Watch the video version of this episode on YouTube - https://youtu.be/ivvVAWGo3AM

In this episode of Innovate and Rehabilitate: The Entrepreneurial PT, Jesi Stracham describes her entrepreneurial journey after sustaining a T4 spinal cord injury in a motorcycle accident. Jesi is an inspirational speaker, author, coach, brand ambassador, and fierce advocate helping spinal cord injury survivors achieve independence after injury. Her business activities have transformed thousands of people’s lives and in the process perhaps saved her own.

Content Warning: In this episode, the guest briefly touches on struggles with addiction and mentions difficult topics such as self-harm and thoughts of suicide. These moments are brief, but listener discretion is advised. If you or someone you know is struggling, support is available. Please contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).

Transcript

Voiceover: So you're a PT or PTA grad who's feeling the spark of something more. Maybe you dream of building your own business, one that's constructed around your vision, one that empowers you to make a real difference on your terms. This feeling, it's the entrepreneurial itch. And you're not alone. Countless PTs and PTAs are taking the leap to entrepreneurship, crafting careers that are as unique as they are.

Welcome to the Innovate and Rehabilitate the Entrepreneurial PT podcast. In each episode, we'll dive deep into the world of PT-preneurship with Inspiring physical therapists and physical therapist assistants just like you, who are crushing it on their terms. We'll uncover their secrets, their struggles, and the incredible impact they're making. From building your PT boss dreams to navigating the business side of things, will equip you with the knowledge and inspiration to turn your vision into reality.

So, whether you're just curious about starting your own business, or you're already out there making your dreams a reality, this podcast is for you. Get ready to unleash your inner entrepreneur. Let's do this!

Scott Giles (SG): Jesi Stracham transforms people's lives through her entrepreneurial activities. She's an inspirational speaker, author, coach, brand ambassador, and fierce advocate helping spinal cord injury survivors achieve independence after injury. Jesi views her disability resulting from a T4 spinal cord injury as her superpower. She offers an incredibly candid look into a raucous youth and post injury struggles, as well as her involvement in numerous business initiatives, including founding the Wheel With Me Foundation and developing the Wheel with Me Adapt Fit app.

Her most recent business initiative is serving as a co-owner of freedom, Longevity and Wellness LKN. This company pioneers cutting edge therapies that redefine holistic health and recovery. I feel our listeners are in for a real treat today, since Jesi just has an incredibly compelling story filled with gut wrenching lows and exhilarating highs. Her resiliency, courage, and belief in herself offers an inspiring message for all. Welcome to the podcast, Jesi.

Jesi Stracham (JS): Thank you so much for having me. I'm stoked to be here. Scott.

SG: Oh, it's it's great. And you know, as I thought about this, I'm thinking, all right, Scott, you better not talk too much here because there are. And we better get into it quick because there are so many fascinating twists and turns along this journey. And, you know, and that's before we even get to the business part. And obviously, you're involved in a number of business initiatives that we want to get into as well, and I'm sure our guests will want to hear a lot about. So if it's okay with you, I think we're just going to we're just going to jump in.

JS: Let's go. I'm ready.

SG: All right, all right. Sounds good. All right, so, Jesi, start from the beginning. Tell us a little bit about yourself growing up, your early interests, etc.

JS: I grew up in northeastern Ohio, in a town called Canton, where most known for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. I lived in the same house until I was 16 years old, which I think was really unique cause a lot of people move around, and it was cool to have this childhood house that my parents bought together before I was born. 

So, I think it's, my coolest part of my story is that wheels have always been a common theme. My parents met through trucking, and then they moved to Ohio from Scranton, Pennsylvania and built their own trucking company. And then I started riding go karts. Well, before I could walk, I had like a little, pedal car that I couldn't even pedal.

And then I had a power rails Jeep, and then I started writing go karts and then four wheelers and dirt bikes, golf carts, ended up racing four wheelers throughout my entire teens, and then, ended up becoming an adult, getting on a motorcycle and my life changed.

SG: Yeah. So let's get in, let’s get into that. So, Yeah. How’d that all go down?

JS: Well, so before my injury, I mean, honestly, growing up, like, when I hit puberty, I became kind of a sex addict. And I didn't really understand addiction as a teenager, and that was my biggest struggle. And then I became a young adult and decided to add some more vices in there between alcohol and drugs and things like that.

And so I was with this person that I probably shouldn't have been with. And I got on the back of his motorcycle, and we just went on a the regular route that we would take. A woman was coming to make a U-turn, she never slowed down, he never stopped. And the next thing I knew, we collided with the back of her car.

He went through the back window, broke his leg. I went over her SUV, broke my back in two places. My chest collapsed. My ribs punctured my lungs, nicked my spinal cord. I have a traumatic brain injury and I coded twice, having to be resuscitated. So, the fact that we're having this conversation is a blessing in itself.

SG: Yeah, that that that that's a win. I mean, wow, I don't even know how to process any of that. So, I mean, I mean, how did how did how did you, how alert or windy, when did you even start to get a grasp on like the see the gravity of your injuries through this process? I'm sure for a period of time you're completely unconscious, obviously. I mean, it was obviously touch and go whether you're going to make it for a number of days, correct?

JS: Yeah. So my first couple of days in the hospital, I don't really remember. I know that I would wake up, I'd see a family member and I'd pass back out. The main thing I remember is seeing my grandmother, who passed when I was a kid. She told me, Jesi Mae, it's not your time. You can't stay with me, and I can't stay with you. But there's things you have to do and people to get back to you so you have to go now. And she sent me on my way. It was probably about five days in or so. I woke up to a nurse cathing me, so she was between my legs, draining my bladder with a tube called a catheter, and I didn't feel it.

And I was like, what are you doing? Was like, I was alarmed. I don't feel you between my legs now. What are you doing? She's like, oh, I'm draining your bladder. And I was like, well, can I just go to the bathroom? She's like, honey, you have a spinal cord injury you’re paralyzed. And I was like, yeah, can't I just go to the bathroom?

