, as well addressing the liabilities, legalities, and benefits of self-employed work as a health care professional.  Liabilities and Legalities of Work...

This bonus episode features Alisha's NATA 2019 interview with NATA President and Director of Sports Medicine at Northwestern University, Tory Lindley. Their discussion centers around self-advocacy as a professional, the NATA initiative "Own Your Impact", and how his presidency has gone thus far. Music by Mr. Logistix (@ buuk_werm ).

This bonus episode features Alisha's NATA 2019 interview with Carolina Panthers Athletic Trainer, Kevin King. Their conversation focused on volunteerism at the state level, how his involvement has changed the trajectory of his career, why he recommends getting involved, and his role as an AT in the NFL. Music by Mr. Logistix (@ buuk_werm ).

This bonus episode features Alisha's NATA 2019 interview with David Gallegos. David sits on the NATA Board of Directors for District 7 and is Deputy CEO of FYZICAL Therapy & Balance Centers in Las Cruces, New Mexico. Their conversation focuses on COPA being transitioned from a committee to a council, the history and origin of COPA, who the committee is seeking to represent in the NATA membersh...

This bonus episode features Alisha's NATA 2019 interview with the legendary, Sue Falsone. Sue holds the distinction of being the first female head athletic trainer in any of the four major sports in the United States. She is the owner and founder of Structure & Function Education, a company dedicated to educating healthcare professionals in dry needling. Their conversation surrounds how to wor...

This podcast will be an opportunity for interdisciplinary learning between athletic trainers, an attorney, and the legal intersection of various topics. This episode continues the conversation on Misconduct from Part I. Music by Mr. Logistix (@ buuk_werm ). You can listen and earn free CEUs at  atvantageacademy.com Disclaimer: Because the information discussed and provided in the accompanying...

This podcast will be an opportunity for interdisciplinary learning between athletic trainers, an attorney, and the legal intersection of various topics. This episode focuses on a topic that has stolen headlines but is difficult to discuss. Misconduct of all types, though specifically sexual, has been a problem for a long time. We discuss why and how it has gotten to this place. Music by Mr. L...

With a focus on Accountability this month, we decided to release Alisha's conversation with Erin Hassler from NATA 2019. Erin is a woman who has held herself accountable her entire life, despite the adversity that has come her way. That experience has her in a position to mentor and hold others accountable too. Music by Mr. Logistix (@ buuk_werm ).

As we focus on Joy this month, we felt it was a great opportunity to release Alisha's conversation with Indiana State University Associate Professor Kent Games at NATA 2019. He is an Athletic Training colleague who is a consistent contributor to dialogue around the topics of joy and fulfillment. In this discussion, they cover finding your why, focusing on mindset...

Back in February, there was an article released by the Washington Post that explained that the state of Maryland has proposed a bill that would give athletes the right to unionize and collectively bargain over issues related to health and safety, as well as compensation. This was as a result of the death of Jordan McNair. This is not only relevant to our previous bonus episode on the Maryland case...