In the southern suburbs of Pittsburgh, four FYZICAL Therapy & Balance Centers clinics are redefining what growth with purpose looks like. FYZICAL owners Todd Exley, MPT (left), and Phil Firkins, DPT (right), FYZICAL 2025 Franchisee Nominees of the Year, joined forces with FYZICAL to expand their reach and deliver specialized care across southern Pennsylvania. Backed by FYZICAL’s proven systems and robust business support, they’ve built a thriving, multi-clinic operation spanning McMurray, Bridgeville, South Hills, and Cecil—rooted in clinical excellence, culture, and impact—and scaled it strategically, with no ceiling on what’s next.
Q: Before we get started, let's kick things off with some exciting news. You were nominated for FYZICAL's 2025 Franchisee of the Year! How does it feel to see your hard work and growth recognized across the FYZICAL network?
Todd: Being nominated means we're doing something right. I feel good about that. It means we're doing the right thing for our patients, we're doing the right thing for our employees, and we're doing the right thing for the franchise.
We're representing this brand.
Q: How did your journey lead you and Todd to FYZICAL, and what made it the right fit?
Todd: I was working at a physical therapy clinic, and I didn't really care for the way the treatment was being provided. I quickly came to the conclusion that I wanted to do things the way I wanted to do them and treat a patient the way I wanted to treat them. That's when it became clear that I needed to get involved in the ownership of a physical therapy practice.
Phil: We eventually acquired three privately owned clinics, becoming part of another owner’s exit strategy. As we planned that transition, we started thinking seriously about joining a franchise and being part of something bigger than ourselves.
Around that time, we received a flyer from FYZICAL. Todd had previously worked for the father of FYZICAL Franchise Regional Consultant RJ Williams, and we knew RJ was now with the brand. So, I called him, and when he returned our call, he said, “FYZICAL is great—you’ve got to come on board!” That conversation led us to Florida to learn more, and that’s what kicked everything off.
Coming down to FYZICAL's HQ in Florida and seeing the culture, what it becomes, and what you get was a quick sale once we did it.
Q: Plenty of clinicians explore different paths. What did FYZICAL do differently that made it click for you as clinicians and owners?
Phil: While we had all the educational background to be good physical therapists, we knew we needed business expertise to grow and scale effectively. We also wanted to be part of something bigger while retaining equity in what we’d worked hard to build.
We really connected with FYZICAL’s “As we grow, you grow” philosophy and its royalty structure, especially compared to other concepts requiring equity or a majority share. That “Let’s all grow together” mindset resonated with us, and that’s when everything started to make sense.
On top of that, we're big culture people. We loved the energy and authenticity of everyone we met at FYZICAL, and we still bleed blue.
"We really connected with FYZICAL’s 'As we grow, you grow' philosophy and its royalty structure...That 'Let’s all grow together' mindset resonated with us, and that’s when everything started to make sense."
-Phil Firkins, DPT, FYZICAL Owner
Q: You joined FYZICAL in January 2020, just weeks before the world shut down. What was it like navigating those early days of the pandemic with FYZICAL?
Phil: That was our first "Thank gosh" moment, and we realized we had a big brother and a franchisor in our corner. FYZICAL was constantly communicating—emails, calls, updates—walking us through everything step-by-step. They’d say, “Check with your state, but here’s what we’re hearing from the federal government." Knowing we had FYZICAL on board to help us navigate it all was our first big "hallelujah" moment.
That guidance was huge. We quickly found out just how valuable that support is, and it's reinforced month after month.
It's incredibly difficult to grow on your own, do your research, be your best clinical self, and manage the business side without access to people whose priority is the business side.
Q: Was it reassuring to have FYZICAL in your corner, especially knowing how different things could’ve been without the structure and support of a larger network?
Phil: It was remarkably reassuring, and then it was necessary. We would have survived, but I don't think we'd be doing as well as we are now. What was refreshing became essential beginning in 2020.
It’s been exciting to hear leaders like that say, "It's time to invest. You guys are at capacity now. You'll want to acquire a clinic or add a PT because you gotta do one or the other, or you’ll be stuck in neutral."
Q: What did your growth potential look like before partnering with FYZICAL?
Phil: It was entirely unguided. Before our partnership with FYZICAL, the hope at the end of every month was that there would be more money in the bank account than at the start.
