Today we’d like to introduce you to Dr. Jamie Mahtaban.
Dr. Mahtaban, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
The road that led me to becoming a chiropractor was a life-altering journey. I will try to keep it as brief as possible. It all started at the age of 15 when I had a severe injury to my low back and pelvis. From there my parents sent me down the conventional western medicine route. Every doctor I saw only recommended pain killers and anti-inflammatories. The medicine would, for a short time, help relieve some of my symptoms, however my pain would always come back.
I always wondered why I needed these pills to be able to play sports or simple move around pain-free. Was my pain a result of not having enough pills coursing through my veins? I always knew that there must be an answer to this puzzle that I had not yet figured out. Eventually, I was lead to a chiropractor that explained how the body works and how the body compensates as a result of pain and old injuries. This was a life-changing moment for me because for once— an explanation made sense. From that point on I was obsessed with learning about the human body and how it functioned and my attention turned to learning what the root cause of the problem was instead of masking the pain. The approach consisted of chiropractic care as well as core strengthening and balancing the body’s musculature. I made it my goal to fix my pain. As a result, I decided that I would go to school to pursue my doctorate in the field of Chiropractic medicine to ensure that I can help others who are suffering from pain.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
I initially thought that looking young was going to be my biggest hurdle as a Chiropractor. I started my practice at 28 years old with absolutely no experience in regards to running a business. As anyone who starts a business from scratch can tell you, it is never a smooth road. The doctor part is easy and fun, however, the fact that I have a doctorate does not mean patients will be lining up, leading to automatic success. The challenging part was how to turn this into a successful business.
How was I going to pay my rent and bills, not to mention the student loans!?
I started out five years ago by renting one room out of a neurology clinic in Beverly Hills. At that point, I had no patients and I had to quickly figure out how to gain a patient’s trust. I also had to gain the trust of other medical providers, such as, primary care physicians, pain medicine doctors, neurologists, etc. Anytime an opportunity presented itself to teach someone about what I can do, I took it. I would explain it in medical terms to medical professionals— and I would explain it to the average person in layman’s terms. Eventually I had a few patients who were referred over from medical providers. As those patients started seeing results, they started referring their friends and family and I was slowly receiving patients completely by word of mouth. Soon one room was no longer enough for my growing practice and I had to figure out a way to grow my space and my practice. Thereafter, I moved on into a different sublease agreement that provided additional rooms, however I outgrew that as well within a year and a half. I realized that I needed to lease my own office and that it wasn’t going to be cheap in Beverly Hills.
Eventually, towards the end of 2016, I leased my own medical office and today I have five rooms. The older I get, the more I realize that nothing worthwhile in life comes easy.
At a certain point, ironically, I realized that performing my job well means that I’d actually lose business. How so? Well, if my business relies on patients who are in pain, and I relieve them of that pain, I technically lose a customer. Truth be told, I actually despise practitioners who think this way as it only further stigmatizes the field of chiropractic medicine. Rather, my goal is to get patients out of the need for care as soon as possible. As a result of this practice ethos, I’m confident that when a patient knows of a person suffering from physical pain, they will refer friends, family, coworkers and those they care for. This may be a slow and steady way to grow a practice, but it is the most organic and best way to do so.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Elite Chiropractic and Wellness Center – what should we know?
In my practice, I specialize in not only getting people out of pain very quickly, but also how to keep people out of pain. My practice is a blend of chiropractic and movement/physiotherapy. The approach I take here is not cookie cutter, instead, each patient is examined and mapped out for a specific course of care that involves, soft tissue therapy, joint mobilization (adjustments), strengthening, stretching, coaching, and teaching how to move properly. I definitely am not like most chiropractors in regards to treatment. I don’t just click, pop and crack people’s joints!
One thing that is stressed upon initially is the need to get the patient to stop doing the things that are hurting them first before we can ever progress. I like to prove to the patient that they are in the driver’s seat and are in charge of their own destiny.
Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
I have been blessed to have an amazing network of friends and family. Anytime I had a specific question, it seemed like I had someone that I knew who could help, whether it be a friend or family member that had experience. I used to call my head clinician on the phone just about every other week for pointers and guidance when I first started out. I probably called my brother-in-law three times a day in my first six months, to advise me in regards to running a business. Along this journey there were definitely more people that have also helped in many ways. One of those people is my receptionist/office manager. She is in charge of everything that is not treatment related. She has definitely had a huge role in our success.
I learned that there is no shame in reaching out for help— and even the most successful people in business have mentors who have played a supportive role in the growth of their careers.
Contact Info:
- Address: Elite Chiropractic and Wellness Center
239 S. La Cienega Blvd., Suite 201
Beverly Hills, CA, 90211 United States - Website: www.elitechirodoc.com
- Phone: 3108801695
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drmahtaban/
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/elite-chiropractic-and-wellness-center-beverly-hills
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