Why George Ciresi wishes he had called MHA sooner
George Ciresi opened his Long Island practice in 2009 and had just added a third office when he decided he needed outside guidance to keep quality high. Three years with MHA later, the practice runs on sharper numbers, a deeper bench of leaders and its first acquisition. His only regret is the wait.
George on working with MHA
“The only thing that I wish I did sooner was reach out to them. I feel like having that knowledge a little sooner probably would have advanced the practice a little further along than where it is now.”
Growing, and wanting to keep quality up
George opened the practice in 2009, and he and his partner grew it into four brands: physical therapy, occupational therapy, athletic performance and medical massage. In 2022 they had just opened a third office.
“I just remember having that feeling like, if we really want to keep quality up, I think we need a little bit of help for the next steps.”
Acquirers had also started to show interest. George was not ready to sell, but he did not want a future sale to be the first time he went through the process.
The name kept coming up
George was active in APTA's Private Practice Section and in a peer-to-peer group of seven owners. Four of them already worked with MHA. He asked them questions, did his due diligence and spoke with Josh Meyers. He never seriously looked at another advisor.
“I'm a big believer in not having to reinvent the wheel. There's people that are a lot smarter than me that have done this already.”
Peers who had been there
Friends in his peer group used MHA and raved about the work. That carried more weight than any pitch.
You don't know what you don't know
Taking the next step meant getting professional guidance on what he couldn't see from inside the business.
A fresh set of eyes
“We're all inherently biased in our own ways.” An outside view would show what was working and what could improve.
Would the return be worth the price?
George was not fearful going in. His one question was the same one every owner asks: would the return on the investment justify the fee? Talking with colleagues who were clients, and with Josh, settled it. If it wasn't a fit, he and his partner could step back, so the risk felt small.
“Things landed so much better than I would have expected.”
Three years of building the practice
Outside-In Assessment
An outside view of the business to start: what ProCare did well, and where it could improve.
KPIs, dialed in
George is a numbers person who thought his reporting was detailed. MHA showed him the KPIs he wasn't tracking yet.
Emerging Leaders
ProCare has put two cohorts of its people through MHA's Emerging Leaders program.
A first acquisition
MHA guided ProCare through buying another practice. “We wouldn't have known what we were doing without you guys.”
Acquirer conversations
When acquirers reached out, MHA was there to help George understand and weigh each one.
“Josh is our guy”
MHA's Josh Meyers works with George day to day, from KPI reviews to one-off reports George asks for along the way.
“He's such a professional person. He's super intelligent. I really like his positive attitude all the time. I probably ask him so many extra things to do, and he's always happy to go above and beyond.”
From a third office to a first acquisition
Opened
George and his partner open Professional Care Physical Therapy on Long Island.
Third office
Growth brings the feeling that the next steps need outside help.
Joins MHA
An Outside-In Assessment, then the KPI work begins with Josh Meyers.
Building leaders
Two cohorts through the Emerging Leaders program.
Acquisition
ProCare buys another practice, with MHA guiding the process.
What George would tell an owner in his shoes
A conversation is free
“It doesn't cost anything to have a conversation. Pick up the phone.”
Talk to MHA's clients
Do your due diligence. Ask owners who have worked with Paul Martin and his team.
Don't wait as long as he did
Whether the goal is better day-to-day operations or an exit strategy, you'd be surprised how much you can improve.
A real client engagement. Quotes are from George Ciresi's interview with MHA, lightly edited for length.
About ProCare and MHA
Who is George Ciresi?
George Ciresi co-owns Professional Care Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation, ProCare Occupational Therapy, ProCare Athletic Performance and Long Island Medical Massage. He opened the practice in 2009.
How did George find Martin Healthcare Advisors?
Through his peer-to-peer group in APTA's Private Practice Section. Four of the seven owners in the group already worked with MHA, and the name kept coming up.
What has MHA helped ProCare with?
An Outside-In Assessment, a deeper set of KPIs, two cohorts through the Emerging Leaders program, guidance through a recent acquisition, and advice when acquirers reached out.
Is ProCare selling?
Not today. Acquirers have shown interest, and George wanted to learn the process with MHA first, so a future sale would not be his first time through it.
Who is George's MHA advisor?
Josh Meyers. “Josh is our guy,” George says.
What would George tell another owner?
It doesn't cost anything to have a conversation. Do your due diligence, talk to other MHA clients, and don't wait as long as he did.
What don't you know about your practice yet?
Marlton, NJ 08053