And that was the gravity of like, okay, not only do my legs not work, my bowel and bladder don't work either.

SG: So, so I mean, you obviously at that point had been informed by someone what your injury was, but in terms of the actual magnitude and the impact on your physical limitations, you still even at that point had no idea, really. Like you're like, okay, okay, we can deal with this. And then you're like, are you kidding me? Like, I kind of? Is that how it went down?

JS: Exactly how it went down because I was like, okay, I've been on wheels my entire life. I'll use a wheelchair, whatever. Like I got wheels to get around. But when I found out that I lost bowel and bladder control at 22 years old, now I'm wearing diapers and I'm peeing on myself and pooping on myself. So essentially, you feel like an overgrown toddler.

You have to learn how to redo everything. How to get dressed, how to shower, how to get on a toilet, how to go to the bathroom, finding ways to brush your teeth and cook and do your laundry. Literally the simple tasks that we take for granted every day. I had to relearn how to do.

SG: It's crazy. And I remember one of the things that when we kind of talked prior to this, I remember one of the things you told me is and this is and this is post rehabilitation, right? So in terms of like, this is not like immediately after the injury, etc., but you're telling me that, you know, on average it takes you, you know, based on your level of injury etc., or the typical person with your level of injury would be three additional hours per day in order to do the self-care things that have to happen, or the planning the, you know, just the extra effort associated with not having, you know, not being fully mobile, not being fully, you know, having the dexterity, etc., etc. 

So, I mean, I don't know, I'm guessing with all the things that you were doing, I'm thinking maybe you weren't the most patient person. You weren't maybe like, I bet you were. Maybe like, let's go, you know, at all times, like, I don't know, I see you as a like an alpha you know, boom, boom, boom kind of person. So like, what was your mindset even like, at this point with how difficult even basic tasks were at that point?

JS: The hardest part about my entire hospital stay was my lungs. So, I when I punctured my lungs, they had a hard time getting to where I could breathe and then I developed pneumonia. I got bronched while being awake, and that was kind of insane. So, I felt like I was in a saw movie. They literally had my hands tied down there shoving the tube down my throat, and I was like, okay, what?

Then? My mouth is just wide open. I'm coherent and I'm like, it's like that device that pushes the jaw part in the saw movies. That's literally how I fell. And, it was and that was the hardest part. So once we got my breathing done, I got to rehab, I got to go home for a week, and I got an infection in my intestines called C. diff. And so it's all the good bacteria in your gut gets killed. And so essentially you just poop nonstop. If you don't get it treated, it can kill you. So I got put back in the hospital after a week of being home. And then because I was back in, like a hospital setting, an acute setting, they put me back in inpatient rehab. So I got to go home and see all the things that I couldn't do. And I was like, cool. I went back to rehab and got to tell them what I needed to learn.

SG: And then what about your house? Was that even adapted? I mean, how could you just transition back?

JS: God is so good. So I was an atheist before my injury. I got saved the day before my accident. Found my faith literally to get saved when I died. Amazing things. My parents bought their house 18 months before I got paralyzed. The entire basement was set up for a wheelchair user. Wide doorways, a roll in shower, baths beside the toilet.

So all I had to do when I came home was put a ramp in an outdoor lift and then get higher toilets. Because the toilets were really low. The house was ready for me.

SG: That's a miracle. Yeah, 18 months before, right? So all right. So now it sounds like when you go back to that rehab center, you're kind of the boss. Like you're like, okay, here's my setup, here's my issues. What do I do? Was that you taking charge at this point?

JS: That's exactly what happened. So, during my first rehab stay, I 100% I got Aflac accidental through my employer, and thank goodness I had that because I was able to buy a car when I got into the accident. So I bought a car outright. I just got a little Volkswagen sedan, and my dad bought the car for me while I was gone. So then on Sundays during my second rehab stay I told my nurse, look, I'm leaving. You can give me my medical supplies or not. Like I have to learn how to drive. Driving was my number one priority because I could not be trapped in rural North Carolina. We live 15 minutes from the nearest Walmart. There's no sidewalks, nothing like that where I live.

So there wasn't access and I was like, I have to learn how to drive. That was my biggest limiter that week I was home. So every Sunday my dad, for the three weeks I was back in inpatient rehab, my dad came and picked me up, snuck me out, took me to driver's ed. I drove with this dude. Super, super cool dude. Gave me back my independence. And, that's really, I took my care into my own hands. And I think that was the biggest game changer. I see so many people that get a spinal cord injury or go through something, and they wait for someone else to come save them. I wasn't waiting, I was like, this is my life, and I'm taking it back in my control as much as I can. I may not be able to control my body, but I can control my actions.

SG: How are the, how are your the PTs and the PTAs who worked with you? I mean, how was that? Because, look, that's not the typical patient mindset as you kind of mentioned. So I mean, how was that received by the healthcare team? I mean, did they think, do you think they viewed as a problem, or do you think they viewed you as more like this? This girl's got swag. Like like, let's go.

JS: I was a problem. I flipped over backwards in the hallway while in inpatient rehab, trying to practice wheelies. Of course, the paperwork, all the things they were like, yeah.

SG: This is where the incident reports are created on your behest.

JS: They were not having it. They were tired of my shit. By the time it was, I was done with that second stay. But it's really cool because ten years later, I still have relationships with them. Like, I'm going to the hospital after this to go volunteer and talk to somebody who's newly injured to try and give them some hope back.

I think that's so important because of the way I viewed the injury pretty much from the beginning. It allowed me to actually just get back to life and create a reality that I didn't hate. Do I love being in a wheelchair all the time? Do I love my bowel bladder issues? Absolutely not. But there's nothing I can do to change it, so embracing it is what gave me power and freedom and what really gave me my power back.

