Nekita Sullivan ’96
Sullivan overcomes obstacles to succeed as a therapeutic entrepreneur
As a three-sport high school athlete and healthy lifestyle advocate, Nekita Sullivan knew from a young age that she wanted to pursue a career that combined her passion for sports and wellness.
“My mom introduced me to the idea of becoming a physical therapist when I was a junior in high school,” Sullivan says. “I applied to Clemson University and enrolled in the Department of Public Health Sciences and never looked back.”
After graduating from the Division of Physical Therapy at the Medical University of South Carolina, Sullivan began her career as an outpatient physical therapist at AnMed/VBS Rehabilitative Services in the Upstate. Next, she moved to an industrial physical therapist role with Spartanburg Regional Healthcare System’s occupational health department at the local BMW plant, where she ensured production and professional employees stayed safe and healthy on the job.
After years in various health care settings, Sullivan, an entrepreneur in the making, decided it was time to try her hand at business ownership.
In deciding which direction to take her business, Sullivan remembered her time as an undergraduate student at Clemson and how few salon options existed for students of color. This vivid memory inspired her to open Butterfly Eco Beauty Bar, a multiethnic salon, in 2020. Three weeks later, COVID-19 shut her down.
“I was heartbroken to close my first business, but I was not ready to give up,” Sullivan says. “Instead, I decided to pivot.”
Drawing from her education and professional experience — and identifying a need for safe health and wellness services during a worldwide pandemic — Sullivan launched Yoga Therapy Bar to provide targeted, holistic physical and mental health services to the Clemson community.
“Business ownership has been one of the most challenging and rewarding experiences of my life,” Sullivan says. “I have met obstacles at every turn, but my passion for my patients — and improving their quality of life — remains steady.”
Yoga Therapy Bar, located on Earle Street in downtown Clemson, offers targeted services in physical therapy, therapeutic yoga, clinical Pilates and corporate wellness. Sullivan equates her practice to prescription medicine versus over-the-counter medicine. She prescribes treatments tailored to patients’ specific needs, and no two sessions are the same.
As she looks to the future — one where telehealth is becoming common practice — Sullivan acknowledges she is at another crossroads as a business owner. She’s deciding whether to continue services in a brick-and-mortar location or move online.
“Change is inevitable, and I have no choice but to adapt,” Sullivan says. “But where there is need, I will follow.”
Fun Fact: Despite her bubbly personality and people-centered occupation, Sullivan is an extreme introvert.
