6-7 Water, PT Marketing, and Why Your Degree Might Not Be Enough Anymore

What does a viral water brand have to do with physical therapy? A lot more than you think. In this episode, Dave Kittle, Jimmy McKay, and Tony Maritato break down the marketing magic behind the 6-7 Water meme, how a high schooler accidentally built a viral brand, and what PTs can learn from it. Then we get serious: is PT school still worth it? We look at declining applications, shrinking reimbursements, and whether the “traditional” path even makes sense in 2025.Watch more from PT Pintcast →https://www.youtube.com/@PTPintcast---EPISODE BREAKDOWN[00:00] — Introduction to the Challenges in Healthcare[01:02] — My First Million Podcast[01:20] — The Viral Story of the 6-7 Kid[02:20] — Creating a Water Brand from a Viral Moment[03:30] — The Attention Economy in Business[04:57] — Leveraging Social Media for Business Growth[06:10] — The Reality of Flash-in-the-Pan Trends[07:20] — Applying Viral Marketing to Physical Therapy[12:33] — The Challenges of Starting a Beverage Company[20:53] — Decline in Occupational Therapy Applications[21:50] — Impact of Reimbursement Reductions on Healthcare[27:35] — The Financial Struggles of Physical Therapy Practices[28:30] — The State of Outpatient Physical Therapy[28:53] — The Simplicity of Direct Payment Models[29:23] — Comparing Industries: Haircuts and Healthcare[29:59] — The Third-Party Payment Model[30:36] — Challenges with Medicare and Patient Goals[36:27] — Personal Stories: Why We Became Physical Therapists[42:57] — Advice for Aspiring Physical Therapists[49:30] — The Value of Hands-On Experience[53:22] — Parting Shots--Want to Connect with Dave?Book a strategy call:https://clarity.fm/davekittle/expertise/physical-therapy-merger-acquisitions-valuations-healthcare-marketing-salesThinking of selling your practice or partnering?https://www.fieldmakergroup.comConnect with Dave:Email: [email protected]: @davekittle https://www.instagram.com/davekittle/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davekittle/orCall (646)-781-8884 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.