SG: Now that's great. So what advice do you have them for it? Because obviously our primary audience is PTs and PTAs, you know, who are interested in entrepreneurial activities, but many of them are still involved in direct patient care. What advice do you have for health care professionals who are working with individuals who have, you know, in particularly on the acute side in rehab, you know, where they're dealing with, you know, life changing injuries?

JS: I think the biggest thing that healthcare professionals can do are find out what resources are out there for their patients, whether that's individuals or not. The amount of people I've had reach out to me on social media and say, hey, my PT or my OT gave me your information, can you help me? That, that in itself, you're showing people what's possible by showing them other individuals that look like them in the community. I think that's so important to just give them back hope. Hope's been the biggest thing that's taken from you when this happens. And so, to get a little bit of that back is pretty powerful.

SG: Yeah, I would imagine we'll get into a lot of you know, I know you've stayed involved with the medical community as well. And, you know, with a lot of athletic pursuits and racing and other things like that. So we'll get into that as well. So I mean, you're clearly a role model for all of this. So what was your mindset like?

So were you like right on the like when did you transition to, you know, going to to focus on other people and to helping other individuals? I mean, was your attitude really great? You saw the light like, let's go, I'm right back on the straight and narrow or where there are some real bumps and serious dark times.

JS: The first year was the hardest. I remember I had a 22 rifle in the corner of my room that I had gotten in the previous Christmas, and I stared at that thing on a regular basis and I was like, this is a 22. This is not enough to take me out. And like, if I use this thing, it's literally just going to it's going to make my brain injury worse and I'm going to be worse off.

And so I gave my gun to my dad and I just sat in it. I see 100%, I thought, but I sat in the pain. I sat in the sadness. My biggest struggle was I refused to use a slide board, so I'd fall on the floor, you know, three times a week or so. And being newly injured as a T4 paraplegic, I didn't have core control. I wasn't able to do a floor transfer. And so sometimes I'd be on the floor, you know, 4 or 5 hours waiting for somebody to get home from work. And I think that was the hardest part. Early on, it was being like, okay, this is my life. But about the about nine months of my injury, I found adaptive sports, and that changed the game for me because it gave me, not only did give me an outlet, but it gave me community.

And community is the most important thing regardless of whatever what struggle you're going through. Connect with people, going through something similar. Connect with people that have a similar mindset. I think that's so important because it empowers you to realize what's possible.

SG: Yeah, I would think too. I mean, just, you know, from talking to you and just my experience as a PT, I mean, there really are some great organizations and groups out there. But I mean, prior to injury, I mean, there'd be no reason anyone would have any idea, you know, 95% of people would have no idea. There is a group of it, you know, adapted sports or for specific spinal cord injuries or I don't know.

So I would think getting turned on to those resources. And, and I think to your point, as being a health provider and being an advocate, that would be I mean, the person who is the person who's injured and is trying to rebuild their lives, I mean, there's so many things coming at them a million miles an hour. I'm not sure that that's something that they most people would that's not super high on their priority list because they don't realize how beneficial it is.

So I so I do think your advice to therapists is tremendous in terms of taking, you know, advantage of these resources, getting involved in sports and to is being advocates for your patients because, you know, you're feeling it saved your life, in essence, right, because it made you feel quote unquote, normal, whatever that means.

JS: As normal gets right. Like this is, it's wild because I'll be ten years in January of 2025 and I forget what it's like to walk. I forget what it's like to have full bodily function. This is normal to me, right? This is the way I live life. I don't see myself any different.

I'm still Jesi. And early on in the injury that was taken away, I lost myself for a bit and I became the wheelchair. And I think it's really, it's a roller coaster of healing that I went through, that a lot of people don't go through. They kind of just are like, oh, the wheelchair. And that becomes their whole identity. And I was like, no, there's more to me than just this wheelchair. What does that look like? And I decided to start living life. And now the wheelchair is the last thing I think about. There's a lot of times I don't even pack enough catheters because I just forget I'm paralyzed. I don't I don't think about my paralysis.

It's not at the forefront of my mind. It's honestly at the bottom of my list of my issues during the day. And I think that that gets mistaken. I early on, I wanted to be an advocate for the disability community. And now I say, I'm not your advocate. I'm not. I'm just out here. I'm just a girl living life, enjoying business and making things happen.

And that's been such a cool shift for me because for so long, identified solely by the wheelchair and allowed that to limit me.

SG: Well, my guess is that you're so busy you don't even have the opportunity to think about your disabilities. I mean, I mean, to give and to give folks an example. So we were talking about, well, you know, Jesi, okay. This is great appreciate you talking to me, like, when could we record and you're kind of like, well, I have, I have a little bit of time two months from now.

Like what? I don't remember exactly. But it was like, I'm like, are you kidding me? And I thought, you're kidding me, actually. And, and you weren't. And then we went over the things you're involved in. I'm like, okay, now I get it. She was 100% serious. 

So, Jesi. So I'm really curious about how did you then, I mean, look, I didn't hear anything about growing up, as, you know, running a business, being involved in a business. I know your parents had a trucking business, but, you know, how did you how did you happen to transition to start your first business as part of this? You know what? What gave you the confidence that you were actually, you know, capable of doing such a thing?

And in my mind, I'm kind of thinking like, look, if I had gone through that type of injury that you've gone through and I'm alive and I have the kind of attitude you have, which I would not, I'd be like in the corner, like, miserable. So, I'm just telling you that advance. But did that make it seem like. Well, look, if I can do that, I can do I can do anything. And then you just attacked it. Or, like, how did that happen? That you were able to launch a business?

JS: So the nonprofit started, in 2016. I was racing off road for Polaris. I did racing in a single seat, side by side for three years after I got paralyzed. And one of my sponsors was a clothing company, and she's like, oh, let's create a shirt. And what nonprofit do you want to give it to? And I was like, I really want to focus on a nonprofit that gives independence back to wheelchair users.

