From 5 Patients a Week to 3 Locations (No Coaches, No Loans)

Dr. Dan Shaddock went from 5 patients a week and nearly quitting to building 3 locations with 6 doctors in Austin. No business coaches. No startup loans. Just community, relationships, and showing up face-to-face. Here's the blueprint for building a 7-figure practice the hard way.

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Dr. Dan Shaddock is a Marine Corps veteran who started Absolute Life Wellness Center in Austin, Texas in 2010 knowing only 5 people in the city. He almost gave up and took a job as the chiropractor at Lackland Air Force Base, but something told him to stick it out. Now he runs 3 locations with 6 doctors in one of the most competitive markets in America.

In this episode, Dan breaks down how he picked his first location by mapping competitors and signing a 10-year lease, the grind from 5 patients a week to 60-70 visits without any coaching or loans, and why he cut back from 5 offices to 3 to keep culture tight. He explains his "down the hall" referral strategy that opened location #2, why he beat competitors to Kyle (the fastest-growing market in Texas), and how he manages Google Ads and SEO in-house without getting scammed.

Dan also gets real about the difference between engagement and just going through the motions, why he chose to stay in-network (even though cash is tempting), and the team culture tactics that keep employees around for years (including annual trips and traditions). His final advice: set a 2-year goal and get face-to-face with people. If you're not willing to be in the community, 7 figures isn't feasible.

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 Why Community Makes 7-Figure Clinics Possible

00:23 Meet Dr. Dan Shaddock + Multi-Location Blueprint

01:13 Off the Grid: Ranch Life and Work-Life Balance

02:19 From Marine Corps to Chiropractic

03:18 Why PT Wasn't for Him

05:12 Starting in Austin From Scratch

05:53 Near-Quitting Moment: The Air Force Job He Walked Away From

07:05 Picking the Perfect Location

10:39 Early Growth: From 5 Patients to 60-70 Visits

12:03 No Coaches, No Loans: Building Lean

12:46 First Associate Hire: Letting Go of Control

14:19 The Grind, Burnout, and Shifting Roles

15:09 Military, Athletes, and Identity

25:01 Leadership Lessons for New Doctors

26:10 Why He Cut Back from 5 Offices to 3

28:52 Keeping the Team Tight: Trips and Traditions

31:10 Retention Beyond Patients: Keeping Great Employees

31:33 Building Team Culture Through Shared Trips

33:25 Relationships as the Growth Engine

36:22 Opening Location #2: The "Down the Hall" Strategy

38:54 Location #3 in Kyle: Beating Competitors

42:42 Managing Google Ads and SEO In-House

47:29 Insurance vs Cash: The Empathy-First Argument

53:08 Best Business Advice: Be Engaged and Win on Trust

58:28 One Action This Week: 2-Year Goal + Face-to-Face

01:00:49 Where to Find Them

CONNECT WITH DR. DANIEL SHADDOCK:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drdanshaddock/

Website: https://www.absolutelifewellnesscenter.com/

LOCATIONS:

South Austin (Slaughter), Manchaca, Kyle, and San Marcus

ABOUT CHIROX MARKETING:

We help 7-figure chiropractic practices dominate local search and attract high-value patients through SEO, Google Ads, and website optimization. If you're doing $1M+ and want predictable patient acquisition without social media, visit https://www.chiroxmarketing.com/

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