Build Your Remarkable Practice for Chiropractors

Hosted by Dr. Bobby Ilijasevic and Dr. Lona Cook

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137

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Oct 2026

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About the show

Are you a chiropractor with a passion for helping others live healthier lives? Are you looking to launch or build your practice? If so, you’re in the right place! Welcome to “Build Your Remarkable Practice” Podcast, brought to you by chiropractic coaching experts, Drs. Bobby Ilijasevic and Lona Cook. Launching and growing a successful chiropractic practice can be challenging, but it doesn’t have to be a solitary journey. “Build Your Remarkable Practice” Podcast is your go-to resource for invaluable insights, expert advice, and actionable strategies to turn your practice into a thriving and remarkable success story. Join Dr. Bobby and Dr. Lona as they share their years of experience and knowledge gained from not only running their own highly successful practices, but also from working with chiropractors just like you. They’ll cover a wide range of topics, including practice management, marketing strategies, patient education, personal growth, success stories and interviews with guest experts. Whether you’re a chiropractor that wants to grow their practice, or just starting out, there’s something valuable here for everyone. Join our community of chiropractors committed to building remarkable practices, and let’s grow together!

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October 22, 202647 min

138 - Day One Done Right: Creating Connection That Leads to Retention

What makes a great first chiropractic visit, and why does it matter so much for patient retention? Dr. Lona and Dr. Andrew explore how day one sets the foundation for trust, connection, and a long-term patient relationship. They discuss why understanding a patient's story matters more than rushing into education, how asking the right questions reveals what someone truly wants from care, and why listening often creates more value than talking. They also share a simple personalized video strategy to improve appointment attendance and a practical way to connect patient goals to the next steps in care. A strong day one is not about doing more. It is about making sure the patient feels heard, understood, and confident about coming back. Key Highlights 02:00 – Why long-term patient relationships begin with the first interaction, not when someone agrees to a care plan. 03:27 – A simple personal touch before the first appointment that can change how patients show up and connect with the practice. 07:34 – Rethinking the purpose of day one as an opportunity to understand the patient's story before trying to shape their future. 08:35 – One question that can reveal why a long-standing problem has finally become important enough for someone to seek care. 11:05 – Recognizing how differently patients arrive at your practice and why the same conversation will not work for everyone. 13:29 – The difference between following a day-one script and knowing how to adapt the conversation to the person sitting in front of you. 16:10 – What your day-one to day-two show rate may be telling you about whether patients feel genuinely heard and cared for. 17:00 – A closer look at how much talking versus listening happens during the first visit and what that reveals about your approach. 19:00 – A familiar navigation analogy that can help patients identify where they are, where they want to go, and why a plan matters. 22:07 - Families facing children's learning, behavioral, and social challenges are looking for answers and support. Dr. Pete speaks with Dr. Amy Spoelstra from Success Partner Focus Academy about specialized chiropractic training and the Brain Blossom Program. They explore how a structured, brain-based approach helps chiropractors better understand developmental challenges, support families with greater confidence, and expand their reach while keeping chiropractic at the foundation of care. Resources Mentioned Learn more about the TRP Remarkable Practice Immersion - Nov 13 - 14, 2026 in Adelaide, AUS - https://theremarkablepractice.com/upcoming-events/ For more information about Focus Academy please visit: https://gofocusacademy.com/ To schedule a Strategy Session with Dr Lona: https://go.oncehub.com/DrLonaBuildPodcast Learn more about the Remarkable CEO Podcast: https://theremarkablepractice.com/podcast

October 15, 202628 min

137 - Keep the Main Thing the Main Thing: Putting the Adjustment Back at the Center

