The Ripple Effect (Celebrating 18 years)

I started something 18 years ago and I want to share my story about the ‘ripple effect and my most important learnings from this period of time as CEO and founder of Nextmove Wellness and Physiotherapy. I am proudly writing this from Evanston, Chicago, Illinois after a work conference. I am cherishing the space that this work trip has allowed and my new enjoyment of writing. My hope is that this story will inspire at least one person to start something NOW or reflect on what their true intent and purpose really is about.  I do apologise this could feel likely a real long read and in some parts I am speaking broadly, but most importantly it feels right to share on our 18th birthday!!

This story is for anyone, all ages but I want to dedicate this story for my children as they have been my biggest teachers. Thank you Emerson, Meg and Willow.

Metaphorically, I mean “Ripple Effect” like throwing a stone in the water and paying close attention to every ripple of perhaps who we have helped serve at Nextmove. The confidence to throw that first stone has maybe been derived by my Aussie spirit or perhaps it’s the tenacity I strongly value from the adversity of multiple events that made me come back time and time again. I am proudly Anti-fragile as a human and only learnt about this philosophical way of thinking after a meeting with a great Aussie performance coach, called Cody Williamson in the USA. Reverse back a few years and excuse me from going down a rabbit hole here, but I need to provide context of what happened therefore before creating Nextmove.

My parents moved me away from Perth in 1995, back to the old country where I was born. Sorry to my parents (Stella Dan John) if you are reading this (I am so grateful to you guys for why you did this). My experience in my younger years was at the same school from year 1 through to year 11, with about a cohort of 30 plus of the same kids in a class or two. The adventure of emigrating seemed exciting at the age of 15, but when I join the dots now as a 45 year old from a Birds Eye view I probably felt the most alone in my childhood. The carrot for me to stay in England from this lens, was the encouragement of my parents to immerse myself into track and field athletics…I worked hard, found some joy and was motivated by the progress I made, plus the social aspect of belonging to something. Success came and the Aussie spirit I possessed was to battle on. I think I always had this competitive streak with being one of 4 kids, and trying to always compete with my oldest brother Dan.

This helped me achieve an International vest for England in the sport of Decathlon but it wasn’t without failure and a spike of injuries that had a detrimental effect on my well-being. I learnt very fast I wasn’t aligned with just being an athlete as a career path. I had more to give this universe, it’s something I still feel today. I left home at aged 18 and resided in my university town of Eastbourne, UK which distracted me all for good reasons to desire a career involved around health and movement, not just being an athlete. I completed two degrees almost 6 years later and had my first physio position in the NHS, Stevenage UK. I was told often I was too ambitious to climb the ladder, despite the outcomes and knowledge I had as the new grad physio. Ultimately I just couldn’t settle with being in a place where growth was out of my control and a top/down hierarchy existed. My choice to run away at 25 came from this constant mindset of feeling unsettled and deep connection of my Aussie childhood years. I am grateful I travelled back in 2024 to repair some of the relationships I broke from running away and disconnecting.

The Aussie dream was almost over when I arrived in 2005, with shoulder reconstruction surgery in 2006 and many job rejections as a physio and requirement to pass the Aussie physio exam process. The doors of Nextmove opened in 2007, I found my life partner in 2006, the best friend you could only dream of, my wife Zoe and she has backed me from day 1, to go and start my dream. We had 3 children under the age of 2, two clinics, mine site locations all within 4 years from day 1 being in business. I have failed so many times, lost loads of money from business risks and ideas that flopped and I have been a lousy boss to many past employees. I have learnt so much from my failures and I feel like I am leading better every day from all these experiences. I have always been a chat a box and learnt to always seek help and have great mentors in my life. Thank you to the late Bob Webster, Tony O’Shea, Gary Brickley, Jag Sanger, Rob, Cam, Johno, Jordan Jeff, for all your leadership, patience and wisdom.

I threw this stone into the water 18 years ago! We have served over 22,000 patients and I think perhaps these patients have all gone on to benefit from those conversations, hands on sessions, classes, exercises and therapy moments so they can go and help those people closely in their lives…the ripple effect lives on because I started something and I am bloody proud.  How did we do this in one location? I never believed in discharging a patient. I believe it was never just about the injury. People want something more than just a physio appointment, or massage treatment, or Pilates class, or rehab program, or wellness visit or coffee sip…..People at Nextmove have created the ripple effect because we have not practised a reduction of service by just being scientific, we have instead combined this with an intent to service the whole human, creating a system of care which is both artistic and sciencific.

So what’s next?  I have learnt change is vital when you want to perform in any walk in life. A wise man just told me that rapid change isn’t great, so perhaps Nextmove will continue to flow as it does today and live by its values of centred patient care in the pursuit of human performance limitless.. We have 22 amazing staff members too and it’s more about what they want now. I just want to lead, be a coach, a mate, good husband and cool Dad….and see the impact of the ripple I started.

Thanks for reading, Matt