Key Points:
• Dunwoody’s Lauren Sok was named the Greater Perimeter Chamber’s Woman of Distinction.
• Monica Kaufman Pearson shared leadership advice before interviewing Sok for her leadership lessons.
The Greater Perimeter Chamber named Dunwoody businesswoman Lauren Sok as its Woman of Distinction for 2025 on Oct. 22.
Sok, the owner of Functionize Health & Physical Therapy, was one of 15 nominees from Dunwoody and Sandy Springs.
Other finalists for the award were Natalie DeLancey (honorable mention) of the City Springs Theatre Company, Jan Paul (second runner-up), a community activist, and Katie Prellwitz (first runner-up), of Leverage Communications.
Monica Kaufman Pearson was the signature speaker and shared leadership advice. She interviewed Sok for the audience at Sinclair Atlanta, an event venue in The Prado in Sandy Springs.
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Sok said she wanted to be a physical therapist since the age of 12. To continue her mission, Sok said she needed to find other physical therapists who shared her passion, and she felt the need to give back to the community.
Success and creating an impact came with sharing the idea of abundance and collaborating even with her competitors.
“It’s been 10 years since I opened and it’s been 10 years of believing in myself and struggling to, you know, keep pushing forward with what is true to my heart.”
Sok told Kaufman Pearson she had to learn to narrow down the core values for her company, and then hire the right people based on those core values.
“I think early in my career, I was trying to change so many things and see what was the magic thing that was going to take my business to the next level,” Sok said. “And now I’ve just kind of done all my choices, kept in what feels, you know, personal and mission-driven to me, and not trying to chase what people tell me I should be doing, or the services that I should be offering.”
Sok began her business as a side hustle, training clients at their homes. As the business grew, Sok said she knew she needed a brick-and-mortar location. A commercial real estate firm took a chance on her, despite Sok not having a business plan.
Some of the female friends with whom she discussed her business questioned whether she had the energy and time for the business, given the fact that she was raising three children. But while talking to some of her male friends, she got the message that if she really wanted her own business, she should go for it.
Her first location was in Decatur. When she moved to Dunwoody, she wanted to work in her own community and leased space at 5054 Nandina Lane.
Sok described the work of a physical therapist as being like a partner and holding the client’s hand as part of his or her journey, and working with the client to build resiliency.
She told Kaufman Pearson that she’s learned to navigate the ever-changing challenges of a business owner, pivoting when people have different needs.
Woman of Distinction Nominees
- Bari S. Holmes, founder and solution creator, Pivotal PMG
- Debbie Emery, co-founder/CSO, Juvo Jobs
- Barbara J. Johnson, dean, Perimeter College at Georgia State University
- Dr. Mojgan Zare, CEO, Georgia Harm Reduction Coalition
- Emily Ritzler, southeast regional planning lead/SVP, WSP in the US
- Gloriaellis (Gloria) Mattei, owner, Nothing Bundt Cakes, Alpharetta-Milton/Buckhead/Sandy Springs
- Jan Paul, community activist, retired
- Jill Post, owner/aesthetician, Face Haven
- Julie-Ann Reid, property manager of Ravinia Property Owners Association, Hines
- Katie Prellwitz, founder and CEO, Leverage Communications
- Lauren Marlow, CEO, Speechworks
- Lauren Sok, founder, Functionize Health & Physical Therapy
- Lauren Adams, commercial sales manager, Certapro Painters of Dunwoody
- Leandra Mabry, group sales manager, Atlanta Marriott Perimeter Center
- Natalie DeLancey, executive director, City Springs Theatre Company