How do you grow a chiropractic practice without losing the thing that made you want to become a chiropractor in the first place? Dr. Lona and Dr. Andrew challenge practice owners to keep the adjustment at the center as the practice gets busier, adds services, or begins to scale. They explore why seeing more people requires developing capacity, communicating chiropractic more clearly, and knowing when to stop talking and let the adjustment do the work. They also look at how additional services can support care without confusing patients about what the practice actually does. When chiropractors become more certain about the value of the adjustment and better at explaining it in language patients understand, getting busier becomes less about volume and more about increasing the number of people they can meaningfully serve. Key Highlights 01:00 – Why scaling your practice does not have to mean taking your hands off patients or giving up the part of practice you actually love. 04:31 – The advice that helped one chiropractor move beyond 200 visits a week by reconsidering what actually needed to happen at the adjusting table. 08:00 – Questioning whether there is really a lack of demand for chiropractic or whether people simply do not understand what chiropractic offers. 10:29 – Keeping the adjustment as the centerpiece even when your practice offers other services that can support patient care. 13:13 – What can happen when uncertainty about growing the chiropractic side of the practice leads owners to keep adding other things. 17:00 – Why exercises, supplementation, and other supportive services need to remain clear about the role they play alongside the adjustment. 20:04 – The opportunity chiropractors may be missing while the rest of the health and wellness world talks about nervous system regulation. 25:37 – Why building a busier practice depends less on constantly replacing patients and more on adjusting well and helping people understand why care continues. Resources Mentioned Learn more about the TRP Remarkable Practice Immersion - Nov 13 - 14, 2026 in Adelaide, AUS - https://theremarkablepractice.com/upcoming-events/ To schedule a Strategy Session with Dr Lona: https://go.oncehub.com/DrLonaBuildPodcast To schedule a Strategy Session with Dr Bobby: https://go.oncehub.com/DrBobbyBuildPodcast Learn more about the Remarkable CEO Podcast: https://theremarkablepractice.com/podcast

October 8, 202625 min

136 - The Leaky Bucket: Finding Where Patient Retention Breaks Down with Dr. Chris Grier

Which numbers actually tell you whether your practice is retaining patients well? Dr. Lona and Dr. Chris Grier break down the retention metrics that reveal where patients are staying engaged, progressing into the next phase of care, or quietly falling through the cracks. From defining total active patients to tracking stick rates and conversion percentages through each phase of care, they show how better numbers can point directly to the parts of the patient experience that need attention. They also explore why table talk, progress exams, continued education, and staying connected to patient goals matter long after someone initially says yes to care. When you know where the leak is, you can stop guessing about retention and start improving the part of the practice that actually needs work. Key Highlights 01:13 – The practice numbers many chiropractors track well and the retention numbers that tend to produce a blank stare. 02:20 – One deceptively simple question that reveals whether you actually know how many people your practice is taking care of. 05:17 – Why getting more disciplined about who is active and inactive creates a more useful baseline for understanding retention. 09:01 – A retention metric that can pinpoint where patients are falling out before completing the care you recommended. 11:04 – Where the biggest opportunity may be hiding when patients finish their initial care and are not ready to continue. 13:11 – Two parts of the patient experience that can make a significant difference in early retention. 16:03 – Why patients can begin to drift once they feel better and what your team still needs to provide at that stage of care. 23:00 – Moving beyond a single retention average to find the specific leak that is actually worth fixing. Resources Mentioned Learn more about the TRP Remarkable Practice Immersion - Nov 13 - 14, 2026 in Adelaide, AUS - https://theremarkablepractice.com/upcoming-events/ To schedule a Strategy Session with Dr Lona: https://go.oncehub.com/DrLonaBuildPodcast To schedule a Strategy Session with Dr Bobby: https://go.oncehub.com/DrBobbyBuildPodcast Learn more about the Remarkable CEO Podcast: https://theremarkablepractice.com/podcast

October 1, 202623 min

135 - The Art of Showing Up: Building a Practice Through Service and Perseverance

