Pro Chiropractic, situated in Bozeman, Montana, was founded by Dr. Jonathan “Jon” Wilhelm. Dr. Wilhelm established his first practice in 2004, with subsequent expansions beginning only two years later. Pro Physio, launched in 2006 as a second rehabilitation and specialized non-surgical spinal decompression center. A second Pro Chiropractic site opened in Manhattan, MT in 2012, and the third Pro Chiropractic office debuted in 2015 in the lovely Gallatin Valley of Southwest Montana.
Dr. Wilhelm was raised in Bozeman, Montana and attended Montana State University in the Pre-Med program, then Life University’s College of Chiropractic in Atlanta, GA, and Logan College of Chiropractic in St. Louis, MO, where he completed his chiropractic studies and clinical rotations. Dr. Wilhelm received his Chiropractic Doctorate in 2004, ranking near the top of his class and receiving particular commendation for excellent clinical performance and academic excellence.
Dr. Wilhelm received his MS in Sports Science and Rehabilitation in 2012, making him the first certified sports medicine chiropractor in Montana with added master’s degree level training. In addition to being a Certified Chiropractic Sports Physician (CCSP®), he is also a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) and a Certified Chiropractic Extremity Practitioner (CCEP), making him one of a select few sports chiropractors in the world with this rare combination of credentials. Dr. Wilhelm is also a member of the International Federation of Sports Chiropractic (FICS) and holds their International Sports Chiropractic Credential (ICSC). He served for six years on The American Chiropractic Board of Sports Physicians, which is the entity responsible for testing and certifying sports chiropractors in the United States. Dr Wilhelm currently is an international instructor for FICS Sports Chiropractic Federation and most recently was appointed as Chair of the FICS Student Commission.
Dr. Wilhelm specializes in sports chiropractic and performance therapy; treating athletes of all ages and experience levels to help them achieve their sporting objectives and recover from injuries more quickly. He is a member of the American Chiropractic Association, the American Chiropractic Board of Sports Physicians, the ACA Sports Council, the International Federation of Sports Chiropractic – FICS, and the Montana Chiropractic Association. He is a team physician for Montana State University Athletics and has worked with USA Gymnastics, USA Track and Field, USA Bobsled Skeleton, the International Federation of Sports Chiropractic (FICS), the American Chiropractic Board of Sports Physicians, and the American Chiropractic Association Sports Council.
Dr. Wilhelm was selected 2018 ACA Sports Council Sports Chiropractor of the Year and served on the USOPC Medical Team for the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang, South Korea! Both are firsts for a sports chiropractor in Montana. In the recent days since these incredible accomplishments, Dr. Wilhelm was invited to Beijing, China to work at his second Winter Olympic Games and has been selected as one of the top international sports chiropractors to work at The World Games summer 2022 in Birmingham, Alabama.
His expertise in sports medicine and performance chiropractic therapy give him a unique eye for determining the underlying source of musculoskeletal dysfunction and the skill to employ the quickest and most effective physical medicine methods to help his athletes and patients achieve. Some of these methods include manual therapies like Spinal Manipulation and Mobilization, Cupping Therapy, Guided PEMF Therapy (EPulse), Shockwave Therapy, dynamic and functional taping methods and more. Dr. Wilhelm has further completed trainings in Extremity Management, Dry Needling Therapy, Advanced Graston IASTM Technique, Fascial Manipulation, FAKTR Rehabilitative Methods, Selective Functional Movement Assessment (SFMA), Dynamic Neuromuscular Stabilization (DNS), and Whiplash and Spinal Trauma Advanced Certification.
There is no doubt Dr Wilhelm is passionate about helping athletes achieve™ through treatment and rehabilitation. And he is even more acutely aware of mental health and abuse issues that exist in sport which threaten to rob athletes of far more than performance or achievement. Dr Wilhelm is devoted to being equipped to prevent, recognize, and respond to emotional, physical, and sexual abuse and misconduct, as well as mental health issues. He is SafeSport trained and certified, and voluntarily completes annual ethics and boundary education, and SafeSport retaining to ensure he is educated and aware of the latest best practices, policies, and guidelines to creating safe and respectful sporting environments free of abuse and harassment
Dr. Jon Wilhelm has a wonderful family. Trevor and Amra are the pride and pleasure of his and his wife April. They like international travel, camping, hiking, reading, movies, and making memories with their families. One of their favorite family memories was visiting the Christmas markets in Europe, and they love being together in Cabo, Mexico! Jon is motivated to help others because he believes in the fundamentals of chiropractic care, which include love and service. He also believes that continuing his training will result in a better-cared-for and happier patient. In other words, he continues to strive through better training, technology, and service to better provide value to each patient.
Can you tell us about the beginning of Pro Chiropractic?
I hung out my shingle and founded Pro Chiropractic as my first practice in 2004 right out of graduate school. My wife and I couldn’t imagine a better place to live and start a family! So, with a lot of hard work, drive and ambition we started Pro Chiropractic from humble beginnings. We were a small operation with a dream, a mountain of school loans, and an ambition to serve our community. I never was part of a preceptorship, and never was an associate in another clinic. I just knew somewhere in the last six months of my schooling that I wanted to open and own my own practice. I can remember the day I called my father from the parking lot of the student clinic to tell him this!
