Advertise on podcast: The Expanded Life Podcast

You did the screening. You got the leads. Then Monday hit and nobody called them back. That was us for three years, until this weekend. 62 new leads from the Bump to Baby Expo got tagged, handed to our call center with context, and put into a 7-email follow-up sequence. Nobody on our team logged in to do it. Our AI employee did. In this episode, Kyle and I pull back the curtain on how we use an AI employee across our chiropractic clinics and our business, and why it's nothing like the ChatGPT tab you already have open. If you're a clinic owner who is still the one doing every follow-up, this one is for you. You'll learn: • Why ChatGPT and Claude are built to agree with you, and what an AI employee does differently • How we onboarded it like a real team member, with an email address, SOPs, and approvals • The weekly content workflow that goes from performance review to scheduled posts • How to follow up with every lead from an event without adding a single thing to your plate • The roles it took off our plate, from ad operations to podcast editing Ready to stop being the bottleneck? See how we install this system in clinics: https://tec-accelerator.netlify.app   Chapters: 00:00 Why we never followed up with our expo leads (until now) 02:13 The difference between an AI employee and the AI tools you already use 03:17 Why AI tools are built to agree with you, and why that is a problem 04:06 What makes an AI employee proactive instead of reactive 05:01 How we onboarded our AI employee like a real team member 05:24 The weekly content workflow, from performance analysis to scheduled posts 07:34 Why you still have to train it like any new hire 08:00 How it researches vendors and emails them on our behalf 08:37 Getting the impact of an executive assistant for about a tenth of the cost 09:11 How 62 expo leads got a 7-email follow-up sequence without a human touching it 10:58 Newsletters, referral partners, and the follow-through you never have time for 11:39 Every role it has taken off our plate 13:08 How it became the integrator for our family (and our grocery list) 14:39 Why there has never been a better time to be in business 15:42 Why you don't need to become a marketer to grow your clinic 16:28 Expanded Live: Palm Springs this January   If this episode helped, follow the show and leave a quick rating on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. It takes 10 seconds and helps more clinic owners find us.   Resources + Links Work With The Expanded Collective & Install Our Systems In YOUR Practice: https://tec-accelerator.netlify.app Join the waitlist for Expanded Live: Palm Springs (January 2027): https://expanded-live-palm-springs.netlify.app   Follow Danielle: @dr.danielleroach The Expanded Collective: @theexpandedcollective

Your patient journey doesn't start when someone books. It starts months before that, and it's where most clinics are quietly losing new patients. In this episode, Kyle and I break down what a funnel actually is for a chiropractic or wellness clinic, the 5 stages of awareness every patient moves through, and how to find the one bottleneck between lead, booked, showed, and converted. Plus, how one client added 15K a month by improving their show rate, without spending a dollar more on ads. Want help installing this system in your practice? See how we work with clinics: https://tec-accelerator.netlify.app   In this episode, you will learn: 00:00 Why your patient journey starts long before day one. 01:06 What a funnel actually is (and why every clinic already has one). 03:08 The 5 stages of awareness every patient moves through. 04:44 How social media reaches people before they ever search "chiropractor near me." 06:03 How to turn referrals into a repeatable system. 06:56 Why posting all day gets views but no leads. 08:37 Each stage of the patient journey: lead, booked, showed, converted, retained. 11:00 How one client added 15K a month by improving their show rate. 13:31 Why social proof is the fastest way to build trust. 15:19 The $20 chalkboard testimonial and the 4 questions to ask your best patients. 16:51 Why your dream patients object to time, not money. 18:03 How to keep nurturing leads who aren't ready yet.   Enjoying the show? Leave us a quick review on Apple Podcasts. It helps more clinic owners find us.   Resources + Links Work With The Expanded Collective & Install Our Systems In YOUR Practice: https://tec-accelerator.netlify.app   Follow Danielle: @dr.danielleroach The Expanded Collective: @theexpandedcollective

