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Top 5% globally ranked podcast for healthcare practice owners. Prevent burnout, grow profitably. 215+ episodes, 51 countries.
Welcome to Thriving Practice - the business podcast that proves independent physicians, dentists, therapists, and healthcare practice owners can build profitable, efficient practices while actually enjoying their lives.
By the Numbers:
- 215+ episodes featuring top-tier practice owners and healthcare business experts
- Global Top 5% ranking on Listen Notes among all podcasts
- 51 countries reached globally
- 9 seasons of proven practice management strategies
- Weekly episodes with actionable insights you can implement immediately
Hosted by Tracy Cherpeski, MBA, MA, CPSC - executive coach, business consultant, and CME-approved educator with 15+ years specializing in healthcare practice consulting. Tracy brings you successful practice owners, industry experts, and medical association leaders, all united in helping private practices stay private and thrive.
Subscribe now and join our community at ThrivingPracticeCommunity.com for ongoing support from practice leaders who've been where you are.
Episodes
Wednesday Nov 26, 2025
Wednesday Nov 26, 2025
Healthcare attorney Sarah Covington joins Tracy to discuss why proactive legal engagement saves independent practice owners both time and money. Drawing from her experience in big law, health systems, and her own practice, Sarah reveals the compliance requirements most practice owners don't know about and shares practical strategies for managing the juggling act between patient care and business leadership. From financial modeling that takes the fear out of reimbursement cuts to simple tech solutions that improve both patient experience and team efficiency, this conversation offers a refreshing perspective on building sustainable, thriving practices.
Click here for full show notes
See Where Your Practice Stands: Take our Practice Growth Readiness Assessment
Episode Highlights
- Why practices that engage legal counsel regularly actually have lower overall legal spend than those who wait for emergencies
- The ACA compliance requirement that affects practices accepting Medicare, Medicaid, or CHIP (and why you need quarterly compliance meetings)
- How financial modeling transforms anxiety about reimbursement cuts into actionable business decisions
- The power of time blocking to separate clinical work from business management—and why mixing these roles can cross ethical boundaries
- Simple efficiency wins: How online patient scheduling reduces errors, improves cash flow, and creates better experiences for everyone
- The "hat switching" challenge between clinician and entrepreneur mindsets
- Why PCM (Principal Care Management) is often missed in specialist offices and how it can offset reimbursement cuts
Memorable Quotes
"The ones that I see really struggling—most of it is financial, and it's because there isn't that strong financial modeling in place."
"For a lot of practices that I work with, the ones that I see routinely engaging legal actually have lower overall legal spend than the ones that wait for issues."
"If you're feeling burned out, it's not you, it's the system."
"You want to continue providing that really great care for your patients, and you do that by having your doors open."
"Time block. Start time blocking and set aside: these are the hours where I work on business matters, these are the hours that I take care of patients."
Closing
Sarah Covington reminds us that independent practice owners are doing a fabulous job juggling way too many things in a system that creates unique constraints. The path forward isn't about working harder—it's about building the right support systems, making informed financial decisions, and protecting time for strategic thinking. Because when you take care of your business, you can continue taking care of your patients.
Guest Bio:
Sarah Covington's path to healthcare law began in an unexpected place—sitting in a children's hospital during her daughter's heart surgery. While halfway through her MBA, she observed the inefficiencies around her and decided to become part of the solution. After adding a healthcare management concentration to her degree (and ruling out medical school after realizing insides-on-the-outside weren't her thing), Sarah eventually pursued law school to build stronger skills for supporting founding teams.
Following a stint in Big Law that taught her lessons she uses daily, Sarah returned to her passion: healthcare innovation. Today, she works at the intersection of law and healthcare startups, helping founding teams navigate the complex regulatory landscape. Licensed in South Dakota and Arizona, Sarah is dedicated to figuring out the nooks and crannies of healthcare law to make the system a little better for the next generation.
