Jessica Nobles, co-founder of Home Care Ops, joins host David Knack for a powerful conversation about the two mistakes that have defined her 20-year journey in home care.

Jessica opens up about the entrepreneurial identity crisis that left her burned out and unfulfilled, living as an "empire builder" when she's truly a "lifestyle entrepreneur." She reveals how this misalignment drained her joy and impacted her team, and shares the framework to help every business owner define their own path to success. The conversation then dives into the tactical hiring mistake she's made "over and over and over again": bringing people onto the team without a clear onboarding plan.

Jessica unpacks her "P.O.I.N.T." system, a practical, step-by-step method to get any new hire integrated, confident, and productive in their first six weeks. She also shares the three pillars of a thriving team culture, why "there's no such thing as a difficult conversation, only one that was waited too long to have," and how to use AI to escape the "hit-by-a-bus" problem of institutional knowledge.

Lesson Takeaways:

1. Know Your Entrepreneurial Type: Success isn't one-size-fits-all. Define whether you're a Lifestyle Entrepreneur (building for freedom/fulfillment), an Empire Builder (focused on growth and scale), or a Serial Entrepreneur (pursuing multiple ventures). Aligning your business with your true type prevents burnout and creates lasting satisfaction.

2. Prepare the Soil Before You Plant: Never hire someone before you're ready. Create a "P.O.I.N.T." plan (Plan, Outcome, Intent, Next Steps, Team/Timeline) for their first 14 days and six weeks. This saves time, money, and frustration, and sets the new hire—and your business—up for success.

3. Build on Three Pillars: Foster a culture of transparent communication, clear & defined expectations, and supportive accountability. When these are in place, trust grows, performance improves, and difficult conversations become proactive check-ins.

4. Delegate the "80%" to Gain Momentum: Let go of perfection. If your team can accomplish 80% of a task as well as you can, delegate it. This moves you from reactive maintenance to strategic momentum, freeing you to scale instead of just surviving.

5. Separate Your Identity from Your Business: Your worth is not defined by your revenue or hours delivered. To avoid burnout and lead sustainably, consciously separate who you are from what your business does, and anchor your sense of success in your personal priorities and impact.

Timestamps:00:00 - Introduction to Jessica Nobles and Home Care Ops

01:58 - The patterns of success: strategic planning and empowered delegation

04:16 - Moving from reactive maintenance to proactive momentum

05:32 - David's "big mistake" question

06:12 - The entrepreneurial mistake: Living as the wrong type of founder

09:48 - The three entrepreneurial types: Lifestyle, Empire Builder, and Serial

11:26 - Chasing external milestones vs. finding internal fulfillment

13:32 - Redefining success around life priorities, not just business metrics

16:18 - The tactical mistake: Hiring before you're ready

20:22 - The "P.O.I.N.T." framework for successful onboarding

23:08 - "New level, same devil"—why hiring mistakes repeat at every stage

26:53 - The three pillars to prevent hiring failures

29:42 - Why waiting creates "difficult" conversations

31:38 - Balancing supportive accountability vs. micromanagement

34:02 - Systems and processes enable true delegation and scale

37:30 - Using AI to document institutional knowledge and build SOPs

40:12 - A recent win: Taking a sabbatical thanks to a self-sustaining executive team

42:07 - Plug: The Home Care Owners Community and how to connect

Quotes:Jessica Nobles: "I lived for 20 years in the cycle of trying to be this empire builder… and I found myself at a place of intense burnout. I was very unfulfilled. I was speaking on stages and people were like, 'Oh, she's so great,' but internally, I was very disconnected from my internal vision."

Jessica Nobles: "When it comes to growth, it's usually the same mistakes that I see people making over and over and over again. And when you're getting ready to hire someone, really sit down and put together a plan to get that new hire on point. It'll save you tons of time, tons of money, tons of frustration."

David Knack: "You are not gonna arrive at a point in time where all of a sudden you feel fulfilled in your business because of some kind of external milestone… that's emotional work you as an entrepreneur and a leader have to do inside yourself."

