What happens when you build a thriving medical practice but realize your systems can’t keep up with your success?
Dr. Mikel Daniels, President of We Treat Feet Podiatry, knows this challenge intimately. Managing over 50 employees across multiple locations while still seeing patients, he’s discovered what many growing service business owners face: the very growth you’ve worked so hard to achieve can become your biggest operational headache.
The Feedback Paradox
Here’s a puzzle that keeps many healthcare executives up at night: You need patient feedback to improve your service, but the patients who respond to surveys are rarely the ones you need to hear from. Dr. Daniels shares the frustrating reality of single-digit response rates and the peculiar challenge of anonymous online reviews that offer criticism without giving you any way to make things right.
Even more challenging? When patients do voice concerns in the moment, addressing them requires a delicate dance between medical care and customer service. Dr. Daniels reveals how his team tries to catch issues before they become expensive problems and why this proactive approach doesn’t always work as planned.
The Geography Problem
Try getting 50+ employees together for a meeting when they’re spread across multiple locations. Now imagine trying to maintain consistent quality, culture, and communication when you can’t simply walk down the hall to check in with your team.
This is where most growing service businesses hit a wall. Dr. Daniels discusses how he’s built his management structure around this challenge, relying heavily on his VP of Operations to be his eyes and ears. But even with great people in place, the question remains: How do you scale yourself without burning out?
The CEO Who Can’t Stop Being a Doctor
Perhaps the most relatable struggle Dr. Daniels shares is one that transcends healthcare: the founder who can’t let go. As both a practicing physician and the CEO/owner, he finds himself pulled in two directions constantly. Should he see patients or handle the financial projections? Should he focus on clinical excellence or business operations?
The answer, he’s learning, isn’t either/or, it’s about creating systems that allow you to do both without working yourself into the ground. But how do you make that transition when your expertise (and let’s be honest, your passion) lies in the clinical work, not the spreadsheets?
The Distance Dilemma
Here’s a leadership challenge that doesn’t get talked about enough: How do you maintain appropriate boundaries with employees who are also professional colleagues? Dr. Daniels shares his thoughtful approach to interacting with his physician staff, knowing when to be the friendly colleague and when to be the employer making tough business decisions.
This balance becomes even more critical as your business grows. The informal communication style that worked with five employees creates chaos with fifty. The open-door policy that made you approachable becomes unsustainable when everyone needs “just five minutes.”
Technology as the Great Enabler
In a fascinating discussion about AI and automation, Dr. Daniels explores how technology could transform his practice’s administrative burden. From streamlining documentation to improving patient communication, the possibilities are tantalizing, but so is the challenge of implementation.
The real question isn’t whether these tools can help, but how to integrate them without disrupting the human-centered care that makes a medical practice successful in the first place.
The Path Forward
What makes this conversation valuable isn’t just the challenges Dr. Daniels shares. It’s his willingness to acknowledge them honestly and explore systematic solutions. He’s not looking for a magic fix or a consultant to swoop in and solve everything. He’s looking for what every smart business owner seeks: frameworks, systems, and processes that turn good intentions into consistent results.
This episode reveals the messy reality behind growing service businesses: the late nights, the constant juggling, the nagging feeling that there must be a better way. But it also shows something more hopeful, that acknowledging these challenges is the first step toward solving them systematically.
Whether you run a medical practice, a professional services firm, or any service-based business facing growing pains, Dr. Daniels’ story will feel familiar. The names and industries change, but the fundamental challenges remain the same: How do you capture feedback that matters? How do you maintain quality across locations? How do you scale yourself without losing your mind?
The answers start with asking better questions and building systems that turn those questions into sustainable growth.
You can learn more about Mikel Daniels over at We Treat Feet Podiatry. You can also connect with him on LinkedIn.
Want to increaste your customer referrals by 20%? Let’s talk about creating a customer experience that catches problems early and turns your team into problem solvers. You can join the next Customer Experience Zoom Workshop to find out how to improve your customer experience and get more referrals.
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