Running an allied health clinic is a business — but most of the real lessons are never shared publicly.
Behind every clinic are decisions about hiring, pricing, growth, and risk.
This series captures honest, unscripted conversations with practitioners actually running clinics — from first-time owners to multi-site operators.
No scripts. No polished talking points. Just what it’s really like.
This series is hosted and supported by CliniScribe AI.
The Business of Allied Health - Episode 29: James Grafton
In Episode 29 of The Business of Allied Health, host Barry is joined by James Grafton, Founder of Champion Health. James shares his rapid ascent from renting a single room in a chiropractic clinic to building a massive 80+ clinician enterprise that now operates fully under management, generating over $10M in revenue.
James drops some hard-hitting, unconventional truths about scaling a healthcare business. They discuss why true leadership requires an uncomfortable balance with strict management, the controversial benefits of running a bulk-billing model as a real-world training ground for new grads, and why the most successful practice owners are rarely the loudest voices on social media. Now a scaling coach, James reveals the specific growth phases every clinic hits—and exactly what breaks at each stage.
Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction: Meeting James Grafton and his rapid scale from renting a single room to 80+ clinicians.
01:31 Why James transitioned away from clinical treating to focus entirely on business building and scale.
02:53 The predictable growth phases of a clinic: From lead generation to recruitment to the ultimate bottleneck—leadership.
03:59 Leadership vs. Management: Why inspiration is useless if you can't hold your team accountable.
05:22 The controversial benefits of bulk-billing: Using accessibility models as an "apprenticeship" for new graduates to learn without high-ticket pressure.
07:20 The most important metrics for an allied health business (and why clinician utilization is king).
08:23 An uncomfortable truth about the allied health industry: The most successful clinic owners aren't the loudest voices on social media.
09:15 James's current role as a scaling coach and how he helps practice owners step away from the daily operations.
10:08 How to connect with James Grafton and learn more about his coaching for 7- and 8-figure clinics.
27 Sept 2026
The Business of Allied Health - Episode 28: Alex Forde
Alex shares the raw realities of building a Practice Management Software (PMS) from the ground up, including bootstrapping Pogozo, building a team of 20 engineers, and navigating a process that took 10x the budget and twice as long as expected. She breaks down why clinic owners need to stop settling for clunky "workarounds," why treating software like an employee changes how you manage tech, Pogozo's philosophy on all-in-one platforms vs. specialized AI integrations, and what she would do differently if she were building a 10-clinician practice today.
Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction: Alex Forde's path from Physio to Pharmacist to Tech Entrepreneur
01:00 Why a chronic back pain patient inspired Alex to study Pharmacy
02:18 Opening a hybrid clinic & gym practice and hitting software limitations
03:24 Bootstrapping Pogozo and bringing family on board as investors
04:14 Scoping Pogozo: Interviewing 200+ clinic owners to define the product
05:32 The reality of tech startups: 20 engineers, 10x costs, and timeline delays
07:50 The startup grind: Working 16-hour days to build a modern platform
09:27 Eliminating "workarounds" and why you should treat software like an employee
12:08 The 3 main reasons switching Practice Management Software is so hard
14:58 All-in-One vs. Best-of-Breed: Pogozo's philosophy on integrations and specialized AI
18:00 What Alex would do differently if she built a 10-clinician practice today
19:22 Official Announcement: CliniScribe & Pogozo integration partnership
19 Sept 2026
The Business of Allied Health - Episode 27: Craig Hankridge
In Episode 27 of The Business of Allied Health, host Barry Nguyen is joined by Craig Hankridge, Founder and Director of ProFeet Podiatry in Melbourne. Craig shares his journey from initially studying occupational therapy to finding his true passion in podiatry, eventually scaling his practice to a multi-site operation with a team of 40 across the span of 11 years
They discuss the unique challenges of allied health, focusing heavily on recruitment, preventing the dreaded "five-year burnout" among practitioners, and how to balance professional growth with personal goals. Craig also shares an insightful "Southeast Asia truck" analogy to explain why high patient visit averages (PVA) are actually crucial for patient health literacy, and drops an unpopular truth about why clinic owners need to stop coddling their team and embrace honest, accountable feedback.
Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction: Meeting Craig Hankridge and his path into podiatry.
01:48 Early career experiences, working in London, and deciding to start a private practice.
02:58 Connecting with co-founder Shane Davis and launching ProFeet Podiatry in Melbourne.
04:45 Scaling the clinic to a team of 40: The philosophy of organic, bottom-up growth.
06:54 Why allied health practitioners burn out at year five and how Pro Fit combats it.
10:18 The trap of a "catch-all" marketing funnel and the importance of finding your ideal client.
13:30 Key metrics for clinic growth: Why rebooking cadence and frequency matter for patient success.
15:22 The "Overloaded Truck" analogy: Why cramming all your advice into a new grad’s first assessment fails.
17:15 Craig's unpopular clinic lesson: The danger of "coddling" your team instead of holding them accountable.
20:14 How to connect with Craig and ProFeet Podiatry.
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