Behind the Scenes with Dr. Audra Lance: Building Elite Athletes & Musicians with High-End Care

In this episode, Dr. Beau Beard sits down with Nashville chiropractor Dr. Audra Lance to talk about how she built a high-end, cash-based sports practice from scratch, treats elite athletes and musicians, and uses her own anxiety and curiosity as a superpower instead of a limitation.

Yeah, I just thought like of the Chicago fire. I was like, if their house if there's a spark like this room exploding. But anyways, my wine I just have a so called bloster Willamette Valley Pinot Noir. So yeah, cheers. Yeah, we had we had fillets tonight and I knew this would be good with it. So yeah, so we got Yeah, so I'm gonna take a little sip here.

Dr. Audra (01:04.31)

okay, you're going lighter. Cheers. Well, thanks for inviting me.

Dr. Audra (01:12.462)

Perfect. Yeah, that bourbon, I keep hearing it's an investment, but I'm like, fine, but when are we selling any of it to like make money? But you know.

Beau Beard (01:22.645)

I did. So I went and got, we sound like booze hounds. I went to the liquor store today to replenish some stuff that we're out of. And I mean, you wouldn't believe like the guys that were in there talking about, you know, allocations and yeah, I'm going to buy this one coming in with lists and stuff. And I was like, this is beyond, this is not my game. Like I, I'm getting stuff to make white Russians at some point this week and that's about it. yeah.

Dr. Audra (01:46.722)

Yeah, I mean, it's wine down Wednesday. You have to drink.

Beau Beard (01:52.002)

Okay, I didn't know that was a thing, but now I do. So sure, that's what we're starting out for. Well, let's get into it. So I'll try to pull back the curtains a little bit because I have to kind of act like I'm talking to you without knowing some of this stuff, because I do know some of this stuff, but I want people to know where Audra Lance came from in terms of practice and why you got into this versus like where you're at. How many years are you in practice now? So how many is it?

Dr. Audra (01:54.882)

I just made it up, but it sounds good.

Dr. Audra (02:17.486)

Mike, about as long as you. So what is it? Like 12? 12. Yeah.

Beau Beard (02:19.459)

So about 13 ish, 13, 14. Yeah. So 12 years later. So we don't want to jump to that. So we want to back up. So first of all, how did you get into Cairo school? Like what was the push?

Dr. Audra (02:27.619)

Cool.

Dr. Audra (02:33.774)

So I knew I wanted to be a doctor since I was a kid. I had strep throat every other month for a couple years. And so I was in the doctor's office all the time and I wasn't in school then when you're sick. So I would play with my Barbies and my stuffed animals like and pretend I was the doctor in fixing. Yeah. Yeah. And then we got the tonsils out of eight, you know, and I had a great, the people were so great that experience actually except.

Beau Beard (02:50.317)

Very familiar, that sounds like my five year old. Yeah, okay.

Dr. Audra (02:59.374)

Nevermind, I was back in the hospital because I wasn't drinking, so it wasn't actually a great experience, but like the day of the surgery was great. And so that was something from a young age. I was like, oh my gosh, I love this. I love taking care of people. Serving is one of my values. And I just had this inkling early on, like you're going to be some kind of a doctor. I went.

Beau Beard (03:18.445)

Which I can weigh in from Audra's, if we're doing a personality assessment of Audra, she's not just speaking highly of herself there, caring to the point of, if we open up a little bit of the darker side and I don't wanna pull back, I know she deals with anxiety because she cares so much. That's how much she cares. She worries about her patients and things so much that she's like, sometimes a detriment to yourself, which we can talk about maybe if you're open with it.

Dr. Audra (03:47.534)

Mm-hmm.

Beau Beard (03:47.643)

yeah, that is a, like a foundational thing. If somebody's asked me like, what's this audit person like that would be like top of my list. Yeah.

Dr. Audra (03:54.702)

huh, look at you gonna make me cry already. I haven't even drank enough wine. Okay wait, can we?

Beau Beard (03:58.16)

Wind down Wednesday, not a sobbing Saturday. I don't know. Whatever. Yeah.

Dr. Audra (04:03.03)

No. Can we pause before we move on with the story? Because I'm going to ask you one of my favorite questions that I ask people all the time. What is your favorite thing about yourself?

Beau Beard (04:13.843)

For me, yeah, it's, I'll try to explain as best I can. So for people that know the term like polymath, some people say like Renaissance man, that sounds very like, look at me, hoity toity. I think I have a lot of interests. And sometimes to some people that seems like I'm spreading myself thin and like, what are you doing? But I think it's really paid dividends both in like keeping me interested and curious and I'm always learning about stuff, but also now I deal with a bunch of different kinds of people. So like I can talk about

there's a guitar behind me, you all these books I've read running all the different jobs I've had. So it's like, I'm kind of an eclectic person. And now that pays off in the field that I'm in, but like, yeah, that's kind of like who I am. And I'm proud of that rather than like, God, I wish I was just just this. Like I kind of like being, you know, a little spread like that. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, exactly. So we were back at you're the caretaker you're playing on God, there's a Disney show that this girl

Dr. Audra (05:02.978)

I love it. Keeps life fun.

Beau Beard (05:12.257)

wants to be a doctor. I don't know what is to what Maddox watches, but anyways, that was you. so how, what was the transition? So that's you as a kid having your tonsils out, going through that process. How did you end up in Cairo school and what was the choice or decision tree there?

Dr. Audra (05:16.13)

Yeah, yeah.

Dr. Audra (05:21.838)

Yeah, I know.

Dr. Audra (05:27.822)

Mm-hmm. Well, then I was in athletics, like I was a dancer and cheerleader, and so was always interested in sports and the body. And I was pre-med exercise science at the Ohio State, number one. And so I actually ended up working for Dr. Kevin Kerchansky, which shout out to him. He is the one who inspired me and taught me about Cairo school. It kind of wasn't on my radar. And I had a sorority sister who was like, you should go work there. And...

He loved to teach and I'm so grateful because on lunch breaks he'd be like, what are you learning in your classes and how do we apply it to what we're doing here? And he's the one who opened my eyes of you can specialize as highly as you want and you can make the practice essentially whatever you want. And I knew I always wanted to be like the leader, figure out my own way. And I was babysitting walking down the street at like 11 with my flyer of like, I got my own business. So that was always something in me.

Beau Beard (06:23.039)

It always had both aspects at play because we'll talk about that too. We'll put a pin in the business side and we'll kind of tease that out a little bit.

Dr. Audra (06:25.676)

Yeah.

Dr. Audra (06:29.374)

Mm-hmm. And he one day looked at me, he's like, Audra, you know, you can do this. And then he kind of guided me, you know, some different directions. And I ended up being like, OK, well, this can I wanted to talk to people. didn't want to like be in a surgery room. And, know, I just shadowed so many different specialties. And this one, I was like, I get to be my my me. I can be Audra and like help people. And it just felt the most aligned. And here we are. And it worked out.

Beau Beard (06:45.463)

Mm-hmm.

Beau Beard (06:59.587)

Did you, so you went to national, correct? So how did you, did you know anybody that went there? What was the, close to home, what's this, kind of?

Dr. Audra (07:02.754)

Mm-hmm.

Dr. Audra (07:06.792)

No, he, at the time, this is back, it changes every year. Like now I don't know if I'd go to National, maybe I'd go to Palm, not Palmer, what's the one, Parker, I'm confused with them all. But he was kind of like at the time, he went to Northwestern, the one in Minnesota. Can't talk, it's the whole day of talking. then he said National, Logan, and I think Palmer. And I looked at him and I said,

Beau Beard (07:14.147)

Yeah. Parker. Yeah.

Beau Beard (07:26.594)

Yep.

Beau Beard (07:34.251)

Yeah. Homer West used to be like in the running. Yeah.

Dr. Audra (07:37.6)

Yeah, yeah. I was Chicago looked at them all and then there was.

Beau Beard (07:41.827)

Yeah.

Yeah. All right. So then going through school, I'm assuming knowing where you've kind of ended up, got involved with things like motion palpation and maybe started learning about some of things. Cause again, when you and I were in school, like, you know, things like DNS, yeah, they existed, but it wasn't, know, the preeminent, I say the preeminent, like one of the bigger players in the field in terms of like conservative muscle skeletal care, you know, neurodynamics, like, yeah, it existed, but it was very fledgling. So lot of these things, it was like for me,

I don't know what it was for you. I'll ask this question for me. It was MPI, ART and like basic rehab, which I say like Stu McGill. So from that, who did you meet and like, how did you end up like, I know there's a lot of pieces here, but like, how did you end up where you're at now doing like how you practice? Like what were the pieces that got you to Nashville practicing the way you are? Like, was there any really integral people or groups or methodologies that kind of played a part in that?

Dr. Audra (08:46.476)

Yeah, and that aligns completely of same, we were in school at the same time, so just different places. That's what they, there was no R2P club or any of that, so it was mostly motion palp and diving in. But Rich Alm went to national and he was there way ahead of me and he was the free anatomy tutor. So I try one, like went to his sessions and him and I became buds and he,

Beau Beard (08:59.149)

Mm-hmm.

