Care CEO Success Stories Podcast

Activities in care homes have traditionally been viewed as an added extra – something to enhance residents' days alongside the 'real' work of care. But according to Johann van Zyl, co-founder of specialist dementia nursing home provider Fortava Healthcare, that mindset is outdated.

Johann brings a wealth of leadership experience to Fortava Healthcare, having founded Cornerstone Healthcare in 2018 and previously served as CEO of specialist care provider PJ Care. Since launching in June 2025, Fortava has grown from two homes to five.

Making a return appearance on the latest episode of the Care CEO Success Stories podcast, host Adam James of Springup PR talks with Johann about why activity programmes should sit at the very heart of dementia care delivery.

At Fortava, activities are no longer viewed as a standalone department. Instead, they are embedded into the overall care model, with specialist expertise helping to shape programmes that support residents' wellbeing, cognition, and quality of life.

In this episode, Johann shares insights on how a more therapeutic, data-driven approach is helping Fortava improve outcomes for residents while supporting the rapid growth of the business, including:

• Why activities need to be based on cognitive stimulation therapy rather than occasional entertainment.
• Fortava has introduced a 'Therapeutic Outcome Lead' role to strengthen this approach and ensure activities are evidence-based.
• Fortava has developed its own platform, Fortava Living, which tracks resident engagement alongside key wellbeing indicators. Data is collected on activities, sleep, nutrition, weight changes and falls. The information helps teams identify what is having a positive impact on residents.
• Technology should support better decision-making rather than replace human interaction, helping providers build a clearer picture of each resident's needs and responses.
• One of Johann's strongest messages is around changing the language used in dementia care. "We make a mistake when we say residents with dementia are challenging. They're not challenging, we just don't understand them."
• Behaviour is often a form of communication. Aggression, distress or withdrawal may be linked to pain, discomfort or unmet needs. Providers should focus on understanding the cause rather than simply managing the symptoms.
• Therapeutic approaches can reduce medication use and the Fortava model is already producing measurable results. One home has achieved a 50% reduction in antipsychotic medication use.
• Technology is enabling staff to monitor residents more effectively while maintaining dignity and independence.
• These improvements demonstrate the impact meaningful engagement can have on residents' overall wellbeing, improving nutrition, sleep quality and reducing falls.
• Rather than relying solely on an activities team, Fortava encourages all staff to contribute to therapeutic outcomes.
• As dementia diagnoses continue to rise, he believes providers that place meaningful engagement at the centre of care will be best positioned to deliver both exceptional care and sustainable growth.

In this episode of the Care CEO Success Stories podcast, host Adam James of SpringupPR talks with Michael Butcher, Finance Director of Blackadder Corporation Limited, a family-run group of six care homes across the Midlands.

As a chartered accountant and self-described "data geek", Michael leads the business side of the organisation — overseeing everything from finance and HR to IT and governance — while helping shape the long-term direction of a care group built on family values and a commitment to sustainable care.

Blackadder has been operating for nearly 30 years, beginning with the purchase of its first care home in 1997.

Today, the group provides complex dementia, residential and nursing care across six homes, with 211 beds and around 275 team members.

As a second-generation family business, Michael brings a different perspective to leadership — one that is shaped not by short-term investment cycles or exit strategies, but by what the next generation will inherit and how the organisation can continue serving communities decades from now.

For Michael, that long-term thinking means asking difficult questions now — from workforce shortages and changing demographics to funding pressures and the future structure of social care.

He believes providers need to think far beyond today's operational challenges and start preparing for what care, employment and commissioning may realistically look like over the next 20, 30 and even 50 years.

At the centre of Michael's approach is the belief that care is one of the most resilient and important sectors in society — but only if providers are prepared to adapt.

From AI and workforce planning to social care funding and investment models, he shares a thoughtful and candid perspective on the challenges ahead and why care providers need to build with future generations in mind.