Find Sarah:
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Wednesday Nov 19, 2025
Wednesday Nov 19, 2025
Financial planning expert Anjali Jariwala joins Tracy to discuss the unique financial challenges physician practice owners face and why comprehensive planning requires both personal wealth management and business strategy. With her background in tax and financial planning plus personal ties to the physician community, Anjali offers insider perspective on navigating the complex transition from residency to high earnings, building sustainable businesses, and creating alignment between personal values and professional goals.
Click here for full show notes
Is your practice growth-ready? See Where Your Practice Stands: Take our Practice Growth Readiness Assessment
Episode Highlights
- The physician financial transition challenge: Why going from minimal resident income to high earnings overnight creates both financial and emotional complications that most physicians aren't trained to handle
- Personal before business: Anjali's approach of spending 2-3 months on personal financial planning before touching business finances, and why this sequence creates better long-term alignment
- Accountant vs. strategist: The critical distinction between historical accounting and forward-looking financial strategy—and why practice owners need both
- Growth barriers decoded: How to recognize when your practice has hit a growth ceiling and what changes are typically needed to break through
- The guilt factor: Why physician owners struggle with asking for help or outsourcing tasks, and how to reframe these decisions as strategic investments
- Building your professional team: Beyond your clinical team, you need accountants, tax specialists, financial advisors, and attorneys—here's how to leverage them effectively
- Know your numbers: Why practice owners must understand their books better than anyone else, even when outsourcing bookkeeping functions
- Time as currency: Calculating your hourly rate and using it to make smarter decisions about which tasks to keep versus delegate
Memorable Quotes
"At the end of the day, money is a tool. We have emotions that get tied up in it, but we really need to unwind the emotion from the fact that this is just a tool."
"For many practice owners, your personal finances are so interconnected with the business that I want to have clarity on what you want to achieve personally. So then when I go into the business, we can align everything up to meet those goals."
"Part of it is identifying what are your strengths and where are your weaknesses, and then who are the people that you can plug in to help you with those weaknesses so it's not hindering your ability to grow."
"We spend so much time working in the business because we want to provide good care and take care of our clients and patients, that we don't focus enough time on working on the business."
"There's sometimes feelings of guilt to ask for help. Part of it is really coming at it from a standpoint of: I need help, it's okay to ask for help, and I shouldn't feel guilty about asking for this help because it's going to make my life better, my family's life better, and all the people who work for me better too."
Closing
Anjali's message about releasing the guilt around asking for help really resonates. As practice owners, we often carry this sense that we should be able to handle everything ourselves—but that mindset actually limits our growth and our impact. Whether it's financial planning, operations support, or strategic guidance, building the right team of trusted advisors isn't a weakness—it's how you create a practice that truly thrives.
Bio:
Anjali Jariwala is the founder of FIT Advisors, a financial planning firm serving physicians and business owners across the US. After working with Fortune 500 clients at distinguished firms, Anjali launched her own practice to help clients understand that money is a tool for reaching financial goals—while acknowledging how emotions impact financial decisions. Her expertise in tax and finance has been featured in CNBC, Bloomberg, The New York Times, USA Today, and Business Insider. Beyond financial planning, Anjali is also a children's book author. As a South Asian mom, she wrote Why We Eat With Our Hands to highlight day-to-day cultural traditions and increase representation for children who look like her daughter. Whether through financial advising or children's literature, Anjali is passionate about helping people feel empowered to build the lives they want.
Find Anjali:
See Where Your Practice Stands: Take our Practice Growth Readiness Assessment
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Friday Nov 14, 2025
Friday Nov 14, 2025
In this candid snack episode, Miranda interviews Tracy about the research behind their white paper, "Unlocking Potential: A Business Blueprint for Practice Owners." Tracy reveals a startling discovery: the largest burnout studies—including the AMA's 18,000-respondent survey—systematically exclude private practice owners, focusing exclusively on employed physicians in large systems. This two-year-old research remains urgently relevant as healthcare continues evolving post-COVID. Tracy shares surprising insights from provider interviews, explains why the distinction between working in versus on your practice matters, and offers realistic expectations for reclaiming your time through strategic business planning.
