Lyons Chiropractic Clinic

Address: 5649 Coventry Lane

At a glance: Lyons Chiropractic Clinic limits its practice to difficult cases, especially disc problems in the neck and lower back. Patients are offered spinal rejuvenation therapy, an alternative to spinal surgery. “I love nothing more than stealing people from surgeons,” Perry Lyons said.

Employees: Six, including Lyons, doctor of chiropractic

Annual revenue: $400,000

When was the company founded: 1993

Biggest accomplishment in the past 12 months: The practice has been chosen as the chiropractic provider for Allen County’s employee workers compensation cases. Also, the office recently started offering patients the Ideal Protein Weight Loss Method, a medically supervised diet that helps patients lose additional weight that puts stress on their backs.

What was your biggest mistake so far in operating this business: Not offering rehabilitation services sooner, Lyons said. His practice has evolved beyond maintenance care to include rehabilitation. “We can actually rejuvenate tissue,” he said. “This ain’t grandma’s chiropractic.” The approach came together in the past year.

Lyons could have done it sooner but was reluctant to offer something patients didn’t expect and start competing with local physical therapy practices.

What are the key challenges facing your business or industry: Lyons’ independent practice sometimes struggles for medical referrals. The large health care systems in town are increasingly likely to send patients to clinics they own, Lyons said. The chiropractor has been devoting more time to meeting with business leaders to encourage them to refer employees with workers comp injuries to Lyons Chiropractic Clinic with the hope of avoiding back surgery.

What is your strategy for staying ahead of your competition: “I am always innovative,” Lyons said. “We are going to continue to tweak everything we do so patients receive the best possible conservative care. If I find something that works better tomorrow, I’ll switch.” The doctor has also cultivated a reputation for telling patients the difficult truth when they can’t be helped. He won’t treat them if they can’t improve. “I like that reputation,” he said.

What resources have you found most helpful in running a business: Local business leaders who are patients have given Lyons excellent advice. “I pick their brains,” he said. “I go so far as to take them to lunch.” They’ve given him guidance on what it takes to succeed in a community that can be slow to embrace change. “We are conservative to the point of being backward,” he said.

What are your growth projections for the next five years: 25 percent increase in revenue, patients and staff

What is one thing about your business that people might not be aware of: The practice can successfully treat more conditions than most people might think, including bulged and herniated discs. “Because we’re so non-invasive, the worst we can do is not help you,” he said. Also, most insurance companies provide some coverage for chiropractic or rehabilitative services.

If you weren’t running this business, what would you be doing: Lyons’ parents own a former gravel pit near Huntertown. If he weren’t a chiropractor, he’d probably be a payload operator. At the end of a work shift, he’d see evidence of his work: A pile of dirt moved from one location to another. “I love a sense of accomplishment,” he said. Lyons gets that feeling now from helping patients stand straighter and live without pain.