Thriving Practice with Tracy Cherpeski

Overview: In this episode of Thriving Practice, Tracy Cherpeski tackles one of the biggest challenges healthcare practice owners face: protecting strategic thinking time in an environment where everything feels urgent. Through the compelling story of Dr. David—an ER physician who opened a regenerative medicine practice—you'll discover why your blocked strategic planning time keeps getting hijacked, and learn the exact framework for distinguishing between genuine urgency and habitual urgency. This is part two of the time leadership series, and it's essential listening for any practice owner who's ever wondered why their "do not disturb" time never actually happens. 

Click here for full show notes 

Download the Time Leadership Workbook 

Episode Highlights: 

• Why healthcare practice owners are uniquely vulnerable to losing strategic thinking time 

• The difference between urgency in clinical care versus practice operations 

• Dr. David's breakthrough: discovering 15 hours per week of delegable tasks through time tracking 

• The three questions that help you triage your time like an ER triages patients 

• The ABCD prioritization framework for categorizing tasks and interruptions 

• How to create decision-making frameworks that eliminate recurring interruptions 

• Why tracking your time for just three days can reveal patterns you can't unsee 

Memorable Quotes: 

"Your strategic thinking time doesn't disappear because healthcare is unpredictable. It disappears because you haven't distinguished between what's genuinely urgent and what just feels urgent." 

"In clinical settings, urgency often correlates with importance. But here's the trap: you've imported that same urgency response pattern into every aspect of your practice. And in the business side of healthcare, urgency rarely equals importance." 

"You cannot fix what you cannot see." 

"The question isn't 'is this urgent?' The question is 'is this urgent and only I can handle it right now?' That's a very different standard." 

Ready to reclaim your strategic thinking time? This episode gives you the audit framework and prioritization system to start making immediate changes. Download the Time Leadership Delegation workbook and complete your three-day time audit—then join us for part three, where Tracy shows you how to turn that data into freed-up time. 

Is your practice growth-ready? See Where Your Practice Stands: Take our Practice Growth Readiness Assessment 

Tracy’s Bio: 

Tracy Cherpeski, MBA, MA, CPSC (she/her/hers) is the Founder of Tracy Cherpeski International and Thriving Practice Community. As a Business Consultant and Executive Coach, Tracy helps healthcare practice owners scale their businesses without sacrificing wellbeing. Through strategic planning, leadership development, and mindset mastery, she empowers clients to reclaim their time and reach their potential. Based in Chapel Hill, NC, Tracy serves clients worldwide and is the Executive Producer and Host of the Thriving Practice podcast. Her guiding philosophy: Survival is not enough; life is meant to be celebrated. 

 Connect With Us: 

Be a Guest on the Show 

Thriving Practice Community 

Schedule Strategy Session with Tracy 

Tracy’s LinkedIn 

Business LinkedIn Page 

In this candid snack episode, Miranda and Tracy explore the critical importance of building intentional professional community as a practice owner. Drawing from Tracy's recently updated blog post "Choosing Your Village" (originally written in 2011), they discuss why independent healthcare providers need more than clinical expertise—they need a village of people who understand the unique challenges of practice ownership. 

Click here for full show notes 

Episode Highlights 

• Why community matters more now: The impact of digital connection versus genuine human connection, and how COVID increased isolation for independent practice owners 

• Village vs. support network: Understanding the difference between personal support and professional community 

• Energy audit for relationships: How to identify which connections drain you and which ones light you up—and what to do about it 

• Recovery from burnout: Practical steps for practice owners running on empty, including the WHO's 12 stages of burnout 

• Incremental progress over perfection: Why starting small (like drinking enough water) creates sustainable change 

Memorable Quotes 

"I think we are more digitally connected and yet feeling more disconnected. For all humans, we're really feeling that, and COVID really increased our sense of isolation." 

"I need professional friends. I need professional colleagues in my world, other business owners... other crazy people who can show you that what you're going through is common, maybe even normal." 

"If I'm feeling this way with lots of people, it might be time for me to take a nap and have a snack." 

"Mindful means slowing down. Sometimes literally putting my hand on my heart and just checking in." 

"It's better, it's more sustainable to start with something that you know you can do. I know I can carry my water bottle around and sip on it all day." 

Closing 

This episode serves as a gentle reminder that practice ownership doesn't have to be a solitary journey. Whether you're evaluating your current professional relationships or looking to build new connections, the Thriving Practice community is here to support you. Visit thrivingpracticecommunity.com to learn more about working with Tracy and joining a village that truly gets it. 

