From Cancer to Clinics: How Cynthia Built a PT Empire with Grit and Grace
How do you build a thriving physical therapy business in the middle of Manhattan while surviving cancer—three times—and undergoing a lung transplant? You lean on grit, community, and the undeniable will to live, love, and lead.
Meet Cynthia, a force of nature in the PT world and beyond. In this powerful conversation, Cynthia shares:
- Her experience as a three-time lymphoma survivor
- Starting her first PT clinic at age 29 with a platinum Amex and a dream
- How Team in Training and endurance sports became both personal therapy and business rocket fuel
- The leadership lessons she learned scaling seven NYC clinic locations
- Why building a practice is a lot like training for a triathlon: painful, joyful, and always worth it
You’ll hear about resilience, self-talk, business mistakes, and the moments that shaped her as a healer and leader. Whether you’re a clinic owner, PT student, or just someone navigating adversity—this one’s for you.
⏱️ Chapters / Timestamps:
00:00 – Intro: Why PTs Make Great Storytellers
00:22 – Cynthia’s Life-Defining Grit
02:50 – Starting a Practice After Cancer
05:30 – Business Failure, Then Business Boom
08:00 – Treating Patients Through Chemo
10:30 – A Second Diagnosis and Choosing Fertility
13:40 – Endurance Training as Healing
17:00 – Building Client Cohorts Through Triathlons
19:15 – Coping Mechanisms and Self-Talk
23:00 – Leadership Lessons from Scaling in NYC
25:10 – Strategic Partnerships: Can’t Do It Alone
27:30 – Building a Brand That Heals and Inspires