And there wasn't really anything like that out there. And so she's like, well, let's just create our own, what do you want to call it? And I was like, well, with me, because I want people to wheel with me. And so Wheel With Me Foundation was born in 2016. That was something that was kind of handed to me.

Then in 2019, I was seeing somebody, and I was also starting to speak more, and I didn't want to lose my Social Security disability benefits at the time. And so we found a loophole through starting an LLC and having enough write offs to make it look like I was just super poor. And that's kind of how the business started.

And then in 2021, late 2021, my dad got Covid, and he was in the hospital for three weeks. Unmanaged diabetes. It was just an absolute mess. And I remember him thinking that he was going to get trached. And he called my mom crying, or not trached, but bronched. And he called my mom crying and he's like, I don't want to die, I don't want to die. And I look at my mom and I'm like, mom, we can't afford rent if something happened, or we can't afford the mortgage payment on our own if something happens to my dad and, I was like, I got to go back to work. Oh my gosh, I need to go work full time. 

And so I actually, as I was thinking about, okay, how do I know, what can I do that’s actually a skill that makes money. Before I was injured, I was an orthodontic assistant. And so, I was the person that changed colors and wires on braces. And I was like, I could do that. So, I applied to ten places. I got two interviews, three no's, the one interview, the office, like, even if I wasn't in a wheelchair, the office just I didn't vibe with them.

They were all like all girls, their hair was perfect, their makeup was done. I'm like, yo, that's not me. I'm kind of like grunge and rough around the edges. But the second office I went to, they offered me a working interview. And, right after my working interview, they offered me the job. And so, it was really going back into the workforce that changed my whole perspective of myself, disability and business.

So I worked full time at this orthodontic office for a year. It was an absolute shit show. My book should be out next year. And I dive into that in my book about how insane that was and how it tested my moral compass. But within four months of me being there, I got promoted to the clinic manager, and I was like, wow, I'm doing better as a wheelchair user than I ever did walking.

I make it to work on time. I actually show up and do what I say. I go the extra mile. I'm doing so much better than I ever was when I was walking, and I'm like, my wheelchair is not the problem. It's my mindset. I'm the problem. Damn. And so then.

SG: That’s quite a realization.

JS: It was, it was, it was it was so powerful. And that's when I realized just how limitless I am, and that the only thing limiting me was my perspective of me. And so, from there, I worked for them for a year. I broke my spinal fusion in half. So, I was initially fuzed from T3 to L2. In 2018, I broke one of the rods in half and the bottom two screws. I had a revision surgery. They fix that and then in 2023, I actually broke both the rods completely in half at T7 and.

SG: I mean is this primarily a function of lifestyle? Meaning you're racing. You're doing…

JS: Yea, yeah. My my surgeon told me that it's because I live life more active than most people not using a wheelchair.

SG: That's pretty accurate.

JS: Yeah. So when I had to schedule surgery, I got written out of work because the way that the fusion was broken, it would catch and my upper body would be stuck in a forward position and my lower body would still be stuck straight up and it would hurt. And so, I got written out of work in May of 2023, and I just never went back and I decided to go all in on coaching in my business, which led me to merging. Initially Wheel With Me Fitness was its own entity, its own app that I launched, and there was another girl in the wheelchair space who is an incredible personal trainer. She is it for wheelchair personal training and I was like, she kept asking me, how do I start an app? How do I start an app? And I was like, you don't you merge with me, and we make this app incredible. And so we merged together to create Wheel With Me Adapt Fit. It is the only downloadable app in the iOS and Google Play Store at the time of this recording. That is four wheelchair users by wheelchair users. A lot of times non-disabled people are creating things for us. We created this for us as personal trainers and so I think it's so impactful and important that people actually get to learn from their community. And I quit my job and I decided to go all in, and it was the most empowering thing I did because my job showed me the only thing in my way was me.

And I've been off Social Security disability since 2023, and it has been the most empowering experience of my life.

SG: Yeah, it's amazing. And so tell me a little bit about one of the terms you mentioned me before, what I found super interesting, as you were talking because I remember I asked you about working in the clinic and I was thinking, I just kind of, it's probably not an appropriate analogy, but I just kind of viewed someone is active and like, take it in, live for the moment. Like, I just didn't see you in that setting. Like, I felt like I'd almost be at a zoo visiting a caged animal, you know, like the like you're so much bigger than that. I don't know how you could be like that. Your big personality within that context. But you started to talk to me about one of the things you really liked about it was that you're very systems oriented and, and that, that and I think to me, much of your success besides, you know, all the great personal attributes to me is that the efficiency and the way that your mind works now, and being able to be so much more productive or efficient and that’s a huge lesson for anyone, because we cannot look, there's a million books on it, like there's all kinds of ways, but it's really hard to implement. 

So I want you to talk a little bit about how systems oriented you are and how that developed. And I'm kind of wondering myself, what do you feel that's kind of how you were more hard wired, or do you feel because after the injury, you almost have to if you're going to be successful, you almost have to become more systems oriented because you got to be thinking three steps ahead just to become more efficient so that you can function. You're already at a three hour deficit, right? If you don't have systems in place, I mean, there's not enough hours in the day. So tell me a little bit about that process and how you became so effective.

JS: I mean, it took time. When I started diving into my personal development, I started really thinking about, okay, if I'm going to the bathroom, what do I need to take to the bathroom with me on this first trip where you might be like, oh, I'm gonna go to the bathroom, be like, oh, you know what? I didn't even think about, I need to grab my clothes for the shower. And then you're like, oh, I need to grab this soap, or I need to grab this from here. And it's like, that was really I saw places where I can make more time, and I just didn't want to make more trips. I think that was the other thing I get frustrated, I want to keep going back and forth. It's annoying sometimes using a wheelchair and having to turn around and do all the things. And so I think it came from just annoyance and inconvenience of the time it takes to be disabled. It just naturally takes more time. Things look harder and I want to do them on my own. And so I had to become efficient to maximize the time that I have. My only problem is that I keep trying to fill the time, and I don't allow myself to have free time.