Dr. Audra (09:14.38)

then went on open a practice in Ohio, Columbus. And when I would go back, I saw him week two and practice and he had three, yes, after it opened, I shadowed and he had three patients that day or two patients, something. And we just sat around and we were able to like, he was so real with me with his experience and I'm so grateful. But at National, it was just, I shadowed so many doctors around the Chicago area.

Beau Beard (09:21.707)

second week of his practice. cool.

Beau Beard (09:40.161)

Mm-hmm.

Dr. Audra (09:40.454)

so many because there was always something to learn. Even if I went in the practice and I was like, I don't know if I want to do it like that, but maybe the way they said something to a patient, maybe the way they described something, maybe how they presented their logo or their decor, you know, there was always, I was taking everything in. And so, yeah, and then DNS.

It was like at the end of our tries, had Pavel come over and had the big summit, like the first one in Chicago ever. So I was grateful enough to be at that. So it was at the tail end when I was in clinic and stuff that people started talking about DNS more and more. But then also I knew, know, Brett Winchester, Mark King, know, all the big players and I would just try to absorb and learn as much as I could from them. And now I'm so grateful and I know you feel the same, like to call them friends.

Beau Beard (10:31.695)

Yeah, which is pretty crazy. Yeah, it's always like there for a long time. It's like, do I call him Brett? Or is it still Dr. Winchester? But I want to zoom in on something that seems like we could just like pass right over it. So you said, hey, I would go into somebody's office. Maybe I wouldn't glean, you know, this is how I'm going to practice, but you'd always pull something out of it. Well, to be able to learn something, the first step is being aware, observing that. And that's one thing I teach in like my courses is like literally have a whole section on observation.

Dr. Audra (10:36.098)

Mm-hmm.

Beau Beard (11:00.419)

I think that's A, extremely important for just everyday life to kind of stay curious and be aware so you're not just like stuck in a rut and get tunnel vision. For patient care, we're observing somebody trying to like pick out what's important. Do you feel like that's just something that's like cooked into you? Is that something you actively work on? Like, hey, like I'm trying to always be, you know, a good listener. I'm trying to be present in the room. Do you have to remind yourself or is that just kind of you?

Dr. Audra (11:25.708)

I've been nosy since the day I was born. I know, no, in a good way. Like I would pick up the phone, cause back in the day, you know, we had the landlines when my mom was on the phone and listen, or I'd sit at the top of the stairs and try to listen what my parents or the babysitter was saying. And I just have always been so curious. And I just love to know things about people, not to do anything with it, but just to like, what makes you tick? Why do you do that? What are you thinking? What are you interested in? I just.

Beau Beard (11:27.939)

No, it was a different way to put it. Yeah.

Beau Beard (11:35.221)

yeah.

Beau Beard (11:41.432)

Yeah.

Dr. Audra (11:52.598)

That curiosity has always been something in me. And gosh, it's so cool, because everyone's so different and has so many gifts and passions and things that you can learn from. That keeps life so exciting.

Beau Beard (12:06.483)

So that's interesting because I would say that is one of my bigger, like I read a lot of biographies. I used to watch VH1. God, what was the show where they'd go through like a whole band? What was that show called? I'll think of it. We'll think of it. I'll Google it while you're talking next. But I love, yeah, like it's not, like I'm trying to learn lessons from people that were either successful or did something cool. And you know, you're patient now you're trying to learn what motivates them. Or if you're just talking to somebody like, you know, what

Dr. Audra (12:15.991)

Yes, I know what you're talking about it

Beau Beard (12:35.303)

What is it that kind of motivates this person or, they're interesting. So it's kind you know, I dig that because I echo that, but now we're starting to lay the groundwork of, no wonder you're a world-class clinician. I mean, you started out wanting to be a doctor. Well, yeah, somebody could say that and still be a terrible physician, you know, 20 years later. But then we're like, you're nosy or you're curious, right? Well, then you're nosy from an introspective like, hey, I want to know what's going on with the

person and you know why what makes them tick which is like integral to what we do. So like all of these soft skills. Yeah, we talked about a RT we talked about Bush power like those are huge and sometimes I wouldn't say on trainable things but really hard to coach people on and we'll get into you know working with you know docs and things like that and how we go about that. But let's keep going down the timeline here chronologically. So you

became buds of thritch you were there when he first started practicing you graduate I graduated 2013 so you were what 1314 right yeah yeah yeah um so did you go right into practice for yourself and like how did you make that choice were you just like yep that's what I'm doing 100 % or is it something you kind of get pushed into how that works

Dr. Audra (13:38.004)

Yeah, December 13th.

Dr. Audra (13:50.99)

Hmm. Well, I was I graduated college in three years. So I was one of the youngest except one other guy in my chiropractic class. So I was kind of a baby and you know, and it's stressful that school environment. I would never want to do again. Like you really couldn't pay me. I love what I do, but I don't want to do that. It was too much. And you know, I've grown a lot, so I'd probably handle it differently now. But back then, you know, it was a lot. So.

Beau Beard (14:01.667)

Mm-hmm.

Dr. Audra (14:16.642)

Yeah, mean, had, you know, sat out on so many docs and had connections. So did I have some lines of communication of, yeah, we would love to have you associate here and blah, blah, blah, of course. But there was just something in me and it was funny. Like Rich actually had that conversation. He was like, are you sure you don't want to just go start your own? And I was like, yeah, I kind of do. Yeah. And I met, I was down in Nashville for an ART seminar and another amazing doc, Preston Wakefield. He was big in ART at the time. I had had him before. He was just like,

Beau Beard (14:40.909)

Mm-hmm.

Dr. Audra (14:46.24)

Audra, you should come down here. He's like, there is such a need. And he was older, like trying to work two days a week at the time. And he was like, people would rather go to you than me anyways. And he's like, you're more certified in all this sport stuff than I am already. And you know, so I worked a little with Ironman as a volunteer for ART and came down here and looked at it. I went and did this insane business plan. And I had wanted to move this house since I was young, just because of the weather in Ohio and Chicago, you know, like.

was gray, like I've had it on my heart. was something like even my business plan in school. I think I did it in Charlotte or somewhere in North Carolina and neither of us are there.

Beau Beard (15:19.267)

That's where my business ends for.

And I don't know how it worked out with you. My business plan to me was basically a waste of time. Like when it came down to brass tacks, people were we don't really care about that thing. That like 120 page document, like from what I was told, people were like, no, doesn't matter. And good and bad. We had people that said it was a bad thing. Like we don't really care overall. And then people were like, we're going to give you money. It doesn't matter about this business plan. That was my take. I don't know how it worked with you, but yeah.

Dr. Audra (15:47.468)

Yeah, well, we'll get there. So I was like, did all this research, made this business plan. everyone's like, I was already used to, I say this all the time, I was used to living on water and nothing. So if I was gonna do it, now was the time I was prepared. I had zero dollars, I was used to zero dollars. And so I drove my Corolla down at the time, I cried the whole seven hours. I got on Care.com and I became a nanny.

three days a week with a family in Nashville. And meanwhile, I was trying to figure out, my God, how do you even start a business? Where do you start? Because it's like, you need one piece, but then another piece pops that you need before then, and then another piece besides this. So it was really confusing. And I went to 12 banks that told me no. They said, and I did my whole presentation, I my business plan, they were like, you're gonna be so successful. Like they'd put me up and then they'd be like, but we're not giving you money. We don't give chiropractors money, that's what you know, it hurt a lot. They're like, if you were a dentist,

Beau Beard (16:37.933)

But not with us.

you

Dr. Audra (16:44.354)

And I was like, yeah, and they'd want six times the amount of money than me. And finally, there was like a small, the Bank of Nashville, was called, and they're like, listen, if your parents co-sign, we will give you a line of credit. And my parents were amazing and they did that. And off to the races of here's some more debt to get into. But on the side, was like babysitting, nannying, meanwhile, while starting a whole business. And the great thing was like networking, it was like two for one, I got to eat.

and introduce myself to people.

Beau Beard (17:15.314)

You told me that before you capitalize on all the networking dinners and like, yeah, happy hours. Yeah, we very similar. I like our the story that sticks out. had talked to someone and I took a trip to how Tallahassee it's a trip that we ended up breaking down in Birmingham and all that stuff. But literally I remember going to a bank meeting where I'm, you know, I'm suited up. I'm out in the hallway before I get into the office. The guy you can hear he's on the phone. Eventually his assistant comes out and they're like,

Dr. Audra (17:18.924)

Yeah,

Dr. Audra (17:35.373)

Mm-hmm.

Beau Beard (17:41.538)

he just go ahead and go in the office and he's got his back to me, you know, talk on the phone and he keeps turning around. Just one second, just one second. And eventually he turns around and he goes, and you are, and I was like, bo beard and all stuff. And he goes, yeah. And just immediately he goes, so yeah, we're not going to be able to do anything for you. mean, just first. And I was like, what the hell? Why'd you take the meeting? Like, why did we start like this? And then I go, did you look at the business plan? He literally had a stack of like, you know, not just business plans of papers and he like digs through it he goes, yeah. He goes this.

