In this episode of The Health of Business, Danielle speaks with Melissa Thompson, physiotherapist and founder of Living Grow Physio in Penticton, BC. Melissa shares her journey from public-sector community rehab to starting her own mobile physiotherapy business while on maternity leave with two young children.

Together, they discuss the realities of in-home physiotherapy, safety considerations, referral-based marketing, business boundaries, and Melissa’s growing niche in myofunctional therapy. Melissa also reflects on what it means to build a business that supports family life, client independence, and community connection.

Website: livegrowphysio.ca
Instagram: @livegrowphysio
Facebook: Living Grow Physio

Key Points:

• Melissa started Living Grow Physio after reflecting on her career, family life, and need for more flexibility.
• Her mobile physiotherapy practice serves clients across the South Okanagan, especially those who have difficulty accessing clinic-based care.
• A long-term care subcontract helped create early stability while she built the private side of her business.
• Melissa has found strong referral relationships and vehicle branding to be simple but effective marketing strategies.
• Myofunctional therapy became part of her practice after her daughter’s tongue and lip tie release led Melissa to explore her own symptoms and training.
• The episode explores tongue posture, nasal breathing, swallowing patterns, tongue ties, and how these areas connect to whole-body function.
• Melissa discusses the unique safety, privacy, and boundary considerations involved in mobile physiotherapy.
• She shares how business ownership can offer flexibility, but also requires clear boundaries, strong communication, and support at home.
• Danielle and Melissa talk about the importance of choosing business decisions that reduce administrative load, including Melissa’s decision not to direct bill.
• Melissa defines a healthy business as one that is connected to its community through relationships, service, referrals, and local involvement.

Timestamps

00:00 – Introduction to Melissa Thompson and Living Grow Physio
01:47 – The safety incident that changed Melissa’s career direction
03:41 – Starting a business during maternity leave
05:34 – Building early stability through long-term care work
07:01 – Marketing through referral relationships and vehicle branding
10:20 – Melissa’s education path from Montana to Australia
13:08 – Getting stuck in Canada during COVID
20:46 – Moving from public practice into business ownership
23:43 – Combining home visits with myofunctional therapy
25:03 – What myofunctional therapy is and why it matters
28:42 – Discovering tongue ties through her daughter’s care
35:08 – Building referral relationships with dentists and orthodontists
43:08 – Boundaries, admin, and communication as a solo business owner
54:46 – Safety considerations for mobile physiotherapy
01:05:27 – What a healthy business looks like to Melissa

Keywords

mobile physiotherapy, in-home physiotherapy, community physiotherapy, private practice physiotherapy, physiotherapy business, physiotherapy entrepreneurship, solo practice, home visits, community rehab, long-term care physiotherapy, myofunctional therapy, tongue tie, lip tie, tongue posture, nasal breathing, mouth breathing, swallowing patterns, airway health, dental referrals, orthodontic referrals, business boundaries, mobile practice safety, home visit safety, physiotherapy admin, Jane App, direct billing, clinic marketing, vehicle branding, local referrals, motherhood and business, flexible practice, South Okanagan physiotherapy, Penticton physiotherapy, Living Grow Physio, healthy business, community connection, public practice to private practice