Are you hiring too late, too fast, or based on the wrong things? In this episode, we break down the hiring mistakes we’ve made ourselves and the lessons we’ve learned from helping other clinic owners build their teams. We talk about why you need to hire before you feel ready, how to use your numbers to know when it’s time to bring someone on, why culture and values matter just as much as hard skills, and the difference between hiring a new grad and hiring an experienced professional. We also share our hiring process, from screening resumes and asking better interview questions to shadow days, team feedback, and 90-day evaluations. Tune in to learn how to hire people who give you leverage, buy back your time, and help you build the next version of your business and life.   In this episode, you will learn: 00:00 Why hiring can be your most lucrative decision and your most expensive mistake. 04:45 The #1 hiring mistake of waiting until you feel ready. 06:45 How to know when it’s the right time to hire for your clinic. 10:00 Why hiring part-time to save money can limit your growth. 13:00 What happens when you wait too long and rush the hiring process? 17:15 Interview questions that reveal how someone thinks under pressure. 25:00 What are the risks and rewards of hiring new grads vs. experienced professionals? 28:15 Why you shouldn’t hire based on salary or experience alone. 31:15 The step-by-step hiring process we use to find the right people for our team. 33:30 How to structure interviews to avoid bad hires. 37:00 The shadow day mistake that can keep you from seeing how someone really shows up. 38:45 Why your team should help you decide who to hire. 39:45 How to buy back your time and scale your business.   Resources + Links Join The Expanded Collective & Install Our Systems In YOUR Practice: https://www.skool.com/local-authority-builders/about   Follow Danielle: @dr.danielleroach The Expanded Collective: @theexpandedcollective

Are you spending too much time and money trying to get new patients through ads? In this episode, we break down how to diversify your patient acquisition strategy and use relationships, referrals, networking, partnerships, existing patients, and past patients to create more opportunities for growth without spending more on ads. We share how provider relationships are powerful referral sources, how corporate wellness partnerships create recurring revenue, and how reactivating past patients brings back people who already know and trust you. Tune in to learn how to leverage the relationships, resources, and patient base you already have to create more opportunities for growth.   In this episode, you will learn: 00:00 Why ads should only be one piece of your patient acquisition strategy. 02:00 Ways to leverage relationships to generate new patients without ad spend. 03:00 The provider referral strategy that helps you attract more ideal patients. 05:00 Tips for getting referral partners under care and turning their experience into referrals. 10:15 How networking events expand your referral ecosystem. 13:00 The corporate wellness partnership that added $1,500 to our monthly recurring revenue. 15:15 Finding new opportunities within services you already offer. 18:30 Tips for personally reconnecting with past patients who already know your practice. 20:15 The 2 mistakes that can make a reactivation campaign fall flat. 23:45 How to combine digital systems with human connection to create a stronger patient ecosystem.   Resources + Links Join The Expanded Collective & Install Our Systems In YOUR Practice: https://www.skool.com/local-authority-builders/about   Follow Danielle: @dr.danielleroach The Expanded Collective: @theexpandedcollective

What if some of the things keeping you stuck are the things you never stopped to question? In this episode, we’re diving into the power of asking “why” and challenging the beliefs, systems, schedules, and decisions we’ve carried forward simply because they’re familiar. We share how this mindset has changed the way we approach our own business and life, why we stopped recording video podcasts, what that decision taught us about challenging the status quo, and how the same mindset can help you rethink your schedule, team structure, pricing, care plans, delegation, and the way your business fits into your life. Tune in to learn how asking why can create more leverage, freedom, and alignment.   In this episode, you will learn: 00:00 Why we started questioning the things we do on autopilot. 03:45 How to identify the things in your business that are no longer serving you. 07:45 The different areas to examine when your clinic feels stuck. 11:30 How to build a practice that fits your life instead of letting your business take it over. 14:30 Are you building your dream or someone else’s version of success? 18:30 How the right team structure creates the leverage to reach your goals. 21:30 The business decisions that can help you work less and make more. 24:30 How to calculate the value of your time and identify higher-leverage work   Resources + Links Join The Expanded Collective & Install Our Systems In YOUR Practice: https://www.skool.com/local-authority-builders/about   Follow Danielle: @dr.danielleroach The Expanded Collective: @theexpandedcollective