Is your practice growth-ready? See Where Your Practice Stands: Take our Practice Growth Readiness Assessment 

Miranda’s Bio: 

Miranda Dorta, B.F.A. (she/her/hers) is the Manager of Operations and PR at Tracy Cherpeski International. A graduate of Savannah College of Art and Design with expertise in writing and creative storytelling, Miranda brings her skills in operations, public relations, and communication strategies to the Thriving Practice community. Based in the City of Oaks, she joined the team in 2021 and has been instrumental in streamlining operations while managing the company's public presence since 2022. 

Tracy’s Bio: 

Tracy Cherpeski, MBA, MA, CPSC (she/her/hers) is the Founder of Tracy Cherpeski International and Thriving Practice Community. As a Business Consultant and Executive Coach, Tracy helps healthcare practice owners scale their businesses without sacrificing wellbeing. Through strategic planning, leadership development, and mindset mastery, she empowers clients to reclaim their time and reach their potential. Based in Chapel Hill, NC, Tracy serves clients worldwide and is the Executive Producer and Host of the Thriving Practice podcast. Her guiding philosophy: Survival is not enough; life is meant to be celebrated. 

 Connect With Us: 

Be a Guest on the Show 

Thriving Practice Community 

Schedule Strategy Session with Tracy 

Tracy’s LinkedIn 

Business LinkedIn Page 

In this first episode of our three-part Time Leadership series, Tracy Cherpeski tackles why traditional productivity systems fail healthcare practice owners. If you've tried every time management technique only to feel more overwhelmed, this episode reveals the real problem: you've been applying employee productivity frameworks to a practice owner's reality. Tracy introduces the concept of time leadership—a strategic approach designed specifically for healthcare professionals balancing clinical excellence with business sustainability. 

Click here for full show notes 

Click here to download the Time Leadership Delegation Workbook 

See Where Your Practice Stands: Take our Practice Growth Readiness Assessment 

Episode Highlights 

• The Time Management Trap: Why productivity systems designed for corporate employees don't work for practice owners juggling patient care and business leadership

• Dr. Sarah's Story: How a successful family medicine physician discovered she was efficiently managing the wrong work—and what changed when she shifted her focus 

• Time Management vs. Time Leadership: The critical distinction between doing things efficiently and doing the right things strategically 

• The Orchestra Metaphor: Why you need to conduct your practice rather than play every instrument yourself 

• Delegation Beyond Admin: Understanding what truly requires your clinical expertise versus what you're doing out of habit 

Memorable Quotes 

"You don't have a time management problem. You have a time leadership opportunity." 

"Time management is about efficiency—doing things right. Time leadership is about effectiveness—doing the right things." 

"Sarah wasn't managing her time poorly. She was managing the wrong work." 

"Real acceptance is powerful—making peace with what you genuinely cannot change while focusing your energy on what you can. Resignation is giving up." 

"The question isn't 'how do I manage all these tasks more efficiently?' The question is 'what am I conducting versus what am I trying to play myself?'" 

This episode sets the foundation for a complete mindset shift around how healthcare practice owners approach their time. Tracy challenges listeners to stop blaming themselves for failed productivity systems and instead recognize that they need a framework built for their unique reality. Download the Time Leadership Delegation workbook and complete the foundation work before episode two, where we'll explore the Open Time Audit and identify exactly where your strategic thinking time is being hijacked. 

See Where Your Practice Stands: Take our Practice Growth Readiness Assessment 

Tracy’s Bio: 

Tracy Cherpeski, MBA, MA, CPSC (she/her/hers) is the Founder of Tracy Cherpeski International and Thriving Practice Community. As a Business Consultant and Executive Coach, Tracy helps healthcare practice owners scale their businesses without sacrificing wellbeing. Through strategic planning, leadership development, and mindset mastery, she empowers clients to reclaim their time and reach their potential. Based in Chapel Hill, NC, Tracy serves clients worldwide and is the Executive Producer and Host of the Thriving Practice podcast. Her guiding philosophy: Survival is not enough; life is meant to be celebrated. 

 Connect With Us: 

Be a Guest on the Show 

Thriving Practice Community 

Schedule Strategy Session with Tracy 

Tracy’s LinkedIn 

Business LinkedIn Page 

In this episode, Brad Pitzele shares his journey from chronic illness survivor to EWOT advocate and business owner. Facing autoimmune issues and Lyme disease that left him struggling with brain fog, pain, and 50+ symptoms, Brad discovered Exercise with Oxygen Therapy when traditional treatments failed. After building his own system and experiencing dramatic improvements, he founded 1000 Roads to make EWOT more accessible. The conversation explores the science behind EWOT, its applications for chronic illness and athletic recovery, and the business case for healthcare providers looking to integrate this therapy into their practices. 