SG: Yeah, I can, I can tell that by just looking at your resume. But don't you think that those same skills are transferable to you like you did it by necessity? But I mean, think about what you're able to accomplish in a given day with your various business activities. 

You know, all the people you have an expansive network of individuals that you've collaborated with on different things. You've been in a brand ambassador. You're very out there on social media. You're an influencer. Like, I mean, don't that I mean, without that, that type of systems abilities, I don't think you could do a third of those things.

JS: There's no way I'd be able to. And I'm thinking about it, you know, pre-Injury, I had a sense of urgency, and that was something that also carried over. I have a massive sense of urgency, and I also have these systems. So now together, I can maximize my time effectively. A lot of people just don't have sense of urgency. They dilly dally around and they just take their sweet time and it's like, no, we've got to move, we've got to move. We got shit to do. And if you want to get it done, you've got to get on the gas. And I think that was the biggest thing for me is like, I had to get on the gas, I have too much I want to accomplish in life. God gave me a second chance and I'm going to use that to its fullest.

SG: Yeah, I could see that that systems, you know, excellence being critical in the coaching piece, too, right? Because, I mean, you know, some people do need a little fire lit under them or they're or they might be 100% motivated, but they just they don't know how to go about they don't know how to become more efficient or whatever it is.

Now one of the things you also mentioned to me is I think this is very, really great move by yourself is that, you know, you've got boundless energy, you're an idea person, etc. but a lot of this business stuff is new to you. And so, you also recognize there are some things that you can't just do on will, or, you know, whatever. And so you actually got to get a business coach. And so, talk a little bit about that because I think, you know, it's kind of what I was talking about in terms of your coaching ability to other individuals, but you also recognize in some areas this is not in my wheelhouse, and I need some guidance, just like, you know, I might need guidance with system skills. So tell me about how that experience has been working with someone.

JS: Oh, it's been amazing. So I'm in a community coaching program called The Network. It's through the place where I got what was initially Jason Phillips launched something called the Nutrition Coaching Institute. It's where I got my nutrition coaching certification, and then he sold that and led to the creating the Network. And it's amazing because I'm in a community with 50 other entrepreneurs that are in similar coaching spaces. We have a couple of calls a week where we break things down, and then we have the one on one calls where we can really deep dive, and it's just really nice having that resource there and knowing that I have it. But then when I do have questions about certain launches and things, I have either video guides or a text message I can shoot off to my coach and be like, hey, I need help with this, can we hop on a call?

And just having that resource at my disposal has been so impactful, but also just powerful and leaning on each other as community. People need people. And I think the biggest thing kind of the last eight years has shown us is we need less division and more unity. We've got to work together and collaborate and just be kind to one another. And that's what being a part of this community program has really given me is, is that compassion and kindness and that human connection, which we really need.

SG: Yeah, I know, I think you're right. No doubt about that. Too far, too much division. I think one of the other, individuals we had on the show, because I wasn't thinking a lot in terms of, like, you know, not life coaches, business coaches, etc. And one of the things this other individual said is it was not only the business attributes and, you know, all the administrative pieces associated with a business that they were able to help me with. But one of the things that they did is they had a network of individuals who they tap me into for specific needs that might not have been in their wheelhouse, but that they could get me to as part of, you know, as part of the package or whatever. And so, you know, you just you get introduced to this whole cadre of other individuals that have skills that allow you to just accelerate at some multiple, that there's no possibility that you would be able to do independently. And if you're going to spend all the time, your free time which is almost non-existent, you know, educating yourself in those processes, it's a that's it's a huge waste of time because that's not how you can be most impactful and help and, you know, accomplish the goals you want, to assist other individuals. So I think it's brilliant. And I love the fact that it's it's not like a one-time thing. It's not like you're meeting for a few weeks and it's over. You're accountable. They expect you to follow up on things that you're talking about. You dialog together. You get in, you get you know, you're turn up the stove a little hotter, right? Because you get fired up after these meetings and you and you take action and get things done.

So, yeah, I thought that was, fantastic. So tell me about go ahead.

JS: My my favorite. The one thing that I really love about the program I'm in is once a month, they do something called a fly in where we actually go in person. And that's been a massive game changer, that in-person connection, that in person, like, hey, we're together. We're learning as a community. You can't beat being with human beings rather than through a screen.

SG: Sure. Yeah, I yeah, the human element needs to be emphasized that that we all learn that through Covid as well. I mean, of course it provided a lot of additional opportunities, but, not so much on human connectedness. 

So, Jesi, tell me about him. You're very active on the internet, social media, etc. How did you how did you learn how to go through that? Because, look, there's a lot of you can get pulled in a lot of ways. You can spend a lot of money, you know, you can learn the algorithm. So tell us a little bit about that, because I think anyone who's going to grow their business these days has to have some knowledge about social media and has to know, even the basics just to not be taken advantage of, but more importantly, to get some return on investment.

JS: So it's all trial and error, right? That's how I learn the way it's really cool. One of my other business partners and I have created a biz launch thing. So we're helping people, coaching them. As far as how to build your Instagram, your website, we're going to actually build it for you and walk you through it and give you the tools to set your business up for success. Really excited for this new venture because it's something I'm passionate about. Growing social, you have to have number one, thick skin and understand that not everybody is going to agree with you. And that's okay. I'm very vocal about my political beliefs, about my beliefs of the world, about the way that I think the world should work.

I personally don't think that disabled people are entitled to Social Security disability, and I'm vocal to that. And that's not a popular opinion. And that's okay, because at the end of the day, there's 8 million people in this world, and I know dang well I didn't like everyone I've ever met, and everyone that's met me probably doesn't like me. And so that's okay. And there's nothing wrong with that. And as long as you can accept that building the platforms, no problem, because then you can show up your most authentic version of you. Authenticity is what people gravitate towards.