Yeah, it doesn't really mean a whole lot to me. goes, you and your I think we are engaged. So you and your fiance have no experience, you have doubled the debt because there's two of you. And he goes, you're talking about like establishing a practice where you're not from. And I was like, and I just remember I literally like went black. Like I was just like, I got so mad because I was like, what? Why did like, why did you take this meeting and I walked out of there and then I just told Sonia go we're done with the bank meeting stuff. And that's when we like I think we went home the next day broke down and up and bring it but

Dr. Audra (18:30.349)

Mm-hmm.

Dr. Audra (18:34.414)

Mm-hmm.

Dr. Audra (18:41.614)

Mm-hmm.

Beau Beard (18:41.955)

All that to be said, yeah, we had to find a different route, SBA loan, use a lawyer to help us with that whole process and we're here. So like you said, you didn't give up, you could have gave up after one no or five nos or 10 nos, but 12 and the 13th was a yes with some help. So you get into practice, you're still having to supplement income. Do any moments in time stick out in practice of big jumps in terms of...

Dr. Audra (18:45.058)

Mm-hmm.

Beau Beard (19:09.091)

like doors that open, opportunities that open, anything like that where you're like, this was a key part of me growing my practice, meeting someone, anything like that that really jumps out maybe in those first like two to three years.

Dr. Audra (19:24.384)

Hmm. Well, I remember very vividly, the grind and the hope of a first patient, because it's months after I even moved down that you're able to open officially. And it's just like the debt keeps coming. And that's just a lot of pressure and very scary. But I still remember my first patient. His name was Scott. And he came from the ART website. That's how he found me. And he still signs his emails as your first patient.

because I guess I was so excited I told him, you're my first patient, which I'm like, well, probably not the best move, but we're cool. I think, and then there was, I just had everything calculated out. I'm like, okay, if you see this many patients, you can, this is how much the rent is, this is how many patients that equates to, this is how much the electric bill is, and this is just for the practice, this isn't even for me to live. And that's what I don't think people getting out of school or in school know, it is not.

Beau Beard (19:58.692)

She's a she's a she's she's a she's

Dr. Audra (20:22.468)

you get out school and you make this money and that goes in your pocket. No, you have a whole business to pay for first and get that running plus the malpractice insurance, plus the business insurance, plus the taxes. And if you hire anyone, payroll taxes and all the stuff that goes with that. I mean, it is costly just to run the business. Yes, yep.

Beau Beard (20:39.203)

Plus servicing your business debt, plus servicing your loans. Like, yeah, you're, like the money that got you there, you're paying, like, yeah, it's, yeah.

Dr. Audra (20:46.452)

Yeah, so you can't take home really money for a long time. And like at the time when you graduated too, I guess you can attest to this everyone not many people were cash. So I was like, I'm gonna like make it even harder on myself. I'm gonna move somewhere I don't know anyone. And I'm gonna start a cash practice. Take that everyone. And everyone's kind of like, Audra, maybe don't.

Beau Beard (21:05.379)

So what made you choose that? Because like you said, not many people were doing that at that time. So how did that idea get into your head and how did you make that decision?

Dr. Audra (21:17.614)

There must have been someone that did it. But I just didn't really want to learn insurance. I was like, cannot imagine learning something else at that time. Yeah, and then like when you're doing your business plan financially to pay that and have that go out, I was just like puking. And so I was like, let's try it this way. Let's try the hardest way possible first, because I can always then add insurance. And I still don't know insurance.

Beau Beard (21:24.705)

Yeah. Was it staffing? Like you have to staff somebody or?

Beau Beard (21:48.685)

Don't need to.

Dr. Audra (21:49.56)

Don't need to. But yes, okay, what was your question?

Beau Beard (21:53.422)

So yeah, those first, any big catalyst moments. You said you're in the grind, you're kind of nose of the grindstone, got your head down. Anything that you look back now, you're like, had this not happened, I would not be where I'm at now in terms of business success, opportunities that have been created. I'll tell my story while you think real quick, a very short one. So we have DNS Golf coming up with Brett Winchester, Mark Blackburn, who's number one golf coach, two years running in the world.

Dr. Audra (21:57.069)

yeah, catalyst minutes.

Dr. Audra (22:06.798)

oooo

Dr. Audra (22:13.4)

Mm-hmm.

Beau Beard (22:23.779)

per Golf Digest. Greg Rose who started TPI, all coming so two weeks into practice for us when it's me, Sloan and Bridget, our OG office manager, because we started with staff just because she's like, I got to get out of this practice that Sloan was working out with her and she's like, will you hire me? And we're like, that wasn't in our business plan. We weren't going to have anybody. I was like, my God, what are we going to do? And we did it and thank God we did, but we had no money to do it. So we took home even less money to pay somebody else. But two weeks in, this guy with a British accent

calls in and we had kind of a rule to make us seem like we were busier than we were that we would take no day off. Right? So she calls and she looks over our little pony wall she goes, hey, this guy's on the phone and he said he heard his rib like during a magazine shoot, throwing a golf club or something. He really wants to come see you now. And I was like, okay, whatever. Well, it is a big Mark Blackburn and he comes in and luckily I did an okay job. And I think maybe

I saw him one more time maybe and then he called back in and he's like, Hey, can I talk to Bo? And he was like, Hey, I want to make you guys basically our medical staff for our golf team. I want to send you to all the TPI seminars, like all this stuff. Huge catalyst for us. that's still obviously we're still, you know, doing things with him today. So like, I'm not saying we wouldn't have succeeded without Mark, but like just one of those things that threw us into, mean, you know, meeting Greg Cook and all these mentors of ours at these big meetings and Greg Rose. And you're like,

Dr. Audra (23:33.624)

That's huge.

Dr. Audra (23:42.222)

Mm-hmm.

Beau Beard (23:48.632)

What am I doing? like six months out of practice and I'm like rubbing elbows with these people and hanging out. And yeah, it was really cool and it kind of, it set me on a path for where I'm at now for sure. yeah, anything percolate while I was talking?

Dr. Audra (23:59.224)

Yeah, I love that.

Yeah, two different stories. One is I got in with like a triathlete group and was able to really have some success with cases that hadn't had success from other, you know, medical providers. And so then that word of mouth really picked up quickly. And then I think three years in, you know, at the time it was still paperwork, right? We weren't on electronic medical records. So there's this guy sitting in my office.

and I take the paperwork back and then I'm looking through it real quick before I call him back and I'm like, my God, he's a professional hockey player for the Nashville Preds. And I was like, yeah, it said NHL and I was like, and it said Preds and I was like, my God, I don't know. And I didn't know, like, know who, I don't know who people are still to this day. And I just was like taking a couple of breaths, you know? And so then comes back,

Beau Beard (24:40.321)

That's what it said on his, like...

Beau Beard (24:50.562)

Mm-hmm.

Dr. Audra (24:59.574)

He was amazing and loved treatment. He's like, found you by all your certifications and I looked at you and stuff and there's no one like you down here. And yeah, from there we formed that relationship and he was like a veteran player. So he came on of how to take care of his body and he knew what he needed and it was just so fun and that changed the trajectory too of what I was doing.

Beau Beard (25:24.867)

So that was, you said around year three. So we're looking down the barrel of like 13 years, 12 years, whatever in practice. So I know what you do now. So like if we just kind of took the 30,000 foot view, like, and again, this is nothing that nobody would, like high dollar cash rate, home business, there's other people in your practice too. have two other doctors with you now. Everybody's cash, everybody travels to treat people. They're seeing athletes that you can't see because you're traveling now.

Dr. Audra (25:27.64)

Mm-hmm.

Beau Beard (25:54.904)

You work with a lot of music stars, you're in Nashville. like not talk luck of the draw, but talk about being an area that A is blown up, right? Just from popularity, country music's popularity, then you getting into this kind of cash niche, NHL player walks in and then you, know, this kind of higher echelon product comes about. Were there any pivots that you had to make consciously as you went, when you started maybe seeing higher end clientele in terms of like,

You know, not necessarily, my pricing to go up because my availability is going down, but like, hey, I need to have a different look to the office or I need to present myself a different way or anything like that. Not saying like you're not still Audra, but like, and I'm dealing with like different people. So I want to have a different product or is that product always been at the core of what you offered from like day one?

Dr. Audra (26:47.352)

Both, because I was only 25 when I opened my practice. And so I wanted people to think I was in my 30s, really bad. Because I didn't want them to think like you were young, you know, kind of thing. So I would always people be like, how old are you? And I'm like, how old do you think I am? And I was like pumped when they would say early 30s. I was like, kinda close, you know, kinda. But I was always trying to present myself as like.

Beau Beard (27:05.581)

Yeah, sure, round out.

