How FYZICAL’s Marketing Summit and Ongoing Marketing Support Powered 90%+ Patient Growth

FYZICAL franchisee Bruce Celek once navigated foreign exchange markets, but he left behind a thriving banking career after being inspired by his own powerful experience with physical therapy, what he calls the “magic hands” of PTs.

Today, as the owner of FYZICAL Belmont in Belmont, NC, he’s turning that inspiration into impact. With strategies from FYZICAL’s Marketing Summit and ongoing marketing support, his clinic soared from 187 to 361 patient visits in just five months—proving how the right system can transform passion into growth.

Q: Can you share your background and what first led you to FYZICAL?

Bruce: I previously worked in banking, primarily in international markets and foreign exchange. After COVID, the last bank I worked for let me go, and that really forced me to pause and do some soul-searching. I debated whether to find another corporate role or finally take the leap to do something on my own.

I started looking at businesses for sale, but at the time, the market was inflated—valuations were through the roof. A business broker suggested I consider franchising instead. He showed me about a dozen different opportunities, and while I quickly dismissed half of them, FYZICAL stood out.

Q: What made FYZICAL stand out compared to other franchise opportunities?

Bruce: It resonated with me because I’d experienced physical therapy myself and knew firsthand the impact it can make. I think physical therapists have magical hands—they’re able to help do things without medicine that can really help people.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, I witnessed firsthand how a sedentary lifestyle can impact someone. My mother-in-law became very inactive, and it really took a toll on her. Seeing the benefits that physical therapy—especially balance and vestibular therapy—could provide made it clear to me how powerful this work is. That experience showed me that her story isn’t unique; it multiplies. I knew there were a lot of people we could help with balance and vestibular issues, as well as physical therapy.  

Q: Since you don’t come from a physical therapy background, how have FYZICAL’s marketing tools and resources supported your growth over the past year?

Bruce: Ever since we opened, the marketing materials available over the past year have definitely helped fuel our growth. Coming from a non-clinical background, the learning curve was steep. I like to joke that before FYZICAL, I didn’t even know what an EMR was. 

Now, with a mix of liaison work and digital marketing, I see those efforts starting to produce dividends. Our visibility in the market has grown, and the doctors who’ve referred to us continue to do so. Building relationships with referral coordinators has been another key piece—it really comes down to consistency, getting out there, and staying in front of people so they don’t forget about you.

Q: When you first heard about FYZICAL’s Marketing Summit, what made you decide to attend?

Bruce: Anything that can help me grow the business, I want to take advantage of. So, when I heard about the Marketing Summit, I knew I had to go. The AI training portion was challenging; I didn’t score very well at first, which felt a little defeating.

But once I understood the lessons behind it, it completely changed how I approached doctors and referral conversations. One of the key takeaways was how to position FYZICAL as the ‘eyes and ears’ for primary care physicians. They typically spend only 15 minutes with a patient, while we spend a full hour in an evaluation. That means we can gather that information, come up with the diagnosis, and share those insights back with the doctor.

"One of the key takeaways [of the Marketing Summit] was how to position FYZICAL as the ‘eyes and ears’ for primary care physicians. That means we can gather information, come up with the diagnosis, and share those insights back with the doctor."

-Bruce Celek, Owner

While I haven’t yet had the chance to sit down directly with many PCPs, I’ve taken that same approach with referral coordinators and front desk staff. Having that training gave me the confidence to know what to say—and how to position FYZICAL—whenever those opportunities come up.

Q: Your clinic started at 187 patient visits in March and grew to 316 after the Marketing Summit. In July, you reached 357, and in August, you hit 361. Do you feel the practices you learned at the Summit contributed to that growth?

Bruce: I would say yes. Anytime you attend an event like the Marketing Summit—or Brand Triumph—it lights a spark under you and reinvigorates you. You also have different talking points, so that certainly has helped. The latest digital marketing efforts we have done have certainly produced more dividends than the previous ones.

Of course, some of the growth has also come from being in the market longer and from word-of-mouth referrals from our existing patients. Really, it’s all of it: patients spreading the word, consistent marketing, visiting doctors’ offices, sharing new programs, and the digital campaigns. Together, it’s made a big difference.

Q: Was there one specific takeaway from the Marketing Summit that was especially helpful? 

Bruce: Just gathering the feedback. We'd have an exercise and listen to other owners, physical therapists, or whoever was at the event, and learn from them. My methodology for learning best is gathering what's successful with other people. So that certainly has helped me.

We have a marketing co-op here, and one of the most valuable aspects is hearing what works and what doesn't for other owners. Whenever I see something that’s producing results for someone else, I want to replicate it in our clinic. That sharing of ideas has also been beneficial.

Q: How have FYZICAL’s marketing department and the Marketing Summit helped equip you with the materials you need for outreach?

Bruce: Definitely out of the marketing department, we’re seeing a lot more valuable materials. That’s something I mentioned both at the Marketing Summit and to my Local Marketing Consultant, Nicole Young. When I go out to a doctor’s office, I feel like I need to bring something each time—just showing up and saying ‘hi’ isn’t enough, especially if I’m visiting three times a month. Now the department is producing more for me to deliver, and that’s been really beneficial.