Click here for full show notes 

Key Highlights: 

• EWOT uses concentrated oxygen during exercise to improve cellular oxygenation and reduce inflammation 

• Research dating to the 1960s shows benefits for everything from cancer to autoimmune conditions 

• Systems start at under $2,500 with quick ROI potential through session-based pricing 

• Minimal staff oversight required - front office staff can manage patient setup 

• Effective for chronic illness, athletic recovery, and general wellness applications 

• Pairs well with other therapies like red light therapy for enhanced benefits 

Memorable Quotes: "The hardest part about selling EWOT is that it does so many great things, it's almost like not believable." 

"When you do EWOT, you're not just using the red blood cells, you're actually saturating the blood plasma, which is about a thousand times thinner than a red blood cell and can get through those blockages." 

"70% of the detoxification that you do in your body is actually through your lungs." 

Brad's combination of personal experience and engineering background provides unique insights into both the therapeutic potential and practical implementation of EWOT, making this episode valuable for any healthcare provider exploring innovative treatment modalities. 

Brad’s Bio: 

Brad Pitzele is the founder of One Thousand Roads and a chronic illness survivor who discovered Exercise with Oxygen Therapy (EWOT) when facing severe autoimmune diseases, chronic fatigue, and cancer. After being unable to afford existing EWOT systems ranging from $5,000-$25,000, Brad used his engineering background to build his own system, experiencing dramatic health improvements that inspired him to launch One Thousand Roads in 2016. The company focuses on providing affordable, high-quality wellness products for people with chronic illnesses, with a mission to help one thousand people recover their health and quality of life. Eight years later, One Thousand Roads has helped thousands of customers on their wellness journeys while making EWOT more accessible through systems starting under $2,500. 

Find Brad: 

Website 

Facebook 

Instagram 

See Where Your Practice Stands: Take our Practice Growth Readiness Assessment 

Connect With Us: 

Be a Guest on the Show 

Thriving Practice Community 

Schedule Strategy Session with Tracy 

Tracy’s LinkedIn 

Business LinkedIn Page 

Healthcare providers excel at caring for others but often struggle with self-care. In this honest conversation, Tracy Cherpeski shares why the 'always on' mindset is actually counterproductive and reveals practical strategies for breaking free from energy-draining habits. 

Key Highlights: 

• Why the word "should" creates unnecessary guilt and obligation 

• How your well-being directly impacts your team's performance 

• The danger of checking your phone first thing in the morning 

• Why email shouldn't be the first task of your day 

• The 60-day rule for creating lasting habits 

• Building flexibility into habit formation to avoid perfectionism pitfalls 

Click here for full show notes 

Memorable Quotes: "Do not should on yourself or others—that word is so laden with judgment." 

"If you're not right, ain't nothing right in your business." 

"When I'm stressed, I get spacey, and when I'm spacey, that means you have to work harder." 

"We need to give ourselves permission to turn it off and to step away. That's really, really, really hard." 

This episode offers actionable insights for healthcare providers ready to prioritize their well-being without compromising patient care. Sometimes the best thing you can do for your practice is take better care of yourself. 

Is your practice growth-ready? See Where Your Practice Stands: Take our Practice Growth Readiness Assessment 

Miranda’s Bio: 

Miranda Dorta, B.F.A. (she/her/hers) is the Manager of Operations and PR at Tracy Cherpeski International. A graduate of Savannah College of Art and Design with expertise in writing and creative storytelling, Miranda brings her skills in operations, public relations, and communication strategies to the Thriving Practice community. Based in the City of Oaks, she joined the team in 2021 and has been instrumental in streamlining operations while managing the company's public presence since 2022. 

 Tracy’s Bio: 

Tracy Cherpeski, MBA, MA, CPSC (she/her/hers) is the Founder of Tracy Cherpeski International and Thriving Practice Community. As a Business Consultant and Executive Coach, Tracy helps healthcare practice owners scale their businesses without sacrificing wellbeing. Through strategic planning, leadership development, and mindset mastery, she empowers clients to reclaim their time and reach their potential. Based in Chapel Hill, NC, Tracy serves clients worldwide and is the Executive Producer and Host of the Thriving Practice podcast. Her guiding philosophy: Survival is not enough; life is meant to be celebrated. 

 Connect With Us: 

Be a Guest on the Show 

Thriving Practice Community 

Schedule Strategy Session with Tracy 

Tracy’s LinkedIn 

Business LinkedIn Page 

David Herman from Web Marketing for Dentists joins us to discuss how dental practices can leverage modern marketing strategies while maintaining the human touch that builds lasting patient relationships. With over 20 years in the industry, David shares insights on why traditional marketing principles still work, how AI is enhancing rather than replacing human connections, and why understanding your specific practice goals is crucial for marketing success. 