In this episode, Michael explains why long-term planning matters in care, what providers should be thinking about now, and the challenges and opportunities shaping the future of the sector, including:

• Why family-run providers can think differently. "We don't think about the next funding round — we think about what the next generation is going to inherit."
• The importance of planning 10, 20 and 50 years ahead — not just reacting to this year's challenges.
• Why declining birth rates could become one of the sector's biggest long-term workforce pressures.
• How demographic change will impact care funding, staffing and service delivery over the coming decades.
• Why recruitment and retention will increasingly depend on becoming an employer people actively want to work for.
• How AI is already supporting care through reviewing care plans and identifying inconsistencies faster than manual review.
• Why technology may replace some roles — but also create new workforce opportunities for care.
• The need to position care as a professional, rewarding long-term career. "No one is ever 'just' a carer."
• How long-term thinking influences investment decisions and allows providers to make decisions others might avoid.
• Why Michael believes the traditional residential care model is changing, with more focus on complexity, specialist care and different models of support.
• The rise of more fragmented support services and why personal assistant-style care could become more common.
• The challenge of social care funding and why the system remains politically difficult to reform.
• Why the majority of society is likely to be touched by care in some form over the next 20 years — as a provider, family member or service user.
• Concerns around future sustainability in the sector and why financial scrutiny of ownership and investment models matters.
• The pressures providers are managing right now — including occupancy recovery, rising employment costs and increasing operational overheads.
• Why Michael remains deeply optimistic about care and its future. "It's an amazing sector."
• Why he encourages more people to get involved now: "No two days are the same — and almost every role in care is AI-proof."

In this episode of the Care CEO Success Stories podcast, host Adam James of SpringupPR speaks with Peter McGailey, founder and director of CPM Care, a multi-home care group and director of The Care Guys, a consultancy supporting providers with acquisitions, operations, and growth strategy across the care sector.

Peter's journey into care began in 2003, when he and his wife Claire—then a nurse—took a bold leap from careers in policing and healthcare to purchase their first care home with a 95% loan-to-value deal.

What followed was a baptism of fire, learning every aspect of the sector from compliance and staffing to cash flow and inspections, long before the era of digital systems and shared best practice.

Over time, Peter scaled from a single home to a group of four, acquiring underperforming assets, turning them around, and building a reputation for high occupancy and strong operational performance.

After years of growth, he navigated the complex and often emotional process of exiting the group—facing failed deals, difficult negotiations, and ultimately completing multiple sales across a structured exit strategy.

Now working as a consultant, Peter shares the hard-earned lessons from buying, operating, scaling, and selling care homes—offering a candid view on risk, finance, compliance, and what it really takes to build a sustainable care business in today's environment.

In this episode, Peter explains what he learned from buying and selling multiple care homes, the realities of scaling a group, and the key mistakes to avoid, including:

• How he entered the sector with a high-risk first acquisition. "We remortgaged our bungalow, used a credit card, and took a 95% loan — it was a huge leap."
• Why early success came from learning on the job. "It was a baptism of fire — there was no internet, no playbook, and no one to ask."
• Turning around struggling homes by looking beneath the surface. "On paper it looked like a compliance issue — in reality, it was lack of investment and leadership."
• How to grow through opportunistic acquisitions. "Some of the best deals were off-market and required quick, confident decisions."
• The importance of occupancy as the foundation of financial stability. "We ran at around 99% occupancy — that's what sustained the business."
• Why financial modelling must go beyond best-case scenarios. "Stress test everything — interest rates, occupancy drops, rising costs — or your model won't hold."
• The reality of shrinking margins in care. "We went from 30–35% Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, and Amortization down to 12–15% — and that's market pressure, not poor performance."
• The hidden risks that can destroy value. "A fire compliance issue can cost hundreds of thousands — and you won't always see it in due diligence."
• Navigating the emotional and practical challenges of selling. "You're not just selling a business — you're selling something you've lived and breathed for years."
• Why selling as a group didn't work — and breaking it up did. "We had interest, but low offers — selling individually created real momentum."
• The frustration of failed deals at the final stage. "We had a buyer pull out on the day of completion — after months of work."
• The importance of choosing the right lender. "Our biggest mistake was working with a bank that didn't understand care."
• Why specialist advice is essential in acquisitions. "The devil is in the detail — what looks compliant on paper can cost you massively later."
• The ethical responsibility behind financial decisions. "If a care home fails, residents suffer — this isn't just a business risk."
• What he would do differently today. "I'd only buy future-proofed homes — 30+ beds, energy efficient, and built for modern expectations."
• Why he would still do it all again. "It's challenging, but incredibly rewarding — I absolutely loved the journey."

