Laken Hoover dreamed of opening a physical therapy clinic with her husband, Wesley.
When she contacted the Arkansas Tech University ASBTDC in August of 2021, the newlywed Hoovers lived in Hot Springs Village but wanted to live closer to Dardanelle, Laken’s hometown.
“Before we even started our business plan, my business consultant, Ronda Hawkins, and the ASBTDC helped to create an analysis of the feasibility of opening our particular type of business in the Russellville area,” said Laken.
“They compared competition and other data in Russellville to similar towns to see how many businesses other towns could support. This was so helpful!”
In addition to market research, the center assisted with financial analysis for the project. Hawkins also prepared the couple for the loan process.
Russellville Physical Therapy, Inc. opened in September 2022.
Laken and Wesley are both practicing physical therapists. Laken holds a doctorate in physical therapy, and Wesley is pursuing a doctorate in physical therapy. They wanted freedom to treat patients their own way.
“Our patients are at the forefront of our priorities, and we would like to have full control of how we see them, when we see them, and for how long we see them without outside pressure and metrics driving our decisions,” said Laken.
Russellville Physical Therapy offers personalized exercises, manual therapy, and other techniques to improve flexibility and strength and to alleviate pain and balance problems. The clinic is located at 1703 W. Main St. in Russellville.
To learn more, visit the Russellville PT website.
