In this re-released episode of Home Care Hindsight, host David Knack sits down with Becky Reel, founder and CEO of Reel Home Care Consulting and former owner of a top-rated home care agency.

In their conversation from 2024, Becky vulnerably shares the story of her biggest hiring mistake: bringing her nanny into the office during COVID-19. She details how she overlooked numerous red flags, which led to a toxic work environment and significant business disruption. From this experience, she learned invaluable lessons about the importance of thorough reference checks, truly listening to her team, and the critical difference between "checking in" and "checking on" your employees.

The conversation also covers underrated business practices, such as the power of professionally responding to all online reviews, good and bad, to humanize your agency and build trust. Becky emphasizes that the key to caregiver retention isn't just money, but human connection and proactive support.

Lesson Takeaways:

1. Dig Deeper When Hiring: Always conduct thorough reference checks, even for people you know personally. Pay attention to red flags in their work history and personal interactions.

2. Check On Your Team, Not Just In: Move beyond tactical updates in one-on-ones. Ask how your team is really doing and how they are getting along with colleagues to uncover issues early.

3. Humanize Your Business Online: Respond to all reviews—positive and negative. A professional, empathetic response to criticism can build more trust than a perfect 5-star rating.

4. Listen to the Cues: Caregiver turnover often has early warning signs. Proactively check on their needs, availability, and challenges instead of waiting for them to quit.

5. Plan Your Exit Early: If you want to sell your business someday, start planning years in advance. Brokers will want 3-5 years of solid growth data, so the time to build value is now.

Timestamps: 00:00 - Introduction: Becky Reel's home care journey and successful exit

02:30 - Becky's current obsession: The emotional connection of live music

06:00 - The big mistake: Hiring her nanny and ignoring the red flags

09:45 - The aftermath: A toxic office environment and a hostile work environment claim

12:10 - Hindsight: The specific red flags that were missed

16:25 - The fixes: Improving reference checks and deepening one-on-ones

21:00 - Underrated Practice: The power of responding to online reviews

26:17 - A little mistake with a big impact: Not listening to caregiver cues

31:00 - Win of the Week: Helping a long-time agency owner step out of her comfort zone

33:45 - Home Care Hot Take: Overlooked referral sources, reducing turnover, and exit planning

Quotes: Becky Reel: "I ignored so many red flags because I trusted her. But hiring someone you know personally isn't always the right move for your business."

Becky Reel: "I truly believe the key to retention is humanizing what we're doing and connecting with our caregivers on a level that they feel supported."

David Knack: "At the end of the day, home care is a people business. If you're not connecting with your team, it's going to hurt in the long run."

Becky Reel: "If you care, if you have good customer service and you're doing this for the right reason, there is no reason why your agency would not be successful."

Resources:

1. Reel Home Care Consulting: https://reelhomecareconsulting.com/

2. Connect with Becky Reel on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/beckyreel

3. Connect with David Knack on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-knack/

4. Powered by Zingage: https://zingage.com

5. Watch Episode on Zingage's YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Zingage