There wasn't a skeletal rubric for distributions, hiring decisions, or understanding where our expenses were shifting. We weren’t tracking margins or trends in a meaningful way.
Now, as I look at our budget, DMR, and everything else in real time, it’s incredible how much insight we have, especially with the FBI data that hits our inbox every morning. It’s become second nature to check it daily and see the overall health of each clinic and clinician. We know exactly where to target marketing or advertising, where we need to hire, and where we may need to make tougher decisions.
None of that structure existed before. We were just hoping there was more money at the end of the month than at the beginning, which is a terrible way to operate.
"Now, as I look at our budget, DMR, and everything else in real time, it's incredible how much insight we have. We know exactly where to target our marketing and advertising."
-Phil Firkins, DPT, FYZICAL Owner
Q: Did FYZICAL’s proprietary Business Intelligence (FBI) give you a more straightforward strategy for growing and running your business?
Phil: Absolutely. Within the first several months, it made sense once we got acquainted with all the different Google Drives and started applying our P&Ls in a way that aligned with our growth and marketing goals. We could see where to market, how to market, and which physician-based entities we lost referrals from, so we knew exactly where to focus our outreach. It was amazing how important the data became about actually having a rubric for growth.
We have grown every year, including 2020. Year-over-year, we have grown in gross margins, net margins, and profit margins, and legitimately every year in every way possible. This year, there should be a significant jump with the acquisition of our fourth location. We have a new Clinic Director there, Dana Shaffer, DPT, who, just two months in, is already too busy to schedule any new evals, so we’re working to hire a second and third employee at that location. Every year, we’ve seen improvements both in overall growth and from a profit margin standpoint.
"We have grown every year, including 2020. Year-over-year, we have grown in gross margins, net margins, and profit margins, and legitimately every year in every way possible."
-Phil Firkins, DPT, FYZICAL Owner
Todd: Our revenue has at least doubled, close to tripled. Our patient visit volume has more than doubled, our staff size has doubled, and we need to hire more clinicians.
Phil: It’s incredible how quickly that 6% royalty paid for itself. Within five to six years of franchising, we’ve nearly tripled in size. As we scaled, the margins followed suit. Sure, we’ve put in the work, but so much of that growth came from FYZICAL’s structure, resources, and incredible people throughout the organization. We credit many individuals within FYZICAL for helping make that growth possible.
Q: How has FYZICAL strengthened your relationship with data and your ability to use it for growth?
Phil: I was a data infant; now I'm a data man! I’ve always loved data, but I was confused by the lack of structure we had around it. Instead of relying on my Excel sheets, we’ve got something that’s basically that, on steroids. We’re no longer just trying to extrapolate the data to make sense of it; we’re making sense of how the data drives growth and expansion. That’s a massive shift. It’s not just numbers anymore—it’s direction.
Phil: When you have the right skeleton, it's amazing how easy the algorithm is to grow and how that takes away the apprehension and indecision about the process.
It just simplifies everything so much. First, you need the right way to look at the data and extrapolate it, and second, you need to have the right people to talk to. Instead of being stuck in your head trying to make sense of numbers in a nebulous world, you have a framework. Decision-making is much easier when you can interpret the data and connect with people you know and trust.
The better we do, the better FYZICAL does, and that royalty structure makes a lot of sense. As you build trust and grow within the franchise, reaching out for support becomes second nature.
Todd: We're not doing this alone. I've got the [franchisee] network with some of the most incredible physical therapy business owners, probably in the country. I depend on that network; it's been extremely helpful in our success.
"We're not doing this alone. I've got the [franchisee] network with some of the most incredible physical therapy business owners, probably in the country. I depend on that network; it's been extremely helpful in our success."
Todd Exley, FYZICAL Owner
Q: While the business metrics tell one story, the real impact happens in the clinic every day. How have FYZICAL’s specialized therapies translated into meaningful results for your patients?
Phil: We see powerful patient stories weekly, if not daily. Two patients told us they had not walked with a therapist in acute, inpatient, or outpatient settings in years because none felt comfortable ambulating [walking] with them. So they remained in wheelchairs.
We got them up and walking with FYZICAL’s Safety Overhead System (SOS). You could see their apprehension dissolve when we put them in the SOS system and said, “Pick your feet up. You can’t fall.”
