My mom hates that I go by the name ‘Sue’. My entire family calls me Susan. And like everyone else, when I was really in trouble, it was first and middle name. I was Susan Ann. Naming a child has to be one of the hardest things a parent does. You will have to say that name tens of thousands of times, and all of its variations, for the rest of your life! You better make sure you like that name.
Naming a company my not be the same as naming a child, but in a way, it is still that business owners “baby”. Something that they will nurture and grow, and will consume their every day. What was I going to name my business? Something that defines me, what I am about, and yet doesn’t limit me to one category. I have always wanted to be “all three professions”…physical therapist, athletic trainer and strength coach. Until I met Mark Verstegen, I thought I was going to have to choose one. Mark provided me an avenue where I didn’t have to choose. I could not only be all three professions, but I could blend them in a unique way that could change the landscape of our healthcare system for athletes.

I have always loved studying the anatomy of the human body. Seeing how it all fit together was like the most interesting jigsaw puzzle I had ever seen. I was, and remain, captivated by anatomy. And then to learn not only how it fit together, but how it actually worked together? Well, that was totally mind blowing, and still is. How do all of the ‘parts’ fit together as a ‘whole’? How does the shape of our bodies, the suppleness of our muscles, and the congruency of our joints dictate our movements? How does our structure dictate our function, and how does our function dictate our structure? Structure and function are so intertwined they cannot be separated. Structure and Function. SAF. Sounds familiar.

I have always been fascinated by symbols. They are all around us in every aspect of life. Those of you who know me, know that I have….let’s say several….tattoos. More than I would like to put a number to, since my mom is most likely reading this. Tattoos can be very symbolic, and the things I have tattooed on me are very meaningful, very symbolic, to me. So I am always looking at symbols, what they mean and usually (sorry Mom!) how they can be incorporated into my next tattoo.

I came across the & symbol. The & symbol is called an ampersand. I read somewhere that the ampersand is a broken infinity sign, meaning that everything comes to an end….but there is always an ‘and’, so nothing truly ends. How perfect for where I am in my career right now. Nothing is ending. It is changing, it is progressing and it is evolving. My life right now is an &.
Susan Ann Falsone. Structure and Function. SAF. S&F. This feels good.