From Navy PT to Business Builder: Dr. Bryan Ladd’s Journey to Kaizen Health & Wellness
Episode Highlights from The Lofty Lender Podcast with Dr. Bryan Ladd, DPT, OCS, Navy Veteran, and Founder of Kaizen Health and Wellness
On this week’s episode of The Lofty Lender, host Kyle Guldenpfennig (aka #TallMoneyMan) sits down with Dr. Bryan Ladd, owner of Kaizen Health and Wellness, to dive deep into his inspiring journey—from strength coach dreams and military service to disrupting traditional healthcare with a patient-first approach to physical therapy.
Bryan shares the winding path that led him to founding one of Iowa’s most innovative PT clinics and opens up about the challenges of burnout, launching a business, integrating AI into clinical documentation, and why he’s on a mission to fix what’s broken in physical therapy.
👨⚕️ From Small-Town Nebraska to Military PT Specialist
Bryan grew up in a Nebraska town of just 4,000 people where his exposure to physical therapy came from a single local practitioner. Initially, his passion was in strength training and performance, aiming to become a D1 or NFL strength coach. But after meeting his now-wife—then a nursing student—he took a closer look at PT as a career and never looked back.
Following his graduation from Des Moines University with a Doctor of Physical Therapy, Bryan served five years in the U.S. Navy. He climbed the ranks quickly, eventually leading departments in both Bremerton, Washington, and Okinawa, Japan. He also completed a highly competitive musculoskeletal residency, becoming a board-certified Orthopedic Clinical Specialist.
💥 Burnout, Business, and the Birth of Kaizen
Bryan's transition from military to civilian life wasn’t smooth. He saw burnout not only in himself but in fellow PTs, both in and out of uniform. After realizing traditional PT models didn’t align with his values or vision, he launched Kaizen Health and Wellness—originally as a cash-based clinic focused on high-quality, personalized care.
He shares candidly how cash-based care wasn’t the silver bullet many make it out to be—especially in insurance-driven markets like Des Moines. Eventually, Bryan pivoted to accept Blue Cross and Tricare, a move that helped Kaizen grow, scale, and reach more patients while staying true to its values.
💡 Using AI to Empower Physical Therapists
Bryan breaks down how AI tools like Sidekick and Practice Intel have transformed his team’s efficiency and quality of care. These tools record and summarize patient evaluations, ensure CMS compliance, and even generate documentation quality scores.
"With AI, my eval notes went from taking 20 minutes down to 5. That’s a game-changer when you’re seeing 12 patients a day."
This blend of technology and hands-on care has helped Kaizen stay lean and responsive—two traits that are often lost in large healthcare systems.
🧠 The Kaizen Philosophy: Always Improving
The name Kaizen comes from Bryan’s time in Okinawa, where he was first introduced to the Japanese concept of continuous improvement. At Kaizen, that means listening, educating, and empowering patients through a clear, structured (yet flexible) recovery plan. Whether it’s shoulder dysfunction or chronic pain, Bryan and his team specialize in solving the cases that others couldn’t.
His whiteboard-driven “I3 model” simplifies the recovery journey into a three-phase timeline, including what Bryan calls “the zone of suck”—that frustrating plateau where patients often feel like progress has stalled.
“It’s all about setting expectations and giving people clarity and confidence that they can get better—even when they’ve been let down before.”
🎧 Bonus Nuggets
Bryan’s favorite business book? Hug Your Customers by Jack Mitchell
Morning workout or late-night brainstorm? Morning workout, every time
Favorite ice cream combo? Mint with Oreo and Cookie Dough
Dinner with anyone? His great-grandpa George, beer and trout in hand
What’s next? Growing Kaizen to its full potential, one step at a time
📲 Want More?
You can find Dr. Bryan Ladd and Kaizen Health & Wellness at kaizendsm.com and @kaizendsm on all social media platforms. You can also check out his returning podcast, The Fit Moines Podcast, where he interviews local clinicians and coaches helping Iowans optimize their health.
Listen to the full interview now by searching The Lofty Lender with #TallMoneyMan wherever you download your favorite podcasts.
