“The FIX is not just a business, but a place where individuals begin their journey toward becoming a better version of themselves. It’s a space designed to empower patients to realize their own potential.” – Dr. Megan McDonald

What is your name, and how long have you been living and working in Summerside?

Dr. Megan McDonald – I lived in Summerside my whole life, until University (St. Francis Xavier University), and then moved to Toronto to complete my Doctorate; I moved back to PEI in 2016.

What inspired you to start this business, and what made you choose your location?

My career journey began in 2013 in Toronto, where I worked at clinics in The Beaches, the Financial District, and with Mirvish Productions. During this time, I dreamed of bringing a unique clinic and training facility with an upstream approach to healthcare to PEI. I envisioned a space where movement would truly be considered medicine, and where I could fully utilize my growing skills, knowledge, and vision for healthcare. Today, almost six years later, The FIX has become a thriving, multidisciplinary clinic in Summerside!

Can you tell me about your business?

At The FIX, we offer chiropractic care, medical acupuncture, and rehabilitation to a diverse range of patients, from as young as 10 days old to as old as 94. We believe in treating more than just the symptoms; we take pride in finding the root causes of injuries and correcting them so that they don’t reoccur.

Our clientele includes young athletes with acute sports injuries, desk workers, weekend warriors dealing with aches and pains, fishers, farmers, veterans, babies, toddlers, youth, adults, and seniors. We have also served professional athletes, sedentary individuals looking to start their fitness journey safely, and serious lifters in need of minor adjustments to their lifts. Whether dealing with long-standing Islanders or those who are new to the Island, we treat all neuromusculoskeletal issues from head to toe.

What products/services you offer?

Chiropractors are the spine, muscle, and nervous system experts. At The FIX, our chiropractors do not settle for only treating the symptoms. We are committed and relentless in uncovering the root cause(s) of these issues to prevent the recurrence of the initial problem and to avoid other injuries. We work together as a team to ensure patients receive excellent, thorough care and achieve maximum results.

Some of our FIX chiropractors are also acupuncture providers and/or Doctors of Acupuncture. All FIX chiropractors are certified in various soft tissue techniques, such as Active Release Techniques, Functional Range Assessments, and Release.

Additionally, The FIX providers are mobility specialists, Functional Movement Screen (FMS) providers, TPI Golf Swing analysis providers, and have completed courses in concussion management.

What do you love most about being a business owner in the Greater Summerside area?

Starting a business and navigating it throughout a pandemic, as a single mother to a pandemic baby, is especially tricky. Financial, emotional, and operational support is vital for a small business to succeed. Our local community who believes in me and trusts me have made it possible to wake up each day with hope and the energy to continue. Patients, family, and friends who have supported me through volunteering or bartering services have made it possible to keep our facility equipped, our website operating, our books current, our space cheerful, and my two-year-old (and me!) fed and cared for.

Our patients trust us to live up to our name; our patients have confidence in us to not only find their ‘pain’ but to perform a complete assessment from head to toe to answer the question of ‘WHY do you have pain?’. Our patients know that, by working together, we can address complex issues by getting to the root of their issue(s) and treating them to ensure long-lasting and rapid results. Because of our patients, we have built a strong reputation in our community for providing patient-centered, hands-on, evidence-informed treatment through the highest quality, most thorough upstream approach to wellness. We do this through treating, teaching, guiding, collaborating with, and empowering patients so they can move towards independence in their health journey. At the end of each day, I am exhausted, inspired, and feel blessed that I spent the day making a difference to my patients…and humbled by the resilience and strength of my patients, and the trust they place in me.

The FIX would not exist today without our patients, family, and friends in our Island community.

What advice would you give to someone looking to start a business, and why should they choose the Greater Summerside area?

The most difficult challenge, both emotionally and intellectually, has been uncovering and shining a spotlight on the financial and business mistakes we’ve made in the first couple of years of operation. I am realizing that I didn’t know what I didn’t know! The time I spend with each patient is a learning experience for both of us. As I’ve developed strong, trusting relationships with patients, I’ve discovered a wide breadth and depth of expertise right in front of me, on my table!

My patients have supported me in the uncomfortable work of digging into the underside of my business to dismantle some unsustainable and fragile business practices, and rebuild a sustainable business model. From bookkeeping to payroll to contract negotiation to electrical work to building walls, to uncovering leaks, to marketing and promotion – my patients have helped me to build a strong and reliable business foundation that will see us through whatever comes next!

If I could give advice to someone starting a business, it would be to build a local network of experts who truly care about you and your business. In Summerside, I’ve found a supportive community that has made all the difference. It’s this network that helps me get out of bed with a smile each day, and it’s why Summerside is such a great place to grow a business.

Check out The FIX:

www.thefixpei.ca