David Knack: "We've gotta stop being the 'hit by a bus' problems in our own businesses. It's gotta get out of our brains… thanks to the innovations of AI, you can reformat that into whatever version you want it to be on the back end."

Resources:

1. Connect with Jessica Nobles on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessicanobles/

2. Learn more about Home Care Ops: https://homecareops.com/

3. Join the Home Care Owners Community on Facebook (10,000+ members): https://www.facebook.com/groups/homecareops/

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

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

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

Kristen Duell, founder of Momentum Healthcare and Technology Consulting, joins host David Knack for a raw conversation about the recurring mistake that has shaped her entire leadership journey: believing that shared passion and purpose are enough to run a successful business.

Kristen opens up about the "black eyes and kidney punches" she's endured from moving too fast and trusting that others shared her standards of integrity, without first establishing clear structure and alignment. She explains why "momentum without tension is chaos" and how this hard-won lesson is now the core philosophy of her consulting firm.

The conversation dives into the underrated power of emotional intelligence in an A.I.-obsessed world, the critical need for intentional internal communication, and how to evaluate new technology with a life-or-death lens. Kristen also shares the inspiring story behind her non-profit, Ideal for Healthcare, and its mission to create upward mobility and visibility for women in the industry.

Lesson Takeaways:

1. Structure Fuels Passion: A shared mission and great culture are not enough to protect a business. You must combine them with clear operating systems, defined expectations, and organizational alignment to execute and grow effectively.

2. Don't abandon emotion when using A.I.: In the rush to adopt artificial intelligence, don't overlook Emotional & Adaptive Intelligence. The best leaders understand different perspectives and practice critical thinking and empathy.

3. Market to Your Internal Team: Invest the same level of effort in internal storytelling and communication as you do in external marketing. Reminding your team why their work matters is a powerful driver of retention and satisfaction.

4. Evaluate Tech with a Human Lens: Before implementing any new technology, ask the tough questions: How will it perform in a life-or-death situation? What is the human impact on clients and caregivers? If it doesn't serve them well, it's not the right solution.

5. Busyness Does Not Equal Success: Stop equating exhaustion with achievement. Make strategic time for the important work, or you risk burnout and a business that can't sustain itself.

Timestamps: 00:00 - Introduction to Kristen Duell and her accidental entrepreneurship

02:45 - The inspiration behind Momentum Healthcare & Technology Consulting

08:12 - David's "big mistake" question: What is your recurring failure?

11:13 - The core mistake: Believing passion and purpose are enough to protect a business

13:30 - Why "Momentum without tension is chaos"

16:10 - Balancing high-speed growth with necessary structure and clarity

17:02 - The most underrated thing in home care: Emotional & Adaptive Intelligence

19:42 - The danger of equating busyness with success

20:18 - The influx of Venture Capital and A.I. in home care: Exciting vs. concerning trends

25:22 - The critical question to ask before implementing any new technology

26:52 - The little mistake: Neglecting intentional internal communication

29:10 - Why you need to "market" your mission to your employees

32:37 - A recent win: Helping a billion-dollar organization simplify its tech stack

35:46 - The story behind Ideal for Healthcare and its mission

39:33 - How to get involved with the Ideal for Healthcare community

Quotes: Kristen Duel: "I've actually learned that structure and clarity and alignment are just as critical at the heart of really being able to execute and grow within an organization or to execute the mission and vision of a business."

Kristen Duel: "Somewhere along the line, we started equating exhaustion with success. And that's really just a dangerous place to live. I've lived it, and I can tell you it doesn't end well."

David Knack: "It doesn't matter how fast you're going if you're not going in the right direction. And it doesn't matter how fast you're going if you can't control it."

David Knack: "There is a customer in the business and that is the employee, and it is somebody's job to think about how to continually market and sell the business to the people who already signed up to work here."

