Turning Doubt Into Drive: How Bre Guettler Built a Cash-Based PT Practice from Scratch
- Morgan Meese, PT
- Jul 15
- 14 min read
In this episode of the DPT to CEO Interview Series, we’re chatting with Dr. Breanna Guettler, PT, founder of Rocket City Performance Therapy—a mobile, cash-based PT practice helping CrossFitters, weightlifters, and high-performing athletes stay strong, mobile, and pain-free. With a background in competitive gymnastics and years of experience in CrossFit, Bre brings a results-driven, athlete-first approach to rehab that meets people where they’re at—literally and figuratively.
In this conversation, Bre shares how her intense desire to create a specific vision for her life and future family gave her the clarity and drive to overcome the early hurdles of entrepreneurship. She dives into the mindset shift that helped her push through moments of doubt, the fears she faced when starting her business, how she learned to sell her services, and what she loves (and doesn’t love) about being a business owner. Her advice for new entrepreneurs? Get clear on your “why”—because once you know that, the “how” falls into place. And the “when” is now.
Whether you're a new business owner, a therapist ready to leave the traditional clinic behind, or simply someone looking for a dose of motivation, this interview is full of relatable insights and real-world wisdom from someone who’s built her business from the ground up.
What we're covering:
Can you share a little more about you and what you're up to these days?
Bre: Hi guys, my name is Bre. On Instagram, I’m Bre the DPT. I’ve been a physical therapist for almost three years now. About a year and a half into practicing out of school, I decided I wanted to start my own thing. I started working with Morgan, and a year later, I’ve been able to grow my practice. I’m not quite at 100% yet, but the growth I’ve had in the last year has been huge. I went from zero clients to filling my schedule about 50 to 75% of the time.
It’s definitely a process, but I’m based in Alabama where we recently got direct access, and that was really the catapult for why I decided to start my business. The experience of building my own business and taking each step along the way has been truly transformative.
Like Morgan said, I’m a big introvert. You wouldn’t really guess that from my social media or the way I talk to people, but I really love one-on-one relationships, and I’m not super comfortable in big crowds. Going through the program helped me grow in that area, and learning how to manage my business and handle marketing has been a complete 180 from what I thought I was capable of.
Morgan: That’s amazing—so cool. I’m probably going to say that a million times during this interview. Thank you so much for sharing that.
Tell us about your practice—who you work with and what it looks like right now.
Bre: I own a concierge physical therapy service, which means I go to people’s homes, their gyms—wherever they want to be treated. I’ve even treated people at their workplace. So really, I’m all over the place.
I primarily work with CrossFitters, powerlifters, and high-intensity athletes. That’s my jam. I’m a CrossFitter myself and used to be a gymnast, so I get the intensity and the specific needs of that population. It brings me so much joy to help those athletes keep performing and stay connected to the community that brings them so much joy. That’s really my niche—CrossFitters, powerlifters, and high-intensity athletes.
I offer one-on-one concierge sessions, and dry needling is a super popular service. That’s what I do most right now—one-on-one in-home care and dry needling.
I’m also starting to offer a hybrid of personal training and PT. It’s a monthly model where clients get a PT visit once a month, plus a personalized training plan based on their specific goals and needs. Right now, I’ve got a former hockey player who wants to get back into playing, and he’s about halfway through the plan—he’s doing great. It’s honestly something I never thought I’d get to do, and I love it.
I was the athlete who couldn’t always do what I wanted because of injuries, so it means a lot to be able to give back in this way.
Morgan: Yeah, absolutely. That’s something I’ve always been really passionate about in my work as a PT—helping people keep doing the sport they love. It’s so much more than just staying active or being into fitness. For a lot of people—myself included—being an athlete is a big part of your identity. So being able to help people keep training, even when they’ve got something going on, is a really meaningful way to support your community.
What was your experience trying to niche down when you first got started?
Bre: I'm one of those people who wants to do it all. I’m very Type A—I want to help everybody.
