From DPT to CEO: How Dr. Morgan Meese Is Helping Physical Therapists Build Businesses and Take Back Their Freedom
The Purpose Behind the Practice | PT Entrepreneur Spotlight
Featuring Dr. Morgan Meese, PT, DPT — Founder of DPT to CEO, CEO Club & The Well Physio
What happens when a physical therapist realizes that providing exceptional patient care shouldn’t mean
sacrificing personal freedom,professional fulfillment, or the ability to build something of their own?
For Dr. Morgan Meese, PT, DPT, that realization became the beginning of an entirely new journey.
From treating patients in high-volume outpatient clinics to opening her own cash-based practice and helping hundreds of other clinicians become business owners, Morgan’s story is one of purpose, courage, and creating opportunities beyond traditional therapy settings.
As part of the launch of PT Protocol by Purpose Therapy Box, Morgan is being featured in The Purpose Behind the Practice, a series celebrating the therapists, creators, and entrepreneurs making a difference within the therapy community.
In this special interview, Morgan shares the experiences that shaped her career, the challenges of entrepreneurship, and the lessons she hopes will encourage other therapists to pursue their own ideas.
Meet Dr. Morgan Meese, PT, DPT
Dr. Morgan Meese, PT, DPT, is a physical therapist turned business coach and the founder of DPT to CEO and CEO Club. After leaving high-volume outpatient care in search of a better way to treat patients, she opened The Well Physio, her cash-based PT and nutrition coaching practice. She has now helped over 492 clinicians start and grow their own practices and find freedom and flexibility in both their personal and professional lives.
Getting to Know the Therapist Behind the Business
1. Tell me a little about yourself! Where are you from?
I always tell people I’m from the East Coast, because I grew up in a military family and we moved all over the place. I was born in Virginia, spent most of middle school and high school in Connecticut, and went to college in upstate New York. I lived in at least seven places before college! I grew up with a brother and a sister, and fun fact, all three of us ended up going to college in New York. I also have a dog named Goni, who is basically my coworker and we live in Las Vegas, Nevada.
2. How long have you been in physical therapy, and what settings have you worked in?
I’ve been a PT since 2018. I started out in outpatient ortho and worked at a couple of different outpatient clinics, then did home health for a while before opening my own cash-based practice working with CrossFit athletes.
3. What made you choose physical therapy in the first place?
I sprained my ankle playing basketball in high school and ended up in PT, and I just thought it was the coolest thing ever that you could rehab an injury through exercise. Exercise has always been something I’m really passionate about, so it felt like such a natural fit.
From Physical Therapist to Business Owner
Sometimes, the desire to create something different begins with recognizing what is missing in the environment around you. For Morgan, building a business was about more than becoming an entrepreneur. It was about providing care that aligned with her values.
4. What is your business called, and what do you offer?
I actually have a few! The Well Physio is my cash-based PT and nutrition coaching practice. DPT to CEO is my coaching program where I help physical therapists build cash-based practices to $5–10K months, no matter what practice model they’re working with. And CEO Club is for practice owners who are ready to scale to $20–50K months.
5. What made you decide to start your own business while also being a therapy professional?
When I was working at a big box outpatient clinic, we were scheduled 25 to 30 patients a day, and the company wanted us seeing even more than that. I started losing track of my patients’ names. I couldn’t remember their stories or why they were there, and that just wasn’t okay with me.
I really value one-on-one relationships, and I believe people deserve high-quality healthcare. I had kidney disease for six years growing up, so I’ve spent a lot of time in the healthcare system myself, and I always wanted my patients to feel seen and heard. A high-volume, mill-style clinic was never going to let me do that, so I opened my own thing.
6. How did you come up with the idea/name for your business?
I’ve always loved a holistic approach, and I think it’s so important to talk about a patient’s lifestyle as part of their rehab plan. That’s where The Well Physio came from.
DPT to CEO came from wanting to become the CEO of my business and of my life, and to be fully in charge of all of it. Your time is so valuable, and I believe you should have full autonomy over how you spend your life.
Taking the Leap: Fear, Confidence & That First Big Win
Starting something new can be intimidating, even for an experienced healthcare professional. Morgan’s experiences offer an encouraging reminder that confidence is often something built along the way.
7. What was the hardest or scariest part about getting started?
Honestly, selling. I was so scared to try to sell anything to anybody. It felt weird, and I didn’t want to make anyone feel bad. A lot of it was wanting people to like me, not wanting to rock the boat, and always wanting to be the nice one. That’s something I really had to learn to get past, and I’m still working on it!
Putting myself out there was scary too. Even with a doctorate, a license, and other certifications, I still remember feeling like I wasn’t good enough to do this.