In this episode of the Care CEO Success Stories Podcast, host Adam James of Springup PR speaks with Adam Welsh, CEO and Founder of Autograph Care Group (which operates four homes across the North-West and Yorkshire) Adam shares his practical and human approach to enquiry management in care homes.

After launching Autograph Care Group in 2019, Adam and his team navigated the same challenges many providers have faced — from COVID pressures to occupancy dips and operational strain.

But rather than focusing solely on generating more enquiries, Adam recognised a more fundamental issue: what happens after the enquiry.

Through a structured, data-led approach, the group rebuilt its entire enquiry journey — transforming occupancy from the 70% into >90%.

At the heart of Adam's philosophy is a simple but often overlooked truth: "The first phone call is the one families don't want to make." With around 80% of enquiries coming via phone, he emphasises that every interaction must be handled with empathy, patience and genuine intent to help — not rushed, transactional responses. This mindset shift reframes enquiry handling from an administrative task into a critical moment of care delivery in itself.

One of the most impactful changes has been the creation of a dedicated enquiry role — allowing the team to respond faster, listen properly, and guide families through what is often a complex and emotional decision-making process.

Combined with clear processes, simple scripts, consistent follow-up, and better use of technology, the result is a more supportive experience for families — and significantly improved commercial outcomes.

In this episode, Adam shares how care home providers can rethink enquiry management as both a human and operational system — and why getting this right can transform both occupancy and reputation including:

• Why "the phone call you don't want to make" should shape your entire enquiry approach.
• How mapping the full enquiry journey — from Google search to move-in — creates clarity and control.
• The hidden cost of missed calls, rushed conversations, and inconsistent responses.
• Why most enquiry handling fails not because of people — but because teams lack the tools and training.
• How introducing simple scripts and templates can "make it easy to deliver a great conversation".
• The impact of creating a dedicated enquiry role to remove competing priorities.
• How faster response times and structured follow-up dramatically improve conversion.
• Why "you're not bothering people — they've asked for help" reframes the follow-up mindset.
• The importance of ongoing, value-led follow-up — from newsletters to personalised check-ins.
• How tailoring communication based on family needs builds trust and long-term engagement.
• Why preparation and personalisation during show-arounds can make or break decisions.
• The role of measurement and data in driving continuous improvement.
• A powerful lesson: "Don't assume things are happening — verify and structure the process".
• How better enquiry handling alone helped drive occupancy from ~80% to over 90%

In this episode of the Care CEO Success Stories podcast, Adam James of Springup PR talks with Nitesh Somani, founder and CEO of Kara Healthcare, which run 13 homes with 700 employees With over 13 years' experience in care, Nitesh has overseen an 18-month period of accelerated growth — including the acquisition and turnaround of eight homes in a single year, six of which were rescued from administration. For Nitesh, success isn't measured purely in numbers — it's defined by purpose, people, and progress, and the belief that culture cannot be imposed; it must be inspired.

This conviction led to the creation of the Kara Training Academy, an initiative designed to empower every member of staff through skill development and shared belief. The Kara Training Academy goes beyond mandatory care training to embed a culture of optimism, empowerment, and commercial understanding because Nitesh believes that care quality and financial performance are inseparable — "two sides of the same coin." In this episode, Nitesh explains how he created this training academy, the benefits it could have to your care provider and what he has learned along the way, including:

• How eight homes were acquired and turned around in just one year.
• The birth of the Kara Training Academy, a bold initiative built around culture, not compliance because, "culture isn't taught or imposed — it's inspired"
• The importance of training and belief as the foundation for performance because "when you invest in skills, you invest in confidence… and when you invest in your people, you invest in success."
• Why learning and opportunity matter more than salary because, "you don't keep people by paying them — you keep them by believing in them."
• How culture as the driver of occupancy and the most effective marketing tool is the feeling inside your homes. "When your team believes in what they do, families feel it when they walk through the door."
• Redefining what it means to succeed in care. "Success isn't just about profit — it's about purpose."
• Why training that includes everyone empowers the whole team from managers to maintenance.
• How moving from performance management to people empowerment drives perfomance and lifts the whole team.
• The importance of 'Care and Share with the CEO,' a weekly open forum for accountability and connection. "Anybody can join and hold me accountable — and we'll resolve issues within 24 hours.
• Turning contagious negativity into contagious optimism. "In care, negativity spreads — but so does optimism. Positivity creates progress.
• How quality drives trust, and trust drives financial health. "Excellent care leads to trust. Trust drives occupancy. Occupancy sustains financial health.
• Learning from high-performing staff and outside experts alike. "A great housekeeper trains others — and we also bring in external expertise.
• How belief and consistency power Kara's turnaround success. "With courage and consistency, the impossible becomes inevitable.
• The single idea that guides every decision is, "People forget what you said or did — but never how you made them feel.
• Why every provider should invest in training and belief. "Don't be afraid — the return on investment in training is always greater than the cost.

