2021 NEA Women in Business: LaTeasha Gaither-Davis

LaTeasha Gaither-Davis
CEO
Therapeutic Focus
Residence: Marion
Education: Bachelor of science (2006) and master of science (2008), University of Central Arkansas

What was your dream job as kid and why? My dream job was an occupational therapist. While I was in school, my great-grandmother suffered a stroke and an aneurysm. After she underwent surgery, my family was told that she would require a full-time caregiver because she would never be able to care for herself. After countless hours of therapy, prayers and family support, my great-grandmother relearned how to care for herself, from walking to talking, dressing to cooking and even cleaning. Her team of supportive therapists helped to reshape her life. Seeing my great-grandmother persevere and relearn to be independent with modifications, encouraged me to seek out the therapy profession.

What has been the most fulfilling moment of your career so far? A parent was having difficulty receiving services for her child, who was diagnosed with autism. I provided her with resources and connected her with people in the community that could be of assistance. After several years of working with the child and her son, I was honored with these words, “I am so glad that God led me to you. You were an advocate for my son when I should have been advocating for him.”

What’s the next big personal or career challenge you plan to take on? The last decade, I have provided therapy services to the Northeast Arkansas and Memphis, Tenn., area, but I currently plan to expand my practice beyond those borders. Personally, I have enrolled in A-State, and I seek to obtain an educational doctorate degree, which has been a lifelong goal.

How do you spend your time away from work? What are your hobbies? My hobbies include gardening and traveling. I am an avid gardener and during my free time, I can be found in my fruit and vegetable garden. However, when I have any length of time off, I enjoy traveling in the U.S. and abroad.

What character traits do you feel have benefited you in your success? I feel that being not easily deterred and having a tenacious spirit and a selfless desire to help others have benefited me in my success.

What’s your biggest passion and why? My biggest passion is helping and advocating for children with disabilities. As a child, I suffered from a speech delay and required speech therapy services. Due to my unique disability, my family found it very difficult to find a local speech therapy provider that could assist me. After searching and being denied by the few therapy facilities located in my community, my parents were able to locate a recent college graduate who was a speech therapist willing to take on my case free of charge. Through the assistance of a speech therapist, I was able to eventually master my speech delay. Consequently, I constantly strive to pay the same gift of a thriving future forward to other children and their families.

What’s the last good book you read? “Rocket Fuel” by Gino Wickman & Mark Winters.

If you have a bucket list, what are the top three things on it? Backpack across Europe for a month with no agenda! Complete a mission trip with a group of occupational, physical and speech therapists. Visit the Maldives.

Can you share what you have learned about your business from the COVID-19 pandemic? I learned that I was stunting my business growth by not being as open-minded and creative as I should. During the pandemic, my business slowed down, but it gave me time to pivot and restructure my organizational model and business completely. The COVID-19 pandemic was a time in life that I desperately needed to not only survive the pandemic but thrive.

What advice would you give young women who are at the beginning of their careers? I would encourage young women to “reach for the stars because the sky is the limit.”

What’s your favorite app at the moment? My favorite app is Instagram.

Of all the mentors in your professional career, who has been the most influential and why? The most influential mentor I have had is the late Letha J. Mosley, PhD. She was one of my professors at the University of Central Arkansas. She was the one who encouraged me to become an entrepreneur and she constantly pushed me to further my education.

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