Dr. Audra (27:09.272)

the expert, and I was still finding ways, credit cards, everything, to go to seminars, because I was like, I still know I'm not good yet. You graduate school and the reality check, if you haven't heard it yet, is you suck. Like, you do. And I don't care if you're president of motion palpation, you're gonna mess up cases, you're gonna lose patience, it's just the reality of it. And I was very consciously aware of that and was still trying to put myself in situations with no money to learn.

because I open my own and you don't like, if you go associate, you have a little bit easier of a time of bouncing case ideas off each other. And of course, within our community, people are very helpful, but I don't wanna call about every patient. And like, am I doing this right? Am I doing this right? Would you do this? You know, kind of thing. So to answer your question, yeah, like it's at a core who I am. Like my business plan was based off being where I was and I had done really...

Beau Beard (27:47.874)

Mm-hmm.

Dr. Audra (28:04.558)

a deep dive research of like, what's the average cost of everything? What are other people charging? Not even necessarily in my industry, but like around, like what are other cash based services going for? So it was, and I started off very in the middle to like build the practice, build the name, build the brand and really just see where we were going next.

Beau Beard (28:28.909)

So to back up a little bit, like you said, you wanna present yourself as the expert, which I get that when I was first couple years in practice, you're like trying to explain your pants off about everything and like educate and educate and like, no, we know. like, now I'm kind of like more often than I'm like, I don't know, like we'll figure it out, know, like kind of more honest, but like, how do you balance even today or back then? Cause this is a question that like two part question, I guess. I think it's very common whether it's,

Dr. Audra (28:47.234)

Yup.

Beau Beard (28:58.147)

posturing or it's true that a lot of people that shadow in our office, interns, new docs are overconfident when they shouldn't be. And that might be posturing. That might have been me and then I'm not really confident. I was just trying to posture, right? So I don't know exactly what's behind the curtain with those people. That's one thing. But let's say there is a confidence lack there. Where you're like, you came out and you're like, I'm not good. I gotta keep going to seminars. How do you balance that while you're in practice?

Right? Cause you do have to show up and like basically perform. You have to be on even though you're like, I'm not good enough, which to this day, there are cases and you know, multiple days where you're like, like, dude, am I ever going to figure this stuff out? It's where it's just like, yeah, it's easy. I'm not having to be like, okay. So like any tips or things that you've personally done or ways that you think about it, that you're like, Hey, this has really helped me manage where I know I will never know it all. But like I, I

I'm good enough to obviously be servicing people at an extremely high level that are also doing their thing at the highest level.

Dr. Audra (30:01.556)

I think when you're uncomfortable is where you grow the most. And I keep finding that over and over again. So now I'm to the point in my career and like growth of working on myself. I think you need to continue to invest and learn about yourself and learn about who you are as a person. And that's going to evolve because if you don't know who you are, you can't show up and be authentic and genuine to patients. So I now search for ways to be uncomfortable because now I'm a little bit addicted to it.

And I think you gotta be a little delusional and that's not just if you're gonna start your own practice it's also if you're gonna be an associate and like Bring value to a practice like you're gonna have to show up and insert yourself of hey, I'm part of this team And like here's my value. Here's what I bring like I'm in like we're helping people and So I would I just can't Emphasize enough the

about, yes, of course it's important to like learn and I'm not negating that at all. And I clearly I've been talking about it, but just really focusing on yourself and who you are and like how to talk to people and how to be genuine and how to connect and just like who you are and how can you be better? How can you feel better and show up better? And that's not your boss's job. That's not your patient's job.

Beau Beard (31:20.76)

Mm-hmm.

Dr. Audra (31:27.042)

That's not anyone else's job, but you to take that accountability.

Beau Beard (31:31.331)

It's a good, maybe hard medicine to take, right? For some people that like that's maybe the thing holding them back. Cause we would think it's technical skills for the most part, right? We think, I don't know everything. I didn't treat that case correct. I didn't get the diagnosed, right? It's like more often than not. if I could give you my perspective of why I, one of the reasons why I think you're successful is maybe even though you lack confidence, you may still present yourself in a way where people

Dr. Audra (31:44.44)

Mm-hmm.

Dr. Audra (31:50.582)

Yeah, please go.

Beau Beard (31:59.234)

don't lack confidence in you, but you are letting them know I'm not 100 % confident. And I know that seems like a, how would you do that? It's what you just said, it's being authentic that like, hey, I don't know, I'm working my ass off for you though. Like those are two wildly different things of no, I know. And then you're kind of resting on your laurels of like, maybe I don't, but I'm gonna keep like him on around it versus like, I know I don't know, I'm working my ass off. I'm trying my best to like work on myself and you and also learn.

And I think sometimes just like, I'm blanking on who I was gonna quote here, Kobe Bryant, right? That the reason he was so confident every time he went into a game was because of preparation. He's like, dude, I have no reason to not be confident because I've worked, in his opinion, he worked harder than everybody else. So same thing, if you're like, I'm working my ass off, like the confidence is kind of just there, even though I know you and I are similar, a lot of people in our field, we're always second guessing ourselves.

It's like, don't know, man, was I right on that? Was that the best thing I could have done? Is that the best thing I could have said? So yeah, I think it's a game. I'm curious, you said you're kind of addicted to making yourself any examples of things outside of practice, things that you've used as like, I don't know, personality builders, character builders in that respect of making yourself uncomfortable on purpose.

Dr. Audra (33:19.168)

Mm-hmm. Well, I will have to say, like, my team and I, went to dinner the other night, and that's, I have a great, I call them the dream team, and we played this game of everyone put in three questions, and it was just like, what would you want to know? And you don't know what you're going to pick. And so one of the questions was, what's your red flag? And then we ended up, it was supposed to be just the one person, but then they're like, no, we all got to say the answers to every question. So that was fun. But when they got to me, they're like, what's your biggest red flag? And I was like, well, I'm a workaholic. Like, I know that, but I...

Beau Beard (33:40.259)

everybody. Yeah.

Dr. Audra (33:49.24)

that our jobs are so great and so fulfilling, you can weave in this work-life balance. I think it needs to be intertwined. It's not necessarily balanced. You're gonna give one more to the other at different times in your life in different spaces, but why can't it just be all fun and all good and all fulfilling and all serve a purpose? yeah, mean, parenting, relationships, friendships, they're all hard work. Well, so is work. That can be hard work. And it's like, I don't know why we have to look at it so black or white.

Beau Beard (34:17.763)

a good point. No, it's really good. I honestly, mean, I kind of, it makes me feel a little bit stupid to say, like, to think like, oh, a relationship's hard, we, kind of looks down at you for being like, well, I'm going to work really hard at that. But then if you're like, well, I'm to work really hard at my job, like, yeah, but what about other stuff? And you're like, well, yeah. And that kind of alludes back to what I was saying, being a, you know, a jack of all trades, like gets kind of like, well, it's like, do you want to be?

Dr. Audra (34:35.148)

Yup.

Beau Beard (34:47.107)

Do you want to be the best version of yourself? And I think there are people that want to be what they want to be, or they are just got set on a path of like, they'll be a master at things, but other parts of their life may basically get, you know, wreak havoc because of that. You know, I'm thinking of like famous artists and writers, you know, you know, who would have musicians, whatever, that are traveling so much or, you know, people in our profession that are traveling so much because they're, you know, called upon. It's like, it can have an effect, but also like,

Dr. Audra (35:01.592)

Mm-hmm.

Dr. Audra (35:09.752)

Mm-hmm.

Beau Beard (35:15.317)

Yeah, I mean, Brad, one of our when our Winchester, one of our mentors always says what nobody wants to marry Balanced Man. Everybody says they do. And why don't they? Because there's no passion behind that person. It's like you're trying to do everything. It's like we're not great at anything. They we want to be like alive and to be alive. You got to kind of you got to be transparent and say, no, this is what I'm about. This is what I'm trying to do in life. So I think it takes guts. I think it takes confidence, which gets back to where you're talking.

Dr. Audra (35:21.624)

Yep.

Dr. Audra (35:24.942)

Mm-hmm.

Beau Beard (35:43.303)

it besides the question game anything like I'm like you're doing anything I'm just curious on this one like anything like physical like are you going whitewater rafting you're going skydiving are you trying like yeah

Dr. Audra (35:48.43)

Yeah.

Dr. Audra (35:52.57)

God, yes. I also have it. I'm an adrenaline junkie, but I feel like I do have detainment because of my job. Like if I get hurt, like I really want to skydive and I almost bungee jumped. I was just in New Zealand this year and I went to the place where the original bungee jump was. But she took me after I went wine tasting the three wineries and I was like, I'm going to get too dizzy and puke. Like you should have taken me here first. And I probably would have done it. But yeah, I love a roller coaster. I love I water ski that, you know, and I've done that since I was a kid. I loved a tube and

Beau Beard (35:59.67)

Yeah.

Dr. Audra (36:21.762)

Just hold on and I know you can get really hurt during that too. But you know, just like I do love that thrill seeking. I love to hike. I feel like that's, I don't know, that can be challenging but it also can be like meditative and really healing. Yeah, I love what I wrote, Raph, you said that and that's so fun. I love to horseback ride. That's another fun thing. I'm trying to think, to answer your questions of like, I feel like I'm always challenging myself, of putting myself in rooms that I'm uncomfortable in.