Resources:

1. Connect with Kristen Duell on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristenpenfold/

2. Learn more about Momentum Healthcare and Technology Consulting: https://momentumhtconsulting.com/

3. Learn more about Ideal for Healthcare: http://www.ideal4healthcare.com

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

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

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

Kevin Smith, CEO of Best of Care, joins host David Knack to pull back the curtain on a splashy but failed acquisition that taught him a brutal lesson about due diligence. Kevin opens up about buying an adult day health program's home care arm, a deal that made perfect sense on paper but fell apart at the seams, resulting in a massive revenue shortfall.

He reflects on the costly mistake of relying too heavily on his relationship-driven "gut" for a process that required forensic analysis, and how the timing—closing the deal the day before his first child was born—added immense personal pressure.

Kevin shares how this "abject failure" became the foundation for his subsequent successful acquisitions and offers hard-won wisdom on hiring, the trap of seeking the "perfect" candidate, and why the industry's obsession with the "10,000 hours per week" milestone is overrated. The discussion offers actionable advice on building a resilient, multi-service company that prioritizes its people.

Lesson Takeaways:

1. Due Diligence Over Gut Feeling: A strategic acquisition requires meticulous, data-driven verification. Relying solely on a good relationship or a "vibe" can lead to catastrophic financial and operational failure.

2. Hire for Potential, Not Perfection: Letting the "perfect" candidate be the enemy of the "good" one leads to hiring paralysis. Often, the candidate with 80% of the skills but great potential outperforms the theoretical perfect fit.

3. Celebrate Milestones, But Keep Momentum: Industry benchmarks like "10,000 hours per week" are arbitrary. While it's good to celebrate wins, a true leader is always focused on the next strategic goal to maintain growth and morale.

4. Build a Culture That Supports Real Life: Fostering a company culture that actively supports employees' lives outside of work is a powerful driver of loyalty and retention.

5. Don't Over-Invest in Low-Impact Marketing: A functional website and basic presence are essential, but over-engineering brochures and web copy is a poor use of energy. Home care is a trust and relationship business; focus your efforts there.

Timestamps: 00:00 - Introduction to Kevin Smith and Best of Care's 44-year history

02:45 - The synergy between Medicaid expertise and a private pay senior living model

08:12 - David's "big mistake" question: What went wrong?

08:37 - The story of the failed adult day health home care acquisition

10:15 - The perfect storm: Closing the deal the day before becoming a parent

11:01 - The aftermath: Retaining only 30% of the expected revenue

12:13 - The key lesson: Applying extreme due diligence to future, successful acquisitions

13:47 - Kevin's "gut feel" approach and when it fails

14:27 - Hiring mistakes: Why the 80% candidate often beats the 100% candidate

16:40 - The most overrated thing in home care: The "10,000 hours per week" milestone

19:32 - The next big goal: One million service hours

21:29 - The leadership challenge of always moving to "what's next"

22:41 - The reward of building a coaching tree and developing leaders from within

23:45 - How a millennial leadership team fosters a culture of work-life balance

25:13 - The little mistake: Overthinking your website and marketing materials

27:50 - A recent win: The successful integration of diversified service lines

29:04 - A deep dive into the move management business and its synergy with home care

32:08 - What to plug: Best of Care's holistic suite of services for senior living communities

Quotes: Kevin Smith: "When you fail in life, that's how you learn. You don't learn when you win, you learn when you fail, and when you fail, fail hard. And we failed really hard on that."

Kevin Smith: "The common denominator... is the lack of treating caregivers as family members of your company. They are the lifeline of your organization to grow."

David Knack: "I have a hypothesis... you strike me as somebody who, gut is a really strong asset for you, that a lot of times you make decisions based on feel and it goes well."

David Knack: "The purpose of a website is, does this business exist or not?... This is a relationship business. This is a trust business. This is a referral business."

Resources:

1. Connect with Kevin Smith on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevin-smith-04755422/

2. Learn more about Best of Care on their website: https://www.bestofcareinc.com/

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

Gabrielle Pumpian returns, joined by death doula and end-of-life consultant Nicole Soares, for a profound conversation about the one thing every home care agency deals with but few are prepared for: death.

