In this episode of Home Care Hindsight, host David Knack sits down with Emily Isbell, founder of EI and Company, to discuss her impressive journey from caregiver at 19 to a successful home care consultant and bestselling author.

They delve into Emily's early career, the evolution of her business, and the release of her book, 'The 24/7 Solution.' Emily shares valuable insights on correcting mistakes, the importance of consistently executing strategies, and the necessity of looking for talent within your existing workforce. They also explore the challenges of maintaining emotional maturity in a high-stakes industry like home care.

Lesson Takeaways:

1. When mistakes happen, own them, apologize, and work to make things right rather than focusing on defending your actions.
2. Stick to your systems and execute consistently, even when challenges arise. This is essential for long-term success.
3. Look for leadership potential in your caregivers. With the right mentorship, they can become powerful contributors to your business.
4. Base your decisions on hard data, not emotional reactions, to ensure sustainable growth and success.

Timestamps:

[00:00:00] Introduction to Emily Isbell and her home care journey
[00:04:29] Emily’s "What if?" career: Owning a gym for competitive gymnastics
[00:07:34] The cigarette mistake: A cringe-worthy moment from Emily’s caregiving days
[00:13:00] Emily’s key takeaway: "It’s about making right, not being right"
[00:16:37] The importance of consistent execution in the home care industry
[00:25:00] Promoting from within: Emily’s philosophy on caregiver development
[00:34:31] Big vs. small mistakes: Thinking like an owner, not a manager
[00:40:41] Emily’s win of the week: Growing client businesses by 60% in six months

Quotes

1. Emily Isbell: "It’s not about being right; it’s about making right. That’s how you build trust in this industry."
2. David Knack: "An urgent problem in home care is also an important one, which makes it crucial to respond with emotional maturity."
3. Emily Isbell: "I would not be here today if someone hadn’t believed in promoting caregivers from within."
4. Emily Isbell: "Data over dopamine—that’s how we keep the business growing without being reactive to every little challenge."

Resources

1. Emily Isbell on LinkedIn
2. Emily's Book: The 24/7 Solution: Proven Strategies for Home Care Business Leaders
3. EI and Company: Consulting firm specializing in home care operations and growth strategies
4. EI and Company on LinkedIn
5. Ava
6. Ava on LinkedIn
7. Connect with David Knack on LinkedIn
8. Subscribe to Ava on YouTube

In this episode of Home Care Hindsight, host David Knack interviews Rachel Gartner, founder and CEO of Carework. They discuss Rachel's life in rural South Georgia as an Army wife and mother, her passion for hiring military spouses, and the unique challenges in the home care recruitment industry.

Rachel shares insights on building effective systems for employee recognition, managing rapid company growth, and the importance of maintaining a caregiver-first mindset. They explore the difficulties of balancing recruitment intentions with execution and the significance of analyzing recruitment metrics.

The episode concludes with Rachel's thoughts on overrated and underrated recruitment strategies, the benefits of a strong referral program, and simplifying the hiring process.

Lesson Takeaways:

1. Scaling employee recognition requires both intention and properly built systems to ensure no one falls through the cracks.
2. Having a defined and consistent recruiting process is more effective than constantly chasing flashy new recruiting strategies.
3. Owners and leaders need to be mindful of their language and attitudes about caregivers, as it sets the tone for the entire organization.
4. Referral programs are a highly effective yet often underutilized source of quality candidates and should be funded appropriately based on cost-per-hire metrics.

Timestamps:

[00:01:03] Introduction to Rachel Gartner’s mission as a military spouse through Carework

[00:07:21] A lesson from Rachel’s dad and her big mistake realized after reading employee feedback

[00:14:00] Discussing how Rachel built a system to acknowledge every caregiver’s hard work and spotting company problems through surveys

[00:23:00] Overrated vs. Underrated: Rachel’s take about how to improve recruiting strategies

[00:29:08] How complaining about caregivers influence a whole team and Carework’s newest case study

[00:35:13] Home Care Hot Take: Rachel’s valuable knowledge about hiring caregiver candidates

Quotes

1. Rachel Gartner: " When I do fail or make a big mistake, I go, well, you know what? At least I know I'm trying really hard."
2. David Knack: "Our best caregivers never get to hear from us because we know we can rely on them and they're out of sight, out of mind. "
3. Rachel Gartner: " I will challenge people on bad practices. But there's so much doom and gloom out there that actually is really not helpful for agencies that want to grow. That I try to be very clear of like, it is possible and it can work and it can be really fun and rewarding."

Resources:

1. Carework on LinkedIn
2. Sign in to Carework
3. Case Study about a 25% Cut of Caregiver Turnover
4. Ava
5. Ava on LinkedIn
6. Connect with David Knack on LinkedIn
7. Subscribe to Ava on YouTube

In this episode of Home Care Hindsight, host David Knack sits down with Julio Briones, CEO of The Briones Group Consulting, to explore his unique journey in the home care industry. From his start in home care at the tender age of 15 to becoming a well-respected consultant, Julio shares valuable lessons learned along the way.

The conversation takes a deep dive into the challenges of hiring, the myth of the caregiver shortage, and the importance of proper legal documentation. Julio’s story is a mix of humor, hard-won wisdom, and a surprising love for karaoke.

This episode is a must-listen for anyone in the home care industry looking to avoid common pitfalls and find innovative solutions to their staffing challenges.

Lesson Takeaways:

1. Always invest in having your service agreements professionally reviewed to protect your intellectual property and avoid costly mistakes.
2. Relying on one client or one type of service can be risky. Explore additional verticals to ensure business stability.
3. Whether it’s with clients or caregivers, nurturing relationships is crucial for business growth and employee retention.
4. Make quick decisions based on measurable outcomes and don’t be afraid to cut losses when necessary.

Timestamps:

[00:00:00] Getting to know Julio and his career in home care.

[00:01:50] Julio's perspective on hiring stay-at-home moms for flexible roles.

[00:06:32] Discussing Julio's biggest mistake in consulting and the lessons learned.

[00:12:00] The importance of proper legal documentation in business.

[00:17:21] Overrated vs. Underrated: Julio’s take on the caregiver shortage myth.

[00:30:30] The art of failing quickly: why making quick decisions can save your business.

[00:38:40] Julio’s latest business ventures and what excites him about the future.

Quotes

1. Julio Briones: "The best lessons that we learn in life and what creates true wisdom are usually the most painful and most expensive for us to learn."
2. David Knack: "Learning's always expensive."
3. Julio Briones: "There’s no shortage of caregivers; there’s a shortage of agencies that know how to retain them."

Resources:

1. Home Care Owners Corner on YouTube
2. The Briones Group Consulting
3. Ava
4. Ava on LinkedIn
5. Connect with David Knack on LinkedIn
6. Subscribe to Ava on YouTube