Head of Partnerships and Clinical Sales — Greg Martinez

This week’s spotlight is on Greg Martinez, PT, DPT, CIDN, a non-clinical physical therapist who is now Head of Partnerships and Clinical Sales at Athelas!

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

Greg Martinez, PT, DPT, CIDN — Head of Partnerships and Clinical Sales at Athelas

Where are you located?

Lehi, Utah.

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

University of Utah, 2013.

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

I worked in a private practice outpatient setting for nine years. I’ve also worked in home health, cash practice, and as an adjunct faculty member on the side.

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

I worked with all demographics in the outpatient setting, with a specialty focus in prevention and sports performance.

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

I loved connecting with patients face to face and learning about their life stories.

Seeing someone come in with a limitation and being part of their healing was very fulfilling.

I did not enjoy documentation, the rigid hours (and late nights in the clinic), and the limited opportunities for growth and progression.

What else have you done since then, prior to your current role?

I have:

• Started multiple practices
• Been the PT for a volleyball club of 700 athletes
• Done industrial PT, home health contracting, and a prevention-focused corporate program

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

I looked into changing for about three to five years. That is when I did so many practice models on the side while still practicing full time. I made the jump fully out of patient care after my wife finished her NP degree.

What are you doing these days?

I hire providers from all specialties (PT, OT, NP, PA-C, etc.) to consult with practices about documentation and billing solutions.

I also run a team that creates partnerships with practices, EHRs, consultants, etc. across the country to accelerate growth for our company.

I serve on the board in Utah and serve as an adjunct faculty member as well.

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

I treat patients rarely, but I maintain my license.

How long have you been in your current role?

January 2022 to present.

What do you wish you would’ve known before going into this role?

I wish I would’ve known more about a sales organization as a whole, including the tech stack and the overall structure.

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

I had applied for a different healthcare technology job locally and decided not to move forward in the process. One of the interviewers left that company and came to Athelas. I reached back out to him when he posted on LinkedIn about hiring for this position.

Did you do anything special to your resume and cover letter to land the job?

I highlighted how my role in running a practice included sales on an everyday basis. I sold myself and my HEPs to my patients, my brand to local physicians, and our company to the community.

What was the interview like for the head of partnerships and clinical sales role?

There were two initial interviews with managers that were graded on a standardized scale. I scored high enough to be passed through to the VP. I had a one-hour, in-person interview before receiving the offer. I then negotiated the initial offer.

What are some of the things you did to stand out, take initiative, and advance in your career?

I saw needs for what we were trying to accomplish as a company, and I felt confident that I could find solutions by utilizing my skill set as a provider. I created a proposal for the VPs and C-suite to create both a clinical sales team and a partnerships division in the company. They gave me an opportunity to prove myself, and these two verticals are growing rapidly.

How have people reacted to you leaving patient care?

Initially, people were surprised and/or sad, but ultimately supportive.

Now, people celebrate what we are building and oftentimes want to learn more about our company or work here.

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

I have meetings with the teams I lead, individual practices, and potential partners. I travel to conferences, as well as onsite to practices to assist in finalizing our partnership. I also interview and hire regularly to scale the teams I lead.

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

I absolutely love meeting with leaders and practice owners, learning how they started, and how they scaled their businesses. I feel like I have the ability to make a big-picture impact on the PT profession instead of one patient at a time. I have flexibility in my schedule, and no limitation on career progression or earnings.

The biggest challenge is time management. There is always work to do, and I have to be careful with how I choose to use my time. I also travel a fair amount, and that can be hard on my wife and kids.

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

Practicing as a PT has been pivotal to my success here at Athelas. I can speak personally to what providers are experiencing as we explore solutions with them.

Communication and empathy have been vital in gaining trust and setting proper expectations with practices.

Time management and leadership skills, including hiring and training staff, have directly transferred over.

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

I choose to work more hours than I did in patient care. My earnings are uncapped.

What type of person do you think would do well in your head of partnerships and clinical sales role?

They need to have grit, drive, and accountability to own the outcomes that we hire for. They also need to be:

• Excellent communicators
• Resilient through the ups and downs of sales
• Able to work well with a team
• Hyper-focused on a positive work culture

Do you work remotely or onsite?

I do a mix of both. I go into the office about two days a week, unless I am traveling. Otherwise, I work from home.

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

Yes! We are actively hiring for account executive (AE) roles on our Clinical Field Sales team. There are also opportunities in operations and customer service roles.

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

I read a lot and listen to podcasts regularly. I love Atomic Habits, Extreme Ownership, and Start with Why. I also study leadership, motivation, and entrepreneur books.

What is a typical career path for someone in your head of partnerships and clinical sales role?

They begin as an AE (account executive) at a certain level. They can promote to higher levels as an AE before moving into a manager role where they hire, train, and lead other AEs that are all providers. They can then explore opportunities in partnerships or other areas of the company as they desire.

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

I want to grow something amazing at Athelas that fundamentally changes healthcare. I also want to see us go public and become a name brand across the country. That should be a years-long process. After that, a variety of opportunities will be available in sales, partnerships, consulting, etc. I also want to invest in real estate long term.

What would you recommend to someone who is considering going into a role like yours? Do you have any special words of wisdom for the readers?

I have gained skill sets and associated with brilliant people from all over the world. This never would have been possible if I did not believe in myself and bet on myself to make a jump. I can also always go back to patient care if I want.

Ready to launch your own non-clinical career?

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

Be aware of the cost and time of your education and degree compared to the earning potential it creates when you graduate.

Do something that leverages skills that help you solve problems for people, and you will always earn a good living.

Know how to network; it is the most powerful tool in business.

Do you have any special advice for others who want to follow in your footsteps?

If you see the current problems with the medical system that we are practicing in, look for solutions instead of complaints.

Choose to take action and make a change for the better, starting with what you can control. That will build confidence, and you will be surprised what an impact you can make.