Today we’d like to introduce you to Whitney Joy Sanford.
Hi Whitney, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
When I was younger, I always wanted to be in the medical field. Weirdly enough, my direction shifted and I changed my career path to broadcast journalism after we took a tour of CNN on a family vacation. Like every young woman, I had aspirations of being the next Oprah Winfrey, which is hilarious in retrospect.
I majored in broadcast media at Austin Peay State University and felt that was the path I needed to pursue because I could not pass biology as a college freshman. In hindsight, I know that I could not pass because I was not focused. After graduation, I worked as a production assistant at a local CBS affiliate. I continued to feel unfulfilled and decided to go back to school.
One day, I was watching the news and a story came on discussing how graduates with bachelor’s degrees were finding more success going to community college. I figured community college was my ticket to finding a career in the allied health field. I researched various professions in the allied health field and decided that occupational therapy was the perfect fit for me because mixed my love of communication and serving others.
I applied to the occupational therapy assistant program at Lewis and Clark Community College and was fortunate to be accepted. After graduation, I moved back home to Memphis because I felt a desire to serve lower SES populations in my hometown of Memphis. While my job as an occupational therapy assistant was very fulfilling, I dreamed of owning an occupational therapy practice to serve children in the Memphis area.
I furthered my education at Belmont University in Nashville to pursue this endeavor and graduated in 2018. When I was a home health occupational therapist during the pandemic, I noticed children were experiencing developmental delays through no fault of their own. As a result, Aspire Therapies LLC was born.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
This road was not smooth.
In fact, I took the figurative road less traveled when I decided to pursue my Master’s degree, I recently got divorced and had a toddler. However, my daughter was my motivation to keep pushing.
I wanted to be an example for her and let her know that adversity shouldn’t stop an individual from pursuing their dreams. I’d like to add that I didn’t do this on my own.
My parents, aunt, uncle, and my husband Mike were there supporting me every step of the way.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Aspire Therapies LLC?
Aspire Therapies LLC is an occupational therapy practice in the Memphis area. We assist children with overcoming developmental deficits that cause them not to succeed in home and school contexts. These deficits may affect how they perform self-care, engage with their peers socially, and their mental well-being.
We’re here to show them how to perform things a new way despite an illness or disability affecting their everyday lives. We work with children with diagnoses such as autism, cerebral palsy, and Down syndrome. We aspire to let them know they are capable of being successful and that their disability does not define them.
We stand out from other occupational therapy clinics because we offer mobile services and services at brick-and-mortar locations. We decided on this business model because my husband and I know how difficult it can be for parents to take off work to get their children to medical appointments.
We’d be interested to hear your thoughts on luck and what role, if any, you feel it’s played for you?
I don’t know if I believe in luck regarding being a business owner. First and foremost, our success comes from God.
We wouldn’t be where we are without Him. I also believe hard work, planning, and grit play a large part in the success of the business.
There are many ups and downs regarding being a business owner but determination and the desire of serving others in my hometown are what keep me going.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.aspiretherapiesllc.com
- Instagram: @aspiretherapies
- Facebook: Aspire Therapies, LLC
- Other: Phone number 901-949-9488