SG: We'll have to put the, the, biz I can't in we called it, what do you call it, the. Yeah biz launch. So let's put that in the show notes, because I think some people would be very interested in getting more information on that. So let's talk about the book a little bit. Tell me the title. Tell me about like, yeah, give us give us the pitch.

JS: I can't give you a title right now because I actually just signed a publishing deal last week.

SG: Oh, okay. All right.

JS: And they have not chosen the title yet. And so we'll see what they come up with, but I'm very excited. It's a memoir of my life, but more so the lessons I learned along the way. And I just I really hope that people can resonate with it, gravitate towards it and use it and apply it to their life to become their very best version of them.

At the end of the day, we are in control of the way we show up in the world and if you don't show up your best self on a regular basis, just the best that you can that day, you're doing the world a disservice because it's in yourself. The more that I just focus on, okay, just being 1% better, showing up the best I can today, and it doesn't look the same every day. The more that I'm able to get out and live and I that's what my book really, it inspires. It motivates, I love it. I've read it a few times, obviously, and I'm just like, wow, this is just I wish that young Jesi could have read it, I really do.

SG: That's that's a great comment. That gave me the chills, actually. So do you have a timeline when you think it might be available next year?

JS: Is the goal? Yeah. So I submit everything to them. December 1st, 2024. And from there it's in their hands and we'll see what happens.

SG: Okay. So so Jesi, that's another example. Like okay. Yeah. It's easy to say like I want to write a book, but like, okay, you've got to get someone to publish it. You have to know how to go about the process. You have to make connections. Like how did this go down?

JS: So I started writing the book, three years ago. I had somebody that had reached out to me with a mutual connection, and so I trusted this person, spent two years sharing my life. They never produced a manuscript, so I dropped them and just brain dumped the last 32 years of my life into a Google doc, and it was just 36 pages or 34, like 40 pages or so of just like brain dump of my life, of things that situations that were impactful lessons that I wish I would have learned sooner all over the board. And at the time, I had been working with this editor for New Mobility magazine on a Tough Mudder piece, and she I was like, wow, she's been following me for years. And then she started working on a project for the nonprofit, and I was like, wow, I really like this woman. I said, hey, would you be open to writing my book? And she said, absolutely. So she was and she I gave her the Google doc. Within three months, she had a full book going, and from there it's just been tweaking, editing, adding stories, recollecting memories, things like that. And we have a whole book now.

SG: That’s incredible. But another example, right where you put yourself out there, you make connections, you look for possibilities. You're not afraid to ask, right? I mean, which is which is a big a big thing. You've got to. So, so much we deal with this with, you know, especially I think, to students that they don't have a great, you know, business background. And so, you know, and, you know, I think they're very great human beings and very personable, but sometimes people just feel like they don't even know enough to ask the questions. But every person I've talked to is basically kind of has just put themself out there. Didn't very few people that I talk to, I feel have superhuman skills that are different than most individuals. It's just that they set their mind to something and they're not. They're not afraid to be told no or they're not afraid to fail, you know, fail quickly. Let's learn. Let's relaunch. And you've given it you've provided examples of of that as well. 

Jesi, touch on touch on a little bit the adapted CrossFit games, that you've been involved with, because I know you've been involved with some therapists in regard to that, and I know you've done the 24 hour Tough Mudder, which I couldn't even do the 24 minute Tough Mudder. So I mean I don't even understand that. But tell us a little bit about that and how you haven't let your disability slow you down.

JS: In 2017 I found adaptive CrossFit through a program here in Charlotte called Project Momentum Fitness. It's no longer around, but it was a woman who has CP, Dr. Amanda Clue. She created this organization to allow adaptive athletes to learn how to do CrossFit in the Charlotte area. It was amazing. I had gained 30 pounds my first year of injury, and so that was the first step into my wellness journey. I’m like all right, so I'm doing CrossFit. I need to feed my body better. I need to feed my mind better. And I started focusing on these things. And about two months after I started CrossFit, there was this other organization called More Heart Than Scars that does obstacle course racing. And I had a friend that was going to do it and she couldn't make it. And she's like, hey, do you want to do the Charlotte race in my in my position or whatever? And I said, absolutely, I want to try this. Let's go. And so I get out my first Spartan race and I'm like, what is this? And it was, it was just man-made ups or it was earth made, man-made obstacles.

So it was all like dirt walls, military style, like let's go type of thing. And I was like, wow, I dig this. Well, then a couple weeks later, they're like, oh, we're doing a Tough Mudder half. Would you want to try that now? Tough Mudder is more man-made obstacles. So, you have blocks and a frames and things like that. And I'm like let's go. And after my first Tough Mudder I was addicted. And the woman that had went out with me on my first time. She loved Tough Mudder. And she her name's Sarah Fox. She said well, do you want to go do the overnight event in Chicago. And I said do I want to do an overnight event in Chicago? Absolutely. Headlamp strapped on. Let's go. And so I went to I go to do...

SG: This is like my biggest nightmare. And you're like, let's go. I'm thinking, absolutely not.

JS: I got a Foley catheter, borrowed a wetsuit, borrowed a wheelchair, drove to Chicago from North Carolina to go do my first overnight tough Mudder. And I was addicted ever since. So, I've done 15 Tough Mudders. More of those events have been overnight than daytime events. I have two holy grails, which means that I did a timed event an overnight event in World's Toughest Mudder. 

World's Toughest Mudder is 24 hours. I've done that four times. And it is the most incredible thing I ever did because it taught me to stop being a little bitch straight up.

SG: This is unbelievable. And obviously that's transferred over to other things. Right. You're like all right. That's my point. Like what's hard like if you're doing these things like starting a business isn't hard, writing a book isn't hard. You know what I mean? Like, I don't know, I think we all just kind of need reality orientation at some point.