They explore a common operational mistake: failing to align a caregiver's duties with a client's core values, leading to disengagement and a reduced schedule. Nicole shares her powerful personal journey that led her to become a "one-stop death shop," while Gabby reflects on the costly mindset of viewing a client's passing primarily as a revenue loss. The discussion offers actionable advice on preparing caregivers for end-of-life care, creating true partnerships with hospice, and building a company culture that sees death not as a failure, but as a sacred, honored part of life.

Lesson Takeaways:

1. Align Care with Client Values, Not Just Tasks: A client's well-being is tied to their passions. Failing to connect care with what brings them joy can lead to client dissatisfaction and reduced hours.

2. Reframe Death from a Loss to an Honor: Shift the internal mindset from seeing a client's passing as a revenue hit to recognizing it as a sacred event your team is privileged to support.

3. Your Caregivers Need to Process Grief: Create safe spaces and rituals for caregivers to express emotion and process grief after a client dies. This is critical for their well-being and retention.

4. Forge Deep Partnerships, Not Shallow Referrals: A true partnership with hospice or a death doula involves joint training and shared values, not just exchanging business cards.

5. Identify and Empower Your "Death Liaison": Not everyone is comfortable with end-of-life conversations. Identify a team member who excels in this area and empower them to be the specialist and emotional support point person.

Timestamps: 00:01 - Introduction to a unique episode on death, dying, and home care

02:18 - What is a death doula? Nicole Sos explains her role as a "one-stop death shop"

05:35 - David on America's death-averse culture and its link to senior loneliness

06:12 - Nicole's personal catalyst: The accident that put her in charge of her best friend's life-and-death decisions

09:41 - The critical gap in advanced directives: Why having a document doesn't guarantee your wishes are followed

13:45 - Gabby's challenge: Should home care agencies make advanced planning a standard part of their assessment?

17:08 - Gabby's journey from avoidance to leaning into conversations about mortality

21:00 - The "inconvenient truth": Confronting the gut reaction of revenue loss when a client passes

24:49 - Nicole's experience: When a hospice provider's policies conflict with a client's desire to end suffering

28:30 - How to practically and emotionally equip caregivers for a client's final days

31:47 - A powerful success story: Matching a client with a water aerobics-loving caregiver to restore joy and purpose

34:20 - Tapping into an untapped resource: Leveraging the cultural strengths of your caregiver team

35:15 - A simple, high-impact cultural practice: Implementing a daily 10-minute team meditation

37:51 - The power of ritual: Creating meaningful ways to honor clients who have passed away

43:00 - The non-negotiable: Creating safe spaces for caregivers to express emotion and process grief

44:44 - The leadership imperative: Framing end-of-life care as a gift and an honor, not a burden

46:30 - How to identify and empower a "death liaison" on your team to lead with heart and expertise

Quotes: Nicole Soares: "I realized I could hold space for people that are dying and that I'm very deeply committed to helping people have good deaths... it was because I didn't get that when I needed it."

Gabrielle Pumpian: "When you hear that you've lost two 24/7 clients... when you hear that two people have died, that makes it really difficult to then be able to support your caregivers. Ask them questions, pause, help them understand grief."

Nicole Soares: "I really challenge caregivers and these home care companies to really look at what is a client's value and how do we align with that."

David Knack: "What a gift that our people are in this business where they get to stand in the gap where family is not able to be there."

Resources:

1. Connect with Gabrielle Pumpian on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gpumpian/

2. Connect with Nicole Soares on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicole-soares-420bb27/

3. Learn more about Nicole's services on her website, Eco Love Transitions: https://www.ecolovetransitions.com/

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

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

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

Gabrielle Pumpian returns, joined by death doula and end-of-life consultant Nicole Soares, for a profound conversation about the one thing every home care agency deals with but few are prepared for: death.

They explore a common operational mistake: failing to align a caregiver's duties with a client's core values, leading to disengagement and a reduced schedule. Nicole shares her powerful personal journey that led her to become a "one-stop death shop," while Gabby reflects on the costly mindset of viewing a client's passing primarily as a revenue loss. The discussion offers actionable advice on preparing caregivers for end-of-life care, creating true partnerships with hospice, and building a company culture that sees death not as a failure, but as a sacred, honored part of life.