In this episode of the Care CEO Success Stories podcast, host Adam James of Springup PR talks with Dr. Bikram Choudary, Managing Director of Silvercrest Care Homes, who operate five care homes across South Wales.

His journey into the care sector is rooted in his family, as his parents established the first purpose-built care home in the Rhondda Valleys, which remains part of the Silvercrest group today.

While his family built the foundation, Dr. Choudary forged a career as a GP with a specialist interest in cardiology, having studied medicine and trained in cardiac surgery before returning to South Wales.

He initially took over the running of the first home, navigating a steep learning curve and admitting to "plenty of mistakes" in the process.

His hands-on experience quickly led to a period of rapid expansion for the group.

Between 2016 and 2018, Dr. Choudary grew the company from a single home to five, including taking on distressed homes that required turnarounds.

This quick expansion and the increasing demands of managing a five-home group, combined with his ongoing commitment as a full-time GP, made it clear a new operational model was necessary.

Recognizing he was "quite time limited," Dr. Choudary made the strategic decision to centraliseSilvercrest's operations, moving from a system of reliance on home managers and outside support to building a dedicated, in-house head office structure.

In this episode, Bikram shares what he learned through this process including:

• The Origins of Silvercrest Care Homes, and how Dr. Choudary's parents built the first home.
• The doctor-CEO balancing act and how Dr. Choudary juggles his career as a full-time GP and his role as CEO of five care homes.
• Rapid expansion in care, the "steep learning curve" and mistakes made when growing from 1 to 5 care homes in a short space of time.
• The key drivers for centralising operations to "improve oversight and clinical governance,"
• How he built his central support team—starting with an operations director and a finance lead—to now a staff of 8 or 9 people.
• An honest look at the risks of promotion from within, where you "can promote to failure" and potentially lose a good staff member.
• How bringing services like HR, maintenance, and compliance in-house led to "efficiency savings" and the successful, cost-effective refit of a whole kitchen.
• An "eye opening experience" about a poor operations director, stressing that "you won't know until you ask the question" of staff lower down in the organisation.
• Why Dr. Choudary became quicker to act on performance issues, recognising that "if someone's blaming someone else, that's a... red flag."
• Why the ethos in your home and culture is driven from the top. "If you're saying this person's a problem, you've got to take responsibility as manager for that problem."
• Why blaming external factors is "not helpful" because you are "disempowering yourself to make any changes."
• Why "you can't get good compliance and good quality care unless you got consistency of management."
• The recruitment process, and why "they can answer the questions, but they can't actually do the job."
• When an operator should consider central support, suggesting that for someone with another role, "about three homes I would have thought would be a time."
• The crucial lesson from an earlier manager struggle when Dr. Choudary "wasn't quick enough to act at that time," but when he did, "things changed around quite quickly."

In this episode of the Care CEO Success Stories podcast, host Adam James of Springup PR talks with Harry Surdhar, co-founder of three nursing and dementia care homes, a journey he began in 2001.

His career in the care sector spans over 24 years, and is currently in the process of building a fourth care home.

Harry's unique approach to his business is centred on the belief that a successful care home is built on a foundation of compassionate, well-trained staff, and that a strong internal culture is the key to longevity and reputation.

He prioritises quality of care above all else, seeing profit as a natural consequence of exceptional service rather than the primary goal.

Harry is a strong advocate for recruiting individuals at a junior level and nurturing their potential through a process of organic growth.

He doesn't prioritise academic qualifications but instead looks for core human qualities like caring, compassion, and empathy. His belief is that the necessary skills can be taught, but a person's fundamental character is what truly makes them an asset.

