Dr. Hollie Neujahr, SISU Practice, N2 PT
Meet Dr. Hollie Neujahr, owner and founder of the SISU Practice, a mentorship, coaching and education space for Physical Therapists and PT Practice Owners, as well as N2 Physical Therapy, with three locations in Colorado: Denver (Uptown), Boulder, and Centennial.
Read Dr. Hollie’s founder story in her interview below and be sure to submit your startup story to be featured as well. It’s all about community at the Be Helpful Podcast. We’re glad you’re here.
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Entrepreneur Success Stories: Inspiration from an Interview with Dr. Hollie Neujahr
Dr. Hollie Neujahr, owner of N2 Physical Therapy, LLC and the Sisu Practice, received her Doctorate in Physical Therapy from Duke University Medical Center, MBA from the University of Colorado Denver, and BS in Biology and Minor in Psychology from University of Nebraska at Omaha.
The Sisu Practice focuses on leadership training, business consulting, and physical therapy mentoring with an emphasis on pelvic health care. Dr. Neujahr believes in the concept of "Sisu," representing strength of will, perseverance, determination, and courage in the face of adversity.
Hollie has extensive education and certification to help active patients in chronic pain. She teaches skills to build strength, stability, quality movement, confidence, and endurance. Dr. Neujahr holds specialty certifications in oncology, orthopedics, dry needling, fascial manipulation, pelvic floor rehabilitation, and golf performance.
In her free time, she enjoys running, weight training, golfing, and spending time with her Great Dane, Ace. Professionally, she focuses on continuing education and business empowerment coaching for fellow physical therapists.
Entrepreneur Story: Q & A with Dr. Hollie Neujahr
SISU Practice | N2 Physical Therapy | Denver, Boulder & Centennial, Colorado
What inspired you to start your business, and how did you develop your initial idea into a viable business concept?
Both of my businesses, the Sisu Practice and N2 Physical Therapy, were started because I wantd to solve, what I viewed at those times, as problems that if resolved, had the potential to help others. The Sisu Practice was developed with an urgency, during the pandemic, to continue to provide resources to pelvic and chronic pain patients, as well as physical therapists when we were entirely shut down. N2 Physical Therapy was inspired by the desire to build a company that designs an environment for healing and physical therapy access, still offering insurance and affordable care, but also maintaining 1:1 doctoral treatment sessions. Both of these were developed into viable concepts by creating teams, identifying risk and resource needs, and through self awareness always adapting.
What were some of the biggest risks or uncertainties you faced when starting your business, and how did you manage them?
With Sisu Practice, one of the biggest uncertainties I faced was how to present research based, yet clinically applicable information. Currently, research proves that in some specialties, over 1/2 of the information on the internet about health is inaccurate, and I wanted to present trustworthy training courses. Managing this was constant work: pulling the research within the past 5 years, reviewing it, integrating it, explaining how to make it clinically applicable. For approximately 8 months you could not find a clean spot on my office floor. From there, managing this was seeking feedback and input from experts, colleagues, across all disciplines and hearing it to implement change.
What was your first action? If you were starting all over again, would that still be your first action? If not, what would it be?
My first action was to determine where my priorities with the Sisu Practice were, and how this blended with N2 Physical Therapy. I was uncertain whether I wanted to focus on patient care, teaching, helping others with business, or a blend of all of them. I panicked and attempted to do it all, practice all aspects, and blend all aspects. This proved to be impossible and there were not enough hours in the day to keep up. However, I would not redo that first action. It was a great learning experience, and it helped me shape further what our physical therapists in particular need to build a safe, efficient, and fun pelvic health practice. More importantly, I saw problems through this approach that needed to be solved, and fractures in both company’s structures. This helped me figure out how to start fixing the foundation, so the businesses could both grow and evolve together.
How did you get your first customer or sale?
With Sisu practice, I was very fortunate in the position I was in, as owner and CEO as N2 Physical Therapy, to have people reaching out to me. A fellow physical therapist had sought out my services, and was willing to be my first customer and provide feedback and work together. It was serendipitous and a win-win for everyone. This person turned into a friend and colleague and was able to further recommend how I grow Sisu Practice and even blend it into N2 Physical Therapy. Thank you Sara Schaffer for your companionship and expertise!
Tell us about a major business milestone or accomplishment that your proud to share.
I am proud to share that with N2 Physical Therapy, even in the face of adversity with the past few years, we have built a better business model, mentorship program through Sisu, and grown our team and their careers. All of our teams (administrative, billing and physical therapy) are so talented that I learn from them daily. We have currently been operating for 12 years. I am also proud of creating coursework that blends current research and clinical practice, as well as within a flexible and affordable model of delivery. These are not up on our new platform, and ready to launch.
What is one strategy that has helped you grow your business? Please explain how.
Because I was already present as the owner of N2 Physical Therapy in the pelvic health physical therapy world, I had an amazing network of colleagues in all disciplines. Leaning into these brilliant minds and asking for feedback, criticism, and ideas, was very helpful. I was committed to always feeling vulnerable as far as content and how I was operating, and it's proven to be helpful for me in business and personally. I have also with both companies always invested in quality: of information, patient care, and product. This has always proven worth the financial and sweat equity it requires.