Click here for full show notes
Download the White Paper: “Unlocking Potential: A Business Blueprint for Practice Owners”
Episode Highlights
- The Missing Data: Why major burnout studies exclude independent practice owners and what this means for healthcare policy
- Lower Burnout Rates: Evidence that practice owners experience slightly lower burnout rates due to greater autonomy—but remain at significant risk
- COVID's Impact: How the pandemic intensified an already urgent workplace crisis that the WHO identified as early as 2019
- Refreshing Candor: The surprisingly honest conversations practice owners had about their biggest frustrations (insurance companies top the list)
- Working In vs. On: The critical difference between clinical tasks and strategic leadership—and why the 10,000-foot view matters
- The Long Game: Why meaningful time recapture takes 3-6 months of consistent effort and why it's worth the investment
- Healthcare Is Different: Why business principles apply to medical practices with crucial distinctions that generic business advice misses
Memorable Quotes
"I don't believe to this day, even two years on, that the data is actually very clear about practice owners."
"The burnout rates are lower because practice owners have more autonomy, comma, and they're still at risk at pretty much the same rates."
"Practice owners are the redheaded stepchild of burnout research."
"What surprised me was how candid they were as soon as we could get them to talk."
"Business is business, comma, and it's just different in healthcare. And we get that because we work in it with you."
"Everything you're doing now, if it's going to be an adjustment, it's going to take time to come back, but it's so worth the investment of time and energy."
Closing
This conversation underscores why advocacy for independent practice ownership remains central to our mission. When research systematically overlooks a segment of healthcare providers, policies get shaped without their reality in view—and that's exactly when practice owners need the most support. Download the white paper to validate your experience and discover practical strategies for sustainable growth.
Download the White Paper: “Unlocking Potential: A Business Blueprint for Practice Owners”
Is your practice growth-ready? See Where Your Practice Stands: Take our Practice Growth Readiness Assessment
Miranda’s Bio:
Miranda Dorta, B.F.A. (she/her/hers) is the Manager of Operations and PR at Tracy Cherpeski International. A graduate of Savannah College of Art and Design with expertise in writing and creative storytelling, Miranda brings her skills in operations, public relations, and communication strategies to the Thriving Practice community. Based in the City of Oaks, she joined the team in 2021 and has been instrumental in streamlining operations while managing the company's public presence since 2022.
Tracy’s Bio:
Tracy Cherpeski, MBA, MA, CPSC (she/her/hers) is the Founder of Tracy Cherpeski International and Thriving Practice Community. As a Business Consultant and Executive Coach, Tracy helps healthcare practice owners scale their businesses without sacrificing wellbeing. Through strategic planning, leadership development, and mindset mastery, she empowers clients to reclaim their time and reach their potential. Based in Chapel Hill, NC, Tracy serves clients worldwide and is the Executive Producer and Host of the Thriving Practice podcast. Her guiding philosophy: Survival is not enough; life is meant to be celebrated.
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Wednesday Nov 12, 2025
Wednesday Nov 12, 2025
Independent healthcare practices are at a critical crossroads. Based on original research from Tracy Cherpeski International's white paper "Unlocking Potential: A Business Blueprint for Practice Owners," this episode reveals the time crisis threatening independent practice ownership—and the surprising wave of change on the horizon. Tracy shares data showing that practice owners spend up to 35% of their time on administrative tasks, while 80% dream of a future with more strategic freedom. But there's hope: with proven time leadership strategies, practice owners are reclaiming 5-10 hours weekly and building sustainable practices that support both exceptional patient care and quality of life.
