Dr. Jonathan “Jon” Wilhelm is the founder of Pro Chiropractic located in Bozeman, Montana. Dr. Wilhelm founded Pro Chiro in 2004, with expansions starting just 2 years later. In 2006, Pro Physio was opened, becoming a second physiotherapy and specialized non-surgical spinal decompression clinic. In 2012, the second Pro Chiropractic location opened in Manhattan, MT and in 2015, a third location, Pro Chiropractic Bozeman, located in the beautiful Gallatin Valley in Southwest Montana.
What is Pro Chiropractic all about?
Pro Chiropractic was founded and operates on what we call the Three Pillars of Pro Chiropractic Excellence. The first is highly trained and certified providers at the top of their clinical game. Next is the most advanced technology, including diagnostic and treatment tools. And finally, the most important, which is sincere patient care and genuine customer service. You will fine us continually focusing our efforts in these areas to ensure an exceptional customer experience.
Tell us a little bit about your background and how you started your company?
I grew up in Bozeman, Montana, a beautiful small town nestled in the Rocky Mountains of SW Montana. I attended the Pre-Med program at Montana State University then Life University’s College of Chiropractic in Atlanta, Georgia, and concluded my chiropractic studies and clinical rotations at Logan College of Chiropractic in St. Louis, Missouri. My wife and I had both grown-up children of successful small business owners and had observed and worked in environments that encouraged an entrepreneurial spirit.
After graduate school, we founded Pro Chiropractic because during the last few months of my education we realized we had the confidence and tools to start and grow a practice. Knowing this, I wrote down my goals, filled my mind with positive visualization and affirmation, and took about the work of building Pro Chiropractic hand in hand with my beautiful wife, April, who remains Director of Operations for our clinics to this day
What are your plans for the future, and how do you plan to grow this company?
Currently, we are in more of a consolidation phase than a growth phase at Pro Chiro, so we are focusing heavily on our people and our processes. My focus in this phase of business management is making sure I have happy and motivated employees, who feel supported and empowered, serving our patients. With quality standards assured, we are looking into opportunities for expansion, both in our existing locations and in the surrounding Bozeman, Montana area.
How have the pandemic and lockdown affected you or your new business?
Gratefully, chiropractic was declared essential services in Montana. This meant we were able to continue serving our local community. Like everyone, we had to learn and pivot with changing guidelines and regulations, but we were able to navigate all of this in a positive manner. Because our patients were limited in where they could go and what they could do, discretionary spending was decreased, and more focus went towards health. People had both time and money to spend on health and feeling better. This resulted in some growth for us during the past two years.
All-in-all, we handled the switch smoothly enough to help everyone that needed it. It feels great to finally get back to in-person care after almost two years of living in a different world of expectations.
What helps you stay driven and motivated to keep going in your business?
It used to be all about my personal goals and achievements, but as I mature, I find more and more joy and fulfillment in empowering those around me. It is motivating to share success and to see my associate doctors and colleagues achieving their own success. There are many different things that motivate me such as business success and education but it all boils down to the people I help and my family.
I believe life is all about relationships so without them I do not know what I would do. Helping athletes achieve and perform at their best and offering relief to people that are in pain keeps me motivated because I help them live up to their full potential. The necessity to help others also gets me out of bed in the morning. Of course, my family and wife, April, keep me humble and focused. I owe a lot of my success to them.
What is your favorite quote?
My favorite quote is, “To do things right, first you need love, then technique.” Surprisingly, this quote was said by an engineer who designed buildings, a job filled with emphasis on technique. This quote immediately resonated with me. In a field full of treatment techniques and an emphasis on science, the love that should motivate medical providers is often lost.
What is your definition of success?
There are many different definitions of success, especially these days, but I believe mine to be simple. If you can help people while doing what you love and making a living from it then you are successful. Sure, some people believe success to be a six-figure salary or multi-million views but I do not think that should be the only component of a successful person.
I believe one finds career success if one can find the convergence of money, passion, and effectiveness. Success can also be measured in how you spend your time. The more successful you are the more you spend time on the things you wish to rather and have to.
How do you personally overcome fear?
Fear is an interesting feeling because on one hand, it can be a great motivator and on the other, it can incapacitate you. Even though it can push you, fear is not the best motivator. Whenever I feel it creeping up I step back and evaluate why I have these feelings. Once I acknowledge the reasons I figure out some ways to solve them. I also know that I am not alone so sometimes I talk it through with my wife and family to get their point of view on it. But the bottom line is dealing with and facing your fears is the only way to vanquish them.
What valuable advice would you give new entrepreneurs starting out?
There are many things to consider when starting a new business such as your audience, fiscal situation, preparedness, ability to speak to a mentor, having a solid business plan, and many other things. But the best advice I can give is to work on yourself first and consistently. You can focus on the “What” surrounding business operations, but until you are the right “Who”, you will never truly gain success. People buy people before they buy their things.
What’s a productivity tip you swear by?
Get up early and get to it! It is true when they say, “the early bird gets the worm.” I believe the key to productivity is getting started early. In addition to that, getting a good night’s rest is just as important because if you do not get the proper amount of sleep then waking up early is pointless since your mental state will not fully be functional and productivity will suffer.
What are you learning now? Why is that important?
I am learning now how to truly balance professional achievement with family health. I was not so good at this in the early stages of my career, and often sacrificed family time and investment to pursue career accomplishments. I was able to justify this as providing for my family, which was partially true, but not completely honest or fair to my family. Fortunately, I now have the desire and time to nurture the relationships that mean the most, while still feeling the rewards of a successful career.
What would you say the top three skills needed to be a successful entrepreneur are and why?
I would say the top three skills needed to be a successful entrepreneur are communication, resilience, and zeal.
- Communication is important because first and foremost you must be able to listen and to share with your customers. Without this nothing else happens.
- Resilience is also key in running a successful business because not all days are going to be great. Some days you will want to give up because of an unexpected obstacle or setback but it is crucial to keep on pushing.
- Zeal is defined as great enthusiasm in a cause you believe in. If you are not excited about the service you provide, how do you expect the customer to be? Being positive and enjoying what you do is vitally important to succeeding.