Q: How has FYZICAL’s comprehensive support system—whether through marketing, training, or headquarters—helped you find what works best for your clinic?

On the digital side, the second company I worked with wasn’t going well. I reached out to FYZICAL's Digital Marketing Director, Brent Sucher, and informed him of the situation. Although I knew the company was successful for others, it just wasn’t working for me.

He stepped in and helped. Since then, it’s been successful. Now the only problem we have is finding slots for people to come in for their screening visits—and that’s a problem I don’t mind having.

Q: What new digital marketing strategies has FYZICAL helped you implement, and which of those have been especially effective for your clinic?

Bruce: The goal is always to get more patient visits. One thing FYZICAL has helped me with is simply asking offices what they like or dislike about other places they send patients to, and what they’d prefer us to do. It seems almost too simple, but just asking, ‘How do you want us to communicate with you?’ has been really effective.

Whether it’s sending a fax on an individual patient or an email tally at the end of the week, asking each office what they prefer and taking that extra step to let them know their patient is booked with FYZICAL really helps.

"One thing FYZICAL has helped me with is simply asking offices, 'How do you want us to communicate with you?' [It] has been really effective."

-Bruce Celek, Owner

Additionally, we offer programs such as Balance and Vestibular, Hips for Life, and, most recently, Pelvic Health. Getting the word out about these offerings has definitely helped bring in more patients.

The little extras also make a difference. We run Facebook ads, and once a patient clicks on the ad and enters their information, a video of me is sent out to help them feel more comfortable. They get to see me and get a glimpse of the clinic, which makes them more likely to follow through and attend their initial visit. That approach has definitely been working.

Q: You mentioned how digital marketing and new programs like pelvic health have helped bring in more patients. Can you share a patient story that shows the impact of adding these services?

Bruce: Our first pelvic patient came through because our PTA had gone to pelvic training. While working with her on balance, the patient mentioned a pelvic issue. The PTA advised her that she could help, and the patient consulted her urologist for a referral.

By her third pelvic therapy visit, she was raving about the results! She hadn’t expected such a rapid change and was eager to share her experience in a case study and review. Moments like that not only excite patients but also help us demonstrate to physicians and offices that we’re more than balance and vestibular—we’re offering a comprehensive range of care.

Q: What other patient success stories stand out to you? 

Bruce: We recently created a case study for a patient with a balance issue who came to us independently, not through a referral. She achieved excellent results and went back to share her experience with her doctor. We’ll be sharing her story with physician offices, especially as part of our Fight the Fall campaign in September.

Another patient had some heart issues, but improved so much that she even encouraged her husband to start therapy with us. She has directly informed her primary care doctor and neurologist that they should refer more patients to FYZICAL because of the difference it has made for her. That’s been really gratifying.

We also had a stroke patient who started with us in a wheelchair. Over time, he progressed to using just a cane, and eventually he was able to walk into his doctor’s office without it—to show the progress he’d made. Now he only uses the cane occasionally for comfort, and he no longer needs the wheelchair at all.

Q: Would you encourage others to attend FYZICAL's Digital Marketing Summit?

Bruce: Definitely. If there's a Marketing Summit in their area, I would definitely suggest going to that. I definitely learned from that, and also just being together with the other owners. It's invaluable to hear their responses to what's going on in their clinic and how they're going to implement what we learned there. 

"If there's a Marketing Summit in their area, I would definitely suggest going to that. It's invaluable to hear their responses to what's going on in their clinic and how they're going to implement what we learned there."

-Bruce Celek, Owner

I meet with my LMC regularly—definitely monthly, sometimes even every other week—and her perspective is always very valuable. However, having leaders in the room, as well as those from different clinics, added another layer. Hearing their input on the same topics gave me a more well-rounded view of where FYZICAL is coming from.

Q: Looking at where your clinic is today, how do you feel about the progress you’ve made since opening?

Bruce: We’re getting to a place where I’m definitely happy. We’re seeing results—bringing in referrals, filling the schedule, and helping more patients. It's a good place to be.

Q: Coming from a non-clinical background, did you ever expect you’d feel so fulfilled helping people?

Bruce: I think about that a lot, actually. In banking, I knew I was helping people with their financial needs, but it rarely felt like they saw it that way. That’s just the reality of that business.

Here, it’s completely different. When someone comes in using a wheelchair or a walker and, over time, no longer needs it—that’s incredibly gratifying. Patients tell us directly how much their lives have changed, and that makes all the difference.

I may not be the one providing hands-on therapy, but I’m proud to offer a space where these excellent physical therapists can work. That gives me a lot of satisfaction. And I remind my team and admin staff that they’re part of it too; we all play a role in helping patients get their lives back.

"I may not be the one providing hands-on therapy, but I'm proud to offer a space where these excellent physical therapists can work. We all play a role in helping patients get their lives back."

-Bruce Celek, Owner

Thank you for your time.

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