Today we’d like to introduce you to Ariel Ross.
Hi Ariel, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
My journey towards becoming an entrepreneur and business owner is based around my family and the hardworking attitude they have instilled in me. I always knew growing up that I was a leader. On the soccer, field I was typically selected as captain of the teams I was on and played an active role in motivating my teammates. Playing sports growing up helped define my purpose, my passion for achievement, and helped me understand the importance of teamwork. As a young adult, I got into teaching yoga and I learned the art of communication, and got to watch how my own personal energy could affect those around me. I highly enjoyed teaching yoga but knew that I wanted to pursue further education. I went on to finish my undergraduate degree in Kinesiology at Towson University, where I worked on a research study with older adults. I really enjoyed applying my “sports-oriented” tactics to this focus group, as well as some of the relaxation techniques I learned in my yoga teacher training. This experience helped engender within myself the idea of pursuing my Doctorate in Physical Therapy (PT) after graduating from Towson.
As a military brat, I watched my parents hustle and work 60 plus hours a week to be able to provide for us. Both of them started from bare roots and had to build their careers over several years. Their sacrifice and determination allowed me to become the first doctor in our family. I knew myself that I started this path toward being a medical provider in order to help families like my own receive outstanding care from a member of their own community. These lessons helped me through my time in graduate school, where I started to personally experience the lack of minority representation in the field I was studying. I quickly realized that in order to do something that truly embodied my personal experiences and also served my community’s best interests, I would have to start my own physical therapy company. Therefore, I started Rooted Physio & Performance with my fiancé as a way to help others, while also breaking free from the traditional medical model of provider burnout, high caseloads, and ineffective care. I want to be an innovator in the wellness space and be on the side of preventative care.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The road to owning a business and becoming a doctor is wild. Some days you feel on top of the world like you are making a big change and other days you feel like you’ve taken several steps back. There was a point during my time as an undergraduate where I was having somewhat like a quarter-life crisis. I had grown up with the identity of being an athlete and pursuing a similar path in college did not end up exactly how I wanted it to be. I remember being in a state of mental anguish and I ended up taking a year away from school to clear my head and recharge. This break could have been perceived by others as a failure, but for me it was a course correction that avoided breakdown and led to a breakthrough. Upon returning to school, I switched my major from Business to Kinesiology and started all of my prerequisite coursework for PT school at the age of 21. That moment led me to the space I’m in now. I look back at this moment nearly 10 years ago as a pivotal time where I could have given up but instead decided to redirect and push forward. This moment felt like a personal “re-brand” similar to how in business you can constantly recreate your vision and expand your reach. I’m grateful for that experience at such a young adult age because it has humbled me in a way that I needed at the time and also taught me the lesson of being able to adapt when things don’t go my way.
We’ve been impressed with Rooted Physio & Performance, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Rooted Physio & Performance is a mobile physical therapy, performance training, and yoga company. We specialize in helping active people get back to their favorite sport or fitness endeavor after an injury or after having given birth. We use a unique blend of manual therapy & functional exercise and treat the whole person. We also offer Pelvic Floor Rehabilitation. This is a widely unknown area of PT, but such an important thing for people to be aware of. I personally specialize in women’s health and have a passion for helping pregnant and postpartum women stay fit or return to fitness. My fiancé, Leslie Addy, is our lead personal trainer and is also a Strength Coach at the collegiate level. Our two approaches together help fit people at any point in their wellness journey. We offer in-home, individualized sessions that help you achieve your goals. We strive to be the healthcare and fitness providers that we wish we had growing up as athletes. This means we evaluate and look at the whole person and find the root of their deficits. This approach allows for a more personalized and impactful way back to a healthier you.
Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those who are just starting out?
At the beginning, there will be so many things on the to-do list. Don’t let that deter you and please reach out to ask for help when you need it. I would not be in the position I am now without asking for help from my friends and members of my community who specialize in helping small businesses. Also, be prepared to hold every job title in your organization. It sounds cliche, but it’s true. This lifestyle will push you to grow in every aspect of your personal life as well. Those who succeed at running a small business over a lifetime are those who know how to develop and nurture relationships. Looking for quick growth will only end with inauthenticity. Growth happens one day at a time, so just keep waking up every morning and getting after it.”
Contact Info:
- Email: info@rootedphysioperformance.com
- Website: www.rootedphysioperformance.com
- Instagram: @drarielross