So when I started trying to figure out how to niche down, it felt tricky. Talking with you and Sam really helped, but at first, I struggled with the idea of narrowing my focus without feeling like I was excluding people I truly wanted to help.
We originally landed on “CrossFitters and busy adults,” but even that felt broad. I was like, okay... that’s basically everyone in their 30s to 50s. So it was an interesting process—not just from a marketing perspective, but from a confidence perspective.
For me, it wasn’t just about picking a niche—it was about believing I had the skills to back it up. I do have the skills. I remind myself of that every day. But imposter syndrome creeps in and makes you doubt yourself. That voice saying, “You’re not good enough. You can’t niche down—you’ll lose people.”
But that’s just not true. And it doesn’t work.
*Feeling like an imposter? Learn how to kick imposter syndrome to the curb as a practice owner at the blog post here.
--
Bre: As soon as I started doing what you and Sam coached me through—tailoring my Instagram, getting clear on my messaging—I started attracting the right people. And surprisingly, I also started getting people outside of that niche who still wanted to work with me.
Like, one of my first five patients was a TMJ case. And I was like, “Wait—I love treating TMJ!” I never expected that to happen through CrossFit-focused marketing. But it did. And that showed me something really powerful: when your passion is clear, people feel that—even if they’re not in your exact niche. They’re still drawn to you.
That didn’t fully click for me until it started happening. And it was so cool to see.
I still want to do everything—I want to be the jack-of-all-trades. But when you’re building a business, that’s just not realistic. You have to put the blinders on—like Morgan told me. And she was right.
If you don’t have a clear focus—your niche, your goals, your vision—you’ll end up wandering. And your audience won’t know what you’re about either.
Niching down was one of the biggest things that helped me build confidence. Because once I committed, I could see how much people resonated with my energy. And when I showed up with passion and clarity, people showed up for me too.
Morgan: Yeah—oh my god, Bre. That was probably the best “pick a freaking niche” speech I’ve ever heard. Seriously.
If you’re listening to this, go back, rewind, and take notes—because what she just said is something every single one of us goes through when we start a business.
At first, you hear “pick a niche” and you’re like, “I know better.” And then—wouldn’t you know it—it actually works.
You nailed it. When you pick a niche—whether it’s a specific population or a specific problem—what people see is passion. They see that you care deeply about the people you serve, and that you’re invested in helping them get results.
And because of that, they also start to believe you can help them get a transformation—even if they’re not exactly in your niche.
I know for me, I’ve had people say, “I know you mostly work with CrossFit athletes, but I’m not one... can you still help me?” And the answer is, “Yep. Sure can.”
*On the fencing about niching down? Learn why marketing and selling PT "only" will get you zero clients at the blog post here.
Was there a specific moment or turning point that made you decide, “Yep, I’m starting my own practice”?
Bre: You want the real answer?
Anger. Girl, I was mad. I was so mad at the PT world. I hated working in my outpatient job. I was frustrated with the way I was being forced to treat—seeing more than one person at a time, sometimes way more when I was doing travel. That’s not ethical in my brain. It crushed my passion, and honestly, it felt like a disservice to the people I was supposed to be helping.
So yeah, I was mad. I was also sad and just done with being in that kind of setting. I remember thinking, “I don’t want my life to look like this in five to ten years.”
I don’t have kids yet—it’s just me and my husband—but I knew I wanted a life where I could drop my future kids off at school, pick them up in the afternoon, and not have to call in to beg for PTO if they got sick. I wanted to build a life where I got to choose how I spent my time—where I wasn’t asking someone else for permission to be with my family.
My mom was a single mother who raised me and my sister while working full-time, and I barely got to see her. I don’t want that for my kids. When I have kids, I want to be there—for soccer practice, gymnastics, whatever sport they choose.
That vision—of owning my own business, using my time how I want—I can literally see it when I close my eyes. And that vision, paired with the anger I felt, lit a fire under me to actually take the idea seriously.
I started with Therapy Business Basics because I’m a logical person—I needed to make sure the path made sense. I have a background in marketing and healthcare business, so I had some understanding of what it takes to run a company. But there were still so many gaps.