How do you build opportunities in your practice before you know whether showing up will actually pay off? Dr. Lona and Dr. Andrew explore why some of the most valuable practice growth happens when you keep showing up in service before the outcome is obvious. From community outreach and building professional relationships to developing certainty and learning how to communicate chiropractic simply, they look at what happens when you stop measuring every effort by its immediate return. The work that feels unproductive today may be building trust, skill, relationships, and opportunities you cannot see yet. Consistently showing up with something useful to offer gives both you and your practice the chance to grow into opportunities that rarely appear overnight. Key Highlights 01:25 – What younger chiropractors may miss when they look at someone further down the road and only see the finished result. 04:21 – The less glamorous beginning behind an opportunity that eventually led to working with some of the world's top CrossFit athletes. 07:09 – A simple reminder about why the place you start rarely looks like the place you ultimately want to end up. 09:00 – Learning to show up before you feel ready and recognizing that same quality in the people around you. 10:24 – Why continuing to serve in the schools mattered even when staying at the practice would have felt far more productive. 12:00 – The connection between being of service and the opportunities that begin to appear when that remains the reason you show up. 13:27 – Where certainty starts to develop when a young chiropractor is still wondering whether their own chiropractic actually works. 15:26 – How community involvement can build familiarity and trust before anyone ever decides to become your patient. 18:20 – An unexpected lesson from explaining chiropractic to four- and five-year-olds that changed the way one doctor communicates with adults. Resources Mentioned Learn more about the TRP Remarkable Practice Immersion - Nov 13 - 14, 2026 in Adelaide, AUS - https://theremarkablepractice.com/upcoming-events/ To schedule a Strategy Session with Dr Lona: https://go.oncehub.com/DrLonaBuildPodcast To schedule a Strategy Session with Dr Bobby: https://go.oncehub.com/DrBobbyBuildPodcast Learn more about the Remarkable CEO Podcast: https://theremarkablepractice.com/podcast

September 24, 202631 min

134 - Building a Stronger Practice Team: The Right Person in the Right Role

How do you know when a team member is no longer the right fit for your practice? It starts with getting clear on whether the problem is the person, the role, the communication, or the expectations around the work. Dr. Lona and Dr. Rachel Hovey explore how regular team rhythms, clear roles, mission and vision, and honest one-on-one conversations help practice owners address misalignment before it becomes personal. They also challenge owners to look at their own leadership and communication before assuming the employee is the problem. When those structures are in place, difficult conversations become clearer, strong team members have room to grow, and decisions about who stays, who shifts roles, and who moves on can be made around what the practice actually needs. Key Highlights 01:03 – The uncomfortable reality of knowing a team member may no longer be the right fit but continuing to let the situation ride. 02:11 – What the pause before calling someone an A player may reveal about how clearly the role has actually been defined. 03:17 – Why wanting a different outcome in your practice eventually requires looking at the people and behaviors you have been willing to tolerate. 04:11 – Separating your feelings about a team member from whether that person still fits the role, mission, and direction of the practice. 05:44 – The possibility that a struggling team member may be growing out of a role without either of you recognizing it yet. 07:15 – Before deciding someone is the problem, a practical reason to look at your own communication rhythms first. 08:20 – When tension with a team member may point to the wrong role rather than the wrong person. 09:31 – A bigger question for practice owners about whether the positions they create actually give great people somewhere to grow. 11:43 – A simple place to begin when you know a team conversation needs to happen but have been putting it off. 13:02 – Why changing the way you ask for team input can uncover ideas you may never hear in an off-the-cuff meeting. 18:11 - Dr. Kevin connects with Margaret Rosloniec from Success Partner Fortis to reveal how the right financial infrastructure fuels scalable, sustainable growth for modern practices. They break down how Fortis automates recurring revenue, stabilizes cash flow, and removes front-desk friction so teams stay focused on mission over money. When payments become seamless and reliable, growth stops being limited by systems and starts being driven by vision. Resources Mentioned For more information about Fortis please visit: https://fortispay.com/ .To book a meeting with Fortis, please visit: https://hubs.ly/Q03FRwtC0 To schedule a Strategy Session with Dr Lona: https://go.oncehub.com/DrLonaBuildPodcast To schedule a Strategy Session with Dr Bobby: https://go.oncehub.com/DrBobbyBuildPodcast Learn more about the Remarkable CEO Podcast: https://theremarkablepractice.com/podcast