Lesson Takeaways:

1. Align Care with Client Values, Not Just Tasks: A client's well-being is tied to their passions. Failing to connect care with what brings them joy can lead to client dissatisfaction and reduced hours.

2. Reframe Death from a Loss to an Honor: Shift the internal mindset from seeing a client's passing as a revenue hit to recognizing it as a sacred event your team is privileged to support.

3. Your Caregivers Need to Process Grief: Create safe spaces and rituals for caregivers to express emotion and process grief after a client dies. This is critical for their well-being and retention.

4. Forge Deep Partnerships, Not Shallow Referrals: A true partnership with hospice or a death doula involves joint training and shared values, not just exchanging business cards.

5. Identify and Empower Your "Death Liaison": Not everyone is comfortable with end-of-life conversations. Identify a team member who excels in this area and empower them to be the specialist and emotional support point person.

Timestamps: 00:01 - Introduction to a unique episode on death, dying, and home care

02:18 - What is a death doula? Nicole Sos explains her role as a "one-stop death shop"

05:35 - David on America's death-averse culture and its link to senior loneliness

06:12 - Nicole's personal catalyst: The accident that put her in charge of her best friend's life-and-death decisions

09:41 - The critical gap in advanced directives: Why having a document doesn't guarantee your wishes are followed

13:45 - Gabby's challenge: Should home care agencies make advanced planning a standard part of their assessment?

17:08 - Gabby's journey from avoidance to leaning into conversations about mortality

21:00 - The "inconvenient truth": Confronting the gut reaction of revenue loss when a client passes

24:49 - Nicole's experience: When a hospice provider's policies conflict with a client's desire to end suffering

28:30 - How to practically and emotionally equip caregivers for a client's final days

31:47 - A powerful success story: Matching a client with a water aerobics-loving caregiver to restore joy and purpose

34:20 - Tapping into an untapped resource: Leveraging the cultural strengths of your caregiver team

35:15 - A simple, high-impact cultural practice: Implementing a daily 10-minute team meditation

37:51 - The power of ritual: Creating meaningful ways to honor clients who have passed away

43:00 - The non-negotiable: Creating safe spaces for caregivers to express emotion and process grief

44:44 - The leadership imperative: Framing end-of-life care as a gift and an honor, not a burden

46:30 - How to identify and empower a "death liaison" on your team to lead with heart and expertise

Quotes: Nicole Soares: "I realized I could hold space for people that are dying and that I'm very deeply committed to helping people have good deaths... it was because I didn't get that when I needed it."

Gabrielle Pumpian: "When you hear that you've lost two 24/7 clients... when you hear that two people have died, that makes it really difficult to then be able to support your caregivers. Ask them questions, pause, help them understand grief."

Nicole Soares: "I really challenge caregivers and these home care companies to really look at what is a client's value and how do we align with that."

David Knack: "What a gift that our people are in this business where they get to stand in the gap where family is not able to be there."

Resources:

1. Connect with Gabrielle Pumpian on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gpumpian/

2. Connect with Nicole Soares on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicole-soares-420bb27/

3. Learn more about Nicole's services on her website, Eco Love Transitions: https://www.ecolovetransitions.com/

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

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

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

Victor Hunt, the passionate CEO and co-founder of Zingage, joins host David Knack for a long-awaited conversation. Victor opens up about the critical hiring mistake from his first startup: prioritizing raw technical skill over team cohesion and culture fit, a misstep that almost broke the company.

He explains why this "Frankenstein's monster" approach to building a team fails and how it informed his "culture-first" philosophy at Zingage. Victor shares the only two traits he now looks for in every hire and dives into the underrated genius of home care owners, who are often overwhelmed by operational burdens instead of leveraging their deep expertise.

The conversation also covers how to create "synthetic capacity" for your team, the power of focusing your energy on high-impact human connections (like in-person client introductions), and the simple mindset shift that can make your business and your life 10 times better.

