Today’s Notable Young Professional is sports medicine expert Dr. Sapna Sriram, whose expertise ranges from fitness to chiropractic. We caught up with her to find out what inspired her career and what advice she would share with other young professionals looking to break into the industry…
WORK
1. Describe what you do in less than 140 characters. Go.
I am a chiropractor, acupuncturist and sports medicine expert specializing in sports rehabilitation.
2. What was the inspiration for your career route?
The initial inspiration for my career route started at a young age when I knew that I wanted to grow up and make an impact in the world. I wanted to help people and enjoyed being hands on, so my love of sports and athletic training led me to pursue chiropractic.
3. What is the most memorable milestone in your career so far?
My most memorable milestone in my career happened recently when I had the incredible opportunity to work as part of the Medical Team for the Pan Am Games here in our host city of Toronto. Getting to work with talented athletes and alongside some of the nation’s best medical practitioners was a great opportunity that I will never forget!
4. Where do you see yourself in 5 years, 10 years, 20 years?
My future includes building my Dr. Sapna brand and continuing to educate those on sports medicine and rehabilitation through my practice, seminars, and in the media. I believe there is a strong need for women in sport and I will continue to expand my reach in the sports world and break down barriers in professional sports by one day being the first female chiropractor to work with a professional sporting team.
5. Do you have any advice for other young professionals?
I have two cardinal rules for any young professional/entrepreneur:
Follow your passion. When you do what you love, you never work a day in your life. Being passionate about your career leads to greater success.
Keep learning. Learning never stops in my industry. There is always new information and research coming my way and you have to keep yourself informed to stay at the top of your game.
6. Do you support any charities? If so, which one(s) and why is it (or they) important to you?
I strongly support The Team Up Foundation initiatives and the charities they partner with. This is the charitable arm of the Toronto Raptors Basketball Club. They are committed to assisting Ontario’s registered charities that support programs and sports initiatives for at-risk children and youth.
7. What is one major challenge that you’ve had to overcome in your career? How did you overcome it?
Finding a balance between motherhood and career can have challenging moments and as women we are expected to do it all and make sure everyone else is happy. I’ve learned that saying “no” is ok and you don’t have to take on too many things. Life is about balance.
8. What does the word notable mean to you?
Being notable means pushing boundaries, overcoming obstacles and becoming a game changer!
PLAY
1. Where is your favourite place to wine/ dine in your city and why?
I’m a fan of good wine and Italian fare. One of my favorite places to dine is Gusto 101.
2. What’s the most visited website on your Internet browser? The most played song on your phone?
My most visited websites are anything sports related and a couple baby blogs. The most played song on my phone at the moment is “Cheerleader” by OMI.
3. Who’s one person you think everyone should be following on social media?
Michelle Obama is definitely someone that everyone should be following on social media. Her love of family, community and important causes makes her a great inspirational leader that we can all learn from.
4. What’s your favourite country to visit and why? And what’s the next one you plan on travelling to?
Italy, Italy, Italy! The food, the wine, the shopping and the sights…you can’t go wrong with a trip to Italy. On my bucket list are: Greece, Turkey and Egypt.
5. What gives you the greatest FOMO?
I have a hard time saying no out of fear that another great opportunity may not arise. Time management is tricky when you have a busy career and a family. I’m always sacrificing and giving up something either on the work side or the mom side, but you have to make tough choices and trust what you’re doing is what’s best for your family.
6. What’s your guiltiest pleasure?
Chocolate ice cream with strawberries (frozen yogurt is a close second)
7. What’s something you wish you didn’t spend so much money on? What’s something you wish you spent more on?
I always dreamt about a fairy-tale Cinderella wedding and I am grateful I had such a picture perfect day, but now that I have a toddler in a condo, perhaps in retrospect that money could have gone towards a down payment for a bigger house.
8. And finally, what does success look like to you? Work, play, or otherwise…
Success to me is living purposefully. I’m honoured to have a platform where I can share my knowledge and see the ripple effect it can have. I feel very fortunate to be in the position to make a positive impact in someone’s life by maximizing their mobility and enhancing their performance!