And, I mean, just listening to you at some level is like, I'll give you example, I had a lateral ankle reconstruction five weeks ago. So I've been like non weight bearing for four weeks. I mean yeah but like what is like I'm such a baby. It's not, it's not even funny. Like I'm just like I don't I don't want to get into.

JS: Can I tell you I'm in a standing frame right now. 

SG: This is what I need to hear. It's like, okay, it's got suck it up.

JS: Don’t be a little bitch Scott. 

SG: Scott is a little bitch, obviously there has to be a word worse than that for to describe how I am. But no, I mean but I think but again that transfers over to everything. Oh I can't start a business. Oh I can't ask this person for that. All the good ideas have been taken like they haven't. Like there's a million there's a million things you can do just like start the engine, you know what I mean?

That's the whole premise of these podcast. And hearing people from like, you, I mean, you had to overcome things that 99% of humans don't have to. And you're still running three different businesses, you're writing books, you're doing all these things, and I'm making it like it's easy. I'm not belittling anyone who's has a hard time getting themselves motivated or feeling good enough about themselves that they can do it. But I'm just like, it's possible. It's very possible.

JS: Motivation is bullshit. It is. Such is a feeling and it's fleeting. Tim Grover says it best that feelings are fleeting, and you can't depend on them. And that's straight up like, we cannot wait to feel motivated. My bed is the most comfy bed in the entire world. I don't want to leave that thing most days, but I have no damn choice because my dreams are bigger than that.

Me staying there and I refuse to stay where I am. My biggest piece of advice for anyone. Do more hard things. Do things that challenge you. Do things that seem difficult and impossible. Do them because if you do more hard things, you become unstoppable. One of the most powerful things I just did, I bought a business ten months ago, and it's a wellness facility, and one of the things we have there is cold plunges and our cold plunges are inflatable. So you can lift, I can lift them and drain them and pressure wash them out, do all the things. Okay. I had never done this before up until this week when I closed the facility. One of the plunges needed the water drain and needed cleaned out. And I was alone and I'm like, well, I just got to figure it out, Jesi, you got to figure it out.

And I did. And how empowered I felt after I lift this plunge up to drain the rest of the water out of it. And I'm like, using my shoulder and my head to hold it up while I'm trying to balance on the other thing. Hell yeah, I'm empowered. I'm unstoppable. I can do hard things. And the more you challenge yourself, the more empowered you come become to go out and actually get life and get what you deserve.

Life is your oyster. It doesn't matter who our president is, it doesn't matter where you came from. It doesn't matter your physical ailments. Life is yours for the taking. If you're willing to actually put the work in and go take it.

SG: I love it. You know what I would do, Jesi? I would be like, well, you know what? Susan and Fred will be in on Monday, and they can help me during this. But, you know, again, I prefer your approach. But the other thing, I like it. You're really honest in our previous conversation and you mentioned that you know, how comfortable your bed is or whatever, but you're also saying like, look, I'll be honest, you like like someone could listen to this and be like, oh my God, she's on all the time. She's very committed. She never has a bad moment. She never feels bad about things. But but you're really honest. Like you have bad days and bad moments. But what I'm hearing you say is it's about the alternative. So, it's like, yeah, this sucks. I'm in a bad place right now, but what choice do I have? Unless I'm giving up on X, Y, or Z? And that's when you’re like, pull up, pull yourself up by the britches and let's go. You see the greater good. And that's a hard thing for people to do. I mean in for our thing for me to do at times. But I think when you frame it as what's the alternative? Like, okay, yeah, it's not great, but what's the alternative? Not viable.

JS: I can't, I just there's too much life to get. And if I quit, I don't get that. And that's I'm just I focus on, there's a book. It's called The Power of One More by Ed Mylett, and he talks about one more day. If I could just do it for one more day, one more minute. And there's times where I'm like, all right, I'm crying just while I was at it. I'm sure I could do hard things. I mean, since surgery last year, I haven't been able to floor transfer independently without another service. And I get on the floor regularly. I'm working on my pull ups, trying to get stronger, and I couldn't get back in my chair the other day. And I'm just like, sometimes you just gotta cry about it.

SG: Because you said you've had. How many spine revisions to this point, how many.

JS: I've had to. So I've had three spinal surgeries by this point. I literally I, I got my hardware. The last one I have a bag of 2 pounds of titanium hardware that was taken out of my body.

SG: So interesting souvenirs. Yeah, yeah. And I know you said this last one's been really difficult. Has really, like, tested you because it's been much more difficult than the others to come back from.

JS: I just never came back. My back muscles never reengage. I still don't have sensation from about three inches in my shoulders, down my entire middle of my back. So literally from the top where the scar starts all the way down. I'm still numb. And, I'm a year post-op, and so it's just that's been frustrating. I am very blessed that in the last week my back muscles are starting to refire and I'm like, okay, so it took me a year to get here, but we're finally here.

It's starting to recover and I'm starting to see the light again. And it's easy to get consumed by the darkness of life. And I just I just challenge you not to be consumed by it, not to let it be the thing that dictates how you move in the world. The world needs you. They need your effort. They need your energy. They need your attitude, and they need it to be its very best. So just focus on one day at a time. What can you do to make yourself better? How can you help yourself? 

Like there's three habits in my day that are non-negotiables. One is tracking nutrition. I under ate on protein. For the first five years of my injury, and I lost all independence five years and I wasn't able to transfer. I wasn't able to shower. My ADLs became super difficult, and so protein fixed my problem. I started tracking my nutrition and found out I was eating about 30 to 60g of protein a day. Now I eat between 120 to 160, depending on what phase I'm in. That changed the game for me. That gave me my independence back. I'm actually putting muscle mass on my shoulders. Don't hurt. I'm. That's so impactful for my quality of discovery. Right. 

