Experience Chiropractic finds relief with SBA’s pandemic assistance programs
Dr. Brandie Elizabeth Keates is the founder/CEO, and Lead Chiropractic doctor at Experience Chiropractic. She established the business in 2003, after graduation from the Cleveland College of Chiropractic in Kansas City. Her difficult pregnancy experience in 2006 made her a dauntless advocate for mothers. Dr. Keates is dedicated to helping her pregnant and postpartum patients live the life they love throughout their pregnancy to find pain relief, get back to work, and take care of their kids. She is the author of "What You Don't Expect When You're Expecting," to educate and empower women to overcome pregnancy pain.
Experience Chiropractic serves the greater King of Prussia area and has 10 employees. They see 400–500 patients per week: mostly pregnant and postpartum women. In 2021, they had over 22,000 patient appointments. The business also provides massage therapy, pediatric chiropractic care, sports injury prevention and recovery, electrical stimulation therapy, and kinesiology taping.
Dr. Keates leveraged SBA-guaranteed loans to grow her business and has successfully paid them off. The pandemic had a devastating effect on Experience Chiropractic. COVID-19 cut their sales significantly and forced them to close their satellite office in Conshohocken. The practice was vulnerable because they serve at-risk patients – expecting mothers and the elderly. Many of these patients stopped coming during the height of COVID. The satellite office closure burdened their remaining office and staff as remaining patients were transferred to their main office. Dr. Brandie’s business was able to survive the pandemic through the help of SBA’s emergency capital programs. The business received two Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans that were fully forgiven and received a COVID Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL).
“Dr. Keates is a trailblazer for women entrepreneurs and pregnant mothers,” said Steve Dixel, SBA Eastern Pennsylvania District Director. Her tireless commitment to provide pregnant and postpartum mothers with the care they need is commendable. I’m proud of the role SBA’s lending played in helping to grow her business and of the COVID-19 relief programs that helped sustain her business during the pandemic.”
“We are very grateful for SBA’s traditional and pandemic funding to help our business grow and sustain,” said Dr. Brandie Elizabeth Keats, Founder/CEO, Experience Chiropractic. “Post-pandemic, we are poised to increase patient volume significantly. My long-term goal is to operate five offices in the greater Philadelphia area.”
The U.S. Small Business Administration helps small businesses get funding by setting guidelines for loans and reducing lender risk. These SBA-backed loans make it easier for small businesses to get the funding they need. Loans guaranteed by SBA range from small to large for most business purposes, including long-term fixed assets and operating capital. SBA-guaranteed loans have rates and fees comparable to non-guaranteed loans and offer unique benefits such as lower down payments and flexible overhead requirements.
Experience Chiropractic has purchased a new office space which more than doubles the number of exam rooms, treatment rooms, and adds a large gym. The new space and new doctors will double their patient capacity. Dr. Keates is the Vice President of the Pediatrics and Pregnancy Subcommittee of the Pennsylvania Chiropractic Association (PCA). She is an active board member of the PCA, from which she received the President's Award for Service in 2020. As a former paramedic, she served on the Lafayette Ambulance Board from 2009-2017, and she served as President of the Board for the last two years of her membership. She has served on the Main Line Chamber Board of Directors since 2019.