Harry views his role as a leader who serves his people, providing them with the tools and support they need to succeed.

This ethos has resulted in remarkable staff retention, with some of his managers being with the company for a significant portion of his 24-year tenure with one 73-year-old former manager who is still with the company, now serving as an internal auditor.

In this episode, Harry shares the secrets to hiring and retaining care home managers based on his long journey in care and years of experience including:

• Why his recruitment process doesn't prioritize "any to higher academic qualifications," focusing instead on "what the person has from a human perspective."
• How he identifies potential in employees and fosters "organic growth," ensuring they understand the business from the ground up.
• The philosophy that his "core responsibility is to serve my people," acting as their leaderto help them grow.
• The "very, very successful part of business" is recruiting from a junior level and developing staff internally.
• Why "there is no substitute to what I call practical experience," and how he uses conversations, not formal interviews, to gauge a candidate's humanity.
• The reason he's "not really interested at that stage in the person's care experiences," and is more interested in them "as a human."
• Why he invests in his team, paying for qualifications to "ensure that we get the best" by investing in them.
• The story of his first manager, now 73 and still with the company, who was "willing to continue" and was transitioned into a new role as an "internal auditor."
• How weekly meetings with his managers serve to "empower them" and ensure they have the "necessary tools to ensure that what to expect from them that they can deliver."
• Why he values being "democratic" and "willing to listen and adapt to ideas" from his team.
• How his business strategy "never relied on just the first level of managers," and why he trains people to pass on leadership qualities to those below them.
• His perspective that "if somebody hasn't made a mistake, I think they haven't got something right either."
• The mistakes he made early on by bringing "co-founders on board who I felt were simply there for one reason, which was profit."
• Why the "profit revenue takes care of itself" if you don't compromise on service or product.
• The conviction that the "success of this business is not how many percentage of profits you make," but is "based on your reputation," which is built on your people.

Amar Marjara is the CEO of Peterborough Care, a family-run care group operating five care homes in and around Peterborough.

His journey in care began in 1999 when he stepped into the business founded by his mother, Sumeet Marjara, a former NHS nurse and one of the early pioneers of private elderly care. Inspired by her ethos and commitment, Amar has carried that legacy forward, evolving the company while staying true to its values.

Under Amar's leadership, Peterborough Care has achieved exceptional staff retention, with his shortest-serving manager having been with the company for ten years, and many team members beginning their careers as domestic assistants before progressing to leadership roles.

His approach centres on nurturing staff who genuinely care about older people, believing that everything else can be taught. But empathy must come from within.

Amar maintains a hands-on leadership style, often working directly in the homes and mentoring managers and frontline staff.

He strongly believes in presence, listening, and mutual respect as the backbone of strong care delivery and has minimised recruitment agency use to just 0.2%.

He remains personally involved in recruitment and induction processes, ensuring new team members align with the care home's ethos, and in this episode, Amar discusses what he has learned about recruitment including:

• Why empathy is non-negotiable, because, "you can teach someone to be competent. You can't teach them to care."
• The importance of consistency in care teams as "without the people that deliver the care, we can't set out to do what we want to do."
• How Amar has achieved exceptional retention metrics with his shortest serving manager having been with the company for ten years.
• How Amar has minimised recruitment agency use to 0.2%.
• How Amar, "hires for heart, not just skill," and the importance of meeting candidates face to face.
• Developing talent from within with three managers having started as domestic assistants, and one now running an Outstanding-rated home.
• Empowering managers while remaining accessible, giving them, "complete autonomy—but they know they can call me anytime. And they do. Daily."
• Why, "being present isn't a formula. But it gives people reassurance, and that's everything."
• Creating emotional safety through not treating questions as annoyances because, "you're dealing with people's lives."
• Onboarding that embeds culture through, "passing on our ethos and philosophy."
• The impact of pay incentives and why ethos and philosophy matter more.
• Creating loyalty beyond pay because, "there are probably better paid jobs out there. But our managers aren't looking."
• Mentoring through listening and developing a culture where leaders care about their teams, not just manage them.
• Creating a culture of challenge and feedback because, "some of our best systems came from being challenged by our own team."

