Today we’d like to introduce you to Jay Salerno
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
Nothing changes if nothing changes.
Salerno Sports Therapy, or SST, started out as a side hustle early on in 2023.
The business was sort of born out of and continues to operate under the concept of “never take for granted the opportunity to help someone.”
Too many times, in too many settings in healthcare, providers are burnt out, tired, juggling multiple patients at once, just doing their best given the circumstances of their job. I would know, I was one. Four years into my physical therapy career and I felt I had nothing else to give if nothing changed.
I was tired of trying to fix your knee, his shoulder, her ankle, all at the same time, get my documentation done, try to get home to my wife and dogs by dinner, only to be too exhausted to be mentally present. At best, patients had a third of my attention at any given point.
I felt there was a better way to help people. I felt I could be a better physical therapist, provide better care to our patients, be a better human for our community.
I was extremely grateful to have a few patients early on in the side hustle days that would meet me at 5am before I drove to my full time job, worked 7-6, then drove back to my spot to see anther patient at 630pm. We started out in a sublet room with some adjustable dumbbells, a few bands of amazon, and a second hand treatment table. If those few patients had enough trust in me to meet me at ridiculous hours, I had to trust myself, and went for it.
SST became a full time gig in the summer of ’23. January of ’25, we just opened a brand new stand alone clinic space to work in. A cool new fancy space with turf and weights and bikes etc. is neat and all, don’t get me wrong, but I often reflect on the commitment from those early on patients that gave me the confidence to go all in.
The insurance based U.S.. healthcare system, let’s face it, is broken. We had to create an environment that allowed us to treat how we wanted, actually spend time with our patients, to do what is best for our patients no matter what.
Thus, SST was born out of both frustration, but also, and more importantly, a dream. We created an environment where, if you are a good fit to work with us, we’ll go so far above and beyond to achieve the best healthcare possible to help you with your goals. If we aren’t the best provider for whatever you are dealing with, we’ll go above and beyond to make sure you get in with the best appropriate provider. We never take for granted the opportunity to help someone.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Was it smooth? Haha, Hell no. They don’t teach you how to run a business, marketing, business finance, online SEO presence -whatever the heck that is, in physical therapy school. I’m just a knee and shoulder guy after all! We are still learning how to sail this pirate ship through the storm day by day. The works presents itself as you go.
The last few years have been a big learning curve, but has lead to a ton of professional and personal growth. I’ve been really fortunate to have had some great business mentors along the way to help steer me in the right direction.
As you know, we’re big fans of Salerno Sports Therapy. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Salerno Sports Therapy is a performance based physical therapy clinic. Our mission is to connect athletes* to what is important in their lives through world class physical therapy and performance. *If you have a body, you’re an athlete.
Each therapist spends an entire hour directly one on one with their patient, and that is something we will never compromise on.
Our role in the community is extremely rewarding, I cannot think of any other job as satisfying as ours. Everyday when we come to work, we get to do dope things with dope people. We have the privilege of helping patients, clients, coworkers and ourselves do dope things and live awesome incredible lives. Celebrate the wins, no matter how big or small. Qualify for the Boston Marathon? that’s Dope! Play a pain free round of golf with your dad? That’s Dope! Be able to throw the ball around the yard pain free with your kid? That’s Dope! you get the point.
Obviously, one of our most important goals is always to get people moving with as little discomfort as possible. However, one of the soap boxes we like to yell from is that you do not need to be in pain to see a physical therapist!!!
If you’ve got a goal you want to achieve, something wild like run a race in all 50 states this year, or something simpler, like run 5k with a friend, performance PTs are the musculoskeletal experts in healthcare and can help. The people who are so busy doing dope things that don’t have the time to be hurt are often some of our best clients!
We’d love to hear about how you think about risk taking?
Its funny, I still I don’t think I am a risk taker. Even reflecting on when I was a little kid. I feel like I was decently well behaved, did well in school, listened to my parents, stayed out of trouble for the most part. I’ll say it, I was a good kid!!
I guess there’s always some inherent type of risk when you go off on your own and start a business, that’s just the way it is, and you have to be okay with that.
I viewed it as more of what do you risk by not starting the business?
In my childhood home upstairs bathroom, there were two framed pictures. One had written; “Attitude: A problem cannot be solved with the same consciousness that created it.” The other: ” Risk: Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. The fearful are caught as often as the bold.”
I think both of those statements are mostly true. You risk more by not going after a dream, staying at a stable job you only mostly like but not love, with cushiony safety nets and a decent salary. You risk not becoming a better human, learning from mistakes and efforts, you risk not having the time and financial flexibility to spend time with your loved ones. You risk not finding out what exactly you are made of and can grow to be.
I write this and don’t mean to come off as trying to sound like some tough guy. Starting a business is scary as hell! I had plenty of hesitations. But at the end of the day, always bet on yourself.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.salernosportstherapy.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/salernosportstherapy/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100090116731902
