From Cancer to Clinics: How Cynthia Buil...

How do you build a thriving physical therapy business in the middle of Manhattan while surviving cancer—three times—and undergoing a lung transplant? You lean on grit, community, and the undeniable will to live, love, and lead.

Meet Cynthia, a force of nature in the PT world and beyond. In this powerful conversation, Cynthia shares:

• Her experience as a three-time lymphoma survivor
• Starting her first PT clinic at age 29 with a platinum Amex and a dream
• How Team in Training and endurance sports became both personal therapy and business rocket fuel
• The leadership lessons she learned scaling seven NYC clinic locations
• Why building a practice is a lot like training for a triathlon: painful, joyful, and always worth it

You’ll hear about resilience, self-talk, business mistakes, and the moments that shaped her as a healer and leader. Whether you’re a clinic owner, PT student, or just someone navigating adversity—this one’s for you.

00:00 – Intro: Why PTs Make Great Storytellers

00:22 – Cynthia’s Life-Defining Grit

02:50 – Starting a Practice After Cancer

05:30 – Business Failure, Then Business Boom

08:00 – Treating Patients Through Chemo

10:30 – A Second Diagnosis and Choosing Fertility

13:40 – Endurance Training as Healing

17:00 – Building Client Cohorts Through Triathlons

19:15 – Coping Mechanisms and Self-Talk

23:00 – Leadership Lessons from Scaling in NYC

25:10 – Strategic Partnerships: Can’t Do It Alone

27:30 – Building a Brand That Heals and Inspires