Beau Beard (36:32.931)

You

Beau Beard (36:38.339)

Mm-hmm.

Beau Beard (36:49.825)

And what's that room look like? What's that mean though?

Dr. Audra (36:51.47)

It can be something personal of like starting a new hobby of, know, like learning horses better, or it can be something in business of like trying to be and meet a certain group of people that I don't really know that much about. Or it could be, hey, I don't really know that much about that Eastern medicine technique. Like I want to listen and read more about that. And then you and I have that we talked about this in Prague a lot when we were sitting at the blackjack table, but like the book thing of like reading, I do love a good self help book.

And just, yeah, kind of pushing outside of the box of like, even friendships. I wanna go up and talk to a person that I normally maybe wouldn't, you know, and just like learn about them. Yeah.

Beau Beard (37:32.118)

Mm hmm. And it beat back the norms like yeah, like not yeah. And I appreciate and I agree 100 % I was just curious if you had anything that like stands out. Yeah, I couldn't agree more like that's in one of the things like with our docs, have to constantly talk about is like, two levels like you said, get out and meet new people. That's a comfort thing. But then also like getting comfortable like even if you think you're being successful, it's like, you're doing good like

Dr. Audra (37:40.461)

Mm-hmm.

Beau Beard (37:58.478)

If you get a little comfortable with that pretty soon, you're like, not that you just have to keep going, but like your efforts might not glean the same results because you got comfortable at a status quo. it's like, well, it doesn't stay there maybe because you're comfortable. And I think that's very hard for people to realize like, you gotta keep going out and doing stuff and doing different stuff and revisiting things that you did, which you may not like to do, but that's just kind of the nature of like the business side of it.

Dr. Audra (38:10.734)

Mm-hmm.

Dr. Audra (38:15.533)

Yep.

Dr. Audra (38:20.942)

Mm-hmm.

Dr. Audra (38:25.41)

Like it's funny, someone asked me the other day, they're like, when did you stop working weekends? And I looked at them and I was like, I'm still working weekends. And they're like, yeah, duh. And I'm like, yeah, yeah, yeah.

Beau Beard (38:36.579)

which we'll talk about why you're working weekend, but before we do that, because I know this is a big part of a, your practice, but also probably, you you yourself, I know you're a big proponent of like, I don't know the best way to describe this, like basically taking care of yourself. You know, I see a lot of things in your social media. know this permeates into your practice and how you kind of talk and treat your clients, especially the ones that you spend a lot of time with, you know, one-on-one throughout the year, but.

Why is that such a big deal to you? Like know maybe like said, I know you've dealt with some anxiety if you don't mind talking about that maybe, like why, A, maybe if we answer it like this, why do you think people just need to that so much nowadays? Like why are we just like, dude, we need to chill out and learn how to like take care of ourselves. Like why is that a problem? And then what are some of the best ways that you've seen for yourself or your clients to take care of yourself and like let yourself actually chill out and relax in store?

Dr. Audra (39:21.39)

Mm-hmm. Yeah.

Dr. Audra (39:35.31)

I love all these multi-part questions. Like I'm not, I have not had coffee, I'm drinking wine. Like one at a time. So, okay, the first is why it's so important and then you're gonna have to give me the second again later. I have personally been through just like some whole stuff and it's not anything like life or death or whatever, but there have been a couple of times where I felt so bad and like then I got blood work done.

Beau Beard (39:42.147)

I'm gonna pull another one.

Dr. Audra (40:04.654)

and the doctor was like, how are you even showing up and getting out of bed every day? Most normal people wouldn't, and I was still seeing 12 hours patients. so I've personally been through it and realized, and I don't think you realize how bad you feel until you feel better sometimes. And I think we see that a lot with our patients, whether it's pain or anxiety, depression, whatever it may be.

And so it's just been also something I've had to live and experience multiple times. I didn't learn the lesson the first time, of course, and just, and how it looks different for every person. isn't a set game plan. Like everyone needs their individual game plan and play, you know, plays of what works for them. And this is something that we talk about with my doctors too, cause I want to impart on them this information and like, so that they don't have to learn the same hard lessons.

And once again, we're patient centered, it's about them. And so yes, of course we can do the McKenzie, we can do the dronee-lian and everything else, but if we aren't bringing it full circle of, how are we gonna maintain this within your daily lifestyle and with whatever needs you need to perform every day, whether that's being a super mom or maybe it's the boardroom or maybe it's stage or field or the CrossFit workout, whatever it may be, like let's loop this into your life and it's not just your 30 minute micro visit.

of the day. Yeah, and you had mentioned anxiety. Yeah, that has been very, part of my life. I'm very grateful for it because I think it's also one of my biggest drivers. I've learned of where I am today. If I didn't have that, I be where I am? I don't know. I also think it helps me connect to my patients because a lot of people are high performers that we treat in our office and high performers in general. can be like I said, a mom, a CrossFit workout, a runner, someone, you know,

Beau Beard (41:24.163)

Yeah.

Dr. Audra (41:54.036)

Legally in the boardroom, whatever it may be. It doesn't mean like famous all the time but it's just like helped me really understand like what's going through their mind of This that we can panic about this we can panic about that. my gosh I know you're spiraling I see it in your eyes because I would think the same thing and I think it's just really helped me You know, I've worked through that I used to in chiropractic school. I talked about it. Like I was just so overwhelmed I would wake up and dry heave not that I was trying to throw up. It wasn't a bulimia thing. It was

Beau Beard (41:57.731)

Mm-hmm.

Beau Beard (42:22.871)

It was just.

Dr. Audra (42:23.53)

which is very common and I understand it was just the overwhelm of anxiety of pressure of like, my God, do you got this? And you know, and everyone's competing against each other kind of a little bit on the side. And it's like, I want to do this. This is my dream. But some days it doesn't feel like I'm gonna be able to. And then you get too close to the end and you're like, I don't know what I'm gonna do. What am I gonna do? Am I gonna survive? Am I not gonna survive? Should I start around? Should I not? What should I do? And it's just like so overwhelming that it's crippling sometimes.

Obviously, like everyone says, working out is very helpful, but sometimes in an hour, it starts again. And people don't acknowledge that enough of like, okay, and how do you turn it into your superpower is kind of what I've learned over the past, know, really digging deeper and anytime it pops up. And I still would say I'm learning there sometimes, especially when I'm tired, that I'm not able to like reframe and redo and I give into it and poor Josh, but

Beau Beard (42:54.403)

Mm-hmm.

Beau Beard (43:15.821)

Hmm.

Dr. Audra (43:18.51)

not puking, but like going, he's like, where do you get these ideas? He's like, you have Vegas in your brain and I never want to be in there. And he's like, how did you jump from that's what they said or that's your thought to this? And I'm like, I have no idea, but it is exhausting.

Beau Beard (43:33.78)

Mm hmm. No, I so I a I love because you did give us a very principally based like way that you can't like not calm down, but like kind of help yourself. Right. If we're talking about like self help and like how do you actually take care of yourself in particular with anxiety is like reframing. So it's not necessarily just calm down, like go do woo saw we're going to box breathing. Hey, you're to go take a cold plunge and you're going to exercise. It's and again, you know,

Dr. Audra (43:48.995)

Mm-hmm.

Beau Beard (44:03.235)

would love input on this. Like, have you had to realize like, oh, like it's figuring out what's causing anxiety? Or is it like an overall state? Because like one of my things that I kind of talked to patients about a lot is like, I think your physiologic state is feeding into your anxiety a whole heck of a lot, right? Like, and this is, you know, how healthy you are, and then your body's kind of like, dude, I'm freaking out. And then you do get

Dr. Audra (44:19.436)

Mm-hmm. wow.

Beau Beard (44:28.067)

you know, a circling thought and then all of a sudden it's like your body is not adept at handling that. That's all the physical stuff. That's the cold plunge. That's the dieting. That's, but when we're like, you know, you're a healthy person, you practice what you preach and you're like, well, sometimes it's like, why did that happen? And actually this is kind of a good thing because I realized like, Oh, it, you know, I don't know what the reframe kind of sets in motion of like, Oh, I need to work on this or X, Y, Z. But I think some people just think like, get rid of it at all costs. And they don't question it in the first place, which is

kind of no different than pain. If you didn't ask what caused it and you just said, get rid of it, take an opioid. And then you're be right back where you were in six months. So kind of the same thing, which is very interesting parallel. So you kind of mentioned in there, working with these high performers, it doesn't mean always mean famous, but we won't name names. You have worked yourself over the past 13 years into a position where you are working with extremely high profile people.

Dr. Audra (45:03.106)

Right. Yep.

