2021 NEA Women in Business: Sara Fenter

Sara Fenter
Co-Owner, President
Fenter Physical Therapy
Residence: Marion
Education: Bachelor of science in exercise science (2001) and master of science in physical therapy (2004), Arkansas State University

What was your dream job as kid and why? As a younger child and adolescent, I loved to sketch, draw and create art. My dream job was to grow up and become an architect.

What has been the most fulfilling moment of your career so far? Working alongside my husband and business partner, Jerry Fenter, while we watch our team grow and seeing firsthand the positive influence Fenter PT has had on patients and the Delta community. FPT is family and that is also one of my most fulfilling accomplishments.

What advice would you give young women who are at the beginning of their careers? Don’t be afraid! If what you are working to achieve is meaningful to you and you feel you can impact others in a positive manner, you will succeed. Know you will make mistakes, but learn from them. And most importantly build a solid team around you that understands your goals and the goals of your business. Teamwork makes the dream work.

What’s the next big personal or career challenge you plan to take on? Well … outside of competing in the next “American Ninja Warrior,” the plan is growth. All kidding aside, I’m excited for what the future holds for FPT. I’m optimistic about being able to expand further throughout Arkansas and continue to strengthen the Delta and beyond.

What character traits do you feel have benefited you in your success? First and foremost, hard work and integrity. If you can bow your neck and keep pushing forward for the greater good, all will fall in place. Doing the right thing, win or lose, is always the right choice. Secondly, be confident but stay humble. These traits have brought my husband, me and Fenter PT to where they are today.

How do you spend your time away from work? What are your hobbies? My husband and I have three children: Izzy 13, Beau 11 and Cash 7. Outside of running our business and treating patients, we spend a lot of our time with our kiddos. I also love to exercise by running, biking or any type of cross training. I love deer hunting in the fall/winter months and shooting my bow, but I’m ready for lake/beach time when summer comes back around.

What’s your biggest passion and why? My biggest passion in life is definitely my husband Jerry, my three children and my family. Although we are changing patients’ lives daily to help them gain strength, improve health and restore function, it is my family who drives me to succeed. They are my passion and our patients reap the benefits. And because of my desire to put family first this has carried over into our FPT employee atmosphere and from there spreads to our patients. It’s a win-win!

What’s your favorite app at the moment? Tactacam, so I can watch our farm in Madison and track our deer herd this year. It’s always fun to watch them transition this time of year and see them grow. They may not be as excited as I am!

If you have a bucket list, what are the top three things on it? Be on a game show, [like] “Family Feud!” Take my kids to NYC to Rockefeller Center ice skating rink where my husband and I were engaged. Vacation in Italy.

Can you share what you have learned about your business from the COVID-19 pandemic? I have learned to pray harder, be patient and know that some things are out of my control. It was a scary world in the beginning and so many uncertainties, but we learned to take each day at a time and do what was safest and best for our patients and staff. We knew we had amazing employees but through this pandemic, we have learned that they are even more resilient than we knew. They have been understanding, agreeable and worked as a team and continue to, in order maneuver through the ongoing adjustments and modifications and push through these hard times together.

Of all the mentors in your professional career, who has been the most influential and why? Roy Aldridge was one of my professors at ASU Jonesboro while I studied to receive my master of science in physical therapy. He taught me to work hard, be humble, be confident and to always, always smile and laugh along the way. If not for him, I’m fairly certain neither me nor or my team would be where we are today. Roy impacted a lot of the FPT family in our personal and professional lives. He is a hero in my eyes.

What’s the last good book you read? To be honest, between our FPT business and my three children there is not a lot of time for personal reading. The most reading I do these days pertains to the changes, it seems like daily, sometimes hourly, regarding healthcare, insurance reimbursement, therapy rules and regulations and specifically now, COVID precautions/restrictions. I do read a daily devotional to help keep me grounded. God is the one who has carried me through this journey thus far.

What is something distinctive people would be surprised to know about you? Most people see me in scrubs or dress clothes and wouldn’t peg me for a deer hunter. Don’t get me wrong, I do love fashion and gettin’ fancy too!

Editor’s note: Profiles for this year’s NEA Women in Business class were compiled and written by George Jared and Paul Holmes.