September 17, 202640 min

133 - When Your Practice Outgrows the Way You’ve Always Run It

What does it take to build a chiropractic practice that can keep growing without staying dependent on the owner? It starts with recognizing when the habits, systems, and assumptions that got you here no longer fit the practice you are building. Dr. Lona and Dr. Andrew explore what changes when you start treating the business side of practice with the same commitment you give the art, science, and philosophy of chiropractic. From questioning inherited practice models and understanding the numbers behind sustainability to building a team that offsets your weaknesses, they challenge practice owners to recognize when what got them here will not get them where they want to go. The more willing you are to look closely at your business, keep learning, and adapt the practice to its current season, the better positioned you are to grow without building everything around yourself. Key Highlights 01:54 – Dr. Andrew recalls the moment a successful practice suddenly looked very different once he saw how much he still had to learn. 04:08 – A common scheduling habit raises a bigger question about which parts of your practice exist because they still work and which are simply inherited. 07:19 – What changes when the systems that served a smaller practice begin limiting the practice you are trying to build now. 09:26 – Putting a monetary value on patient care can feel uncomfortable, but avoiding the numbers creates a different problem for the practice owner. 11:21 – One number many doctors rarely calculate may reveal whether delivering care is actually sustainable. 13:32 – A different way to think about nearby practices when the larger opportunity is reaching the people who still are not using chiropractic. 15:28 – Growing beyond an owner-dependent practice requires both expansive thinking and a willingness to look closely at what the numbers are telling you. 17:25 – The team member you need most may be the person whose strengths are almost the opposite of yours. 20:15 – When your practice is stuck, the reason you cannot find the answer yourself may be more obvious than you think. 22:14 – Retention connects the patient experience and the health of the business in a way practice owners cannot afford to overlook. 27:05 - Getting more leads means little if they are not the right people for your practice. Dr. Malcolm speaks with James Chester from Success Partner Blue Rhino AI about a data-driven approach to chiropractic marketing that focuses on qualified prospects, continuously optimized creative, and smarter ad spend to help practices attract patients who are more likely to show up, convert, and stay. Resources Mentioned Learn more about the TRP Remarkable Practice Immersion Oct 1 - 3, 2026 in National Harbor, MD and Nov 13 - 14, 2026 in Adelaide, AUS - https://theremarkablepractice.com/upcoming-events/ For more information about Blue Rhino please visit: https://www.bluerhinoai.com/ To schedule a Strategy Session with Dr Lona: https://go.oncehub.com/DrLonaBuildPodcast To schedule a Strategy Session with Dr Bobby: https://go.oncehub.com/DrBobbyBuildPodcast Learn more about the Remarkable CEO Podcast: https://theremarkablepractice.com/podcast

September 10, 202645 min

132 - The Science of Chiropractic: Turning Research Into Better Patient Communication

What can the science of chiropractic reveal that your clinical experience may already be showing you? Research, clinical evidence, and nervous system science can give chiropractors stronger ways to understand outcomes, communicate care, and connect what they see in practice with the philosophy behind it. Dr. Lona explores how to translate complex science into language patients can actually understand, while encouraging chiropractors to stay curious, recognize patterns, and contribute case reports or clinical observations that can help move the profession forward. Key Highlights 02:00 – How publishing chiropractic research changed the way Dr. Lona thinks about the science behind what she sees in practice. 04:10 – A different way to read research by looking at new information through the lens of chiropractic philosophy. 06:18 – Science is more than research papers; curiosity, pattern recognition, and clinical observation all matter. 09:02 – The kinds of questions chiropractors could be asking when clinical outcomes point toward areas worth studying more deeply. 11:52 – Turning research into simple, useful language that helps patients better understand their care. 14:43 – Where the science, philosophy, and art of chiropractic start to come back together in the way you communicate an adjustment. 16:35 – Why the transformations happening in your own practice may be worth documenting through case reports or publication. 19:01 – A practical challenge to use the science of chiropractic more intentionally, communicate it more clearly, and contribute to the profession where you can. 19:57 - The right technology should give chiropractors more time to care for people, not more work to manage. Dr. Pete speaks with Gabriel Doty from Success Partner ChiroHD about building smarter practice management software that streamlines workflows, improves efficiency, embraces meaningful AI innovation, and helps chiropractic practices scale with confidence while preparing for long-term success. Resources Mentioned Learn more about the TRP Remarkable Practice Immersion Oct 1 - 3, 2026 in National Harbor, MD and Nov 13 - 14, 2026 in Adelaide, AUS - https://theremarkablepractice.com/upcoming-events/ For more information about ChiroHD please visit: https://content.chirohd.com/remarkable-practice To schedule a Strategy Session with Dr Lona: https://go.oncehub.com/DrLonaBuildPodcast To schedule a Strategy Session with Dr Bobby: https://go.oncehub.com/DrBobbyBuildPodcast Learn more about the Remarkable CEO Podcast: https://theremarkablepractice.com/podcast