Beau Beard (45:27.221)

on the regular traveling the world. Is there anything in particular? I know you've already hit on some of these, so if it's a repeat, that's fine. But like, is there anything that you're like, this is why I'm doing this. This is why, you know, these people or, you know, a few, a few select people have sought me out at such a high level. Is it just the conglomerate of Audra, like the package and you're like, yep, that's it. Or you're like, I think the reason that I am attracting this type of person at this level that they want

this much of my service or this much buy-in is this. Or how do you sell that maybe is the thing. So if I said, so if I called you and I was like, I've got, I don't know, let's take top five celebrity in the world right now. And I'm like, they don't want to work with somebody. I've got two kids. I can't, you know, travel with them or go to LA or whatever. And they want me to tell them why they should pick you. What would you say?

Dr. Audra (46:24.504)

I would say it goes back to the question I asked you of my favorite thing about myself. But then I think it also encompasses the double-edged sword of the worst thing about myself of I think that's how much I care. And I know you hit on that earlier. Like it is to a level that I, people feel it, they know it. I'm gonna be honest. I'm gonna say when I don't know something, I'm gonna say when I should connect you with someone else. I'm gonna say when I should call. Like maybe I should call Bo and like get another opinion.

It's just that is you can't teach that either you have that and you feel that people like connect and feel that and That isn't something we're gonna learn in school But then yeah, it also Yeah

Beau Beard (47:02.903)

And you're not having to try to do that. You're not trying to be like, I'm going to make sure I'm at the center of their care. that's how you approached interactions probably your entire life. And now you just have to move. Yeah.

Dr. Audra (47:15.202)

Yeah, and I'm here to serve and I want what's best for you. And if it's not me, that's fine. And I was like crying when you were saying that a little bit because I truly believe I'm here to change the world. And I've believed that for a long time. And I know that sounds like probably like a dreamland, but I'm delusional and I think I am. And I've realized, know, years ago, I can't do it alone, which is why I have the dream team. And I want to...

have them aspire to their goals and anyone joins the future, whatever. It's just like, we're here to do it together and you can't do anything alone. So I'm so grateful for that support. And then I would say that's like the parallel into some of these high performers. I'm part of their support team and they need the support. They can't do it alone.

and they needed someone trusted of like, hey, you got my body and some of it turns into mindset and some of it turns into, hey, I just got a vent and you just got to learn the person and learn what's going on. But then I can't tell you the fulfillment I get from, whether it's an athlete or a singer or whatever, we go to, let's say a concert, for example, and people are sitting there in the audience. I mean, of course they're recording, but essentially not on their phones.

in a moment in time relaxing and you see all these emotions from grief to joy to love within this hour and a half, two hour concert and they're being healed. They're being healed through music and I get to be a small piece of that pie that like helps the people on stage.

be able to have that gift. So that is part of me. Like I'm healing the world on a big level through some of these people, or maybe it's a football game or a hockey game. Like same thing, you're going to check out, you're going to relax, you're going to connect, you're going to have fun. You're going to like take a pause and just like live. And I know your last post, you're talking about being alive. Like people go to these events, I'm getting goosebumps and everything to be alive. And I get to help some of the main big players in that.

Beau Beard (49:08.716)

you

Dr. Audra (49:16.322)

help people feel alive and that to me is changing the world soul by soul.

Beau Beard (49:20.995)

which I would agree and A, that's amazing. Like, I mean, I know what you're doing and yeah, it's amazing. I know what, also I know what product you're delivering, which if I'm gonna, I'll give you a compliment, but also like kind of give the insight that I know you and I would share. I think what we deliver in terms of the actual product, right? Like the care we're giving, both from the interpersonal standpoint, but also like the technical methodological.

I don't think is pervasive out there. So I think it's really cool that AU as a person is out there interacting on that high of level. But also like the, in my opinion, and I'm biased, the best type of treatment, the best treatment possible is being used on that stage. And I'm like, all right, it's out there happening and they're not getting like basically hoodwinked with some like BS treatment and you know, whatever. So one thing I did want to ask though, and this is, know, maybe this turns into my therapy session now.

So you said, hey, I think I'm trying to change the world. One of my biggest struggles, I guess, would be sometimes I literally feel like, you know, I'll kind of be up at 3 a.m. like I'm a little bit like you, ruminating thoughts can be, you know, I'm just laying there, just, okay, I don't have any coffee and this is about as wake up as I've been all day. What am I doing? Like, what is getting somebody out of back pain? How is that changing the world, right?

So I have a hard time sometimes, I'm like, what, getting, know, Joe Schmo down here, you know, even, you know, I've worked with pro athletes and all that stuff too, but it's like, what am I doing? And, you know, you mentioned something, you are in a unique scenario that not a lot of people are, where you get to see what you do put on display. And yeah, people do that are working with pro-athlete and get to see them, you know, perform or somebody that's on the sidelines or somebody that's working with a team. Yeah, they might get to see that, but that's rare for a lot of people in practice, right? They're not getting to see.

somebody go play with their kids, right? Somebody gets to go to a boardroom and knock out a presentation and have no pain and not think about their back the entire time you get done and have to crank out 15 scotches to go to sleep. So again, I'm not asking for advice, but one of the things that's been hard for me is like, what the fuck am I doing? Like why am I doing this? And a theme of this season's podcast has been really cool. So the last one we did,

Beau Beard (51:41.602)

It kind of came down to, you know, one of my best friends runs a much higher volume practice, fantastic carries, just figured out a way to use a big team to provide the product instead of one person. And he's like, what's about access, right? Like not everybody has access to you, right? You have elites. And then there's people, you know, like my buddy Clay, there's people like me, there's people like Winchester. So it's access to that level of care that I, what I think is cool and it gives me goosebumps is,

And you know this as much as I do, and this is no knock on you and it's no knock on me. If we went into the green room with the star you're working on, the care that you're giving would look almost identical to what one of our mentors is doing in a small town in Missouri. But the power in that is like, it is the same because we think it's the best. And then you get to see it on a much bigger level because the amount of time. So you get to amplify it, which is amazing. And I'm extremely jealous of that.

Yeah, and again, not looking for advice. That's just one of my struggles like, well, how am I making an impact? And yeah, you might see it in a few cases, like, oh my god, he changed my life. But I like that you brought up that you get to see the performance, right? You get to see the ripple effect. You might not see it, but we got to realize that's happening, right? And yeah, you're gonna have bad cases, you get kicked in the teeth, but like it's happening. Yeah.

Dr. Audra (52:50.51)

Mm-hmm.

Dr. Audra (52:56.172)

yeah.

Dr. Audra (53:00.866)

And I think that's where we brought that into practice. And one thing in our team circles of we talk about what we're great, it's a whole thing, but one of the things is what are you grateful for in practice this week? What's happened that you're grateful for? And it causes you to sit there and reflect of, okay, what have I seen? And then we really are trying to be meticulous and intentional, intentional is another one of my values, but of, hey,

These are the goals. Like, is it to crush this CrossFit workout? Is it to be able to work all day without pain? And just really going back to that, hey, where are we at on this goal? That may not be a hard slam audit of a range of motion or a test, but it is something that's very important to them in their life. And then going back and yeah, it's not like asking about your pain. We don't only do pain, we do function. All of that for sure, but just like, hey,

Beau Beard (53:44.567)

Mm-hmm.

Dr. Audra (53:59.17)

were you able to drive to work? Like, how was your drive to work? And they're like, my God, actually I didn't feel the pain. And I was able then to get to my kid's soccer game and stand there and cheer for her, which I would have never been able to get out of the car and get there that fast without this. And then just really appreciating and having gratitude for those small moments that make that big deal and make that impact directly, which is becomes changing the world.

Beau Beard (54:10.339)

Mm-hmm.

Beau Beard (54:21.827)

Well, let's take a pivot for a second and then we'll come back to the nice fun, inspirational stuff. Not that this side won't be, but from the pure business side, right? You mentioned that like, yeah, you were kind of, know, at a young age walking down the street with the flyer kind of, know, pawn and stuff. I'm guessing you were just selling things around your neighborhood and lemonade standing and all that. So do you enjoy the business aspect? Like if you had, if we said, okay, Audra, you have to make a decision.

next Monday. You're going to keep treating patients only or you're going to run your practice and you have to pick one. Which one are going with?

Dr. Audra (55:01.742)

that's hard.

Beau Beard (55:04.459)

And don't base it on, well, if I run the practice, I make more money and my lifestyle is awesome. Yeah, just money.

Dr. Audra (55:08.992)

Yeah, yeah, yeah. No, no, no, I know, I understand the question. It's funny because probably in the past couple years, like running the practice, it is probably because it's so hard. And not that treating patients isn't hard, but you, every day, there's something else. And I love treating, I do not want to give up treating patients, but there is just such a, like.

a creative portion into business. And there's so much I still don't know and we're still learning and it's still so hard that I think putting myself in an uncomfortable position, that's why I would pick that. Not that I still don't have a lot to learn from patients, but, and it changed.

Beau Beard (55:48.395)

Mm-hmm.

Beau Beard (55:53.188)

kudos to you for doing that. Cause that's the exact reason a lot of people don't want to do it. Right. It's hard and it's a drag or whatever. But again, reframing it's how you frame the challenge is going to determine the outcome. And you're like, well, I know I want to accept the challenge. I want to get better at it. I want to use creativity. So like that.