Click here for full show notes
Is your practice growth-ready? See Where Your Practice Stands: Take our Practice Growth Readiness Assessment
Episode Highlights
- The shocking data on how much time practice owners lose to administrative work weekly
- Why physician practice ownership dropped 13 percentage points from 2012-2022
- The emerging wave of young and mid-career physicians choosing independent practice ownership
- Dr. Noah's story: From drowning in admin work to reclaiming his practice and his life
- The "garden sunlight" framework for understanding strategic time allocation
- What's at stake if we don't support the next generation of practice owners
- Proven strategies that help owners reclaim 5-10 hours per week
Memorable Quotes
- "The biggest threat to independent healthcare practices isn't private equity buyouts or declining reimbursements—it's how practice owners are spending their time every single week."
- "Medical school teaches you how to diagnose and treat patients. It doesn't teach you how to build systems, delegate effectively, or think like a CEO."
- "Your time as a practice owner is like sunlight in a garden. If you spread it too thin across every single plant, nothing grows particularly strong."
- "We're at an inflection point. And the question is: will these courageous physician entrepreneurs have the support, resources, and business knowledge they need to succeed?"
- "Independent healthcare practice ownership doesn't have to be a path to burnout. With the right approach, it can be exactly what you envisioned."
Resources
Download the full white paper: "Unlocking Potential: A Business Blueprint for Practice Owners"
Register for the November 18th Time Leadership Masterclass (Open to everyone!)
Learn more about Thriving Practice Community membership.
Tracy’s Bio:
Tracy Cherpeski, MBA, MA, CPSC (she/her/hers) is the Founder of Tracy Cherpeski International and Thriving Practice Community. As a Business Consultant and Executive Coach, Tracy helps healthcare practice owners scale their businesses without sacrificing wellbeing. Through strategic planning, leadership development, and mindset mastery, she empowers clients to reclaim their time and reach their potential. Based in Chapel Hill, NC, Tracy serves clients worldwide and is the Executive Producer and Host of the Thriving Practice podcast. Her guiding philosophy: Survival is not enough; life is meant to be celebrated.
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Wednesday Nov 05, 2025
Wednesday Nov 05, 2025
In this raw and honest solo episode, Tracy Cherpeski shares what happened when the burnout prevention expert found herself sliding into Stage 4 burnout. During one of the busiest seasons of her career - launching Thriving Practice Community, facilitating a CME-accredited wellness retreat, and developing new programs - Tracy experienced firsthand the insidious nature of burnout she teaches others to prevent. But this isn't just a story about struggle. It's about what actually works: the difference between near-burnout and full burnout, why clarity is 50% of prevention, and why community isn't optional but essential infrastructure for sustainable practice. Through stories from a powerful San Jose gathering and TPC's inaugural Community of Practice session, Tracy reveals what healthcare leaders are truly hungry for and what most of us are trying to survive without.
Click here for full show notes
Is your practice growth-ready? See Where Your Practice Stands: Take our Practice Growth Readiness Assessment
Episode Highlights
- The irony of teaching burnout prevention while experiencing Stage 4 burnout during an intense launch season
- What happened at the San Jose CME-accredited wellness event when physicians finally had space to connect
- The "worst wellness advice ever" improv game that revealed the band-aid solutions healthcare leaders are tired of hearing
- Dr. Robert's story: navigating impossible income swings, two practice models, and life-altering decisions completely alone
- Gianna's journey: why even successful practice owners need community to navigate next-level growth decisions
- The WHO's 12 stages of burnout and why Stages 1-4 look exactly like the "model physician"
- Why clarity about your WHY is at least 50% of burnout prevention
- How community serves as prevention infrastructure, not just a cure for burnout
- The difference between three days of intentional rest and three months of burnout recovery
Memorable Quotes
"The irony was not lost on me. And that's the thing about burnout - it's insidious. You don't see it creeping up until suddenly, you're in it."
"That feeling of 'I'm keeping all these plates spinning but I've lost sight of why I'm in the circus to begin with.'"
"My body basically said, 'Okay, you pushed through the event, now you're STOPPING whether you like it or not.'"
"The 'worst advice' they were sarcastically giving? That WAS their lived experience."
"They grabbed onto connection like oxygen."
"And that's what I mean by isolation at the survival level. It's not that he's not capable - he's proven he is. It's that he's trying to navigate impossible complexity without anyone who actually understands the terrain."
