438 - From Podiatrist to Expert Witness with Chelsea Tritschler

What does a podiatrist do as an expert witness, and how on earth do you become one? In this episode of the Podiatry Legends Podcast, I’m joined by UK podiatrist Chelsea Tritschler, owner of Derriford Therapies, whose career has taken some fascinating turns.Chelsea originally started training as a nurse before discovering podiatry and changing direction. After graduating, she spent years carrying out home visits and working in care homes, as well as providing podiatry services inside three prisons in Devon.Chelsea completed a Master’s degree in forensic podiatry, where she studied areas including footprints, footwear, wear patterns and forensic evidence. When opportunities in criminal forensic podiatry weren’t readily available where she lived, she found another way to use that knowledge and became an expert witness.Today, alongside running and growing her own podiatry practice, Chelsea provides independent podiatry opinions in civil legal cases.We talk about what expert-witness work actually involves, why an expert’s duty is to the court rather than the person paying them, and the pressure that can sometimes come with preparing reports.Chelsea also shares one lesson every podiatrist should pay attention to: your clinical notes matter.She regularly reviews cases where the podiatrist may have provided perfectly good treatment, but poor documentation makes it difficult to demonstrate exactly what happened and why particular clinical decisions were made.We also discuss opening a podiatry business without much business experience, getting help from a business coach, becoming an employer, and finding different interests within podiatry that keep your career fresh.Chelsea’s story reminds us that your podiatry degree doesn’t have to take you down one predictable road. Sometimes the interesting stuff happens when you take a turn you weren’t expecting.For additional show notes, please visit the Podiatry Legends Podcast WebsiteBecome an Episode Sponsor - Are you looking for another way to get noticed by podiatrists?Consider sponsoring the Podiatry Legends Podcast; many sponsorship opportunities are available.  Please email me or visit the Podiatry Legends Website to learn more. Connect With MeIf you'd like to learn more about being a guest on the show, my best email address is [email protected] a Review - If you've enjoyed this episode, I'd really appreciate it if you left a review on your favourite podcast platform. Reviews help other podiatrists discover the podcast and let me know you're enjoying what I'm putting together each week.Have you read my book? It's No Secret There's Money in Podiatry AI designed for Podiatrists: visit Preve.co 

What do working in refugee camps, contracting malaria five times, HIV prevention, prisons and podiatry all have in common? They all have Liz Emrys in the story.Liz didn’t graduate as a podiatrist until her 40s, but by then she had already lived a life that could easily fill a book.In this episode of the Podiatry Legends Podcast, Liz takes me back to her early 20s when a six-week trip to help build a school near the Thai-Burma border changed the direction of her life. That experience led to years of international public health work across Thailand, Papua New Guinea and Indonesia, including HIV prevention programs and work within the prison system.Eventually, life brought Liz back to Australia, marriage, children and a very practical question: What career could give her independence, security, flexibility and the opportunity to help people?She went through the healthcare professions and, almost methodically, landed on podiatry.Today, Liz owns North Star Podiatry in Hornsby, New South Wales, and has discovered something she values enormously: the freedom to create a clinic her way.We also talk about communication, listening to patients, practice ownership, autonomy, starting again later in life, and why your career doesn’t need to consume your entire identity.Liz describes podiatry not as the great love of her life, but as a “good friend” that has given her a rewarding career and the space to enjoy everything else life has to offer.This is definitely not your typical journey into podiatry.For additional show notes, please visit the Podiatry Legends Podcast WebsiteConnect With MeIf you'd like to learn more about being a guest on the show, my best email address is [email protected] A Sponsor - Are you looking for an alternative way to be noticed by podiatrists?Consider sponsoring the Podiatry Legends Podcast; many sponsorship opportunities are available.  Please email me or visit the Podiatry Legends Website to learn more. Leave a Review - If you've enjoyed this episode, I'd really appreciate it if you left a review on your favourite podcast platform. Reviews help other podiatrists discover the podcast and let me know you're enjoying what I'm putting together each week.Have you read my book? It's No Secret There's Money in Podiatry AI designed for Podiatrists: visit Preve.co 

