EEE Professor’s Sprout Therapy Group Recognized with Multiple Awards

You might not guess that Professor of Entrepreneurial Practice John Torrens graduated from Syracuse University with a master’s degree in speech therapy. But he did, and Torrens has used that background, along with an interest in pursuing business opportunities, to create and invest in multiple companies over the years. He is an example of how entrepreneurship and innovation can come about through many interests.  

Torrens’ current company, Sprout Therapy Group, is thriving and was recently recognized with a ’CUSE50 alumni entrepreneur award honoring the 50 fastest growing businesses owned or led by Syracuse University alumni, and with the Inc. 5000 entrepreneur designation in both 2023 and 2024, honoring the 5,000 fastest growing companies in the U.S. “that are capable of running consistently successful businesses poised for future growth.” 

As a speech-language pathologist, Torrens started his career as a solo practitioner in 1994, then founded InterActive Therapy Group in 1995. The entrepreneur in him saw opportunity, as there was a large demographic of inner-city children in need of various therapies. So Torrens built a reputation for his willingness to provide services in underserved communities. By 2008, he had more than 200 employees and about $12 million in revenue when he sold the company. 

Around the same time, he reached out to the Whitman School’s Department of Entrepreneurship and Emerging Enterprises (EEE) about organizing a teen entrepreneurship bootcamp for children of members of his local Young President’s Organization (YPO).  He connected with Mike Haynie, then a member of the EEE faculty, to collaborate on the event. Through their conversation, Torrens mentioned that he had earned a Ph.D. in business, and Haynie convinced him to join the Whitman School as an adjunct instructor teaching EEE 457: Strategic and Entrepreneurial Management.   

“Mike is the reason I am here,” Torrens says of Haynie, who is currently vice chancellor at Syracuse and the executive dean of the Whitman School. “I loved teaching and enjoyed the creativity and energy of the students. It made me work to become a better teacher. A few years later, I took a full-time position at Whitman, and it has been an exciting career for me.” 

Although he has been teaching at Whitman for the last 16 years, that has not stopped him from being a practicing entrepreneur. In 2011, he had the opportunity to buy back his original company. He took on a partner so he could continue teaching and, by 2018, the company had expanded to $20 million in revenue through organic growth and a series of small acquisitions. Torrens left the company at the end of 2018 and took a more active role in a few of the new ventures in which he was an early-stage investor.  When his non-compete was up, he acquired a former competitor, then merged with another larger competitor to form what is now Sprout Therapy Group, where he serves as president and executive director. Torrens relies on his business partner and chief operating officer to handle the day-to-day responsibilities, allowing him to focus on strategy and mergers and acquisitions (M&A), as well as full-time teaching and other responsibilities at the Whitman School. 

“I have always had an interest in areas of health and wellness, as is evident in my background, but in the big picture I’m an entrepreneur at heart,” he says. “I’ve been fortunate that I can pull those interests together and expand upon them through Sprout Therapy Group. I’m proud of the success the business has had and am excited to continue to see it grow.” 

“I’m very grateful for the awards the company has received, but the best part is showing my students that becoming a successful entrepreneur is something that you can merge with your other passions,” adds Torrens, who is now the EEE deputy department chair and program director for Whitman’s master’s of entrepreneurship program. “I enjoy what I do both in the classroom and in the business world and am grateful that I get to blend the two. As for my career at the Whitman School, as long as I’m providing value and able to keep it up, I can’t imagine doing anything else.” 

By Caroline K. Reff