Lesson Takeaways:

1. Culture Over Credentials: A team of brilliant individuals who don't work well together will fail. Prioritize culture fit and shared mission over a flawless resume.

2. Hire for Care and Grit: The two non-negotiable traits for Zingage, and arguably for any home care business, are: genuinely caring about the mission, deep desire to win for the people who depend on you

3. Your Expertise is Underrated: Home care owners possess a deep, underappreciated understanding of the care continuum. The challenge isn't your knowledge; it's having the bandwidth to act on it consistently.

4. Automate the Tedious, Empower the Human: Use technology to offload administrative chores (scheduling, compliance, EVV tracking) so your best people can focus on what only they can do: build trust and create magical human connections.

5. Zoom Out to Your "Why": If you're constantly buried in details, you'll burn out. Regularly reconnect with your original "why." This reframes challenges and helps you deploy your energy on the most impactful activities, like nurturing referral partners and ensuring stellar client-caregiver relationships.

Timestamps: 00:00 - The pressure of running a home care agency

01:16 - Introducing Victor Hunt, CEO of Zingage

02:45 - Victor's "passionate" reason for entering home care tech

04:12 - The story of the emergency call for a New Jersey agency

07:48 - David's "loaded question": What was your big mistake?

08:55 - The "Frankenstein's monster" mistake of hiring for skill, not culture

11:22 - The two essential traits Victor now hires for

13:07 - Why home care owners are smarter than they think

16:31 - The concept of "synthetic capacity" and getting leaner

19:54 - The most underrated thing in home care: the owner's expertise

22:15 - A simple, high-impact fix: Doing in-person introductions

24:38 - The little mistake that costs owners their energy

26:52 - Rapid fire: Letting your team take a workout class guilt-free

29:21 - Victor's recent win: Defining Zingage's culture manifesto

32:08 - What to plug: Zingage Operator for back-office relief

33:40 - Connect with Victor Hunt and work with Zingage

Quotes: Victor Hunt: "We're not building Frankenstein's monster of a bunch of different appendages that all look nice independently, but don't really do well together."

Victor Hunt: "If your whole team is burnt out... If they can't go and get a meal because they're taking three different calls... What are we doing here?"

Victor Hunt: "The underrated aspect of this is that this is an industry that is extremely humane. These people have such deep expertise, and they underrate themselves."

David Knack: "The cumulative impact of not having done [an in-person introduction] you can just start to see the degrading of trust between your clients and your caregivers and your staff."

Resources:

1. Connect with Victor Hunt on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/victor-c-hunt/

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

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

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

John "Moz" Mozdzien, a Navy veteran and co-founder of Veterans First, joins host David Knack to share a costly hiring mistake—but not of a person. He "hired" a flawed understanding of VA benefits, leading to a $10,000 loss on his company's very first case.

He opens up about the specific rule regarding surviving spouses that they misunderstood and how this "hard fail" became the foundation for a 99.9% approval rate today. Moz reflects on how the crisis forged an unbreakable bond with his business partner, built on pre-existing trust. The conversation also covers the underrated power of genuine listening, the mission to serve veterans and their families, and why treating your caregivers like family is the ultimate key to growth.

Lesson Takeaways:

1. Vet Your Assumptions, Not Just People: A hiring mistake can be about a flawed process or understanding. Always double-check the fine print, especially with complex systems like VA benefits.

2. Partnerships Are Forged in Failure: A business partnership built on pre-existing friendship and trust can withstand early, costly failures that would break other companies.

3. Fail Hard to Learn Hard: Your biggest, most expensive mistakes often contain the most valuable, business-defining lessons that pave the way for future success.

4. Your Caregivers Are Your Lifeline: The way you support, pay, and treat your caregivers is the single biggest indicator of your company's health and its ability to grow.

5. Listen More Than You Speak: Check your ego at the door. Surround yourself with people smarter than you and practice genuine listening to understand, not just to reply.