If I took away your qualifications, job title, clinic and professional reputation, how would you describe who you actually are?In this episode of the Podiatry Legends Podcast, I’m joined once again by my good friend Wilson Lawrence, an executive behaviour and leadership coach based in Nevis in the Caribbean.Wilson introduces the fascinating idea of becoming “identity locked”, where we become so attached to a particular role that we struggle to know who we are outside of it. For podiatrists, that could mean becoming so wrapped up in being the clinician, clinic owner, employer or expert that the role slowly becomes our entire identity.We also explore self-doubt and imposter syndrome; why evidence is one of the best weapons against the stories we tell ourselves; the principles behind psycho-cybernetics; and why knowing your true identity can give you greater confidence in difficult or unfamiliar situations.Wilson also shares a simple exercise you can try immediately: identify three adjectives that genuinely describe your personality and character, then find the evidence that proves they’re true.And because this is a conversation between Wilson and me, we occasionally wander gloriously off course into Jocko Willink, shaved heads, religion, communication, perception and a few other places I certainly didn't expect.But underneath all the laughs is an important question:Are you living and working as the person you genuinely are, or have you become the role you play?If you’ve ever questioned who you are beyond podiatry, this conversation is definitely worth your time.SPECIAL OFFER: Wilson is offering Podiatry Legends listeners a complimentary 30-minute Blueprint Call during September 2026 (I'm sure you could push it out a little further) to discuss identity, personal effectiveness or efficiency. Email [email protected] with “Tyson Blueprint” to request a call.For additional show notes, please visit the Podiatry Legends Podcast WebsiteConnect With MeIf you'd like to learn more about being a guest on the show, my best email address is [email protected] A Sponsor - Are you looking for an alternative way to be noticed by podiatrists? Consider sponsoring the Podiatry Legends Podcast; many sponsorship opportunities are available.  Please email me or visit the Podiatry Legends Website to learn more. Leave a Review - If you've enjoyed this episode, I'd really appreciate it if you left a review on your favourite podcast platform. Reviews help other podiatrists discover the podcast and let me know you're enjoying what I'm putting together each week.Have you read my book? It's No Secret There's Money in Podiatry AI designed for Podiatrists: visit Preve.co 

Why do we spend so much time worrying about the risks of making a change, but rarely consider the risks of doing nothing?In Part Two of Why Podiatrists Play It Safe, I explore 13 more reasons podiatrists resist change, even when they know their practice, career, or personal development could benefit from doing something differently.We look at the fear of being judged by your team, getting burnt by a previous experience, waiting for evidence before experimenting, comparing yourself with others, worrying about becoming too commercial and being afraid to stand out. I also explain why trying something new doesn't mean you're committing to it forever. Most business experiments can be tested, adjusted or reversed.But perhaps the biggest issue is that we often overestimate the downside of change while underestimating the cost of doing nothing. Not increasing your fees, improving your systems, learning new technology, developing your leadership skills or changing ineffective marketing all have a cost.And finally, there's an important distinction between discomfort and danger. Something feeling uncomfortable doesn't necessarily mean you shouldn't do it. Sometimes discomfort is simply evidence that you're doing something you haven't mastered yet.If you haven't listened to Episode 433, Part One, you can go back and hear the first 12 reasons, but you don't need to listen to the episodes in order. Together, the two episodes give you 25 reasons podiatrists play it safe and plenty to think about regarding where you might be playing it safe yourself.For additional show notes, please visit the Podiatry Legends Podcast WebsiteConnect With MeIf you'd like to learn more about being a guest on the show, my best email address is [email protected] A Sponsor - Are you looking for an alternative way to be noticed by podiatrists?  Consider sponsoring the Podiatry Legends Podcast; many sponsorship opportunities are available.  Please email me or visit the Podiatry Legends Website to learn more. And if you've enjoyed this episode, I'd really appreciate it if you left a review on your favourite podcast platform. Reviews help other podiatrists discover the podcast and let me know you're enjoying what I'm putting together each week.Have you read my book? It's No Secret There's Money in Podiatry AI designed for Podiatrists: visit Preve.co 