Are you busy, overwhelmed, and still unsure why your clinic is not making more money? In this episode, we break down how to use your data to understand the full patient journey and identify exactly where your clinic is gaining momentum, losing patients, or leaving money on the table. We talk about how the right numbers show whether you have a marketing problem, a follow-up problem, a systems problem, or a profitability problem. Tune in to learn how to compare acquisition costs to patient value and use data to make smarter decisions that help you grow with more clarity and confidence.   In this episode, you will learn: 00:00 What numbers should you actually be tracking in your clinic? 04:00 How to calculate your cost per lead across different marketing channels. 05:45 What your lead-to-booked appointment rate says about your follow-up. 08:00 How to tell if you have a marketing, follow-up, or systems problem. 10:45 How to calculate your true cost to acquire a new patient. 14:30 What your patient visit average tells you about retention. 17:30 How to calculate lifetime value and compare it to acquisition costs. 19:00 What they learned from an ad campaign they thought was failing. 22:45 Why being busy doesn't always mean your clinic is profitable.   Resources + Links Join The Expanded Collective & Install Our Systems In YOUR Practice: https://www.skool.com/local-authority-builders/about   Follow Danielle: @dr.danielleroach The Expanded Collective: @theexpandedcollective

Are you a great practitioner but still struggling to run your practice like a business? In this episode, we’re breaking down the shift from practitioner to CEO and why being good at your craft does not automatically make you good at running a company. We talk about knowing your numbers, understanding the patient journey, identifying the constraint in your business, and creating the space and perspective needed to work on the business instead of constantly working in it. Tune in to learn how to make decisions with more clarity and build a practice that creates more revenue, leverage, and freedom.   In this episode, you will learn: 00:00 Are you running your practice like a practitioner or a CEO? 03:45 Why being a great practitioner does not automatically make you a great CEO. 06:15 How flying blind on your numbers leads to the wrong business decisions. 08:30 Why you cannot work in the business and effectively work on it at the same time. 09:30 What separates a CEO from a provider? 11:00 Why knowing your numbers helps you make better decisions. 14:30 The 3 roles every business needs and how to identify yours. 19:00 How trying to bring every idea to life can hold your business back. 22:30 Tips to find the constraint that is limiting your practice. 25:30 How AI and automation help you buy back your time.   Resources + Links Join The Expanded Collective & Install Our Systems In YOUR Practice: https://www.skool.com/local-authority-builders/about   Follow Danielle: @dr.danielleroach The Expanded Collective: @theexpandedcollective

Are you thinking about opening another location because you believe it’s the next step in growing your practice? In this episode, we’re spilling the tea on what happened when we went from one location to three, and the lessons we learned when things didn’t go the way we expected. We talk about the challenges we underestimated around hiring, leadership, location selection, and managing multiple teams. Tune in to learn why more growth isn’t always better, what to consider before expanding, and how to make more discerning decisions about the business you actually want to build.   In this episode, you will learn: 00:00 The story behind our decision to close a clinic location. 04:15 Why we decided to close our third location. 07:15 What changes when you go from one clinic to multiple? 12:45 What is keeping a struggling location really costing you? 14:00 The hiring lesson we wish we had understood sooner. 16:00 What should you look at before deciding to open another location? 21:30 What are you actually trying to create with your business? 25:30 What to consider before opening another location. 27:30 Lessons we learned about making more discerning growth decisions.   Resources + Links Join The Expanded Collective & Install Our Systems In YOUR Practice: https://www.skool.com/local-authority-builders/about   Follow Danielle: @dr.danielleroach The Expanded Collective: @theexpandedcollective

Are you overlooking the little things that determine how patients actually feel in your practice? In this episode, we break down why the way you make people feel matters more than anything else in their patient journey, from their first interaction with your team to every visit that follows. We share how leading with empathy, anticipating questions, creating a welcoming environment, and adding thoughtful touches help patients feel safe, valued, and cared for. Tune in to learn how to create a patient experience people want to come back to.   In this episode, you will learn: 00:00 Why making people feel comfortable can determine whether they say YES. 05:00 Where can the patient experience start to break down before they see the doctor? 07:45 The “lead with empathy” approach that helps patients feel safe and understood. 11:30 What can your worst customer experiences teach you? 12:45 Create the opposite of the experiences your patients already hate. 15:15 The gestures that can make patients feel genuinely cared for. 17:30 What changes after a patient officially starts care? 18:30 Can a better experience improve retention, referrals, and family growth? 19:45 The rule for creating a patient experience people remember.   Resources + Links Join The Expanded Collective & Install Our Systems In YOUR Practice: https://www.skool.com/local-authority-builders/about   Follow Danielle: @dr.danielleroach The Expanded Collective: @theexpandedcollective