What were some of the biggest mistakes or missteps you made early on in your entrepreneurial journey, and what did you learn from those experiences?
My entrepreneurial journey started with N2 Physical Therapy, in 2011. The most obvious mistakes and missteps I made at that time, and still work on today, are setting and holding boundaries, and delegating what I can. I learned and continue to prove this to myself now. I know that the power of a team, with all teammates rowing in the same direction, with the same goal, is unstoppable. I read a version of this quote in the book “Getting There” and always remind myself of it. I will always seek to build and be on a strong team. I learned the hard way that being alone, in a silo, and assuming you can handle it all only limits you. I also learned that without boundaries, you cannot show up for your team, your company, and give what you need to give when you are not able to recharge.
Can you describe a particular challenge, obstacle, or failure you faced while building your business, and how you overcame it?
The biggest challenge I have faced as an entrepreneur has been sustaining a service based company (N2), that basically requires physical touch to provide the highest standard of care, throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. The circumstances and requirements were constantly changing, never controlled or predictable, and nearly everyone was in a state of fear and uncertainty. Our teams were fractured and we knew very little about the situation at hand. Leading through something like this was a situation I was wholly unprepared for, and support was in many ways lost because everyone in my industry was going through it. I put a strategy together to stay focused and structured. I focused on boundaries and holding them, while changing our company structure nearly daily. I analyzed every aspect of how my company was operating, and how it now needed to change if our world got through this, to succeed in the future. I anticipated that we were going to see a great deal of turnover, and this was accurate and eventually “the Great Resignation” was on the cover of many of the most popular business magazines. I honestly didn’t always have a positive outlook, but I averaged a positive outlook. I did this by leaning on people I trusted, such as my parents, and closest friends. In essence, in this time of chaos and uncertainty, I made sure my eyes were open and I was preparing for the worst while trying to hope for the best, so we could weather the storm.
Looking back on your entrepreneurial journey, what advice would you give to others who are just starting out in the business world, and why?
Using the Harvard Business Review’s definition of entrepreneurship, “the pursuit of opportunity beyond resources controlled,” I would first tell aspiring entrepreneurs that there is risk involved. I see sources on social media claiming otherwise, and it’s important to face this, embrace it, and always know it. It’s easy to get caught up in the fun part of having a passion, doing the work, leaning into the urgency, but it’s also important to be aware of current challenges, potential challenges and the risks involved. Know the aspects of what you are doing that are out of your control, and how to prepare for that and adapt.
How do you approach skills gaps and things that aren't your strengths?
I had so many skill gaps when I started N2 Physical Therapy, I could write an answer to these for several pages. My first move was to own that as a Doctor of Physical Therapy, my business training was lacking in general. I returned to school and earned my MBA to address this, with focus on leadership development. N2 was successful without social media and marketing, so when I developed the Sisu Practice, it was a harsh reality check that I needed this to succeed and build my vision. I delegated this out, so I could focus on what I’m best at and love to do, and am so grateful for Faceted Media partnering with me to manage this. I think it’s normal and acceptable to not have all the skills to build a successful business, and the key is to find someone internally or externally who can partner with you on this.
What is one habit of yours that makes you more productive as an entrepreneur?
I have worked hard to take the advice from the book “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People” and live in the “important, non-urgent” state of things. This takes boundaries and foresight. I was often getting pulled into the not important, not urgent, and this tends to evaporate the time you have to be ahead of the problem, and making change. Within this habit I am organized, have a routine, and stay highly connected to my teams, so that I am available to learn where change is needed and help implement it.
What misconceptions did you have about entrepreneurship before becoming an entrepreneur?
It is easy to get so intoxicated by an idea, and move fast with this because of the fundamental definition within entrepreneurship (resources beyond control). I thought this was always a good, productive approach and the truth is you can move too fast and miss important elements of your foundation that need to be solidified. You develop blind spots, avoid the risks involved or simply don’t see them, and start living in the urgent-not important situations as you build. Being an entrepreneur is a great deal like being a physical therapist. The best results are to see the entire picture. The risks, the potential, the resources, what you have control over and what you don’t, who can you delegate to and who needs more guidance as you build. Similar to knowing that as a physical therapist, you cannot treat the low back without addressing the entire body and the mind.
What is the book that you recommend our community should read and why?
Hint from the Be Helpful Podcast: Check out our library of recommended entrepreneurship books.
I would recommend The Gifts of Imperfection to the community by Brene Brown. The objectives in entrepreneurship feel straightforward to me, and as long as you are looking for the big picture, you will find it. Where entrepreneurship gets very difficult is in how others tend to treat you, most often from a place of good intent.
This book will help you with the battles you are going to face with yourself, and differentiate between what is guilt and what is shame. It is important to me personally that I know this and try to empower and uplift the team around me, and it’s also useful to know why negativity comes at you and how to work through that.
I have read this book twice, and listened to her entire podcast series over it while running.