"Success doesn't eliminate the need for community. It just changes what you need community FOR."
"Clarity is at least 50% of burnout prevention."
"Community isn't optional. It's infrastructure."
"Isolation intensifies everything. The doubt. The comparison. The overwhelm. The weight of decisions."
"That's the power of community. Not as a cure for burnout, but as prevention. As the structure that keeps you from getting there in the first place."
"This isn't about waiting until you 'have it all figured out' to connect with peers. It's about recognizing that connection IS how you figure it out."
Closing
Tracy's vulnerability in this episode is a gift. She didn't just teach us about burnout prevention - she showed us what it looks like to catch yourself at Stage 4, course-correct with clarity and community, and come out stronger. If you'refeeling isolated in your practice, making high-stakes decisions alone, or wondering if you have time for community, this episode is your reminder: you don't have time NOT to invest in connection and clarity. Because without them, you'llkeep spinning until your body forces you to stop.
Tracy’s Bio:
Tracy Cherpeski, MBA, MA, CPSC (she/her/hers) is the Founder of Tracy Cherpeski International and Thriving Practice Community. As a Business Consultant and Executive Coach, Tracy helps healthcare practice owners scale their businesses without sacrificing wellbeing. Through strategic planning, leadership development, and mindset mastery, she empowers clients to reclaim their time and reach their potential. Based in Chapel Hill, NC, Tracy serves clients worldwide and is the Executive Producer and Host of the Thriving Practice podcast. Her guiding philosophy: Survival is not enough; life is meant to be celebrated.
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Wednesday Oct 29, 2025
Wednesday Oct 29, 2025
In this episode, Tracy sits down with Debra Phairas, a physician practice management consultant with over 40 years of experience working with more than 2,300 medical practices. They discuss the often-overlooked topics of buy-ins, buyouts, and exit strategies for private practices. Debra shares hard-earned wisdom from four decades in the field, including real stories that illustrate why planning ahead isn't optional—it's essential.
Click here for full show notes
See Where Your Practice Stands: Take our Practice Growth Readiness Assessment
Episode Highlights
- The Buy-In Advantage: Why buying into an established practice can be smarter than starting from scratch, and what to look for in a shareholder agreement
- Show You're Partner-Worthy: How young doctors can demonstrate value through marketing activities and relationship-building with referring physicians
- The Uncomfortable Necessities: Why every practice owner needs a will, living trust, buy-sell agreement, and key person insurance—illustrated with real stories of practices that didn't plan ahead
- Transparency is Everything: How open communication between senior and junior partners prevents dissatisfaction and builds lasting trust
- The Exit Strategy: Planning 2-5 years ahead for retirement or sale, and why waiting until you're 80 is too late
- The Private Practice Renaissance: Why more young doctors are choosing private practice ownership post-COVID
Memorable Quotes
"Transparency is really the key to good working relationships. The more that you know about the practice when you're coming in, the better decisions you can make."
"You put a dollar sign in front of math and you all freak out. You did way harder math to get into medical school. This is really easy—it's just simple math."
"The courage to communicate, confront, and compromise are my watchwords that I give all my doctors."
"At least when you buy in, you will have something when you leave. If you're just an employee, you get nothing."
"I've been so encouraged this year. I have done more new startup practice meetings than I did for the last three years. So many young doctors are saying they're ready to start their own practice—and that's something to celebrate."
Debra Phairas reminds us that running a private practice doesn't have to be as daunting as it seems. With proper planning, transparent communication, and the right guidance, physicians can build sustainable practices that provide both professional satisfaction and financial security. Whether you're just starting out or planning your exit, the key is to start those conversations now—not when it's too late.
