I have been asked several times if I would ever start my own clinic in Asia, specifically in the Philippines, where starting a clinic is relatively streamlined (kind of). I always say it’s a consideration under one condition: if the owner of the clinic is a Filipino wife, sort of like Mabuhay Chiropractic without the dumb mistress getting $20K a month.
The reasons for this are simple:
1. A foreign owned company in the Philippines licensure runs close to $200K USD, where as a local owned business is a hundredth of that cost.
2. I would never want a business partner, other than a spouse, having any financial stake in my business.
I would never want a partner wondering why we were having a “slow month” or bitching about “the numbers”, and I would especially not like any outside influence from a non chiropractor into how to run a Chiropractic Clinic, even a seasoned businessman or woman. I would want to run the show exclusively.
I currently work in Viet Nam for a clinic, ACC, which was started close to two decades ago by a Chiropractor, Dr Wade Brackenbury. The clinic was a success and about a decade back a patient, a Vietnamese tech billionaire, decided to invest in the company providing support and *no outside interference*, an absolute Godsend. The clinic achieved so much success that it was able to expand to four offices in 3 Vietnamese cities and eventually be bought out by a hospital group for $22 million dollars, as the hospital group itself was bought out for $440 by a Singapore based company which specializes in Health enterprises like hospitals and clinics.
All of this success breeds imitation, investors and entrepreneurs thinking “All we need is handsome young white guys to jump on local people’s backs and something something, a few more clinics, yada yada…. Sell this steaming shit taco for 8 figures.”
It’s fool proof.
Their business models are all the same. Copy us, charge a little bit less for the adjustment, charge more for ancillary services but if you “buy right now” you get this discount.
Needless to say Owning and operating a functioning Chiropractic clinic in Asia is a lot more difficult. None have achieved the successes ACC has, and they never will, but they have made enough of a dent to chip into our numbers AND start to give the profession a black eye.
The thing that strikes me about the above groups, the part that absolutely boggles my mind actually, is that these groups are almost all run by young rich (from family wealth) 30-40 something hot Vietnamese married women (Did I mention they were Hot?)
In many cases these woman are chiropractic patients themselves who thought (incorrectly), and were warned, that this business isn’t as easy as finding foreigners to jump on backs.
So they go through the motions of starting a Chiropractic company: Hire a doctor promising compensation that will never materialize, because you will never get as many patients through the door as you imagine through your social media blitz. The ads start getting desperate as paralyzed Grandma is now walking, or your daughter with the 40+ degree scoliosis is instantly cured via computer graphics. Your Sons kyphosis correction added an extra 5 centimeters (2 Inches).
As many of these clinics are using unlicensed doctors our promotional videos warning potential patients about “fake doctors” are actually copied by these entities using their unlicensed doctors with photoshopped licenses.
Sidebar: if you are looking for if a medical professional is licensed in Ho Chi Minh City click here: http://thongtin.medinet.org.vn
While the title of this post might suggest that I have a problem with women, or housewives or Vietnamese woman or (Gasp), hot Vietnamese woman, nothing could be further from the truth.
As reality surpasses expectations the rotating of the Chiropractors, some good and some not so good, starts as the realization that the grass isn’t as green as they were promised.
As I said I would only start a practice in Asia *If and only If I was married to a local woman*, where the formalities of licensure were simplified while I ran the show. Or I would only work for people who let the experts run the show, not outsiders who think it will be a cake walk because they see success.
But remembering the greatest failure of my career, China, a good woman with a good heart and a shit ton of money couldn’t will success into existence.
I have written before on questions to ask potential employers as you consider moving to Asia to work as a Chiropractor.
I’ll add another one: 1. What experience do you have owning and operating a Chiropractic clinic?
You know, other than being a rich bored hot housewife that got your back cracked…
Asian Chiropractic 