If someone landed on your Instagram today, would they know exactly why they should choose your clinic? In this episode, we break down the 3 posts we believe every clinic owner should pin to the top of their Instagram profile. We talk about how each post plays a different role in building trust, overcoming objections, helping people see themselves in your content, and creating a stronger connection with the person behind your brand. Tune in and learn how to make your Instagram profile do more of the selling for you.   In this episode, you will learn: 00:00 The 3 pinned posts that can turn your Instagram into a patient-generating landing page. 06:00 Who should your first pinned post be speaking directly to? 07:30 Tips to use your first pinned post to niche down and overcome objections. 10:00 Ways to create content patients can easily share with their families. 12:45 What should patients know before their first visit? 15:45 Why you should answer common questions before they become reasons not to book. 17:15 How should your founder story connect with your ideal patient? 23:00 Why the messy middle can make your founder story more relatable. 27:30 What makes an Instagram profile feel personal instead of generic? 28:30 The 3 questions to ask when auditing your Instagram profile.   Resources + Links Join The Expanded Collective & Install Our Systems In YOUR Practice: https://www.skool.com/local-authority-builders/about Apply for the founding round of the CEO Transformation Intensive and build a business that thrives without running entirely on you: https://tec-ceo-intensive.netlify.app/   Follow Danielle: @dr.danielleroach The Expanded Collective: @theexpandedcollective

Are you spending hours creating content but still struggling to attract the right patients? In this episode, we introduce the STORY framework, a marketing system designed to help you create messaging that connects emotionally instead of explaining what you do. We break down why the world's best brands focus on the customer's transformation instead of their product, how to position your patients as the hero of every story, and the five-part framework that makes your marketing more memorable, relatable, and persuasive. Tune in to learn how better storytelling can help you build trust, strengthen your brand, and attract more ideal patients. In this episode, you will learn: 00:00 What Nike teaches you about marketing your clinic. 04:45 Are you talking too much about your clinic instead of your patients? 09:00 What makes Nike one of the best storytelling brands in the world? 12:15 The identity marketing strategy behind Nike's biggest campaigns. 16:00 How to build a memorable brand without a million-dollar budget. 18:45 The STORY framework for creating better marketing. 22:00 How to uncover the emotional tension driving your patient's decisions. 24:00 Paint the transformation your patients want. 27:00 Tips to make it easier for patients to take the next step. 32:30 Use your founder story to build connection without making it all about you.  Resources + Links Join The Expanded Collective & Install Our Systems In YOUR Practice: https://www.skool.com/local-authority-builders/about   Follow Danielle: @dr.danielleroach The Expanded Collective: @theexpandedcollective

Are you confident in the care you provide but uncomfortable when it comes time to sell it? In this episode, we break down the sales skills every clinician needs to confidently guide patients from their first conversation through the decision to start care. We share how to uncover what patients truly want, communicate with more confidence, simplify your Day One and Day Two conversations, and present your recommendations without projecting your own beliefs about money onto them. Plus, we dive into handling objections, discussing finances, using silence strategically, and more. Tune in to strengthen your sales conversations, increase conversions, and help more of the right patients confidently commit to the care they need.   In this episode, you will learn: 00:00 The sales skills that turn an unsure patient into a confident YES. 06:30 Are you letting your own money mindset determine what you recommend? 09:00 The role energy and tonality play in building patient trust. 15:30 What do you do when you don’t feel confident enough to sell your care? 18:00 How to use AI to identify where your patient conversations need improvement. 19:45 Make your Day One conversation about the patient, not your process. 25:15 Ask better questions instead of simply asking more. 28:30 Which questions actually belong in your Day One conversation? 30:45 Shift from tactical technician to strategic health partner. 32:00 How to keep patients engaged before presenting your care plan. 36:15 How to simplify complex information so patients understand why your care matters. 43:15 Why setting expectations early improves long-term patient retention. 49:15 What should you do after you tell a patient the price? 51:30 How to work through hesitation without being pushy. 55:30 The team approach that helps more patients say yes.   Resources + Links Join The Expanded Collective & Install Our Systems In YOUR Practice: https://www.skool.com/local-authority-builders/about   Follow Danielle: @dr.danielleroach The Expanded Collective: @theexpandedcollective