September 3, 202629 min

131 - The Philosophy of Chiropractic: Why Patients Need to Understand Their Care

Chiropractic philosophy gives you the certainty to understand why you adjust, communicate that purpose clearly, and help patients understand why their care matters. Dr. Lona and Dr. Andrew Alekna explore how chiropractic philosophy shapes the way you practice, from understanding subluxation and developing certainty to improving patient communication and retention. They share how mentorship, continued study, and wrestling with your own beliefs can strengthen your conviction and help you communicate what makes chiropractic different. When you’re clear on the philosophy behind your care, it becomes easier to show up with purpose, explain the value of the adjustment, and give patients a stronger reason to stay engaged in care. Key Highlights 01:52 – Where to start when you know how to adjust but still aren't completely clear on why you do what you do. 03:42 – Consider what chiropractic education could look like if philosophy were woven through the art, science, and business. 05:59 – Two chiropractors can perform a similar adjustment while approaching what they're doing from completely different places. 07:02 – The conversation around subluxation raises a bigger question about what actually makes chiropractic distinct. 09:37 – What can change in practice when you stop believing you're responsible for doing the healing. 11:01 – Dr. Lona shares the advice that pushed her to seek out chiropractors who could deepen her understanding and conviction. 13:14 – Dr. Andrew's path into chiropractic shows what can happen when the philosophy isn't communicated to the patient. 15:40 – When showing up starts feeling difficult, clarity around why you practice may be the piece worth examining. 17:35 – The material that gave Dr. Andrew an entirely different understanding of the profession he was already studying. 19:28 – A deeply personal experience with his father's health shaped the philosophy Dr. Andrew still carries into practice. 22:09 – A practical place to start if your certainty or conviction around chiropractic doesn't feel as strong as you'd like. 23:23 – Patient retention may reveal more about your communication of chiropractic than you realize. 25:43 – A different way to approach philosophical differences within the profession without working against each other. 27:31 – Consider how much opportunity exists when the goal becomes helping more people experience chiropractic rather than competing with other chiropractors. Resources Mentioned Learn more about the TRP Remarkable Practice Immersion Oct 1 - 3, 2026 in National Harbor, MD and Nov 13 - 14, 2026 in Adelaide, AUS - https://theremarkablepractice.com/upcoming-events/ To learn more about the REM CEO Program, please visit: http://www.theremarkablepractice.com/rem-ceo To schedule a Strategy Session with Dr Lona: https://go.oncehub.com/DrLonaBuildPodcast To schedule a Strategy Session with Dr Bobby: https://go.oncehub.com/DrBobbyBuildPodcast Learn more about the Remarkable CEO Podcast: https://theremarkablepractice.com/podcast

