Today we’d like to introduce you to Leslie Desrosiers.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Leslie. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I discovered my passion for physical therapy at a young age, as it seemed to be a perfect fit for my love of sports, interest in human anatomy, and excitement about understanding injuries and rehabilitation. I remember the moment that I had an ankle sprain assessed by a physical therapist – I was in awe that she appeared to almost “see” the injury beneath the skin and knew just what to do for it. I set my course to become a physical therapist and never looked back.
My dream job was to work with professional athletes…and my passion, perseverance, and patience ultimately got me there. But along the way, my dream grew…and I dreamt of owning my own practice, being my own boss, helping people have better lives, and impacting the world in an even bigger way.
During the first eight years of my career, I worked in sports injury clinics and gained incredible experience with an amazing team of rehab specialists and orthopedic surgeons. I was helping people move better and feel better every day; but eventually, I hit a plateau and felt like there was a bigger and better path for me.
In 2015, my husband and I took a big risk and quit our jobs to relocate our family to San Diego – and everything changed for the better. He accepted a Physical Therapist position with the US Navy, and I launched my own private concierge Physical Therapy practice, Elite Concepts Physical Therapy and Performance. It was the best move we could have ever made. Doors began opening in our professional careers and we had opportunities that we didn’t know we would ever have. On a social level, we instantly found friends, got into wonderful schools, started playing sports, and discovered fantastic restaurants around North County.
I started Elite Concepts PT as an out-of-network physical therapy practice so I could provide a premier physical therapy experience for active people who value feeling good and functioning at their highest potential. At first, I was treating friends and neighbors with sports injuries…and then they referred me to their friends…and the business slowly and steadily grew from there. I focus on helping people figure out the source of their pain and exactly what they need to do to get better and get back to living the lifestyle that they want to live. I get a lot of patients who have tried “everything” but still aren’t able to do what they want to do. Once they see what I can do to help them, they become happy customers and naturally tell others how to find me.
In 2017, I had a vision of reaching more people than I could get through my doors. I wanted to make an even bigger impact in a specific niche where I know I’m an expert…
I played soccer my entire life; and ACL (knee ligament) injuries are incredibly common in soccer. I’m an injury prevention specialist, so I knew I had something valuable to offer.
When I surveyed a community of soccer parents and asked if they would like to know exactly what to do to prevent a major life-changing ACL injury, 100% of them said “YES”. So that was my answer – I had to pursue this!
Over the next few months, I developed ACL Strong, an online course that teaches athletes what they need to know and exactly which exercises to do to lower their risk of sustaining an injury to the ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) in the knee. I walk them step-by-step through a proven system to improve neuromuscular control and avoid injuries. ACL Strong has been a huge hit and has received overwhelmingly positive feedback. I’m really excited to offer it to more athletes and teams – and to help save people from experiencing a devastating ACL rupture and the heavy burden that comes with that injury.
At this point in time, I feel incredibly blessed to be where I am in all facets of my life. I have an amazing husband and two happy and healthy children that I get to spend time with because I have a flexible work schedule. I am helping people live more fulfilling lives with less pain. I am contributing financially to my family’s present and future. And we are thankful every day to be living and thriving in San Diego.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
The greatest obstacle in growing my practice has been learning and being responsible for all aspects of the business. I forced myself to become an expert in everything. While my passion and expertise are with patient-care, I am also in charge of bookkeeping, scheduling, communications, marketing, custodial services, etc. Since taking a portion of my business online, I have now become a webmaster and video producer!
As a small business, trying to keep my overhead expenses low, it’s difficult to know which area to delegate first and when to do it.
Please tell us about Elite Concepts Physical Therapy and Performance.
Elite Concepts Physical Therapy and Performance is a practice that allows me to help active people achieve the lives of their dreams by finding solutions for their pain and creating paths to get them back to doing what they truly want to do. I specialize in orthopedic or musculoskeletal injuries, which includes sports injuries to the shoulders and knees, ankle sprains, hamstring strains, back pain, neck pain, etc. I am known for solving problems and looking at the whole patient or system, rather than just focusing on the isolated area of pain. My patients appreciate that I genuinely care about them and become invested in their success. They like that I spend time with them and really listen to them. Unlike other physical therapy experiences, each session with me is a full hour one-on-one…we talk, we laugh, we enjoy a cup of coffee, we are not rushed or distracted, and we figure out how to get you better quickly.
I am proud of the integrity that Elite Concepts PT is based on, and the relationships that I have developed through the process of growing my practice. I am so thankful to have a supportive community. A couple of weeks ago, I invited a group of past and current patients to try Stand Up Paddleboard Yoga. We had such a fun time hanging out together outside of the clinic. It was a small way for me to show my appreciation and say “thank you”.
ACL Strong is our online training system to lower the risk of ACL injury for athletes in high-risk sports. At this time, we offer two customized programs to improve neuromuscular control. The Classic 4 Week Challenge is a course for soccer players (also appropriate for football, basketball, volleyball, and lacrosse). Alpine Strong is for snow-skiers, including ski patrol, instructors, ski team, season-pass holders, and recreational skiers.
We have received overwhelmingly positive feedback about ACL Strong because the exercises are easy to follow and the courses are interactive and fun. Members get lifetime access to our private community, where I am easily accessible for bonus tips, Q&A sessions, and personal assessments as needed. We are currently working with soccer clubs, teams, and ski resorts to lower the rates of ACL injuries.
We have taken the best components of the most-supported injury prevention programs, and merged them with technology, social media, and a convenient at-home training platform. Anyone at-risk for an ACL injury is able to follow the program and significantly lower their risk of injury in just 15-20 minutes, 3 days per week, for 4-6 weeks. I am thrilled to be on the cutting-edge in ACL injury prevention – bringing the best online neuromuscular training program to athletes around the world.
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
I honestly don’t have many regrets with the process that has gotten me to where I am today. I appreciate the slow, steady growth, as it has allowed me time to adapt and manage the details along the way, while still being the primary caregiver for my children. If I had to start over, I suppose I would hire help sooner for the non-patient care-related tasks.
Contact Info:
- Address: San Marcos, CA
- Website: www.EliteConceptsPT.com, www.ACLStrong.com
- Email: DrLeslie@eliteconceptspt.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EliteConceptsPT/
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/elite-concepts-physical-therapy-and-performance-san-marcos?osq=physical+therapy
- Other: https://www.facebook.com/groups/535960396527746/
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