Do you ever feel like your business is growing, but your freedom is disappearing? In this episode, we break down the framework we use to buy back our time, create more capacity, and build a business that aligns with the life we want to live. We share how to calculate your true hourly value, identify your highest-impact work, delegate with confidence, and create systems that free up your time while continuing to grow your business. Tune in to start creating more space for your family, your health, and the life you're working so hard to build.   In this episode, you will learn: 00:00 The #1 habit successful entrepreneurs use to create more freedom.  02:00 Why changing your environment can completely reset your energy and creativity. 05:15 The warning signs that your business has become just another job. 09:15 The hiring mistake that taught us how to buy back time strategically. 12:45 Which tasks are stealing the most time from your week? 15:30 The 3 categories every task in your business should fall into. 18:45 How much is every hour of your time really worth? 22:00 Turn your hourly rate into smarter business decisions. 25:15 Tips to create more capacity without sacrificing profitability. 27:00 Examples of buying back time at home and in your business. 29:45 What would you do if you had 10 extra hours every week?   Resources + Links Join The Expanded Collective & Install Our Systems In YOUR Practice: https://www.skool.com/local-authority-builders/about   Follow Danielle: @dr.danielleroach The Expanded Collective: @theexpandedcollective

Could the words you're using be the biggest factor holding your clinic back? In this episode, we introduce the messaging framework we've developed to help clinic owners create stronger marketing, better patient conversations, and long-term retention. We break down the five elements of messaging that help patients feel understood, trust your recommendations, and confidently move forward with care. Tune in to discover how the right words can transform every stage of the patient journey.    In this episode, you will learn: 00:00 How better messaging improves your marketing, conversions, and patient retention. 06:00 What is the PRIME Method? 09:00 How can you apply the PRIME Method in your patient conversations? 13:45 How to reframe why other treatments haven't worked without criticizing other providers. 16:00 The identity shift that motivates patients to commit to care. 21:00 Tips to explain complex health concepts so patients actually understand them. 26:00 A communication strategy that helps patients understand the value of your care. 28:45 The conversation that helps patients stay committed long after their symptoms improve. 31:15 The messaging system that creates stronger patient relationships from the first touchpoint. Resources + Links Join The Expanded Collective & Install Our Systems In YOUR Practice: https://www.skool.com/local-authority-builders/about   Follow Danielle: @dr.danielleroach The Expanded Collective: @theexpandedcollective

Have you ever felt like you're doing everything you can to market your clinic but still don't know why new patients aren't coming in consistently? In this episode, we're breaking down the marketing ecosystem we built to grow from just 12 patient visits a week to 45–60 new patients every month. We share the 3 marketing funnels every clinic should build, why referrals alone aren't enough to create predictable growth, and how SEO, organic content, paid ads, and AI work together to create a system that keeps bringing in ideal patients day after day. Tune in to learn how to build a marketing engine that attracts and converts ideal patients long before they ever book an appointment.   In this episode, you will learn: 00:00 Why doing "all the marketing things" still wasn't growing our clinic. 03:45 How we built a system that consistently brings in new patients every month. 05:00 Why referrals alone will never create predictable growth. 07:15 What is a marketing funnel? 09:15 What are the 3 funnels every clinic should optimize first? 14:00 Why your website, social media, and ads must work together. 18:45 Where every clinic should start before spending money on marketing. 21:15 The low-cost ad strategy that grows your audience for just a few dollars a day. 25:45 How to know when to keep improving an ad instead of giving up on it. 31:15 How ManyChat automates conversations with potential patients. 34:15 How AI helps simplify content creation and marketing. 39:00 Why ranking on Google became one of our biggest competitive advantages.   Resources + Links Join The Expanded Collective & Install Our Systems In YOUR Practice: https://www.skool.com/local-authority-builders/about   Follow Danielle: @dr.danielleroach The Expanded Collective: @theexpandedcollective