Co-Owner of GreenLight Mobility – Charlotte — Felipe Fidalgo

This week’s spotlight is on Felipe Fidalgo, PT, DPT, CAPS, a non-clinical physical therapist who is now Co-Owner of GreenLight Mobility – Charlotte!

What is your full name, title, and company name for your current, primary role?

Felipe Fidalgo, PT, DPT, CAPS — Co-Owner of GreenLight Mobility – Charlotte

Where are you located?

Charlotte, NC.

Where did you go to PT school, and what year did you graduate?

[]_[]niversity of Miami 🙌🏽, 2015.

What did you do when you first finished school, and for how long?

My first physical therapy job was at a hospital-based outpatient clinic in Dallas, TX. I was only there for a little over a year before moving to Charlotte.

In what setting(s) did you work, and what types of patients did you treat?

I did a good variety of outpatient therapy. It was mostly post op, sports and general active patients. I got burned out after about three years of that and switched to a home health role where most of the patients were post-op ortho.

What did you enjoy about your early roles? What didn’t you enjoy?

I always thought I would do outpatient/sports for the duration of my career. Between patient overload and some toxic environments, I decided to get out of it.

I tried home health physical therapy just to change pace and do something different. I truly enjoyed it. I was able to be one on one and spend quality time with each patient. A full case load was roughly six to eight patients, and I was able to stay with the post-op orthopedic population. Although home health documentation can be tedious!

When and why did you decide to do something non-clinical?

As much as I enjoyed my home health physical therapy job, I knew I wouldn’t do it for the rest of my career.

I started to look into what opportunities I could pursue to get out of patient care. The Non-Clinical PT was definitely a go-to resource for me.

I looked at some grad school programs to see if that would open any other paths. I was hesitant of going back to school, accumulate more debt and end up with no clear path.

What are you doing these days?

Today, I have the great privilege of co-owning GreenLight Mobility – Charlotte with my amazing wife—who is an OT and was also tired of the patient hustle.

We have been in business for about four years. We now have five full-time employees and one part-time employee.

Are you still treating patients, or are you solely non-clinical?

We are completely non-clinical!

How long have you been Co-Owner of GreenLight Mobility – Charlotte?

Since mid-late 2021.

Did you get any special certifications or training along the way to help you get into your current role?

No special certifications. Just a lot of business books!

How did you find your job? Did you apply or find it through a connection?

We found GreenLight Mobility on LinkedIn of all places. Once we connected with Karen and Gregg, we got things moving fairly quickly (considering COVID was still at large).

When did you start your business?

We officially opened in November 2021.

What is your business, and what types of products or services do you offer?

GreenLight Mobility was a perfect fit for us. It was a way to stay connected to patients and their families, as well as put our skill set to use.

We do free home assessments that are ALWAYS completed by a therapist. We believe that—with our knowledge of diagnosis, prognosis and mobility, combined with knowledge of the products and installation—we can provide the best solution.

We have our own installation crew and always keep everything in stock, so we are prepared for the last-minute need.

How have people reacted to you leaving patient care?

It’s been all positive and supportive. Hopefully, we can inspire someone who is on the fence to venture out!

Ready to launch your own non-clinical career?

What’s a typical day or week in the life like for you? What types of tasks and responsibilities fill your time?

For me, a typical day starts with meeting with my installation crew, where we review the install for the day. I take lots of notes during my evals, but I like to explain the “why” so they keep that in mind. Once they are up and running, I review my evals for the day and answer any emails that need my attention. In between evals, I am constantly on the phone with clients, referral sources, suppliers, etc.

My wife, Caryn, is the marketing guru and helps a tremendous amount with evaluations and day-to-day tasks.

What are some of the rewards of your role? What are the biggest challenges?

The greatest reward is being able to still serve patients but in a different way. It’s such a joy to hear and/or see that someone’s parent, spouse and even kiddo is able to come back home or stay home with no boundaries. The other great benefit is working alongside my awesome wife, Caryn.

The biggest challenge has been learning to run a business. It is very time consuming at first until you start to get the hang of it. Deciding to go the franchise route has helped in eliminating some trial and errors, improve purchasing power and get in with manufacturers.

Another big challenge initially was learning all the construction ins and outs. But I am so grateful to my crew for being patient with me and teaching me along the way.

How did your clinical background prepare you for this role? Which skills transferred?

As a home health PT, I would do a home assessment during my first visit. I get to do an improved version of it with all the knowledge of the installation process.

The combination of understanding the patients’ limitations and the products is what allows us to provide the best solution to our clients.

Roughly speaking, how are the hours and pay compared to patient care?

As a business owner, I work probably double what I used to during patient care. However, it has such a different meaning when you work for yourself vs. when you work for someone else.

What type of person do you think would do well in your role?

You gotta be positive, innovative, detail-oriented and definitely need to have thick skin. When you are in sales, rejection is very real, and sadly some people just don’t see the value.

However, the majority of people we meet with do see the value and are appreciative of what we do, even if they don’t move forward with us for installation.

Do you work remotely or onsite as Co-Owner of GreenLight Mobility – Charlotte?

I am always on the road, so my truck is my office!

Does your organization hire PT, OT, or SLP professionals into non-clinical roles? If so, what type of roles?

We do. We currently have a PT working part time for us. We will always look for therapists as we continue to grow.

Did you read any books, take any courses, or do anything special overall to get you where you are today?

I read a lot of business books. That has given me the push to get started, and now it helps me with the growth of the company.

What is a typical career path for someone in your your role?

Being a therapist certainly helps for a role like this.

As far as business ownership, I believe anyone with the guts and will can do it! Regardless of background.

What is next for you? What are your high-level career aspirations?

Continue to grow the company. Continue to help more people stay home, if desired, and provide an environment where they can thrive and succeed.

I would love for GreenLight Mobility – Charlotte to be a household name in our local therapy and healthcare community!

What career advice would you give yourself that you wish you had during school?

If you want to get out of patient care and can’t seem to find the right fit in other roles, go forge your own path!