Dr. Audra (55:56.653)

Mm-hmm.

Dr. Audra (56:10.414)

That being said, like I say all the time, if my practice was here and I got a job offer when I got out of school, I would not run the business. I would just be an awesome associate and just crushing it with patience. I mean, I worked eight hour weeks for a long time. If you don't wanna do that for a long, long time, do not open a practice.

because it's another full-time job on top of treating patients. And Rich Ohm said it best, like, before I opened, he goes, just so you know, even when he was seeing three patients a day, he goes, it is the most tired you'll ever be. And it's not just physical tired, it's emotional, it's mental. And he was so right. I remember my first few weeks of practice calling him and being like, I'm dying and I've only seen one patient. And it's just, you give so much and that is a lot. And that's good enough. You don't have to run a business.

Beau Beard (56:36.354)

Mm-hmm.

Dr. Audra (57:05.966)

There's so many great practices out there these days, but it costs a lot to run a practice. The doctor's not taking home all the money that you think they are. Taxes are high. The cost of doing business is very, very, very high. So like I always joke, I'm like, listen, if this was here when I graduated, I would be here crushing it, seeing patients doing my thing, networking and like flying.

Beau Beard (57:32.866)

Yeah, yeah, I thought I was going to work for Brett, you know, and then when I got together, I mean, I was like, yeah, I work for my mentor, but the salary is off for me, like love St. Louis this time. was like, for sure. Yeah, I'll build into this thing. Okay, so you're like, yeah, I like the business challenge. Now there's obviously multiple hats who are in a business. So it's not just like, hey, I do business, you know, there's managerial roles, there's marketing, there's, finance.

Dr. Audra (57:35.019)

Yeah.

Dr. Audra (57:38.775)

Yeah.

Yeah. Yeah.

Beau Beard (57:59.3)

Is there anything that you're like dude if I could get rid of this piece or if I never had to think about this part of the business again Or maybe you have maybe like I just kicked this one You don't on the road and it's handled by somebody else Is there one piece of you like I never want to deal with this ever again, and I don't

Dr. Audra (58:16.064)

I would be glad not to deal with any numbers and like looking at those hard numbers. also, okay, I made myself uncomfortable. I got a whole audit on my business from every dollar starting in June. Like they went back years, but like we started the process in June. It was so uncomfortable and it was so vulnerable. And it was just like, what am I doing wrong? my God, my God. And then they're like, you're spending way too much money on this. You're doing this. Wow, that is very generous. know, like just like so many different things that I'm just like.

Beau Beard (58:33.8)

yeah.

Dr. Audra (58:44.982)

And, know, just really putting the financial health of the business first, because if there is no business, none of us have jobs, you know, kind of thing. And we're we're great. But like, I wanted to get myself even more uncomfortable because I felt like not confident fully in the business. So I wanted to be more comfortable with my business numbers, my business reasoning, my business rationale. I wanted more lawyers and accountants and stuff of people to look at everything and give their advice and decide of, OK, where do I adjust moving forward?

Beau Beard (59:14.263)

Yeah, well big on you because that's one of my biggest struggles again trying to wear too many hats is like giving up things just because some I've been burned right hiring people or Too much money terrible job, whatever it is and like I'll just keep doing it But eventually you get big enough or you're doing other things. It's not always about growth It's always about you know, where's your time got to go as an individual where I'm like I can't do this or I need somebody's help to do this

Dr. Audra (59:19.598)

Yep.

Dr. Audra (59:23.298)

Yep, same. same.

Beau Beard (59:42.372)

So yeah, that's been, you even in the past two years, I've changed a ton of stuff. So if we go back to, you know, out of the business side, so now we've got, we can see where Audra the clinician came from and as a person, we can see, you know, some of the business you build, it's you with two amazing doctors in Nashville or, you know, maybe we haven't talked about this offline, moving into a new office, like a lot of good things going. Where, mean, you know, if we looked,

20 years, which isn't that far away, which is crazy. Or even just 15 years, like the next five years, like any big things on the horizon where you're like, yeah, this is gonna happen or I want this to happen, or we're gonna reframe something completely, or is just like, now we kind of got a good thing going, we're gonna keep it rolling.

Dr. Audra (01:00:27.662)

Gosh, mean, sky's the limit. I'm gonna keep dreaming and everything. We do have something on the horizon, but you have to stay tuned. The audit kind of sparked some of it. So yeah, but I never thought, like I will say, I did in that car crying down in Nashville said, I'm gonna treat professional athletes, celebrities and singers. And that's what I'm doing. And like made the vocal cord technique combining, you know, everyone's stuff into my own little thing.

Beau Beard (01:00:34.339)

All right.

Beau Beard (01:00:55.395)

Hmm.

Dr. Audra (01:00:57.39)

And that's been fun. I don't know. I think there's so many exciting things out there and I love what we're doing with Blackjack Education as well. So I'm just trying to stay open and just seeing, you know, what the need is too. Like what do people need? What do people connect with? Where can we get better? And I think always having that curiosity and openness is where you're gonna get the answers instead of being like set in of a five-year plan.

that might not be in need in five years.

Beau Beard (01:01:27.849)

Mm-hmm. Yeah, I again I listen and read to so much stuff. I won't know who I'm drawing this from But it was a book I was reading not too long ago and they were basically they were completely against goals they're like goals will chain you into a direction and then if you're like Intuition or kind of creative spirit. Whatever you want to say is kind of pulling you the way they're like that goal will literally hinder you versus like we think you know, there's research on will goal pulls you towards it does so establishing a goal that's

clear, you know, within like, why are you doing it? And what's purpose of it might be a good thing, but it can also be a hindrance. You know, it's, it's, it's a limitation just like anything else. Like it's limiting, you know, where you can go. It's like, if I'm going to do this, I can't do X, Y, Z, you know,

Dr. Audra (01:02:07.54)

Right. And like, yeah.

Dr. Audra (01:02:13.29)

Mm-hmm. Yeah, and just you know, the team we all do goals but like okay we can be flexible with them and just realize you know, of course we want this to happen in six months or a year but realize this might we're in this for the long game it might be a three to five to seven year plan.

Beau Beard (01:02:31.011)

Which everything takes longer than you think it's going to. I if you learn one thing in business, you're like, yeah, you get lucky every once in while, but man, stuff just, like I said, getting your practice open takes way longer. Getting enough patients to pay the bills takes way longer. Getting to where you're like, hey, I'm making enough money to where I feel comfortable, like, oh, this is, you know, it's a substantial amount, way longer than I thought it was going to take.

Dr. Audra (01:02:33.929)

yes, yes.

Dr. Audra (01:02:43.54)

my gosh, way longer.

Dr. Audra (01:02:57.392)

my gosh, and then there's the random IRS letter, which you're like, no, they're serious if they sent me a letter and they're like, hey, you owe more money. great. Wonder where that's gonna come from.

Beau Beard (01:03:08.535)

Well, I've, you know, people that have listened to this podcast or, you know, YouTube over the past decade, like I put out a whole four or five part business series and, you know, multiple stories of us getting burned and, hopefully people learning lessons without having to walk down that same path. And you're just like, we didn't know we didn't know. But like one thing that I will, if I could give a piece of advice on this podcast, just overall to people listening is like, you do have to learn for yourself. like outsourcing everything from the get-go is in my opinion, smart because you don't learn.

Dr. Audra (01:03:20.382)

Mm-hmm. Yeah.

Dr. Audra (01:03:35.394)

Nope. No.

Beau Beard (01:03:37.991)

Why did we make this decision from the accounting standpoint? Why was this legal liability? And yeah, you don't want to do that forever. But like if you don't know the why is like you will we got burned because we just said, yeah, we trust you. Yeah, you make that decision and

Dr. Audra (01:03:50.286)

Yeah, you have to know enough to ask the educated questions of, hmm, what about this? And I will say like something we've done recently, but it was personally and professionally have like upgraded our financial team, accountant, bookkeeper, everything. And I mean, we did 14 accountant interviews and just cause it's just a little bit, you know, complicated and everything. But like we were asking some hard questions, but it's also cause I did the books for years by myself.

and then I had a great team and it's just like things got a little bit more complicated with Josh's job in mind. yeah, and bookkeeping wise for the business, same thing. Like what, if you don't know it, you can't ask the questions.

Beau Beard (01:04:33.123)

Which kind of gets back to health, right? We, I know you treat this the exact same way. We're not trying to get people to outsource their decision making and healthcare to us. We're trying to, it's collaborative. And if we want to put a cherry on this entire podcast, it's like it gets back to at the heart of everything you've done is wanting to be a clinician, caring for people, being interested in people, trying to constantly be the best version of yourself, making yourself uncomfortable. And then also, like we said, basically trying to get the

Dr. Audra (01:04:41.144)

Mm-mm.

