Almost everything is a learning curve when you’re starting a business, and Sandy Whitaker, a 2003 business management alum, acknowledges that there can be plenty of bumps and detours along the way. But as she and her husband, Tim, a physical therapist, worked to realize their long-term goal of opening a physical therapy practice, Whitaker found that navigating the curve was easier because of knowledge and skills she had gathered along the way—from her formal education, her past jobs, and even her hobbies.
The Whitakers opened Bridge Physical Therapy in South Ogden, Utah, in 2018. The practice employs nine people; in addition to being a co-owner, Whitaker serves as CFO and practice administrator. In the run-up to launching Bridge, Whitaker worked full-time to find a location, procure equipment, and obtain insurance contracts while her husband continued in his other job. “During this time, I had to figure out areas that were completely unfamiliar to me,” she says. “But I was amazed at how I was able to draw on personal experiences and past business relationships to answer questions and help guide me in the right direction as I navigated uncharted waters.”
For Whitaker, those types of learning experiences started early. When she was a child, she dreamed of being a doctor, and she spent her first year at BYU taking pre-med courses. After a summer working at LDS Hospital, she had a change of heart and decided to study business instead. “My college courses have helped immensely as I’ve figured out all the aspects of opening our practice,” Whitaker reports. “It’s not just the numbers and critical thinking I loved in my finance courses but also principles I learned in other classes, such as marketing. And the medical terminology I learned in my pre-med classes has been invaluable.”
Whitaker’s job experiences since graduating from BYU Marriott in 2003 have also proved vital. While working in the mortgage industry, she honed her management skills as she oversaw a multimillion-dollar loan pipeline and a team of processors. Later she expanded her customer service expertise when she was tasked with maintaining customer relationships. After she became a stay-at-home parent, Whitaker got her first taste of entrepreneurship when she turned her passion for photography into a side gig for eight years. “Even though I had to give up that business to focus on Bridge,” she says, “the skills I learned are still helping us because I’ve been able to take some of the marketing photos for our clinic.”
The experiences Whitaker values most are the ones that include her family. She says, “The best part about Bridge is that I get to spend more time with my husband. We love working together, and we have to remember to not talk business all the time.” The couple are parents to four children, ages eight to fifteen, and the family enjoys outdoor activities such as skiing, mountain biking, and swimming. They also enjoy working together in another family business: SW Swim Academy, which they run out of their backyard pool in South Weber, Utah. Whitaker started this business in 2016 “to help my children learn the value of work, gain confidence and leadership skills, and be able to earn money for the future,” she says. “It’s also our way of giving back to our community as we teach this invaluable skill to local children and adults.”
Now that Bridge is up and running, Whitaker continues to draw on her reserve of knowledge and skills to navigate the future. She works hard to stay abreast of changes in healthcare brought about by COVID-19 and new legislation that affects physical therapy practices. “There continues to be an enormous learning curve,” says Whitaker. “But it’s fun and it’s challenging because there’s always something new.”