That course had a clear structure and hit all the major points a business needs to thrive. Then I talked to you, and that conversation gave me the reassurance I needed. I had leftover money in my education fund, so I said, “Let’s use it.”
Morgan: I love that—and honestly, I’m just so glad I got a front-row seat to this motivational speech today, because this is awesome.
I relate to you so much on this. I’ve always felt the same way—if I want to do something, I’m just going to do it and figure it out as I go. And you really touched on so many great points. You have to decide.
Because if you're anything like me—or like Bre—and you’re listening to this on your way to the clinic or home from the hospital, just thinking, “This is the worst,” you’re not alone.
I’ve heard it from so many people, and I’ve been there too—going to bed on a work night and waking up thinking, “I can’t believe I have to go do this again.”
If that’s you, please know: nothing is going to change unless you change it. The only person who can flip that switch is you.
It starts with a decision, and it’s fueled by a vision—like Bre said. Start by asking yourself: how do I want my life to look five or ten years from now? And really—are you okay feeling this miserable for another decade? For all of us here... the answer is no.
*If you're stuck grinding in an outpatient PT mill, but not sure if you're truly ready to go all in on yourself, I got you. Learn how to really know you're ready to start your own cash based practice at the blog post here.
I know you’re big on manifestation—can you tell us about your journey with it and any advice you’d give to others who are curious?
Bre: I’ve been into positive self-talk and manifestation-type stuff since I was really young. The first mantra I ever stuck with—one I still use sometimes—is “Love and be loved.” It’s actually from a Nat King Cole song, and I’ve always loved the message: love the people around you, and you’ll be loved in return. Put positive energy into the world, and it will come back to you. Not everyone’s going to love you, of course, but that mindset really helped me when I was younger and super insecure—like most of us were as teenagers.
When I started my business, I remember one of the first conversations we had was about finances and setting income goals. And I thought, “This is something I’m going to have to repeat to myself over and over again.”
I had never imagined myself making more than $70,000 a year—ever. That was a huge mental block I had to work through. Because if you truly believe you'll never make more than a certain amount, your brain and body will find ways to keep you stuck there. And I was doing exactly that. I was convincing myself I was bad at sales, bad at Instagram—just bad at it all.
But once I started doing these mantras daily—like, “I am a business owner who makes [X amount] per year”—things started to shift. I had more confidence. More drive. And at my first event, I ended up closing 50% of the people who came to talk to me.
At first, I didn’t even realize how good that was. I was actually upset. I thought I had failed. But then Morgan and Sam were like, “You what? That’s incredible for your first time!” I just laughed and thought, “Okay, maybe I’m being a little dramatic.” But that moment really helped me see how much my mindset was changing.
Since then, I’ve written new affirmations. I keep them in my phone and read them every morning. I still have the original one—“I am a business owner who makes [X]”—but now I have others too. Like one that helps me get over my fear of asking for help: “People want to help me achieve my goals and will go out of their way to do so.”
That one helps so much when I walk into a business and say, “Hi, I’m Bre, I’m a Doctor of Physical Therapy, and I was wondering if I could talk to someone about a potential collaboration or doing a pop-up event.” It shifts my whole perspective. Even if someone says no, I can still believe they want the best for me—and that helps me keep going.
Because here’s the thing: if you don’t tell yourself those encouraging, specific words, no one else will. My husband loves me to death, but he doesn’t always know what my brain needs to hear in order to get to the next level. He’ll say, “You’re doing great. I believe in you.” And that’s sweet, but it’s not always enough. Only I know the exact words that will push me forward.
I also have affirmations around creativity and future goals, like building a family. You want to create sayings that are super specific to you and your goals—something that keeps you moving forward.
One of the hardest mindset shifts for me early on was separating myself from the sale. As a therapist, I care about human connection. I want people to like me. And in the beginning, I felt like if someone said no, it meant they didn’t like me. But that’s not true.
