Today we’d like to introduce you to Laura McKaig.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
My business started out as a choice that I did not want to make. I had gotten my physical therapy license reinstated after being out of the profession for 14 years. That was quite an accomplishment on its own, but this time around I wanted to specialize. I discovered pelvic health, mainly from a random comment made by a former coworker. I looked into it and discovered that I liked it and that it seemed a good fit for me. And so I began to pursue that.
My first job after getting my license back was not in pelvic health but in geriatrics. I loved working with this group of people and was able to offer my new specialty, but in a very limited capacity. A few years later I had an opportunity to work in a small outpatient clinic doing pelvic floor therapy. Let’s just say that the opportunity did not work out as I had hoped. I was asked to leave, and was given three options: quit the profession, go work for someone else, or start my own business. I did NOT want to start my own practice, but my passion for this new specialty far outweighed the fear of going out on my own. So, with no prior training or business knowledge, I started Laura McKaig Physical Therapy (which has been renamed Pelvic Connection PT and Wellness).
This was not part of my plan! I was in my early 50s, had no idea how to start or run a business, and had just gotten back into the game. But I had a strong “why”. I knew that this is what I was called to do, and I knew why I wanted to continue with pelvic floor therapy. I was about to learn how. It was just me, a solo practitioner, and one patient. To make ends meet, I also took a PRN job at a nursing home 1 1/2 hours away from my house. I used the long drive to listen to podcasts, learn about business, and grow in my personal development. Growth was very slow those first 3 years but I persevered. My patient caseload slowly grew until it became more sustainable and I could leave my PRN job. That was a moment to celebrate!
Nearly 8 years later, I am still a solo practitioner but am part of a health and wellness community in Olathe KS, Olathe Holistic. My specialty remains pelvic floor physical therapy but I also have training as a John Barnes Myofascial Release therapist. I’ve also expanded beyond just clinician, to writer and author, educator, advocate, and online content creator. I’ve recently relaunched a YouTube channel and a podcast. I thoroughly enjoy the teaching, advocating, and creative part of my business.
If you’d like to hear the long version of my story, check out the “My Story” video on YouTube: https://youtu.be/HH50XiAIhng
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I would guess that most entrepreneurs have the same answer to this question: NO! Starting your own business is not for the faint of heart and is not an easy path to success.
My theme for my business journey is: Turning Setbacks into Comebacks.
I have had a lot of struggles, disappointments, and setbacks. I have chosen to not let them break me but instead see them as opportunities to grow and learn.
Since I started my business in 2018, some struggles have changed, some have remained the same. Some of my biggest challenges have been:
–Mindset: overcoming rejection and disappointment, not letting it define my ability. Growing in the confidence that I CAN do this despite the doubts from others and from myself! I would say that having the right mindset is the most important thing one can do to have a successful business.
–Learning how to find my own patients rather than being an employee and having the patients just come to me. This was a huge learning curve! I was no longer reliant on someone else doing the work to bring in a caseload, that was part of my job now.
–Technology! I was very “old school”, having been a PT before computerized documentation (yes, that was a long time ago). Not only did I have to learn that, but as a business owner I needed to know about websites, creating email lists, business metrics, Excel spreadsheets, and much more. MInd you, I do not consider myself to be very tech-savvy, so at the beginning this was a huge challenge. It is getting easier–I actually created my first website myself!–but it still takes a lot of my time and energy.
–Getting my name out there. When I started my business, I had recently re-started my career after a 14-year break. I had no prior connections with doctors offices, other PTs, or other healthcare providers. And there was no carryover from nursing home to outpatient therapy. Basically I had no existing reputation as a pelvic floor therapist. It was a big uphill climb, but with persistence and help from others, that began to change.
–Keeping my business afloat during Covid in 2020: like many smaller PT clinics, I closed my doors for several months during the pandemic. It was a very stressful time, wondering if I could make it financially and if I would be able to open back up. It was during that time that I started making instructional videos for my patients. I had an empty treatment room, and they needed and wanted continued help. I put them out onto YouTube for them to watch, and my YouTube channel was born.
