The Career Curveball That Turned a Small PT Clinic Into a Market Leader

Dan Rootenberg’s career changed course not because of a big win—but because a dream fell apart. On track for a professional baseball career, the 1994 MLB strike ended his dreams in an instant and forced him to rethink his future.When another student no-showed on the first day of PT school, a last-minute acceptance led Dan to find his footing in physical therapy.With just $6000, he co-founded Spear Physical Therapy in 1999 in a rented room inside a gym with the belief that clinical excellence and five-star service should go hand in hand for patients and staff alike.That people-first philosophy fueled their growth, from data-driven hiring and leadership development to bold pandemic decisions like signing new leases, refusing layoffs, and cutting executive pay to zero. After COVID, these decisions helped Spear emerge as the clear market leader in NYC.Dan shares how his leadership evolved from hustle to clarity, why a CEO’s real job is being a “sense maker,” and what it takes to build a culture strong enough to scale and survive.GUESTDan RootenbergCo-Founder & CEO, Spear Physical TherapyDan Rootenberg is the CEO of Spear, the only two-time National Practice of the Year award winner. Dan co-founded Spear in 1999, working out of a small treatment room in midtown Manhattan. He had a singular vision for combining clinical excellence with a five-star customer service experience. Spear has since grown to 77 locations throughout NYC, Westchester, Long Island, New Jersey and CT, employing over 1100 people currently and is continuing to expand further.Connect with Dan Rootenberg on LinkedInLearn more about Spear Physical TherapySarina RichardChief Strategy Officer, Raintree SystemsSarina Richard has spent twenty years as a Healthcare Technology Executive across the healthcare continuum, from operator to service provider to financier. At Raintree, Sarina oversees corporate strategic planning and leads cross-departmental initiatives to build best-in-class teams, systems, and processes.  Connect with Sarina Richard on LinkedInAbout RaintreeRaintree is the rehabilitation and physical therapy software of choice for enterprise and large therapy provider organizations.Discover why Raintree is the trusted EMR and practice management platform for the largest and most ambitious rehab therapy organizations in the U.S.Request a demo of Raintree