Dr. Megan Daley is an educator, speaker and founder of Scottsdale-based Move On The Daley, LLC. The business offers a “preventative wellness/fitness membership as well as operates as an out-of-network physical therapy clinic with a fitness-forward and lifestyle-based approach to getting you back to doing all the things you love.” Learn about Dr. Megan Daley…
Hometown: Spartanburg, SC
First job: The Harkins movie theater in town. Worked there from 15 to 18 years old selling concessions.
Favorite ways to spend your free time in AZ: Can’t pick between these two: hiking and trying new restaurants! So many amazing trails of varying difficulty and always some new restaurants to try.
Your biggest accomplishment and why: This is actually a hard question, because there are so many things that come to mind and, for that, I’m proud of myself. If I focus on career-related things, then it’s definitely branching out and opening up my own clinic. It’s incredibly tough to take that leap of faith, particularly since I didn’t have much of a safety net like a spouse’s income or anything to fall back on. But I realized that if I truly wanted to hold my boundaries on what best quality care was without sacrificing myself, I could no longer be in corporate healthcare. I built everything, including the website, legal documents, systems, etc., myself. I’m even more proud of all of that than I am everything that went into getting a doctorate.
The biggest obstacle you overcame: Well, I opened my clinic January 2020, so I’ve definitely had obstacles. But honestly, the biggest was probably my own mindset. Prior to opening and within the first year, I had to do a lot of unlearning stories and relearning to believe and trust in myself. Not that I hadn’t to some extent before, but there were some blind spots that were creating some scarcity mindset patterns that needed to be undone. And starting the entrepreneurship journey will definitely shine a bright light on areas for improvement and growth.
Someone who inspires you and why: I’m gonna cheat again and give more than one: 1. Candy Valentino and Lindsey Schwartz because they show me what’s possible. 2. My father. He was my biggest cheerleader and particularly loved when I followed off-the-beaten-path adventures. He had so many of his own he wanted to pursue, but decided to work a ton and wait until retirement. Only a month into retirement, he got sick (aggressive cancer) and was in too much pain to do any of those things. He died within the year. I had left my job as a PT in Arizona to help be his caregiver in South Carolina during that time, so I was able to have some amazing conversations with him. One of those times I promised him I would live my life to the fullest and always pursue any goals/dreams I wanted. And I plan on keeping that promise.
Advice to someone pursuing a career path in what you do: If you want to be a PT, find the school that is an energetic match. They all have the same general doctoral curriculum, but the energy you’re around can make a profound difference. Also, know all of the financial stuff ahead of time. Most come out with $100,000 to $200,000 debt and have no knowledge on how to manage that. Shameless plug for South College, where I teach, which will be less debt and an amazing energy. Advice for a provider, or anyone really, wanting to branch into entrepreneurship? Get clear on your why. Focus on that. And get systems in place ASAP. Past that, I actually do offer one-hour mentorship calls for other clinicians looking to make moves. Just shoot me a message!
Favorite quote: Oof. Tough one again. But if I had to chose one:
“This is the true joy in life, being used for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one. Being a force of nature instead of a feverish, selfish little clod of ailments and grievances, complaining that the world will not devote itself to making you happy. I am of the opinion that my life belongs to the whole community and as long as I live, it is my privilege to do for it what I can. I want to be thoroughly used up when I die, for the harder I work, the more I live. I rejoice in life for its own sake. Life is no brief candle to me. It is a sort of splendid torch which I have got hold of for the moment and I want to make it burn as brightly as possible before handing it on to future generations.” –-George Bernard Shaw
Something someone would be surprised to learn about you: Those that know me won’t be super surprised by this, but I’ve been to 20 different countries, half of which I’ve done completely solo. And several have been solo backpacking trips. Even those that do know me may be surprised to know this: I helped choreograph a hip hop dance routine in high school! Dance is one of my favorite forms of expression.
What makes someone fabulous: To me, it’s not about what they own or how expensive their clothing is. It’s their character and how they carry themselves. A fabulous person excuses confidence and has this magnetic energy. They are kind and amazing connectors. And they truly want to help others (while holding boundaries to take care of themselves).