–Social Media! I have a “tolerate it” attitude toward social media. It’s not really my thing, but it is a good way to get your name out there and let people know about what you do. I struggle with posting consistently – you’ve got to keep it up – and with squeezing a teaching concept into a 60-second reel or quick caption. Funny, but I do not use social media as a way to get patients. It’s more of a platform for me to teach, advocate, and inspire others.
–Maintaining a healthy life rhythm: I hesitate to use the term “work-life balance”, because I don’t think that really exists. To me it’s more of a rhythm that ebbs and flows, but continues forward. Nearly all business owners have this as a constant struggle: how to juggle work, business, family, and self-care without becoming overwhelmed or consumed by one of them.
How have I been able to turn so many setbacks into comebacks? Here’s what’s kept me going:
–My faith
–My WHY: why I do this, it’s my calling, it’s what I’m meant to do. That has remained strong throughout these 8 years
–My business community: I am part of the Uncaged Clinician coaching group. It has been a lifesaver for my business. I learned that I don’t have to figure all of this out on my own, having a business coach is something I highly recommend.
Want to hear the long version of my struggles and purpose? Go to my video “Finding Purpose in the Struggle” on YouTube: https://youtu.be/W94rYVQnogs
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Pelvic Connection Physical Therapy and Wellness LLC?
My business is in the healthcare and wellness industry. Pelvic Connection is one of the few PT clinics in the Kansas City area that specializes exclusively in pelvic floor physical therapy for both men and women. We aim to provide a welcoming, safe space for our patients to feel more at ease and to recover to their fullest.
I like to provide clinical excellence, expert-level but personalized care, and add a dash of quirky humor to the mix. I have a collection of organ plushies that I’ve purchased from I Heart Guts. I like to use them when I teach workshops or as part of YouTube or podcast recording. It adds a lighthearted touch and a few laughs to a subject that many find embarrassing and serious.
Although my main focus is one-on-one treatment at my Olathe office, I’ve written a book titled Piss Off (Literally): Controlling Your Incontinence After Prostate Surgery. I’m also expanding my services to include patient education, virtual pelvic health coaching, and online resources. Not everyone has access to in-person pelvic floor therapy, nor does everyone want to start with that. These resources are my way of helping a wider range of people and allowing them to have access to reliable, expert-level information about their condition. It also can give them some things they can do themselves to kickstart their recovery.
I’m also an outspoken advocate for raising awareness of pelvic health for more underserved groups: men of all ages, post-hysterectomy or other pelvic surgeries, prostate cancer survivors, and men and women over age 65. Pelvic floor therapy goes far beyond pregnancy and postpartum care. We need to let people know that, both the general public and other healthcare providers. This is my way of spreading the word.
I am also proud to be a member of the VA Community Care Network, providing pelvic floor therapy to our male and female veterans. I’m grateful for their service to my country, this is one way that I can serve them and show my appreciation.
I recently rebranded my business and renamed it Pelvic Connection PT and Wellness, to symbolize the connection of the pelvis and pelvic health with the rest of the body’s wellbeing. It also reflects my holistic approach to treatment, treating the whole body and finding the root cause of the problem, not just treating the symptoms or giving a quick fix (that doesn’t last).
Some of the services and offerings that reflect my business mission and vision:
–Book Piss Off (LIterally): https://www.pelvicconnection.com/patient-resources
–Free and Paid Online Resources. The newest one is the Piss Off Recovery System, a complement to the book, for men after prostate surgery. https://www.pelvicconnection.com/patient-resources
–Email Newsletter “What’s Up Down There”. You can sign up through our website,
–YouTube channel: The Pelvic Connection With Laura McKaig PT
–Podcast “Down There” (Laura McKaig PT), available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube
Can you share something surprising about yourself?
Before doing this, I had a small cottage business making gourmet caramels and biscotti.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.pelvicconnection.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauramckaigpt/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lauramckaigpt
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laura-mckaig-pt-mspt-2943a5ab/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@pelvicconnection2025
- Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/down-there/id1837539752
