Corey Malnikof built Palmer Care Chiropractic from just $4 in his pocket into a 24-location organization with more than 150 team members. In this episode, he shares the painful mistakes that almost derailed his journey, the systems he uses to scale multiple clinics, and why so many healthcare businesses fail after opening their second or third location.
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Corey, Founder and CEO of Palmer Care Chiropractic, takes us behind the scenes of building one of the largest chiropractic organizations in the country. He explains how surviving financial rock bottom shaped his leadership philosophy, why he replaced Starbucks' Green Book with his own "Yellow Book" for leadership development, and the four key business levers he tracks across all 24 clinics. We also discuss hiring leaders, creating scalable systems, protecting culture during rapid growth, what private equity firms look for when making acquisition offers, and why most practices fail when they expand too quickly. Whether you're running one location or planning your next expansion, this conversation is filled with practical lessons for building a business that lasts.
If you're a chiropractor who wants to open additional locations, build stronger leadership, improve operations, or create a business that can scale without constant chaos, this episode will give you a proven framework from someone who's done it successfully.
TIMESTAMPS
00:00 Intro
01:03 The $4 Sandwich Low Point
03:18 Turning It Around Fast
08:18 Hustle to 150 Visits
12:28 Copying Starbucks and Amazon
16:31 Daily KPIs and Meetings
19:07 From 5 to 10 Clinics
24:11 Four Growth Levers System
25:58 AI in Clinic Operations
32:18 Getting Ready for Next Stage
32:49 Document Every System
34:12 Stress Test Failure Points
35:53 Spot Bottlenecks With KPIs
39:24 Pause And Prioritize Fixes
41:36 Replace Yourself To Scale
44:22 Common Growth Bottlenecks
44:58 Building A New Patient Machine
48:07 Digital Vs In Person Marketing
50:22 Choosing Markets By Footprint
52:56 Private Equity And Exit Options
58:07 AI For System Building
59:25 Make Growth Fun And Personal
01:00:13 Final Advice And Wrap Up
CONNECT WITH COREY MALNIKOF:
Website: https://www.coreymalnikof.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/coreymalnikof
PRO TIP:
Before opening another location, make sure your first clinic runs on documented systems—not your personal effort. As Corey explains, scalable businesses are built on repeatable processes, strong leadership, and measurable performance, not just great clinical skills.
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