Beau Beard (01:05:02.275)

person you're working with to basically do that, right? To be the best version themselves, which means they can't outsource it to you. You're not doing it for them. Like at the end of the day, yeah, yeah. But we always, we say we want to put ourselves out of business and that's what keeps us in business, right? That's literally if people don't have to come back, they will. As weird as that sounds and that's why I think we're successful. Yeah, I mean, if...

Dr. Audra (01:05:05.355)

Yeah.

Dr. Audra (01:05:10.176)

No, but you can be their biggest cheerleader.

Dr. Audra (01:05:21.836)

Mm-hmm. Yeah.

Beau Beard (01:05:28.835)

People listening to this have never heard of Audra, obviously just got to listen to her for an hour and try to understand a little bit of why she's world-class and amazing, not only as a clinician but a person. But like, I'm sure like a lot of us in this profession, if you're a student, if you're a new doc, if you're practicing doc, even if you're our senior, you have questions, I'm sure you could reach out to her, just like you could reach out to me or anybody that's come on the show has opened that same door because the people we have on the show are.

Dr. Audra (01:05:51.374)

Mm-hmm.

Beau Beard (01:05:55.908)

you know, those people that want to help, not just the patient in front of them, but the people that are in their profession or, you know, really anybody. So we can open that door. So if you have questions for Audra, you know, maybe go through me and we'll kind of allow that channel to be open. But before we hop off here, I always have two questions. I used to ask both now I'm letting people pick. So there were again, so take both you pick one.

The first one to be in this can be professional, this could be personal, it could be whatever realm you want it to be. But is there anything that you used to believe that you're just like, yep, this way it is that you've completely changed your mind on or vice versa. Is there something you're like, nope, I know this is the way it is. There's just no evidence peer reviewed literature out there. And again, it doesn't have to be science. could be something just woo woo in life, finances, I don't know, pick your poison. Anything one way or the other like, yeah, I have completely 180'd on this or.

I know this is the way it is, just nobody has done a research paper on it.

Dr. Audra (01:06:53.944)

I mean, I am so much more woo-woo now than when I graduated.

Beau Beard (01:06:57.349)

Well, that's kind of that's part and parcel for our profession. Yeah

Dr. Audra (01:07:00.3)

Yeah, yeah. And just like, gosh, it's so powerful. And I think that's just because we also have to connect with people. But I mean, people in school used to say like, if you thought about someone, they'll like reach out and schedule you. But that has happened. That happens all the time. Like there is something to that and quantum physics, all the frequencies, like whatever is out there of like being intentional. And I think like, I wake up every morning and write down five things I'm grateful for it and just like rewire my brain to that.

And it is crazy the power in that of, you know, clarity, grounding, feeling like you're creative and being able to think in the moment a little bit faster of, you know, going here or there. So I'm like all about leaning more into the woo-woo because it's just making me better and better.

Beau Beard (01:07:49.06)

Well, and if I can help anybody that's listening, like, God, I mean, the HeartMath Institute, the HeartMath Institute talks about like basically resonance between basically your brain and your heart, because your heart has a bunch of sensory or sensory neurons in it almost as much as basically the rest of your body. And they've actually done studies on this now that like, if you just slow down your breathing where the exhale is longer than the inhale and you literally put your hand on your heart and one hand on your abdomen and slow your breathing, which is looks like three months supine for our DNS heads.

Dr. Audra (01:08:17.774)

Exactly.

Beau Beard (01:08:19.159)

And then you literally add gratitude into that piece. Like you literally can like get into a resonant state where a lot of people would say like it's easier to allow things to manifest. And that's where it gets a little bit weird. But what they do know is you change HRV levels and all these things physiologically that like you said, more clarity, more relaxed, you're going to have better biomarkers, all these things. So there is a physiologic part. And then the woo woo, why do we call woo? We just don't understand it yet. It doesn't mean it doesn't work.

Dr. Audra (01:08:33.058)

Hmm.

Beau Beard (01:08:48.963)

So again, I don't want to discount it, but I love that you kind of end with that because I mean, you know, moving into the next five years, maybe it's not, hey, I'm growing this business. I'm, you know, it's like, I'm trying to understand really why I'm getting the results I'm getting with the people I'm working with. And it might be more of like how you're approaching your life and how that's spilling over into the patients versus I learned the next best technique. And, you know, I think that I think we all need to kind of question those things. Like, do I need another seminar? Do I need to work on me a little more?

Dr. Audra (01:08:58.648)

Mm.

Dr. Audra (01:09:12.59)

Mm-hmm.

Dr. Audra (01:09:18.638)

for sure, for sure. But if you need another seminar, I think people should come in January to Blackjack Education in Nashville. Yeah, with Rich Alm. But also, like, we can talk about all this stuff. We add in things, if you weren't at our first seminar, of just, like, you know, hanging out, being able to connect and talk, and then, you know, who knows what's to come, but we're gonna have fun, and we're trying to work some of that other stuff in.

Beau Beard (01:09:19.405)

Both are needed, but like you need.

Here's my business savior. Yeah. Yeah.

Beau Beard (01:09:34.646)

Yeah.

Dr. Audra (01:09:47.926)

It's not just about the learning material, there's so much more.

Beau Beard (01:09:51.522)

Yeah, we've always said, yeah, we're trying to get people to have fun. But I think what we're really trying to do is what create a scenario for like a little bit of magic to occur of like, hey, what relationships blossom out of this, like working relationships, friendships, whatever, but also like, you know, as well as I do, like, you know, a network is what builds a business and like, we're not just building businesses, you know, in Nashville and Birmingham, it's like, you know, you're treating people from, you know, all over same here. And it's like, you just never know what's gonna happen.

Dr. Audra (01:09:57.867)

Yes!

Beau Beard (01:10:17.591)

So like that's kind of what we're trying to do is don't just go sit in a seat at a seminar in a cold, dark room and eat lunch and then, you know, leave Sunday. It's like, you know, interact, do things outside of the norm. Not that it's uncomfortable. These are all fun things, but it's not your normal seminar, like by long shot. And that's the goal for us is yes, great information, great teachers. Yeah, it goes above and beyond, which, you know, part of the course with who we're talking with today. So,

Yeah, any lasting words, words of wisdom, wine recommendations, anything for the attentive listeners here.

Dr. Audra (01:10:50.448)

my gosh. I'm on a big Brunello kick, Italy Brunello. So that's my current obsession, but I'm sure I'll change in the next six months, but I highly recommend a good Brunello. I highly recommend to just like go to a bar, Applebee's, I don't care, or something fancy and have a glass of wine and dinner by yourself and take a book. There is something so incredible about that. I also love to go to bed by eight o'clock, so we're hitting it here.

Beau Beard (01:11:17.815)

Yeah, we're getting there.

Dr. Audra (01:11:19.47)

and just be you and don't be scared to be you. I think that's, hard to learn that. And I know everyone's like, as you get older, you get more you, but that's so true.

Beau Beard (01:11:28.923)

No, but I mean that but that's what is going to make you successful. Whether that's you, mean, some people might realize like, oh, this practice thing is not for me, whether it's a business side treatment or the professional overall, like the sooner you figure out the better and like you are successful because you've basically, you know, you've resonated with who you are for a long time to where it's gotten you to this level. You haven't tried to force feed. Like I want to make a bunch of money. That's why I'm going to be XYZ. I'm going to

Dr. Audra (01:11:37.313)

Yeah.

Dr. Audra (01:11:54.59)

do not be in this profession if you're only working for money. I mean, this is the wrong profession. Go into business.

Beau Beard (01:12:00.643)

Yeah, I agree. And can you make a lot of money? Yeah. But if that is your sole goal, it will be a long hard grind. You might never ever get there. And if you do, you probably won't want to stay there for very long the way you got there. That'd be my two cents on that. So, yeah, well, thank you so much for taking your time. know it's getting close to bedtime. Yeah. And for people that don't know, like I love Audra, like I said, blackjack education came from hanging out at a blackjack table for way too long and almost getting kicked out of a

Dr. Audra (01:12:17.102)

Thank you for inviting me, it was so fun.

Beau Beard (01:12:29.451)

I guess casino and a hotel in Prague, but I could talk to her for hours because obviously we like all the same stuff. again, if you have questions for her about anything, practice, know, how'd you do this Nashville? You want to go to Pratt, whatever it is, I'm sure we can get you connected, but she's on social media. Again, Blackjack Education is our website for any of our seminars that we're hosting in the Nashville area, primarily. And yeah, just can't thank you enough for coming on here and sharing all your knowledge.

Dr. Audra (01:12:41.752)

Yeah.

Dr. Audra (01:12:54.574)

Thank you for having me. I love hanging out anytime and tell that wife of yours She should move to Nashville. Not you, but her

Beau Beard (01:13:01.059)

They're trying to steal Sloan. They're trying to create an all-star girls team in Nashville and leave me here with two kids and so on. I don't know. We'll see what the paycheck is.

Dr. Audra (01:13:08.214)

Yeah, I'm just joking. We love you too.

Dr. Audra (01:13:14.318)

Bye!

Beau Beard (01:13:15.863)

Thanks, Audra.