Guest Bio:
Debra Phairas is President of Practice & Liability Consultants, LLC, a nationally recognized firm specializing in practice management and malpractice prevention. With over 40 years of experience, she has consulted with more than 2,300 medical practices across all specialties. Her expertise includes practice startups, financial analysis, practice valuations, buy-ins and buyouts, strategic planning, and partnership agreements. Debra holds a BS from Michigan State University and completed graduate work in Health Services Administration at Golden Gate University. She is a sought-after speaker who has presented seminars nationwide for medical associations and specialty societies, and is certified as an Expert Witness in California, Arizona, and Washington.
Find Debra:
See Where Your Practice Stands: Take our Practice Growth Readiness Assessment
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Friday Oct 24, 2025
Friday Oct 24, 2025
Overview: Each quarter brings predictable patterns in patient behavior and practice operations, yet many healthcare providers find themselves constantly reacting instead of planning. In this snack episode, Tracy Cherpeski shares her insights on how practice owners can leverage quarterly shifts to build sustainable growth and avoid burnout. From Q1's deductible reset surge to Q4's strategic planning opportunities, Tracy offers a roadmap for thriving year-round.
Click here for full show notes
Episode Highlights:
- How to prepare for Q1's patient surge and deductible reset without overwhelming your team
- Why Q2 is the perfect time for mid-year assessments and what metrics actually matter
- Using Q3's momentum (or downtime) strategically instead of just coasting through summer
- The competitive advantage of Q4 planning over end-of-year scrambling
- Understanding the "hustle and glide" mentality for sustainable practice growth
- The Time Leadership Quadrant: A practical framework for triaging what needs your attention now
Memorable Quotes:
- "What you track, you can manage."
- "You don't want to make your adjustments in the busy time. It's the analogy of getting caught with your pants around your ankles—it's not a good time to try to run if you are bound."
- "If you take some time in Q3 to plan, you'll be at least a quarter ahead of your competition."
- "Embrace the hustle and glide mentality—we hustle when it's truly hustle time, and when it's not, you slow down, become more reflective, and recharge your batteries."
- "The practice owners who thrive year-round know when to work on the business instead of always being in it."
If you're ready to stop riding the quarterly roller coaster and start planning for predictable success, visit thrivingpracticecommunity.com to schedule a consultation with Tracy today.
Is your practice growth-ready? See Where Your Practice Stands: Take our Practice Growth Readiness Assessment
Miranda’s Bio:
Miranda Dorta, B.F.A. (she/her/hers) is the Manager of Operations and PR at Tracy Cherpeski International. A graduate of Savannah College of Art and Design with expertise in writing and creative storytelling, Miranda brings her skills in operations, public relations, and communication strategies to the Thriving Practice community. Based in the City of Oaks, she joined the team in 2021 and has been instrumental in streamlining operations while managing the company's public presence since 2022.
Tracy’s Bio:
Tracy Cherpeski, MBA, MA, CPSC (she/her/hers) is the Founder of Tracy Cherpeski International and Thriving Practice Community. As a Business Consultant and Executive Coach, Tracy helps healthcare practice owners scale their businesses without sacrificing wellbeing. Through strategic planning, leadership development, and mindset mastery, she empowers clients to reclaim their time and reach their potential. Based in Chapel Hill, NC, Tracy serves clients worldwide and is the Executive Producer and Host of the Thriving Practice podcast. Her guiding philosophy: Survival is not enough; life is meant to be celebrated.
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Wednesday Oct 22, 2025
Wednesday Oct 22, 2025
In this powerful conclusion to our three-part time leadership series, Tracy tackles one of the most repeated—and least helpful—pieces of productivity advice: "work smarter, not harder." Through the compelling story of Dr. David, an ER physician turned regenerative medicine practice owner, you'll discover why this platitude fails and what to do instead. Tracy introduces a concrete methodology for strategic work allocation that helped Dr. David redirect 15 hours per week from low-value interruptions to high-value work that only he could perform. The result? Substantial revenue growth, improved patient flow, and a more confident, self-sufficient team—all while working the same number of hours.