What if your podiatry degree could give you more than a career? What if it could give you a completely different life? Australian podiatrist Jason McAninly decided to find out.Jason left Melbourne to live and work in Bermuda for Bermuda Podiatry, and what started as an overseas job opportunity has turned into something much bigger. He’s become part of the local community, played cricket, travelled regularly to New York and Europe, attended international conferences, built new professional connections and discovered opportunities that simply wouldn't have appeared if he'd stayed home.And here's the interesting part: Bermuda wasn't even the original plan.In this episode, Jason and I talk about what it's really like to pack up your podiatry career and take it overseas. We discuss the realities of working as a podiatrist in Bermuda, the differences in healthcare, the cost of living, the lifestyle, the surprisingly strong similarities between Bermudian and Australian culture, and why working overseas has been one of the best decisions Jason has ever made.We also get into something much bigger than Bermuda.How many podiatrists are limiting their careers simply because they're afraid to leave what's familiar?Your podiatry degree doesn't have to lock you into one clinic, one town or even one country. There are opportunities for podiatrists all over the world, and sometimes saying yes to something unexpected can introduce you to people, places and possibilities you never knew existed.Jason's experience is also a great lesson in becoming part of the community instead of simply living in it. From cricket and community events to a 40-kilometre fundraising walk across Bermuda, he hasn't just moved overseas for work. He's built a life there.We also talk about:Why Jason originally wanted to work overseas and how Bermuda eventually appeared on his radarWhat podiatry is really like in Bermuda compared with AustraliaWhy podiatrists in Bermuda need to become more of a clinical “one-stop shop”The opportunities an Australian podiatry qualification can create internationallyWhy Jason believes working overseas is a no-brainer if the right opportunity comes alongWhy community involvement transformed Jason's experience of BermudaHow international conferences and travel have expanded his professional networkWhy sometimes the best career decision starts with saying, “Why the hell not?”If you've ever wondered what it would be like to work overseas, you're early in your podiatry career, you're feeling stuck where you are, or you simply need a reminder of how many possibilities your qualification can create, this episode might have you looking at a world map very differently.Your podiatry degree isn't just a qualification. It could also be your passport to the world.If you'd like to learn more about working in Bermuda, please reach out to Bermuda Podiatry.For additional show notes, please visit the Podiatry Legends Podcast WebsiteConnect With MeIf you'd like to learn more about being a guest on the show, having a fully sponsored episode or simply sponsoring the podcast, my best email address is [email protected] if you've enjoyed this episode, I'd really appreciate it if you left a review on your favourite podcast platform. Reviews help other podiatrists discover the podcast and let me know you're enjoying what I'm putting together each week.Have you read my book? It's No Secret There's Money in Podiatry AI designed for Podiatrists: visit Preve.co 

Why do some podiatrists find it so difficult to try something new, especially once they’ve been in the profession for a few years?In this episode, I explore 12 reasons podiatrists can become reluctant to step outside their comfort zone. I cover everything from fear of looking incompetent and wasting money, to patient rejection, criticism from colleagues, perfectionism, technology, and even the fear of success.I also discuss why being comfortable can become one of the biggest obstacles to growth. Your practice might be doing okay, the bills are being paid, and patients keep coming through the door, but does that mean you should keep doing everything the same way?Every successful treatment or skill you use today was once something you didn't know how to do. You learnt biomechanics, nail surgery, orthotics, shockwave and other clinical skills. So why should learning marketing, AI, leadership, public speaking or new business skills be any different?Sometimes the skill isn't the obstacle. It's being willing to become a beginner again.For more detailed show notes, please visit the Podiatry Legends Podcast WebsiteConnect With MeI'd love to hear what you think about this episode and whether you've ever caught yourself playing it safe. You can contact me at [email protected] or [email protected] if you've enjoyed this episode, I'd really appreciate it if you left a review on your favourite podcast platform. Reviews help other podiatrists discover the podcast and let me know you're enjoying what I'm putting together each week.Have you read my book? It's No Secret There's Money in Podiatry AI designed for Podiatrists: visit Preve.co 

In this episode, Dr Michael Filosi shares the remarkable journey of transforming one of Adelaide's most run-down dental practices, with possums in the roof, outdated paper appointment books and years of neglect, into one of its largest and most successful practices. Where others looked and said no, Michael could see the future potential.  We also discuss:The importance of buying into a business the right way; that's any healthcare business.Not being greedy when you buy and when you sell. Creating systems that you can scaleBuilding a high-performing team that believes in your vision.Removing yourself as the key person in the business.Why every practice owner should be thinking about their exit strategy long before they plan to sell.Whether you're considering buying your first practice, expanding your current business or preparing for an eventual exit in the next five or ten years, this conversation is packed with practical advice that applies to every podiatrist and healthcare business owner. Michael's story proves that success isn't about finding the perfect practice. It's about recognising potential, making smart decisions and having the courage to build something extraordinary.Additional show notes for this episode are available on the Podiatry Legends Podcast website. If you're thinking about selling your practice in the next few years, let me help you increase its value. Visit my website https://www.tysonfranklin.com/coaching/, or you may just want to make more money and work fewer hours. I can help you with that as well.  AI designed for Podiatrists: visit Preve.co 

