Each week, Macaroni Kid Lower Bucks features a different "Mompreneur" -- a local mom who also runs a small business in Lower Bucks. The challenges for small business owners during the COVID-19 pandemic have been unprecedented, and even more so for many moms who simultaneously juggle virtual schooling and the many social and emotional challenges that children face during this confusing time. For more information on how you or someone you know could be featured in an upcoming Mompreneur article, click here.
This week, Macaroni Kid Lower Bucks is excited to bring you a mompreneur team that has actively sought ways to bring health and wellness to people during the COVID-19 pandemic. We had the opportunity to ask Dr. Theresa Bowers and her daughter, Katy Hsieh, questions about their central Bucks County business, Dr. Theresa Bowers PT - Online Courses + Guides.
Macaroni Kid: Tell us about you! Children? Family? Education/Training? What led you to this career
path/becoming an entrepreneur?
Dr. Theresa Bowers: I have six children - now in their twenties and early 30's - and four grandchildren with another due this month - all girls! I have been a physical therapist for 35 years, and I obtained my Doctorate in Physical Therapy in 2014. I have owned Bowers Physical Therapy with my husband, David, for over 25 years. With the pandemic and the challenge it presented to healthcare providers in being able to have patients attend in-person sessions, I converted my PT practice to being able to offer telehealth PT as an option. Treating patients through video telemedicine, along with encouragement from my daughter (and now business partner), Katy, made me realize that many people would be able to benefit from my instructions in how to keep their bodies healthy without needing to have individualized appointments. We chose to make our first video course on "Keeping Your Back and Neck Healthy While Working and Learning from Home" because almost every one of my patients - even retirees - are spending A LOT of time on their computer devices because of the COVID pandemic - more time than ever before - and ALL were complaining of back and neck issues.
Katy Hsieh: I am the third child of six and I'm a new mom to my 7-month-old daughter, Riley. My husband, Chris, and I recently moved back to Bucks County to be closer to family. My mom is an excellent physical therapist and all of her patients rave about her services. The downside, however, is that, traditionally, the only way for her to treat more people or share her expertise is by squeezing more appointments into her already jam-packed schedule. Once I became pregnant with Riley, I began following a lot of "influencers" with medical backgrounds on social media. They packaged different online courses related to pregnancy, post-partum, sleep training, baby milestones, etc. for purchase and I kept thinking... my mom could do this! Little did I know she'd rope me into the behind-the-scenes management...
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MK: What is your business? Where is it located? Describe the services or products offered.
Theresa and Katy: Dr. Theresa Bowers PT – Online Courses + Guides is a series of online educational video courses to keep your body healthy. The on-demand videos allow you to learn stretches, movements, and pain-free tips from an experienced physical therapist on a schedule that suits you best and in one convenient place. The business is online at Dr. Theresa Bowers PT – Online Courses + Guides. The home office to shoot the videos and content is actually in the basement of Theresa’s Lower Makefield Township home.
MK: What makes your business special?
Theresa: We realize that people can get lots of information on keeping their bodies healthy online, but the information is scattered and takes time to find. Our video courses offer the information in one location and by a trusted source - a physical therapist who has successfully treated patients in the Lower Makefield area for years.
Katy: The model is unique because it puts the client/patient in charge of the treatment timetable. Instead of spending time on the phone with a receptionist, digging through insurance cards and verification, fitting an appointment into a busy calendar, sitting in a waiting room, and trying to remember what the doctor/PT told you during the appointment, you can purchase a course and follow along with the content whenever it is most convenient for you. Plus, you can always reference the course material during a later date when an ache or pain pops up again!
MK: How do you juggle being a mom and an entrepreneur? Do you have any advice for others who aspire to open their own businesses?
Theresa: My answer and Katy's will be different since we are at different stages of motherhood. I think that as a Mom of adult children (and grandchildren), you just realize that life is always busy, but you need to do things for yourself and follow your passion and interests. Life will just be busier. You should not wait for life to be calm, no matter how old your children are. You are still busy because you are a Mom. Being a Mom does not have to limit you! My advice for others who wish to open their own business is to carve out little bits of time throughout your day. As a Mom, waiting for big blocks of time may never happen, but the small blocks, such as getting up earlier, not watching as much TV, staying up later, etc., really add up without sacrificing important family time.
Katy: Find a good business partner that also doubles as the best grandma/babysitter! 😊 And, taking small steps towards your goals is helpful. Remember that nothing has to be done all at once and checking off a few items on the to-do list each day can add up quickly. My advice is primarily applicable to new moms, but instead of the age-old advice of "sleep when the baby sleeps" I like to instead think of the adage as "do the things you can't do with the baby when the baby sleeps." So, I make sure to work on projects that need full concentration when Riley is sleeping and save other tasks, such as answering quick emails or posting content online, when she is being fed, rocked to sleep, or hanging out in a bouncy chair playing next to me.
MK: Anything else you would like local families to know about you or your business?
Theresa and Katy: Our courses are not just for adults! We think that the "7 Steps to Keeping Your Back + Neck Healthy While Working and Learning from Home" may be especially helpful for kids that are logging into their computers at home each day for school (or spend a lot of time on their devices even pre-pandemic). And, while we work on creating more courses, we want to hear from families! What kind of course would be interesting to you? Send a note to info@bowerspt.com.
MK: How can readers contact you to learn more?
Check out our website for online courses: Dr. Theresa Bowers PT – Online Courses and Guides or follow along on Instagram.
Coupon Code: MACKID10 for $10 off the Healthy Back + Neck Course!
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