Click here for full show notes
Is your practice growth-ready? See Where Your Practice Stands: Take our Practice Growth Readiness Assessment
Download the Time Leadership Delegation Tool
Episode Highlights
- Why "work smarter" is useless advice: It offers zero actionable guidance on how to actually work differently
- The critical distinction: Time leadership isn't about getting extra free time—it's about strategic reallocation to work that only you can do
- Dr. David's breakthrough: Discovering he spent 15 hours weekly on work that didn't require his expertise
- The three strategic changes: Training staff for self-sufficiency, redesigning clinical schedules around highest-value work, and fixing the scheduling system
- The scheduling protocol that changed everything: How offering two specific appointment options eliminated chaos and six weekly interruptions
- Real results: How 12 redirected hours created substantial revenue increases and improved practice flow
- The Discovery-Analysis-Action framework: Tracy's proven methodology for lasting change
Memorable Quotes
"Time leadership isn't about efficiency—it's about effectiveness. It's not about doing things faster—it's about doing the right things and ensuring the wrong things aren't on your plate at all."
"The question isn't 'how do I work smarter?' The question is 'what work should I actually be doing, and what needs to stop being on my plate?'"
"You're not getting 'extra' time. You're reclaiming strategic capacity that's currently being drained by the wrong work."
"Awareness without action is just expensive entertainment. You can understand time leadership intellectually and still be overwhelmed six months from now."
"I finally understand the difference between being busy and being effective. I'm working the same number of hours, but the work I'm doing is completely different." —Dr. David
This episode delivers the practical implementation guide you've been waiting for in the time leadership series. Whether you're a physician, dentist, or other healthcare practice owner, Tracy's methodology for strategic work allocation will help you stop playing every instrument in the orchestra and start conducting. Visit the show notes for your complimentary practice assessment strategy session and take the next step toward building the practice you envisioned.
Is your practice growth-ready? See Where Your Practice Stands: Take our Practice Growth Readiness Assessment
Download the Time Leadership Delegation Tool
Tracy’s Bio:
Tracy Cherpeski, MBA, MA, CPSC (she/her/hers) is the Founder of Tracy Cherpeski International and Thriving Practice Community. As a Business Consultant and Executive Coach, Tracy helps healthcare practice owners scale their businesses without sacrificing wellbeing. Through strategic planning, leadership development, and mindset mastery, she empowers clients to reclaim their time and reach their potential. Based in Chapel Hill, NC, Tracy serves clients worldwide and is the Executive Producer and Host of the Thriving Practice podcast. Her guiding philosophy: Survival is not enough; life is meant to be celebrated.
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Wednesday Oct 15, 2025
Wednesday Oct 15, 2025
Overview: In this episode of Thriving Practice, Tracy Cherpeski tackles one of the biggest challenges healthcare practice owners face: protecting strategic thinking time in an environment where everything feels urgent. Through the compelling story of Dr. David—an ER physician who opened a regenerative medicine practice—you'll discover why your blocked strategic planning time keeps getting hijacked, and learn the exact framework for distinguishing between genuine urgency and habitual urgency. This is part two of the time leadership series, and it's essential listening for any practice owner who's ever wondered why their "do not disturb" time never actually happens.
Click here for full show notes
Download the Time Leadership Workbook
Episode Highlights:
- Why healthcare practice owners are uniquely vulnerable to losing strategic thinking time
- The difference between urgency in clinical care versus practice operations
- Dr. David's breakthrough: discovering 15 hours per week of delegable tasks through time tracking
- The three questions that help you triage your time like an ER triages patients
- The ABCD prioritization framework for categorizing tasks and interruptions
- How to create decision-making frameworks that eliminate recurring interruptions
- Why tracking your time for just three days can reveal patterns you can't unsee
Memorable Quotes:
"Your strategic thinking time doesn't disappear because healthcare is unpredictable. It disappears because you haven't distinguished between what's genuinely urgent and what just feels urgent."
"In clinical settings, urgency often correlates with importance. But here's the trap: you've imported that same urgency response pattern into every aspect of your practice. And in the business side of healthcare, urgency rarely equals importance."
"You cannot fix what you cannot see."