Click here for full show notes 

Key Highlights: 

• Why Google and SEO aren't actually dead despite industry claims 

• How AI phone systems can double appointment bookings while reducing front desk burden 

• The importance of weekend hours and quick response times for new patient acquisition 

• Why targeting specific procedures and patient types beats generic "get more patients" approaches 

• The psychology behind dental patient behavior and decision-making 

• How to measure marketing ROI and ask better questions of your marketing team

Memorable Quotes: "We thought at the beginning it was money, but it's not. They also like money, but it's definitely secondary to helping people in the way that they feel they can help people the best." 

"Google Ads is mind reading for marketers. There is nothing like it... It's the only mind reading marketing service there is." 

"Everything that is monotonous and boring in somebody's job, that's the first place that AI should be employed. Because AI doesn't find it monotonous or boring." 

David's approach stands out because he focuses on understanding what kind of dental work each practitioner truly enjoys, then tailors marketing efforts to attract those specific cases. Rather than promising overnight results, he emphasizes sustainable growth and measurable outcomes, making him a valuable resource for practices ready to invest thoughtfully in their marketing efforts. 

See Where Your Practice Stands: Take our Practice Growth Readiness Assessment 

David’s Bio: 

David is the Chief Marketing Officer for Web Marketing For Dentists. He holds a Masters in Language & Psycholinguistics from Cambridge University and spent 10 years creating ads for major companies like Procter & Gamble and General Motors before discovering his passion for dental marketing in 2004. Since then, he's worked with over 2,000 dentists across the USA, Canada, and UK, generating more than $30 million in annual production for his clients. His campaigns typically help individual dentists add $10K-100K to their monthly revenue. David leads a team of 30+ dental marketing experts based primarily in Miami, with additional team members across six continents. 

Find David: 

Website 

Facebook 

Twitter 

See Where Your Practice Stands: Take our Practice Growth Readiness Assessment 

Connect With Us: 

Be a Guest on the Show 

Thriving Practice Community 

Schedule Strategy Session with Tracy 

Tracy’s LinkedIn 

Business LinkedIn Page 

Episode Overview: In this powerful solo episode honoring Women in Medicine Month, Tracy Cherpeski exposes a critical flaw in physician burnout research that's been hiding in plain sight. While women now represent the majority of medical students, they face burnout rates nearly 50% higher than men and remain dramatically underrepresented in practice ownership - the very model that offers the autonomy and control that could address their burnout crisis. 

Click here for full show notes 

Key Highlights: 

• Major burnout studies systematically exclude private practice owners who report the highest job satisfaction 

• Women physicians experience 47% burnout rates compared to 39% for men, yet only 34% own their practices 

• Private practice ownership has declined from 60% to 42% since 2012, eroding the practice model with highest physician satisfaction 

• Self-employed physicians earn 11% more and cite autonomy as their top priority 

• The research bias creates policies that favor large health systems while undermining diverse practice models 

Memorable Quotes: "It's like studying American happiness but only surveying corporate employees while completely ignoring entrepreneurs and small business owners. Then wondering why everyone seems miserable." 

"You're not just building a practice - you're modeling a different way to practice medicine. And that matters more than you might know." 

"The solution to physician burnout isn't bigger health systems or more employment. It's empowering physicians to create practices that work for their lives, their values, and their wellbeing." 

This episode challenges listeners to see practice ownership not just as a business model, but as a powerful wellbeing strategy that's been overlooked by mainstream medical research. 

Tracy’s Bio: 

Tracy Cherpeski, MBA, MA, CPSC (she/her/hers) is the Founder of Tracy Cherpeski International and Thriving Practice Community. As a Business Consultant and Executive Coach, Tracy helps healthcare practice owners scale their businesses without sacrificing wellbeing. Through strategic planning, leadership development, and mindset mastery, she empowers clients to reclaim their time and reach their potential. Based in Chapel Hill, NC, Tracy serves clients worldwide and is the Executive Producer and Host of the Thriving Practice podcast. Her guiding philosophy: Survival is not enough; life is meant to be celebrated. 

See Where Your Practice Stands: Take our Practice Growth Readiness Assessment 

Connect With Us: 

Be a Guest on the Show 

Thriving Practice Community 

Schedule Strategy Session with Tracy 

Tracy’s LinkedIn 

Business LinkedIn Page 

In this candid snack episode, Tracy Cherpeski shares insights on developing an entrepreneurial mindset while maintaining clinical excellence. She introduces the concept of "hat switching" between clinical and business roles, explores the gardener's approach to practice growth, and provides practical strategies for expanding revenue without extending work hours. 