In this episode of the Care CEO Success Stories podcast, Adam James of Springup PR talks with Claire Rintoul, CEO of Sheffcare — a Sheffield-based charity running nine care homes and two care centres.

Claire brings over four years of leadership at Sheffcare having previously led several charitable organisations.

Sheffcare supports around 1,000 people annually, delivering care for older adults in Sheffield.

Before entering adult social care, Claire worked in the broader charity world.Stepping into social care, she encountered a "hierarchical and closed" culture — one she set out to transform.

Her mission: build trust, empower staff, and make culture the foundation of everything.

Under Claire's leadership, Sheffcare introduced structural reforms — from a Leadership Charter to regular drop-ins and a strong internal comms platform — to foster transparency, mutual respect, and continuous improvement.

In this episode, Claire shares insights on building a values-driven culture in care, including:

• Why culture drives performance, morale, and the quality of care.
• The power of a Leadership Charter "written by managers, for managers" to promote fairness, empathy, and consistency.
• The human reality of care work: "We're looking after people. Every day matters."
• Why she worked 12-hour frontline shifts — including as a janitor — to fully understand staff challenges.
• Overcoming resistance to change and why giving staff a voice was non-negotiable.
• Creating transparent, two-way communication via digital tools and open leadership access.
• Building psychological safety: "Scared people can't do their best work."
• Developing a lean leadership model that trusts managers on the ground to lead.
• Leading values-based recruitment with respect, responsiveness, and personal induction by Claire herself.
• Navigating the tensions of culture change and holding firm on core values.
• Delivering outstanding care on tight budgets.
• The impact of the staff-led 'Everyone Matters' group on major decisions.
• How new digital tools connect teams, celebrate wins, and break down silos.
• The role of early adopters in driving culture change: "There was always a critical mass who believed this was the better way — we built from there."

In this episode of the Care CEO Success Stories podcast, Adam James of Springup PR speaks to Joanne Balmer, CEO of Oakland Care, who was recognised nationally when she was awarded the British Empire Medal in 2021 for her services during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Having started her journey in the care sector at the age of 16, Joanne has dedicated her career to improving the lives of residents and care professionals alike.

Over the past five and a half years, she has led the transformation of Oakland Care from a group of three homes to a thriving organisation with ten homes and plans for three more.

Joanne brings a data-led, people-focused approach to care home development, blending business strategy with a commitment to wellbeing.

Under her guidance, Oakland Care has grown its team from fewer than 300 to more than 1,100 staff members with a strong emphasis on operational excellence, workforce development, and maintaining a personalised approach within a rapidly-scaling business.

In this episode, Joanne discuss her experiences, lessons, and forward-looking strategies, offering insights into how high-performing organisations are navigating complex challenges such as staffing, planning regulations, and sustainable growth.

Joanne shares how Oakland Care selects development sites, adapts to planning hurdles, innovates workforce training, and prioritises staff wellbeing and recognition including:

Key Points from the Episode:

• How Joanne has grown the business from 3 to 10 care homes with plans for more.
• How the team has expanded from under 300 to over 1,100 employees during her leadership.
• Oakland's growth strategy which is now "highly structured, relying on refined internal processes and team capability."
• How Joanne uses data to select potential sites, "evaluating local population, care home supply, and socioeconomic conditions."
• Why areas with over 50,000 people in a 3-mile radius and above-average house prices are prioritised for viability.
• Why staffing availability is a "critical factor" and why "sites are rejected if local recruitment would be difficult."
• What is the "cluster approach," (3–5 homes within 15–20 miles) and how it is used to "optimise staffing, training, and shared resources."
• Why the ideal care home size is 75–80 beds to "maintain service quality and efficiency."
• How tools like Carterwood Analytics are used for consistent, fast site appraisals.
• The "increasingly complex" world of planning which and slow due to under-resourced local authorities and how to navigate it.
• Why, even after approval, pre-commencement conditions can delay construction for months.
• How Oakland has built strong credibility with finance partners by delivering on time and to budget.
• How Joanne utilised an internal Assistant Practitioner programme accredited by City & Guilds to help address the nursing shortage.
• How Joanne managed to raise employee engagement to a record 90%, through flexible benefit options and recognition schemes.
• How "leadership visibility" and personalised awards help "maintain a sense of connection across a large workforce."