Timestamps: 00:01 - Introduction of John "Moz" Mozdzien and his home care journey with Veterans First

02:28 - The mission of Veterans First and the overlooked "non-service connected pension" benefit

05:34 - Moz's big mistake: Misunderstanding a key VA rule, leading to a $10,000 loss

07:15 - The moment of realizing the error and the reaction from his business partner

08:14 - How a foundation of trust allowed the partnership to survive the failure

09:49 - Moz's philosophy on listening, ego, and filling a room with smarter people

14:11 - Underrated industry practice: Home care as a proactive service

16:02 - The critical role of companionship in combating loneliness

17:45 - A simple, high-impact tip: Conducting in-person caregiver-client introductions

19:27 - Going the extra mile: The power of visiting a hospitalized client

22:13 - The common little mistake: Failing to treat caregivers like family

26:07 - A story about building unwavering caregiver loyalty through trust

28:08 - Win of the week: Veterans First is expanding to Los Angeles

29:25 - Moz on overcoming imposter syndrome by focusing on others

30:45 - How to connect with Veterans First and what makes an ideal partner

Quotes: John Mozdzien: "When you fail in life, that's how you learn. You don't learn when you win, you learn when you fail, and when you fail, fail hard. And we failed really hard on that."

John Mozdzien: "If you fill a room with individuals that are smarter than you, you bring down egos and you listen more than you speak, incredible things happen."

John Mozdzien: "The common denominator... is the lack of treating caregivers as family members of your company. They are the lifeline of your organization to grow."

David Knack: "The little things are the everythings. An in-person introduction is an easy way to deliver value to everybody in the situation."

Resources:

1. Veterans First: https://www.veteransfirst.us/

2. Connect with John "Moz" Mozdzien on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-moz-mozdzien-8190823b/

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

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

In this returning episode of Home Care Hindsight, host David Knack is joined by Steve "The Hurricane" Weiss, founder of Home Care Evolution. Together, they dive into how home care agencies can finish 2025 strong and hit the ground running in 2026.

Steve emphasizes the importance of using September–October to audit your business, tighten referral relationships, and prepare for seasonal surges (like elective surgeries leading to more home care referrals). He shares how to create an orthopedic specialty program to stand out from competitors and walks through the patient journey for better outcomes and higher revenue.

The conversation shifts to goal setting, with Steve explaining the difference between bad (vague) goals and SMART, measurable ones — including a real-world success story of a client who achieved a 50/50 payer mix and increased billable hours by 20%.

Finally, Steve and David discuss how to grow VA service lines responsibly, avoid overreliance on government payers, and improve caregiver retention by focusing on higher-hour "total care" clients.

Lesson Takeaways:

1. Plan Now, Not in January: The best time to plan for 2026 is now. Use October to audit your last 12 months, set SMART goals, and identify the tools and support you'll need to hit them.

2. Focus on Total-Care Clients: Caregiver retention improves when you prioritize clients with 40+ hours per week. This creates stable, full-time work that caregivers stay for.

3. Be "Five-Mile Famous": You don't need a huge marketing budget—just consistent local presence. Network weekly, host lunch-and-learns, and build referral relationships within your community.

4. Morale Matters: Invest in your office team with regular morale-building activities. A strong internal culture trickles down to caregivers and clients.

5. Decide and Execute: Indecision is a growth killer. Research, sleep on it, then commit—even a wrong decision is better than no decision at all.

Timestamps: 00:00 - Introduction: Steve "The Hurricane" Weiss returns to the show

02:30 - The summer slump is over: How to hit the ground running this fall

05:00 - The Q4 opportunity: Why elective surgeries spike and how to prepare

07:15 - Building a specialty program for orthopedic patients

09:45 - The caregiver's role: From PT appointments to at-home exercises

12:10 - Steve's planning mantra: Why you should plan for 2026 now

16:25 - A lesson from the UK: The power of diversifying your payer mix

19:15 - Growing your VA line wisely (and why 20% is the sweet spot)

22:05 - The caregiver retention secret: Focus on "total-care" clients

26:30 - Advice for new owners stuck in the recruitment/scheduling cycle

31:00 - How to be "Five-Mile Famous" in your local market

33:45 - An inspiring client story: Scaling after two heart attacks

38:10 - The "hot list" system for keeping caregivers engaged

41:00 - The office culture fix: Why morale-building is non-negotiable

42:15 - The #1 thing holding owners back: Indecisiveness

43:50 - Steve's win: Invitation to the Home Care Millionaires Bootcamp

Quotes: Steve Weiss: "You can recover from a wrong decision, but you'll never recover—and you'll never grow—if you don't make a decision at all."