Key Highlights 

• The importance of switching between "clinician" and "CEO/entrepreneur" hats 

• How entrepreneurial flexibility complements medical training rigidity 

• The gardener's approach: planting seeds and practicing detachment from outcomes 

• Practical revenue stream ideas including mid-level providers, supplement lines, and health coaching partnerships 

• Why clarity of vision serves as the foundation for sustainable practice growth 

Click here for full show notes  

Memorable Quotes 

"If you're in your clinical mindset and you try to think like an entrepreneur, it crosses some of the lines of duty of care and things like that." 

"Sometimes you got to dig through a lot of shit to be able to get to the good stuff." 

"Be super, super clear about what it is that you want to achieve... but then we let go of it and we just know that we're likely to get there or maybe better." 

Closing 

This episode perfectly captures the dynamic between clinical excellence and business savvy that defines thriving practices. Tracy's practical wisdom offers healthcare providers a roadmap for sustainable growth without compromising their core mission of healing. 

See Where Your Practice Stands: Take our Practice Growth Readiness Assessment 

 Miranda’s Bio: 

Miranda Dorta, B.F.A. (she/her/hers) is the Manager of Operations and PR at Tracy Cherpeski International. A graduate of Savannah College of Art and Design with expertise in writing and creative storytelling, Miranda brings her skills in operations, public relations, and communication strategies to the Thriving Practice community. Based in the City of Oaks, she joined the team in 2021 and has been instrumental in streamlining operations while managing the company's public presence since 2022. 

 Tracy’s Bio: 

Tracy Cherpeski, MBA, MA, CPSC (she/her/hers) is the Founder of Tracy Cherpeski International and Thriving Practice Community. As a Business Consultant and Executive Coach, Tracy helps healthcare practice owners scale their businesses without sacrificing wellbeing. Through strategic planning, leadership development, and mindset mastery, she empowers clients to reclaim their time and reach their potential. Based in Chapel Hill, NC, Tracy serves clients worldwide and is the Executive Producer and Host of the Thriving Practice podcast. Her guiding philosophy: Survival is not enough; life is meant to be celebrated. 

 Connect With Us: 

Be a Guest on the Show 

Thriving Practice Community 

Schedule Strategy Session with Tracy 

Tracy’s LinkedIn 

Business LinkedIn Page 

In this final episode of the mindful leadership series, Tracy Cherpeski explores how internal work creates expanding ripples of success. Following up with Dr. Sarah and Dr. Marcus years after their initial work, we see how their practices have become magnetic centers that naturally attract resources, talent, and opportunities. This episode reveals the five ripple zones that create sustainable competitive advantage and shows how mindful leadership becomes a powerful business strategy. 

Key Highlights 

• How Dr. Sarah now takes three-week unplugged vacations while her team runs seamlessly 

• Marcus's referral systems that are "crushing it" while he focuses on strategic growth 

• The five ripple zones that create magnetic pull in healthcare practices 

• Why pushing for success creates resistance while magnetic leadership creates flow 

• How internal work compounds into external competitive advantages over time 

Memorable Quotes 

"The most profitable practices aren't just well-run businesses – they're energy centers that attract everything they need to thrive." 

"When you're pushing, you're working against resistance. When you're magnetic, resources flow toward you effortlessly." 

"Your mindful leadership isn't just personal development; it's business strategy." 

"The question isn't whether you're capable of this level of success – the question is whether you're ready to begin." 

This episode demonstrates that sustainable practice success flows from the inside out, showing how two different practitioners used the same framework to create practices that continue thriving and expanding their influence years later. 

Tracy’s Bio: 

Tracy Cherpeski, MBA, MA, CPSC (she/her/hers) is the Founder of Tracy Cherpeski International and Thriving Practice Community. As a Business Consultant and Executive Coach, Tracy helps healthcare practice owners scale their businesses without sacrificing wellbeing. Through strategic planning, leadership development, and mindset mastery, she empowers clients to reclaim their time and reach their potential. Based in Chapel Hill, NC, Tracy serves clients worldwide and is the Executive Producer and Host of the Thriving Practice podcast. Her guiding philosophy: Survival is not enough; life is meant to be celebrated. 

See Where Your Practice Stands: Take our Practice Growth Readiness Assessment 

Connect With Us: 

Be a Guest on the Show 

Thriving Practice Community 

Schedule Strategy Session with Tracy 

Tracy’s LinkedIn 

Business LinkedIn Page