Meet Christina Malone Tyson | Doctor of Physical Therapy and Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Christina Malone Tyson and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Christina, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
I knew it was time to start my own business when I was coming home exhausted, stressed, and frustrated with my daily grind. I had been working in outpatient physical therapy clinics for years, letting insurance companies with no medical knowledge dictate how often I could see my patients, what treatments I was authorized to provide to them, and limiting me from addressing multiple body party or diagnoses. I was tired of it. I wanted to use my knowledge and skills to help people reach their physical goals, while being paid better wages and having the freedom to make my own schedule. The only way to do this would to be to go into business for myself. I decided to start a cash-pay, mobile congierge physical therapy service called Pierpont Physical Therapy, named after a beach neighborhood in Ventura, CA. By eliminating any dealings with insurance, I am able to offer patients a superior level of care and a truely personalized physical therapy experience. I also understand how difficult it can be to prioritize one’s own health, so I wanted to make getting PT convenient and accessible for people by going mobile and offering hours in the evenings and on weekends. I have a toddler and a young baby, and I want to spend as much time as possible with my family…but I also want to work! Now I can decide for myself what that balance is, as it is ever changing depending on the circumstances.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Pierpont Physical Therapy is mobile concierge physical therapy that aims to help people prioritize their own health and wellness by offering the convenience of having therapy at one’s home or office with flexible hours 7 days a week. I am a cash-based physical therapist, so I do not accept insurance. This allows me more freedom to treat patients in the way I think is most beneficial for them, but it also has some downfalls. It is harder to book patients because many people can’t afford the rates, or they decide it’s not worth the price (before even trying it). It is also a lot of work to book patients when there isn’t a doctor referring directly to me; I have to make people aware of my business and my skills in ways that often involve pro-bono workshops and demonstrations. I found that word of mouth, as well as referrals from my friends in the medical and wellness fields brought in the most clients. Researching and learning how to reach my target demographic has been a learning experience. It’s amazing what a little marketing in the right place can do. If I’m doing my job well, patients will get better and then be discharged from PT, so marketing will be an important constant in order to keep this business going. Part of what sets me apart from other mobile therapists is my areas of interest. Besides working with orthopedic clients, promoting prehab and injury prevention, and training athletes, I have a strong training and background in Vestibular Physical Therapy, meaning I can test for and treat vertigo and other causes of dizziness and imbalance. I thought having a mobile PT who can offer vestibular rehab would be a unique selling point since many people with vertigo feel too sick and dizzy to even leave their house. As a mobile, cash-pay physical therapist I can help people who don’t qualify for home health physical therapy, but still need the convenience of a therapist that comes to them.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
There is so much to see and do in Ventura, but also great day trips within a two hour drive. You can’t miss the Main Street in downtown Ventura. It’s a pretty small surfing town, so downtown is the best place to find some nightlife. There’s almost always at least one place with live music, and lots of outdoor dining options for enjoying the weather and some people watching. The Jolly Oyster is a favorite spot of mine – it’s a food truck that sells oysters that you have to shuck yourself, but they also have another truck that sells fare like fried oyster tacos and uni ceviche tostadas. It’s at the beach and easy to access from the bike path, there’s a great seating area, and now they have a wine and beer stand – all this makes for a great afternoon, There’s always events, concerts, art fairs, and markets happening at the Fair Grounds so be sure to check the schedule there. Grant Park offers a beautiful view of Ventura and the Channel Islands, on a clear day. Head to the harbor and take an Island Hoppers boat to the Channel Islands for some hiking on the cliffs and kayaking into the caves. For a special day trip, Santa Ynez is less than 2 hours away. Stop at the small country store just outside of town to grab a Reuben sandwich and take it for a picnic at a winery. Foxen Canyon has tons of options for wine tasting, and it’s a really pretty drive. Santa Barbara is another fun destination for a day tip thats only a 30 minute drive from Ventura. There’s top tier restaurants to choose from, as well as unique shopping on the pedestrian drag State Street.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I dedicate this shoutout to my girlfriends who have supported and promoted my business, helped me develop logos and marketing materials, and backed-up my negative feelings towards medical insurance companies so that I could remember why I was doing all this in the first place.

Website: pierpontphysicaltherapy.com

Instagram: @pierpontpt

Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/pierpont-physical-therapy-ventura

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@christinaDPT

Image Credits
Sarah Morales