Thriving Practice with Tracy Cherpeski

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. 

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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. 

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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: 

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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. 

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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: 

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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: 

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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 

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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: 

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This episode introduces the concept of Success Architecture—the intentional framework that allows healthcare practices to grow predictably and profitably without requiring constant reactive management. Through the compelling case study of Dr. Marcus, Tracy demonstrates how the right foundation can transform a practice from survival mode to sustainable growth, achieving remarkable results in just 90 days. 

Key Highlights 

• Dr. Marcus increased revenue by 30% while dramatically improving profit margins in 90 days 

• Reclaimed 20 hours per week through strategic energy management 

• Achieved 10X ROI within 18 months while adding two new providers 

• The Four Pillars: Mental Clarity, Energy Management, Systems Thinking, and Abundance Mindset 

• 90-day implementation strategy: Foundation Phase, Construction Phase, Integration Phase 

• Why most practices fail: building on "sand" instead of solid architecture 

• The difference between managing your practice and leading your practice 

Memorable Quotes 

"The difference isn't talent, market conditions, or luck—it's Success Architecture." 

"Success Architecture is the difference between reacting to your practice and creating your practice." 

"Clarity equals speed." 

"Energy management isn't about time management—it's about impact management." 

"The practices that will flourish in the next decade will be led by architects, not firefighters." 

This episode provides the roadmap for building the solid foundation every successful practice needs. Whether you're feeling stuck in reactive mode or ready to scale strategically, Success Architecture offers the framework to move from chaos to predictable growth. Don't miss next week's finale where we explore how internal transformation creates powerful external impact. 

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 

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Healthcare practice owners often unknowingly create internal barriers that directly impact their bottom line – not from lack of clinical skills or business knowledge, but from deeply embedded beliefs that show up as seemingly logical decisions. Through Dr. Sarah's compelling transformation story, this episode reveals how one practice owner went from working 60+ hour weeks while personally taking patient payments to achieving a 40% revenue increase and reclaiming 20 hours per week, all by dismantling a single invisible barrier. 

Key Highlights: 

• How fear-based overhead decisions actually limit revenue capacity 

• The true cost of operating from a scarcity mindset disguised as quality control 

• Why equating personal worth with work hours creates success-limiting bottlenecks 

• A real case study showing 26x ROI from barrier removal 

• Three practical assessment questions to identify your own hidden barriers 

Memorable Quotes: "Your barriers aren't protecting you; they're imprisoning you. And every day you don't address them, you're leaving money on the table and freedom off your calendar." 

"Sarah thought she couldn't afford a $40,000 administrative salary, but her barrier was costing her $400,000 in lost revenue." 

"They're like having a Ferrari with the emergency brake on. You've got the engine, the capability, the vision – but you're burning fuel while barely moving forward." 

This episode launches a three-part series on building what Tracy calls "Success Architecture" – the mindset foundation that allows practices to scale without sacrificing sanity. Perfect for practice owners ready to stop being the emergency brake in their own success story. 

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 

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Beth Lachance has built something remarkable. As the founder and CEO of Global Medical Virtual Assistants, she's scaled her company from around 200 to over 1,350 medical virtual assistants in just three years, all while helping medical practices nationwide solve their biggest challenge: administrative overwhelm. 

In this episode, Beth explains how medical virtual assistants work as an "insourcing" solution rather than outsourcing, providing practices with HIPAA-compliant professionals who have medical backgrounds and bachelor's degrees. She breaks down the cost-effectiveness of the model ($525 per week per full-time VA), how it improves patient care and staff morale, and why it's suitable for practices of any size. 

Beyond the business model, Beth shares raw insights about scaling a company, including her philosophy of planning for 10x growth instead of 2x to avoid constantly rebuilding infrastructure. She discusses the importance of having the right people in the right seats, embracing mistakes as learning opportunities, and not getting paralyzed by over-analysis. 

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS 

• How medical virtual assistants create "sufficient support" rather than just basic help 

• The mindset shift from virtual "assistants" to virtual "professionals" 

• Why insourcing beats outsourcing for medical practices 

• Planning for 10x growth instead of 2x to build scalable infrastructure 

• The cost breakdown: $525/week per full-time medical VA vs. traditional hiring 

• How proper support systems improve patient reviews and staff retention 

• Why Beth moved from 200 to 1,350 team members in three years 

• The importance of cultural fit over high performance in hiring 

• How administrative burden contributes to physician burnout 

MEMORABLE QUOTES 

"We are not brought into a medical practice to take jobs that are already in place. We're really brought in as additional support." 

"Don't look at what you look like when you double. What do you look like when you 10x? So that you're not reimagining this all over again." 

"Don't be afraid to make a mistake. Trial it. If you made a mistake, you just go back to the drawing board and go at it another way." 

"They're virtual professionals. They have a bachelor's degree. They are smart. They take initiative. You're minimizing what their level could potentially be when you think 'virtual assistant.'" 

"This is insourcing. You are bringing additional staffing into your practice, but remotely." 

"If you don't handle even the minutiae, like the little problems, you'll scale them with you." 

CLOSING 

Whether you're running a solo practice or managing a multi-location operation, Beth's insights remind us that growth doesn't have to come at the expense of quality care or team wellbeing. Sometimes the answer isn't working harder - it's working smarter by building the right support systems from the start. 

Bio: 

Beth Lachance is the founder and CEO of Global Medical Virtual Assistants, a company that provides HIPAA-compliant virtual staffing solutions to medical practices nationwide. With over 22 years of leadership experience in the surgical device, pharmaceutical, and specialty pharmacy industries, Beth combines deep healthcare knowledge with entrepreneurial expertise to solve administrative overwhelm in medical practices. 

A former Division I gymnast at the University of Florida with a Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences, Beth has scaled GMVA from a small team to over 1,350 skilled medical virtual assistants. Her mission is to free healthcare professionals from administrative burden so they can focus on exceptional patient care while building sustainable, thriving practices. 

Beth is passionate about empowering women in leadership and driving innovation in healthcare operations. 

Find Beth: 

Website 

LinkedIn Business 

Facebook 

Instagram 

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

Connect With Us: 

Be a Guest on the Show 

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