"The question isn't 'is this urgent?' The question is 'is this urgent and only I can handle it right now?' That's a very different standard."
Ready to reclaim your strategic thinking time? This episode gives you the audit framework and prioritization system to start making immediate changes. Download the Time Leadership Delegation workbook and complete your three-day time audit—then join us for part three, where Tracy shows you how to turn that data into freed-up time.
Is your practice growth-ready? See Where Your Practice Stands: Take our Practice Growth Readiness Assessment
Tracy’s Bio:
Tracy Cherpeski, MBA, MA, CPSC (she/her/hers) is the Founder of Tracy Cherpeski International and Thriving Practice Community. As a Business Consultant and Executive Coach, Tracy helps healthcare practice owners scale their businesses without sacrificing wellbeing. Through strategic planning, leadership development, and mindset mastery, she empowers clients to reclaim their time and reach their potential. Based in Chapel Hill, NC, Tracy serves clients worldwide and is the Executive Producer and Host of the Thriving Practice podcast. Her guiding philosophy: Survival is not enough; life is meant to be celebrated.
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Friday Oct 10, 2025
Friday Oct 10, 2025
In this candid snack episode, Miranda and Tracy explore the critical importance of building intentional professional community as a practice owner. Drawing from Tracy's recently updated blog post "Choosing Your Village" (originally written in 2011), they discuss why independent healthcare providers need more than clinical expertise—they need a village of people who understand the unique challenges of practice ownership.
Click here for full show notes
Episode Highlights
- Why community matters more now: The impact of digital connection versus genuine human connection, and how COVID increased isolation for independent practice owners
- Village vs. support network: Understanding the difference between personal support and professional community
- Energy audit for relationships: How to identify which connections drain you and which ones light you up—and what to do about it
- Recovery from burnout: Practical steps for practice owners running on empty, including the WHO's 12 stages of burnout
- Incremental progress over perfection: Why starting small (like drinking enough water) creates sustainable change
Memorable Quotes
"I think we are more digitally connected and yet feeling more disconnected. For all humans, we're really feeling that, and COVID really increased our sense of isolation."
"I need professional friends. I need professional colleagues in my world, other business owners... other crazy people who can show you that what you're going through is common, maybe even normal."
"If I'm feeling this way with lots of people, it might be time for me to take a nap and have a snack."
"Mindful means slowing down. Sometimes literally putting my hand on my heart and just checking in."
"It's better, it's more sustainable to start with something that you know you can do. I know I can carry my water bottle around and sip on it all day."
Closing
This episode serves as a gentle reminder that practice ownership doesn't have to be a solitary journey. Whether you're evaluating your current professional relationships or looking to build new connections, the Thriving Practice community is here to support you. Visit thrivingpracticecommunity.com to learn more about working with Tracy and joining a village that truly gets it.
Is your practice growth-ready? See Where Your Practice Stands: Take our Practice Growth Readiness Assessment
Miranda’s Bio:
Miranda Dorta, B.F.A. (she/her/hers) is the Manager of Operations and PR at Tracy Cherpeski International. A graduate of Savannah College of Art and Design with expertise in writing and creative storytelling, Miranda brings her skills in operations, public relations, and communication strategies to the Thriving Practice community. Based in the City of Oaks, she joined the team in 2021 and has been instrumental in streamlining operations while managing the company's public presence since 2022.
Tracy’s Bio:
Tracy Cherpeski, MBA, MA, CPSC (she/her/hers) is the Founder of Tracy Cherpeski International and Thriving Practice Community. As a Business Consultant and Executive Coach, Tracy helps healthcare practice owners scale their businesses without sacrificing wellbeing. Through strategic planning, leadership development, and mindset mastery, she empowers clients to reclaim their time and reach their potential. Based in Chapel Hill, NC, Tracy serves clients worldwide and is the Executive Producer and Host of the Thriving Practice podcast. Her guiding philosophy: Survival is not enough; life is meant to be celebrated.
Connect With Us: