Karen Young, physiotherapist and partner at SPEAR Physiotherapy in Aberdeen

Karen Young, physiotherapist and partner at SPEAR Physiotherapy in Aberdeen, tells us about how she has grown her business into what it is today and how the support of MSKPN has been invaluable “MSKPN – It’s like having 50 business mentors”

I battled through for 19 years and then MSKPN came along

My business partner, Lesley and I started the business from scratch in 2001. From doing a couple of evenings a week we gradually built things up to a practice which now hosts 19 physios in 3 different locations in and around Aberdeen, Scotland.

As business owners and clinicians, we’ve all got similar problems. MSKPN helps you think through how to deal with an issue, sometimes they reinforce what you already know or come up with a different solution to your challenges. It’s like having 50 mentors, each with different perspectives on how best to do something.

I came to be a member of MSKPN during Covid

Recommended by a friend, it was £1 to join at that point but I had no hesitation in paying more. I used to be a member of Physiofirst but I didn’t feel it was as valuable. We decided to appeal our grant decision and we received rates and grant relief from the Council. We spoke to the group about what we did and helped others appeal, who also overturned their Council’s decision.

Quality is never bad for business

For me joining MSKPN is about the quality agenda and bringing about change. Stay focused on quality and the figures take care of themselves. Focus on doing a good job and help patients to recover and fulfil their individual goals.

For someone who’s starting out, MSKPN is invaluable

When you’re starting out, you tend to worry – you don’t know what you don’t know. MSKPN members are happy to help because there is no threat to their business as they are based all over the country and not in competition.

If I could have anything in business, I would have more time and save money

MSKPN provides advice that saves you time and money. You spend so much time researching things. Now I just ask the WhatsApp group – it’s so much easier. Why would you do it on your own when you can do it with 50 people by your side.

There are a lot of things MSKPN could have helped with, if I’d been a member

When we started renting our unit, it would have been really useful to be part of MSKPN as we were winging it. In Scotland homeowners don’t pay for water. When we were calculating our costs for expansion we didn’t factor this in, however as a business we do have to pay for water. It would have been really useful to know this.

We were lucky enough to have help from another business who gave us advice, going from contractors to employees which was invaluable, but help like this is rare. When the opportunity came to become part of a bigger network with lots of help, this was very appealing.

Karen tells us a little more about career

I was inspired to be a physio at age 16

After a football injury, I had physio and thought it looked like a fun job. I love the idea of helping people get better, so it was good timing as I was at the age of needing to make my career choices. I now coach kids grass roots football, coaching a 6 year old boys team and the under 10 girls team and it’s great to see them achieve something.

My passion is to keep golfers on the golf course

I graduated with a first-class honours degree in 1998 and worked for a short while in the NHS. My specialism is sport, having worked with the Scottish National golf squads from 2002 and was lead physiotherapist for Scottish Golf from 2005 until 2014. In 2011 I was appointed physiotherapist for the Walker Cup whilst at Royal Aberdeen. After having a family, I’m now based mainly in Aberdeen, but continue to work with golfers of all levels, from European Tour players to weekend warriors.

One piece of early advice was – keep your focus

About 10 years ago, there were many physios in the market, but we were successful by keeping a strong focus on our specialisms – mine is sports injuries and my business partner’s is neurological rehab. We’re known as “the sports people”, based in the Aberdeen sports village, a golf centre and on the high street.

Whilst at university, Lesley and I wanted to find an elective placement in Australia and we were invited to join a brilliant guy who ran the Melbourne golf injury clinic in 1997. He was revolutionary in his approach. Breaking from stuffy traditions, he inspired us to do something dynamic and fun and our goal was to set something up in Aberdeen which shouted to the world we were there, rather than hidden behind closed doors.

I love my work

When you see so many people being miserable in their job, I feel really lucky to go to work every day in a job I love. The bigger the challenge the more I get out of it. I was involved in high performance sport for years and I think it means more to me now, helping hobby golfers. Golfers that are unable to play golf are grumpy people. I just enjoy being with people and making a difference.

Top 3 benefits of being part of MSKPN

A great support network – people have been/are really amazed at the support offered eg in setting up your own business, what software package to use, how do you employ people, all the HR and infrastructure needed to run a business.

Collaboration – What I got out of MSKPN initially was the collaborative approach about how we managed Covid.

Mentorship – I’m hoping to have the opportunity to help younger growing practices and physios. I think we lack that from existing organisations, who don’t really seem to support private businesses.

MSKPN has helped me with so many things

Learn more at www.mskpn.co.uk 

 

Download Karen’s member showcase HERE