These people hadn't walked in years, relying on dependent transfers to get to the bathroom, with all the quality-of-life impact that brings. And now? They're suitcase deadlifting a 50lb kettlebell (with their uninvolved arm). They started walking just 100 feet on the SOS system, and now they're walking 400. They're doing X times four and many different concepts. They're using walkers at home. FYZICAL's SOS system is having an acute impact on changing lives.
So we drive and push people, but seeing that kind of growth is incredible. It's awesome to see them break out of that world of apprehension and dependence, rediscover that fire they had pre-injury or pre-insult, and say, “I can do this. There is growth. I’m not just on the downward spiral of the mountain."
"It's awesome to see [patients] break out of that world of apprehension and dependence, rediscover that fire they had pre-injury or pre-insult, and say, 'I can do this. There is growth.'"
-Phil Firkins, DPT, FYZICAL Co-Owner
Q: How does it feel to know that FYZICAL’s therapies are helping patients not just heal but rebuild their lives?
Phil: I think that’s why many PTs get into the field—it’s rooted in altruism. We’re modern-day healers. Seeing what the FYZICAL model can truly provide…it’s remarkable to have that kind of impact. Helping someone dependent on a wheelchair and dependent on transfers for years? Seeing that kind of breakthrough in an outpatient setting isn’t as common or as easy.
It’s great to achieve the clinical benefit, but seeing them regain hope for the rest of their lives and that faith in our mission is even more powerful. I love it.
Q: That kind of progress is hard to put into words.
Phil: The patients have said the same thing and want to be a part of it every day.
Phil: It’s solidified daily with FBI data and the leaders and franchisees we continually speak with. All the owners in Pennsylvania get together monthly on an “Owners’ Call” to discuss updates, insurance, and cash-based revenue streams.
It’s great to hear from people who’ve been in it longer and who approach things differently—administratively, in business strategy, or in hiring. We aim to get enough owners in Western PA to cost-share, and I think we’re getting close. Working toward that goal and growing alongside other owners who share that vision is exciting.
It’s also nice to have a group of people in the same boat, as owners in the same state, who understand the same challenges with payor sources and other issues, and are all focused on growth. That kind of support and collaboration wouldn’t exist if we weren’t part of this franchise.
Q: As you look ahead, what are your big growth goals, and how are you keeping culture at the center of them?
Phil: Our “B-HAG”—Big Hairy A$$ Goal—is to grow to five clinics by 2026 and eventually reach a point where we’re running 7 to 10 clinics. At that point, we can start to evaluate whether it makes sense to partner with other clinics because sometimes, a smaller piece of a bigger pie is the smarter move. That kind of alignment opens the door for deeper negotiations with federal or regional payers, a goal we’re working toward.
Culture is always first with us. We chose FYZICAL because it's such a culture-first company. Altruism and capitalism do not often meet in kind, but to be able to have a conversation with people in an altruistic field and still find a way to capitalize on it is an awesome concept.
Four has been easy; much of that comes down to our staff and culture. We’ve been fortunate to be introduced to the right people and nurtured those relationships to make it all work.
"Altruism and capitalism do not often meet in kind, but to be able to have a conversation with people in an altruistic field and still find a way to capitalize on it is an awesome concept."
-Phil Firkins, DPT, FYZICAL Co-Owner
Q: It's clear you've thought a lot about smart growth. For franchisees who want to grow but might be hesitating, what would you tell them?
Phil: As the saying goes, "Scared money doesn't make money." As physical therapists, we're naturally frugal. We’re in it for the right reasons, but you must still spend money to make money.
Growing a single practice is great, but the square footage still encloses you. The potential is endless if you can expand that space and make good decisions around hiring and leadership. You’re not limited by those four walls anymore.
If you gotta go into a little bit of debt to get it, it’s easier to grow with other people’s money at leverage than your own. As long as you've got the elbow grease and the grit to man the strategies and access to the franchise and the regional owners on how to make it work, don’t give yourself a "Plan B."
Jump off the cliff and make it work.
Phil: Culture and impact—that’s what drives us. It’s about being constantly reinforced that you’re doing the right thing with the right people and making the right kind of impact on people’s lives.
Growth, data, and financial return are all great, but at the end of the day, it’s about building a legacy you can genuinely be proud of—something that resonates on a deeper level. That’s the heart of this culture. And it’s absolutely fantastic.
Thank you for your time.
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