Today we’d like to introduce you to Daniela Curtis.
Hi Daniela, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I was born in Lima, Peru, and at four years old, my family and I moved to Miami, Florida.
I started running in 7th grade, and by 9th grade, I had a female coach who quickly became a mentor throughout my running career. I decided to fully commit myself to the sport, which earned me a scholarship to run cross country and track for Florida International University, a Division I collegiate program.
I majored in biology with plans to pursue a career in the medical field, but after graduating, I had the opportunity to teach. I began teaching physical education and coaching cross-country at my former high school. It didn’t take long for me to realize that coaching filled me up in a way that my own running never could. After a year of teaching physical education, I decided to make a change and began teaching middle school math.
After about three years in education, I took a mission trip to Thailand. By the time I returned, I knew I wanted to go back to school and pursue a career in physical therapy.
As a former collegiate athlete who had been sidelined by injury, I saw several providers who told me the solution was simply to rest. That never sat well with me because resting meant losing valuable days of training and competition that I could never get back. Eventually, I was referred to an incredible physical therapist who owned her own practice, and she showed me a completely different side of physical therapy—one where I left appointments feeling empowered instead of defeated. I knew that was what I wanted to do for others.
I started applying to physical therapy programs and ultimately moved to Atlanta, Georgia, to pursue my doctorate in physical therapy.
Throughout my clinical internships, I realized I didn’t fit the traditional, cookie-cutter model of physical therapy, where clinicians often treat multiple patients at once and are more concerned with productivity metrics than the person in front of them. I’ve never fit neatly into a mold, and I knew my career wouldn’t be any different.
Fast forward a few years, and I moved back to Miami and opened my own practice, Magic City Athletics (“MCA”), at the end of 2022. My passions have always been service, teaching, and sport, and MCA allows me to combine all three into one meaningful career.
I take pride in making every person I work with feel cared for, heard, and treated like family. Once you walk through my office doors, you can rest assured that I am fully invested in your journey.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Starting my business was far from easy, but every challenge became a learning experience.
I originally started my business in Atlanta, Georgia, during COVID. After some personal life transitions, I had to close the business and take a position as a travel physical therapist. I always knew that chapter would be temporary, and once I returned home to Miami, Florida, I decided to relaunch the business. I started by providing home visits before eventually finding space inside a local gym.
As a solo practitioner, it’s been an adventure learning all the ins and outs of running a business. When I first started, I didn’t have a large budget to hire someone to help run the business, so I spent countless hours teaching myself how to build a website, market my services, create content, write newsletters, and manage everything else that comes with entrepreneurship.
Over the years, I’ve also invested in business and professional development mentorships and have been fortunate to find incredible mentors who have helped guide me along the way.
I’ve learned a lot throughout this journey, but one of the most important lessons is that no one will do the work for you. That doesn’t mean you have to do it alone—it simply means surrounding yourself with the right mentors, colleagues, and community members who can offer guidance when you need it most.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Too often, runners are discharged from traditional physical therapy before they’re truly ready to return to running—or without a clear plan for getting back to training. Many of the athletes who come to see me have been told to stop running altogether. They stop, their pain goes away, but as soon as they start training again, the pain returns. That’s because they were never given a long-term solution that takes their running goals into account. That’s where I come in.
MCA provides performance physical therapy, running coaching, and strength coaching for runners and athletes. What sets me apart is my unique combination of experiences as a performance physical therapist, former collegiate running coach, and NCAA Division I cross-country and track & field athlete. Those experiences allow me to help runners move beyond injury and return to doing what they love.
More importantly, I’ve been the runner who was injured and told to stop running. I know firsthand how frustrating, discouraging, and isolating that experience can feel. It’s my mission for every person who walks into my office to leave feeling more hopeful, confident, and capable than when they arrived.
What I’m most proud of is the reputation MCA has built. People know that when they come to see me, they’ll leave with a plan to get back to doing what they love. The greatest value I bring is knowing how to integrate rehabilitation while helping athletes continue to train. In most cases, you don’t need to stop training entirely—it may just need to look a little different for a period of time.
At the end of the day, I want people to know that I’m a firm believer in betting on yourself and not letting others define what’s possible for you. More than once, I’ve been told that I was taking too big of a risk or that I wasn’t ready. Each time, I’ve used those moments as fuel to keep moving forward. It’s never been about proving anyone wrong; it’s about proving to yourself that you’re capable of achieving more than you thought possible.
Do you have any advice for those just starting out?
If you want to work for yourself, get ready to do all the things—and then some.
One thing I wish I had known when starting out is just how important communication is. It sounds like common sense, but you’d be surprised by how much can be missed. So much can get lost in translation, and when you’re working in a field like physical therapy, where people often come to you during a time of need, it’s essential that they feel heard and understood.
Because of this, I’ve made a conscious effort to continually improve my communication skills. Regardless of the type of business you’re in, if your work involves serving people, you’re in the relationship-building business first and the service business second.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.magiccityathletics.com
- Instagram: @drdanifrommiami | @magiccityathletics
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@magiccityathletics-MCA