Building a business was serious work, and the support of an exceptional spouse was pivotal to my business success. I can still remember walking door to door in the cold and blowing snow of Montana winter to meet our neighbors and potential patients in our community. Back then life was full of screenings, networking groups and a lot of gripping and grinning to sell ourselves and our services. I wrote down my goals, filled my mind with motivational recordings and readings, and with the love and support of my family, we were off! And by off, I mean lots of work, networking, and getting involved. Also knew we wanted the practice April and I built to live beyond us, that’s why we had to choose a name that was bigger than our surname.
I first came up with the name Pro Chiropractic while attending graduate school near St Louis, Missouri. I was considering the name of a chiropractic practice if I ever opened one as I drove down a busy street lined with numerous businesses. As I drove, I noticed that most smaller businesses were named Tim’s Auto Repair or Ellisville Family Dentistry, whereas the larger, more successful businesses had names Costco and Walmart. The signs for smaller businesses used a variety of colors and fonts, were inconsistent, and lacked continuity, whereas the signs for larger businesses used much more defined strong, and bold colors and fonts. That is when I decided to name and develop a business that would be unrelated to my town, family, or myself. Instead, I would choose a name that was straightforward, strong, and accurately described what I did. I desired a business and a name that would thrive and endure long after I was gone. Additionally, I would choose a font and colors that reflected the simplicity and strength of the most successful national and international brands. Pro Chiropractic was the name I chose, and I have never regretted the name or what it has grown to represent.
What is one of the most interesting things that you have done in your career?
My experience working with the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang with Team USA Medical was the culmination of many years of training, travel, work, and sacrifice, and it was incredible! I had the opportunity to work with some of the best athletes in the world and help them perform at their absolute best. It was also an amazing opportunity to work alongside some of the top sports medicine professionals in the world. I will never forget what it felt like to walk into an Olympic Ceremony as part of Team USA. Here I was this small-town chiropractor who grew up in smalltown Bozeman walking into the Olympic Stadium in South Korea with some of the finest athletes in the world! Interesting doesn’t even capture how unique and special this was as a career highlight, and I remain grateful for these opportunities I am afforded.
Can you share a story about one of your greatest struggles and what you did to overcome it?
The greatest challenge I’ve faced is just staying the course. When you’re first starting out, there are so many obstacles and challenges that can trip you up, and also many enticing distractions that could derail your purpose and momentum. It’s easy to get discouraged and want to give up. But I think the key is to just keep moving forward, one step at a time. Over time, those small steps will add up to big results. And as long as you don’t give up, eventually you will reach your goals. Effective goal setting, success visualization and daily positive self-affirmation were my go-to keys for staying consistent through it all.
What is your favorite part of being a Chiropractor?
I love using my hands to get people out of pain and back to doing what they love. I am constantly in awe of the human body, how it performs and adapts, and I am continually on the search for ways to work with this power and improve the same! Finally, I love that there is a philosophy, science, and art behind what we do as chiropractors. And I love learning and growing in each of these areas to make myself a better doctor for my patients.
What is your favorite part of owning your own business?
I love being able to help as many people as possible and having the freedom to do things my own way. I enjoy that I can create and easily implement an idea or procedure and am not tethered to too much stifling over-analysis and group think. Additionally, April and I love being able to give back to our community through Pro Chiropractic’s philanthropic efforts.
Do you have any advice for others looking to start their own business?
My advice is to choose a name and brand that accurately reflects what you do and who you are. Additionally, be sure to put in the hard work upfront to set yourself up for success, and this includes working on yourself from the inside with goal setting, visualization, and affirmation. Once you get your business off the ground, always be learning and growing so that you can continue to serve your clients/customers at the highest level.
What does your typical day look like and how do you make it productive?
I like to wake up early. From many years of rising early, my body has learned to be ready at 5:30am. I shower every morning if I can. I don’t have any routines around breakfast, but I do like to make the coffee and share some time and conversation with my wife, April. Then I am off to work at my clinics where I start seeing patients at 7am. Patient care is fun, busy, and well-structured. I move from treatment room to treatment room where patients are ready and prepped for their treatment by my support staff. My treatments vary from 15 minutes to 1 hour. I use many types of manual and chiropractic therapies to help my patients move and feel better. I have found that patients mirror my energy, and frequently I can uplift another individual with my treatments. I will treat from arrival straight until 2pm, typically with no breaks. This schedule is highly productive, as it meets the needs of my patients. When I am finished with patients it’s time to wrap up details and paperwork from the day’s treatments. Afternoon activities are variable, and may include business meetings, exercise, family commitments, or relaxing. These hours are some of my most productive, as I have the ability to fill them with the most important activities. In the evening I am home with my family. I like to eat meals with my wife and kids and enjoy family activities and relaxing together with them. Because I wake up so early, I am also early to bed, usually by 9pm. I go to sleep most nights feeling happy about my day.
How do you bring ideas to life?
I am an idea person! I am very good at analyzing a situation or need and finding opportunity. Once I have an idea in mind, my ability to inspire others takes over. I have always found in myself the ability to paint a picture of opportunity for others, to inspire them to see and join my idea. I am also a collaborator and team builder. Once an idea is out there, I bring the good work of others together to bring these to life.
What is one habit of yours that makes you more productive as an entrepreneur?
I have ingrained the habit of approaching opportunities and challenges with a positive mental attitude. This habit allows me to push forward where others stop or fail.
What is one strategy that has helped you grow your business?
Start with Who first, and work on What next. By putting my energy into who I am and who I align with, I have found growth to be less challenging. Too much energy is put into what procedure or protocol needs to be changed to grow, when actually being and having the right people fixes most issues and allows an entrepreneur to achieve more success.
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