Entrepreneurs from around the state enjoyed a day of informational sessions and networking during the Arkansas Economic Development Commission’s 2025 Meet the Buyers event held May 20 at the DoubleTree Hotel in downtown Little Rock.
The conference’s morning was full of sessions about marketing tips, business growth and how to do business with the state, and time to network with buyers from public and private sector organizations.
Buyers included Clinton National Airport, City of Little Rock, Little Rock Water Reclamation Authority and Central Arkansas Water.
After lunch, about 120 attendees listened to a keynote speech from Dr. LaTeasha Gaither-Davis, the CEO and founder of Therapeutic Focus, an outpatient pediatric therapy clinic in West Memphis.
She offered words of encouragement to her fellow entrepreneurs in the room, many of whom, she found out by a show of hands, had been working at their businesses for over five years.
“I know this took much more than an idea,” she said. “I know you’ve been pushing through even when the blueprint got blurry.”
Davis said every entrepreneur needs a “why” for what they do, and her “why” is children who cannot access the therapy care they need because of where they live. Davis herself grew up not being able to speak for the first three years of her life. It was very difficult for her family to find the therapy care she needed to be able to speak.
After completing a bachelor’s and master’s at the University of Central Arkansas, she moved to San Diego. When she returned to Arkansas to visit, people would share with her how they felt there was such a need for her therapeutic services in West Memphis. She finally decided to move back and start a clinic there.
“My start, it definitely wasn’t flashy, but it was faithful,” Gaither-Davis said.
Her practice has grown to over 30 people serving over 500 children, which she said she used to be unable to imagine, until she recognized her three main superpowers.
The first superpower is resourcefulness. Gaither-Davis has seized many opportunities to support entrepreneurs, including the Venture Center and the 10,000 Small Businesses group through Goldman Sachs.
She said she’s been a part of 15 programs but has applied to many more than that.
“I got the right ones,” she said.
Her second superpower is a “judicious yes.” She told the crowd that it’s important to learn not to say yes to everything and keep busy all the time, but to weigh options and think about a decision before making it.
Third, she said she’s always learning. Gaither-Davis said she always knew the why of her business but had to teach herself the how. Last August, she graduated with a doctorate in leadership so that she could learn to lead her practice better.
“It’s been a very, very, very long road,” she said.
She closed her presentation by inviting people at the tables to share their superpowers with one another and then with the room. People gave answers such as resilience, adaptability, interpersonal skills and tenacity.
The day continued after Gaither-Davis’ presentation with two additional workshops highlighting how to unlock state resources and capital for businesses.
Photo above: LaTeasha Gaither-Davis delivers the keynote address at the 2025 AEDC Meet the Buyers event. (Photo courtesy of AEDC)
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