Bryan Golnek is the founder and CEO of Golnek Sports. Through this firm, he offers physical therapy services to people in competitive contact sports and help them get back into doing what they do best. Among his areas of focus in physical therapy include helping clients deal with knee-joint issues, and back strength after surgery or painful injuries that may not necessarily require surgery. Golnek got the idea of getting into physical therapy after a back injury ruled him out of competitive sports while in college. He vowed to help others avoid similar predicaments, and that’s when he went for the necessary certifications to become a physical therapy specialist. He then spent a year under a mentor before starting Golnek Sports, and he has done a good job growing it. Golnek has leveraged the success of his company to engage in philanthropy. Over the last ten years, he has given thousands of dollars to different charities, especially those helping reunite lost children with their parents. Golnek is also considering expanding his philanthropy to include using his services to help the elderly who may need physical therapy services.
When did your passion for physical therapy begin?
My passion for physical therapy came after an injury made it impossible for me to pursue a baseball career to its fullest. That’s when I decided to learn how to do therapy and help athletes avoid getting into similar situations. It has been a rewarding career, as I have helped many athletes with near career-ending injuries get back into the game and shine to their fullest.
Lots of Americans have some sort of back problem or the other by age 50. Share your perspective.
I think it has a lot to do with lifestyle. We are increasingly living sedentary lifestyles, which means more incidences of back problems and other lifestyle-related issues. I believe this issue can be resolved with more awareness about physical fitness. While we can’t stay away from jobs that require us to remain sedentary for long, there are several steps that one can take to improve their situation. One of them is to try using a standing desk when working for long hours. People also need to take the idea of physical exercise, at least 30 minutes a day, a lot more seriously. No matter how busy you are in your career, don’t get too busy for your health.
What is the biggest mistake people make when investing in the health and fitness business?
In my line of work within the health and fitness market, the biggest mistake I find that people make is to jump into the business without sufficient skills and experience. The result is that you end up overpromising clients and failing to deliver on such promises. On the broader industry, I think there is a lot of misinformation on what to expect from health and fitness. Whenever the word gym is mentioned, for instance, the first thing that comes to many people’s minds is ripped muscles and abs. This should not be the case, though. A workout should be about staying healthy, not appearances. The problem with this misrepresentation of facts is that customers get disappointed when they don’t see instant results, creating many reputational images for people in the business.
Tell us about Golnek Sports?
Golnek Sports is a physical therapy company that helps injured sports people recover from their injuries through physical therapy. Since I started the company ten years ago, we have helped hundreds of sports people, both pro players, and amateurs, get back into sporting after getting hit by potentially career-ending injuries. I started this company after a back injury ruled me out of competitive sports. At this point, I got into therapy, and today, I feel happy that I chose this line of work. It makes me so happy knowing I am helping an athlete get back into the game and keep chasing their dreams. I hope to keep growing the company and reach as many people as possible, including those not involved in competitive sports.
What is offered through your one-on-one physical therapy approach?
We do a lot for our clients. I am a certified physical therapy practitioner, so I know exactly what to do for our clients to get the necessary solutions. At the same time, I have hired a team of highly competent sports physical therapists to work under me. Whenever client’s step into our offices, they get therapy and tips on how to change their lifestyle to get faster outcomes from the therapy we give them. It has worked well, and almost all our clients have had results. The few that turn problematic, we usually ask them to seek professional medical help and do our best to direct them to the best doctors who can take over.
Share the steps to success as an entrepreneur.
I don’t think there is a single formula you can apply to be successful as an entrepreneur. Different entrepreneurs get varied outcomes depending on the industry and available capital, among other factors. However, there are traits that I believe tend to separate the success or failure of entrepreneurs in the long run. One of the most important traits that an entrepreneur should have is resilience. You need to keep your head high and make proper decisions even when things are tough. Without strength, you are likely to close shop once the tough times come, and they will always come from time to time.
Tell us about your planned free physical therapy for the elderly week.
Many people don’t know this, but I am big on philanthropy. Since I started Golnek Sports, I have given thousands of dollars to different charities. I feel like I can do more, so I have decided to start a program where I can use my skills to help those in need of my services but may not afford them. I hope it works out fine. Then we can find a way of incorporating it into the company’s corporate social responsibility programs.
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