The next is reading ten pages of a nonfiction personal development book every day. Just ten pages. It's a small amount, but it will absolutely change your perspective of reality, because now you're learning from other people's life experience, and it gives you so many shortcuts to be able to achieve whatever it is you want to achieve. I recommend starting with The Power of One More by Ed Mylett. I did mention that book, one of my favorite books and The Expectation Effect. I'm reading that right now and it's just so good. 

And then number three is get movement. You've got to move your body. A body at rest stays at rest, you know, like you've got to move. And if you start moving, your energy increases. You feel better is the best antidepressant in the entire world. If I start feeling down, I'm like, wow, when's the last time I worked out? Oh, I skipped two days. No wonder I feel like this because I wasn't doing what I was supposed to be doing. 

And encourage your patients to drink water. The bladder does eventually level out. Neurogenic bladder does level out. I drink at least 100oz, if not 120oz of water a day with minimal accidents when my bladder is behaving. The thing about a spinal cord injury is how hit or miss it is. Sometimes my body functions amazing, sometimes it doesn't function at all. And so just understanding that it is a process. But water's power. Man, I don't struggle with UTIs. I don't think about UTIs. My body feels great, my joints are lubricated. I have great bowel movements. It's so impactful how these small habits have such a massive impact on the quality of life. As somebody living with a spinal cord injury and beyond.

SG: Well, for sure. And also, I mean, you know, look, when you're having a bad day and you run three businesses and do all these other things that you're involved with, I mean, that stuff is there regardless of how you're physically feeling or your well-being or whatever. So, I mean, for you to run optimally, you have to have systems on go as much as possible.

Yeah that's right. You've been non hydrated for 50 minutes now. So, I think it's about time that you.

JS: Know I was like man I'm thirsty. And so I didn't, I didn't touch on the CrossFit games because I dove right into Tough Mudder. I've done five CrossFit games. The 2024 was the first year that wheelchair users physically went to the games, which was really cool. Well, what is the organization that powers adaptive CrossFit? So they've had their own physical games for a long time.

This is the first time there was a CrossFit sanctioned event. This was my last year doing CrossFit. I'm actually switching to para powerlifting. My goal is to go to LA 2028. But it gave me adaptive. CrossFit gave me so much from strength to independence. That community. 

And here in Charlotte, we have this woman, her name is Ashley Clark. She was actually my first outpatient PT, and so I worked with her in the hospital system back in 2015. And, she has went on to fully leave the hospital system. And she created an organization called Revive CLT. You can find them on Charlotte. That's revive Seal team. She just hired a therapist. So, she now has another therapist working with her. It's her own standalone cash play neuro clinic, which is absolutely amazing. She's thriving. I recommend reaching out to her. I think eventually she will be having a coaching program to teach you guys how to do this. But she's just an amazing human being. Gives her entire existence to the community. 

She does two adaptive CrossFit classes for free a week. She helps to organize and program for Fit With friends, which is a local organization. We all collaborated on. Once a month we have a CrossFit work out in the Charlotte area. Different gyms will host us and just donate their space to us. And then therapist from Carolinas Rehab come out and they volunteer their time to help assist the athletes in the movements. And we have a full hour CrossFit workout together. And without Ashley powering all this, I mean, she organized all of us as far as having handlers, travel accommodations for the We Award for the CrossFit games this year. And so she's just as an example of what goes above and beyond for your patients that become friends is and actually helping the community achieve independence.

So if you're looking one to create a cash play clinic or to improve your neuro care, reach out to Ashley because she is the absolute business.

SG: That's just another great example. I mean, the opportunities are endless. I just, I drives me crazy when people are like, now look, you know, so competitive. All the good ideas have been taken. No, no they haven't, right. No they haven't. And it doesn't have to necessarily be a big money idea. It can be, you know, a give back idea.

It can be something that makes you feel like a better human being. It can be whatever it is. And I think it's so cool to that, she ended up being your initial therapist and then full circle. Now you're involved with her at this level now?

JS: No, I don't know. She's like, she's definitely one of my good friends and I just I'm so grateful for her. And I never thought, you know, almost ten years ago that my outpatient getting me up and leg braces, teaching me how to use these leg braces independently would end up being a really good friend that we get to collaborate and impact our local community with.

SG: Yeah, you can possibly write that story, but yet it. But yet it came true. Jesi, I just want to thank you so much for, you know, sharing your story with us. It's, I mean, I for someone.

JS: There’s so much we didn’t hit on.

SG: Yeah, I know we could do this for three more hours and. Yeah. And believe me, I would love to. But thank you very much. When that book is available and you can release the name, no matter when that is, just please reach out. We'll put it in the show notes, because I am sure some of our users, would get that.

I think they'll get a little insight into your coaching that they'll learn about systems. And again, those skills are transferable to you regardless of if you have a business or not. They're life skills that are that are beneficial for everyone. And you've clearly cornered the market on that type of development. So Jesi, thanks so much is a pleasure to talk to you and I really appreciate your time.

JS: Yes. Thank you so much, Scott, for sharing this platform with me. And to the audience, if you gain some value today, please, please, please share this with a friend. Give them a little bit of value, regardless of if they're in the therapy space or not. If there was a nugget, they were like, wow, this was so impactful.

Please share that. And then if you guys want to see my organizations, it's at @wheelwithmefoundation, @wheelwithmeadaptfit, @freedomLKN. It's Jesi looks like stracham. On all platforms, my websites that, but it's just Jesi straw ham. I'm like a straw you drink from ham you eat.

SG: Thanks, Jesi. Really appreciate it. And we'll have all those connections in the show notes as well. So thank you Jesi. Have a great day. And thanks for our listeners, for joining us. And we'll be back with another, podcast next month. Thank you.

Voiceover: And there you have it, another dose of PT-perennial inspiration to fuel your journey. Check out more inspiring stories from PTs and PTAs out there making waves by listening and subscribing to our podcasts on your favorite streaming platforms. And don't forget to rate and review this podcast. Thanks for listening.