On the whiteboard behind me, I still have this written: “People pay for themselves.” They’re paying for the service. They’re paying for the outcome—not for me as a person. That reminder helped so much when I did that first event. I kept telling myself, “They’re not saying no to you. They just don’t need the service right now.”
And the funny thing is, I still talk to so many of those people who didn’t buy that day. They liked me—they just weren’t ready or it wasn’t the right fit. That’s okay.
Affirmations and mantras are so important because only you know the hype words that get you through those hard moments. And I know it’s the same for Morgan—she shared this whole daily routine she does with affirmations in our group, and I was like, “Wow, that’s a lot!” But it works for her.
Whatever gets you grounded in your vision and gives you motivation for the day—do that. Maybe it’s a walk outside, staring at the sky, and thinking, “Look at all these possibilities.” Whatever works for you is valid.
This is just what works for me. So that’s what I do every day.
Morgan: Yeah—oh my gosh. Thank you so much for sharing that, Bre. And thank you for being open and vulnerable, especially with your personal affirmations. I know that can feel a little scary. When I posted mine in the group, I remember thinking, “Oh my god, they’re reading my diary!” But you’re right—being open is part of how we grow and get where we want to go.
Everything you shared today was so helpful. You gave a lot of practical advice, especially around affirmations and mindset, which I know people ask about all the time—like, “What do I actually say?” I think everything you walked through will be super helpful for anyone listening.
Honestly, if you’re tuning in, go back to the beginning, grab a notebook, and re-listen. Bre dropped so many gems.
And we both know—we could talk all day and night about marketing tactics. But if your mindset isn’t in the right place, it’s hard to implement any of it consistently. This mindset work is just as important. It’ll support you not only as a business owner, but in life in general. Being able to talk to yourself in a way that builds confidence and clarity—that skill will serve you in every part of your life.
For someone who’s feeling unsure or stuck on the fence about betting on themselves… what’s one piece of advice you’d give them?
Bre: One piece of advice I’d give—besides everything we’ve talked about that happened inside the DPT to CEO program—is this: the biggest factor in my success has been finding mentorship.
Find someone who’s walked the road you're on. That could be a local PT business owner, someone in another state, someone you know personally, or someone like Morgan and her team at DPT to CEO.
I remember telling Morgan on our first call, “I need accountability. I need someone who knows what they’re doing—because I don’t know everything. And I don’t even know what I don’t know.” Dr. Google isn’t good enough 90% of the time.
I needed someone who had been there—who could answer my questions when things went sideways. And honestly, I needed emotional and mental support on the days when the self-doubt was too loud and the positive self-talk just wasn’t cutting it.
Because there are going to be days when you feel like everyone said no, everything went wrong, and you start thinking, “Maybe I’m not meant to do this.” And that’s when a mentor steps in and says, “Nope. Dust yourself off, get back up—we’re doing this.”
For me, Morgan and Sam were those people. There were times I don’t think I could’ve picked myself up without them. Life happens—inside and outside of your business. And having that kind of support system is vital.
I actually have two mentors now—one for clinical PT and one for business. If I’m struggling with a patient or unsure about treatment, I talk to my PT mentor. If I’m hitting a business hiccup or feel stuck, I go to my business mentor. Having people to talk to, bounce ideas off of, and help you process everything you’re doing is essential.
So my number one piece of advice? Find a mentor. Someone you trust. Someone who will walk with you from the start and support your growth. It’ll help you flourish so much faster than trying to figure it all out alone.
Morgan: Yeah, I think that makes a lot of sense. And we’re just so happy we’ve had the chance to work with you, Bre.
Since I started my own business, I’ve been part of several coaching programs and still have a coach myself. It just makes such a difference—not feeling like you’re doing it alone.
Starting your own business can be isolating. But when you find someone you really click with, someone who’s already walked the path, it makes the whole process faster, more effective, and honestly, way more enjoyable.
And that’s what we’re all after, right? We want to build something meaningful and actually enjoy our lives while we do it.
How to contact Bre:
*Instagram: @brethedpt
Listen to this episode on my podcast!
Comentarios