8. Was there a moment when you realized, “Okay, this could actually turn into something”?
Yes! When I sold my first package for $333. I sold it in one appointment, and that was close to what I’d make working an 8 to 10 hour day in the clinic. I made it in about one hour, and I just remember thinking, holy cow, I can actually do this.
9. What has been your favorite or most meaningful part of building the business?
Watching other people grow, not just as business owners but as people. Seeing them build their confidence, learn how to make their own money, help patients the way they’ve always wanted to, and make a huge difference in their communities.
It’s so similar to seeing a patient realize they can be independent in their function for the first time. When a PT realizes they can be independent in making their own money for the first time, I absolutely lose it. It’s my favorite thing.
How Being a Physical Therapist Shapes Entrepreneurship
The skills therapists develop in patient care often extend far beyond the treatment room. Morgan shares how clinical reasoning, communication, and genuine relationships have influenced the way she approaches business.
10. How has being a PT influenced the way you run your business?
So much more than I expected! Business coaching is basically a plan of care. You evaluate where someone’s at, figure out what’s actually limiting them, give them the next right exercise, and progress from there. I also teach sales the way we treat patients: listen first, care about the person, and then make a recommendation you actually believe in.
11. What is something people might be surprised to learn about running a business while working in healthcare?
That sales and marketing don’t have to feel icky! Most of us were never taught any of it in school, so it feels foreign. But really it’s just helping the right people find you and having an honest conversation about how you can help. If you believe in your care, you owe it to people to tell them about it.
12. What has been one of the biggest lessons you’ve learned along the way?
The fortune really is in the follow-up. Most people aren’t ready the first time they talk to you, and that’s okay. The therapists who win are usually the ones who keep showing up, check in every month or two, and are top of mind when that person IS ready.
Advice for Therapists Who Dream of Something More
Not every therapist wants to own a business, but for those who have an idea they can’t stop thinking about, Morgan offers advice from her own journey.
13. What advice would you give another therapist who has an idea but is afraid to actually start?
It doesn’t need to be perfect to get started! I started out of a CrossFit gym, and since then I’ve worked out of CrossFit gyms, a garage gym, done mobile, and done telehealth. You just need to be able to help people feel better and get them to the next step toward their goals. There are so many people in your community who need your help and will respect what you have to offer. You just have to learn how to put yourself out there.
Celebrating the Physical Therapy Community
Behind every specialty, setting, and professional title is a shared commitment to helping people live healthier, more independent lives.
14. What does being part of the PT community mean to you?
I’m so proud to be a physical therapist and to be part of a group of people who really value health and being proactive about it. I also love being part of a community of people who never say never. We’re such go-getters. Honestly, being a PT makes me feel like I’m sitting at the cool kids’ table.
15. What is something you wish more people understood or appreciated about physical therapy professionals?
That there are SO many ways we can help people. Sports, pelvic health, neuro, geriatrics, pediatrics, and so much more. There’s so much we can help with. You just have to ask!
What’s Next for DPT to CEO?
Editor’s note: This interview was provided ahead of October 2026. The following answer reflects Morgan’s plans at the time of the interview.
16. What’s next for you and your business? Anything exciting coming up?
We’re hosting our second DPT to CEO retreat this October in Las Vegas, which I’m so excited about. We’re also hoping to launch a student-focused session at the beginning of next year to help PT students who are still in school start learning about business before they graduate.
Connect With Dr. Morgan Meese
17. Where can everyone find and follow you?
Website: https://www.morganmeese.com
Instagram: @dpttoceo
YouTube: http://youtube.com/@morganmeese
Whether you’re interested in starting a cash-based practice, growing an existing business, or simply learning more about the possibilities within the physical therapy profession, Morgan shares resources and insights for therapists exploring entrepreneurship.
The Purpose Behind the Practice
Morgan’s journey is a reminder that a career in therapy can evolve in many directions.
From discovering a passion for rehabilitation as a high school athlete to creating her own practice and supporting other clinicians in building theirs, her story reflects the creativity, determination, and compassion found throughout the therapy community.
At Purpose Therapy Box, the goal is to celebrate the people behind the profession, not just the work they do.
The PT Protocol subscription box was created to recognize physical therapists and physical therapist assistants with therapist-centered products that bring a little encouragement, personality, and appreciation into their everyday lives.
Designed by a therapist, for therapists.
Explore PT Protocol and other therapist-inspired products at:
https://www.purposetherapybox.com
And be sure to visit https://www.morganmeese.com to learn more about Morgan, DPT to CEO, and the resources she offers for physical therapists.
A special thank-you to Dr. Morgan Meese for sharing her experiences and being part of the first PT Protocol entrepreneur spotlight!
Photography credit: Amber Garrett Photography — https://www.ambergarrettphoto.com/