Steve Weiss: "Be five-mile famous. You don't need to know everyone in the world—just everyone who can send you a patient."

David Knack: "You've got to create a little FOMO with your caregivers. Share the success others are having so they want to be next."

Steve Weiss: "If you want to grow strong, make sure your office staff culture is strong. It trickles down to everyone."

Resources:

1. Home Care Evolution: https://homecareevolution.com/

2. Connect with Steve "The Hurricane" Weiss on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-hurricane-weiss-13996b2/

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

6. Home Care Millionaires Bootcamp (Houston, Nov 19-21): https://homecareevolution.com/houston-2025-boot-camp-page/

In this episode of Home Care Hindsight, host David Knack is joined by Clayton Foutch, a home care veteran and founder with over 18 years in the industry.

Clay opens up about the costly mistake of stubbornly pursuing a major partnership that was a poor strategic fit for his company's "Four Seasons" vision. He shares how his refusal to listen to his team and cut losses earlier resulted in a significant financial and reputational hit.

Clay also dives into the importance of revenue diversification for stability, the collaborative nature of the home care industry, and how to thoughtfully integrate new technology without losing sight of your core mission: serving caregivers and clients.

Lesson Takeaways:

1. Know Your "Lemon Meringue": Identify your core business which is the thing you do best, and avoid cluttering it with distracting "knick-knacks" (like ill-fitting partnerships) that drain resources.

2. Diversify Your Revenue Streams Early: Relying on a single referral source (like skilled nursing facilities) makes your business vulnerable. Explore concierge care, veterans' programs, and other payer mixes before a crisis forces you to.

3. Surround Yourself with Contrarians: Your biggest weakness might be your own stubbornness. Build a team of trusted, objective advisors (like Clay's partner Jeff) who aren't afraid to tell you when your "kid is ugly."

4. Embrace Mistakes as Tuition: View business missteps not as failures, but as paid education. This mindset shift allows for quicker pivots and reduces the emotional cost of being wrong.

5. Lead with Humility Through Change: When implementing new technology or processes, be honest with your team that you don't have all the answers. Frame it as a collaborative journey to better serve clients and caregivers, and be willing to backtrack if you take a wrong turn.

Timestamps: 00:00 - Introduction and Clay's background in home care

04:30 - The story of the "Australian pirate" secret shopper call

11:10 - Clay's biggest mistake: The stubborn pursuit of a costly, misaligned partnership

16:45 - The "Lemon Meringue" lesson from The Profit that sparked a pivot

20:15 - How to evaluate partnerships against your core mission and values

25:30 - Underrated or Overrated? Balancing tech innovation with the human element of care

33:00 - The critical need for revenue diversification (and the mistake of not having it)

39:00 - A small mistake owners make: Trying to do everything themselves instead of delegating

43:30 - What Clay is most excited about now: Mentoring other entrepreneurs in the franchise network

46:45 - The importance of finding mentors and building a personal "board of directors"

51:20 - Clayton shares two of his recent successes and the reason behind them

Quotes: Clay: "I get so dug in on maybe not being wrong that I just kept persevering and persevering on trying to make this work... It cost us a ton of money, really reputation."

Clay: "Having some diversification in revenue is really important because things do change. My entire business was built on walking into skilled nursing facilities... and then in one minute that ended."

Clay: "I'm not afraid to just say like, I don't know. I'm not afraid to say I need help. I think when you share that with your team... you can genuinely be humble."

David Knack: "We don't have good change management muscles in this industry... because we move so fast every day, reacting and putting out fires."

Resources:

1. Home Matters Caregiving: https://homematters.com/

2. Connect with Clayton Foutch on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/clayton-foutch

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