Most podiatrists assume they're easy to find online, but are they really? In this episode, I sit down with my good friend and co-host of the Podiatry Marketing Podcast, Dr Jim McDannald, to discuss the Practice Visibility Scorecard, a free tool designed to show podiatrists how visible their clinic actually is online.We explain why searching for your own clinic on your own computer can give you a misleading picture, how Google's personalised search results work, and why your rankings may be completely different just a few streets away. Jim also shares how the scorecard analyses local search visibility, compares your clinic with nearby competitors, identifies growth opportunities, and highlights surrounding demographics that could influence your future marketing decisions.Whether you're planning to grow your current practice, open a satellite clinic, or simply want to understand where your next patients are coming from, this episode will give you practical insights you can apply immediately.Practice Visibility Scorecard is available from:Podiatry Marketing Podcast Podiatry Legends Podcast Do you want to make more money in podiatry?If you want to make more money from your podiatry business, work fewer hours, and have more time off with your family, please visit my website at tysonfranklin.com to learn how I can help you make this a reality. Otherwise, feel free to email me any questions you may have about your business at  [email protected]. AI designed for Podiatrists: visit Preve.co 

Why do so many podiatrists hesitate to increase their fees, even when they know they provide exceptional care?In this solo episode, Tyson Franklin explores one of the biggest pricing myths in podiatry: the belief that charging appropriately will damage referral relationships with doctors and other health professionals.Drawing on a real conversation with a former patient, Tyson explains why undercharging has very little to do with money and everything to do with seeking approval. He discusses the hidden costs of pricing too low, how fear of judgement influences business decisions, and why the best referrers care far more about patient outcomes than your fee schedule.If you've ever questioned your pricing or worried about what others might think if you charged more, this episode will challenge your thinking and encourage you to value your expertise with confidence.In this episode, you'll discover:• Why fear of judgement influences pricing decisions • What professional referrers actually care about • The hidden costs of chronic undercharging • Why patients associate value with confidence, not low prices • How to price your services based on value instead of approvalAdditional Show Notes are available on the Podiatry Legends Podcast website. If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a REVIEW, subscribe and share it with another podiatrist.Do you want to make more money in podiatry?If you want to make more money from your podiatry business and have more time off with your family, please visit my website at tysonfranklin.com to learn how I can help you make this a reality. Otherwise, feel free to email me any questions you may have about your business at  [email protected]. AI designed for Podiatrists: visit Preve.co 

Artificial Intelligence is rapidly changing allied health, but can it do more than simply write clinical notes?In this sponsored episode of the Podiatry Legends Podcast, Tyson Franklin speaks with physiotherapist and PREVE founder Caelum Trott about how AI is evolving into a powerful tool for improving patient engagement, treatment compliance and clinic performance.Rather than focusing solely on documentation, PREVE helps practitioners create personalised treatment plans, exercise programs, patient education and follow-up communication that keep patients engaged throughout their entire treatment journey.Caelum explains why patient drop-off remains one of the biggest challenges facing allied health clinics, how AI can help practitioners save valuable administration time, and why improving patient outcomes ultimately leads to stronger business performance.If you're curious about the future of AI in podiatry and allied health, this conversation offers practical insights into what's possible today and what's coming next. To learn more about PREVE, please visit: https://preve.coIn this episode, we discuss:• Why AI scribes are only the beginning • The hidden cost of patient drop-off (It can be substantial)  • How better patient engagement improves clinical outcomes • Saving one to two hours of administration every day • Using AI to support recent graduates and experienced practitioners alike • Integrating AI with existing practice management software • The future of patient communication and automated follow-upAs always, thank you for supporting the Podiatry Legends Podcast. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with another podiatrist or clinic owner who'd benefit from hearing it.