August 27, 202642 min

130 - The Art of Chiropractic: What Makes a Great Adjustment More Than Technique

The art of chiropractic is not something you finish learning once your technique looks good. It is built through the physical capacity to adjust for years, the precision to know where and how to deliver force, and the certainty and presence patients feel when your hands make contact. Dr. Lona and Dr. Andrew Alekna discuss what separates simply creating a cavitation from delivering an adjustment with intention, why mentorship and continued hands-on training matter, and how caring for your own body becomes part of caring for your patients. They also explore the less technical side of the art: trusting your analysis, getting out of your own head, staying present at the table, and creating enough playfulness and human connection that practice still has energy. Developing all of these pieces allows the adjustment to become more than a mechanical skill and gives you a better chance of delivering great care without sacrificing your body or your enjoyment of practice. Key Highlights 02:36 – The physical side of the art that becomes increasingly important if you want a long adjusting career. 04:26 – What higher patient volume can reveal about the way you train and care for your own body. 08:01 – A practical way to choose adjusting mentors when your size or body type changes how you deliver force. 09:17 – The experience that challenged Andrew’s assumption that effective adjusting requires physical size. 11:09 – The distinction between creating a cavitation and actually approaching an adjustment with a different intention. 12:11 – Where technique begins to shift from a mechanical process into something far more intuitive. 14:07 – Consider what happens to the adjustment when your mind is somewhere other than the patient in front of you. 15:33 – The role certainty and repetition play when an experienced doctor seems to know exactly where to adjust. 17:27 – A young doctor’s fear raises an important question about where technique ends and trust begins. 20:54 – Why taking yourself less seriously may have more to do with the art of chiropractic than you realize. 26:39 - Financial systems can play a major role in both patient retention and long-term practice growth. Dr. Stephen speaks with Dr. Miles Bosman from Success Partner Cash Practice about creating compliant financial plans, simplifying recurring payments, and building systems that help patients stay committed to care while giving chiropractors greater financial stability and scalability. Resources Mentioned For more information about Cash Practice please visit: https://www.cashpractice.com/ To schedule a Strategy Session with Dr Lona: https://go.oncehub.com/DrLonaBuildPodcast To schedule a Strategy Session with Dr Bobby: https://go.oncehub.com/DrBobbyBuildPodcast Learn more about the Remarkable CEO Podcast: https://theremarkablepractice.com/podcast

August 20, 202636 min

129 - The Four Pillars of Chiropractic Practice Growth

Becoming a better chiropractor means knowing which part of your practice needs more of your attention—the art, science, philosophy, or business. Dr. Lona and Dr. Andrew Alekna break down these four interconnected pillars and explore what happens when one develops faster than the others. Andrew shares why adjusting came naturally to him while business required intentional work, systems, coaching, and mentorship. They also look at the role philosophy plays in developing certainty, why understanding the science is different from being able to communicate it, and how continued training strengthens what happens both at the table and throughout the practice. Rather than assuming experience will automatically make you better, this conversation offers a practical way to audit where you are today. Identify the pillar that feels least developed, find people who are already strong there, and deliberately build the skills needed to create a practice that is both deeply chiropractic and capable of growing. Key Highlights 02:08 – Meet the four areas worth continually developing if you want to become a more complete chiropractor. 03:00 – Consider what gets lost when practice growth moves faster than your development in the fundamentals of chiropractic. 05:27 – Andrew’s adjusting journey offers a useful look at natural ability versus the skills that still require years of refinement. 07:08 – Explore the philosophical journey that can take you from knowing chiropractic works to developing certainty in the way you personally practice. 09:34 – Athleticism may offer an unexpected advantage when developing the precision, speed, and body awareness required for adjusting. 12:26 – Andrew reveals the pillar that challenged him most—and the limitation he discovered when “winging it” was no longer enough. 14:21 – A useful place to look when chiropractic school hasn't prepared you for the realities of running a practice. 15:20 – “Success leaves clues” becomes a practical strategy for strengthening the areas where you know you're falling short. 16:29 – Try looking at these four pillars as a foundation before focusing on everything you want to build on top of them. 17:28 – Applying a familiar chiropractic principle to your business may change the way you look at stalled practice growth. 18:43 – Andrew’s weakest area eventually became one of the most systematized parts of his practice. 20:31 – Patient communication adds another dimension to the art of chiropractic that technical knowledge alone doesn't teach. 22:04 – Use four practical audit points to identify where your art, philosophy, science, or business needs more work. 24:03 - Bringing X-ray imaging in-house can improve more than convenience. It can strengthen the entire patient care pathway. Dr. Timay speaks with John Conidi from Success Partner Next Healthcare about radiology reporting, reducing medico-legal risk, improving access to follow-up imaging, and helping Australian chiropractors deliver more timely care while creating additional value within their practices. Resources Mentioned For more information about Next Healthcare please visit: https://nexthc.com.au To schedule a Strategy Session with Dr Lona: https://go.oncehub.com/DrLonaBuildPodcast To schedule a Strategy Session with Dr Bobby: https://go.oncehub.com/DrBobbyBuildPodcast Learn more about the Remarkable CEO Podcast: https://theremarkablepractice.com/podcast