Home Care Hindsight

David Knack doesn't usually record an intro before an episode, but this conversation with his good friend Jesse Walters was so much fun that it turned into his first-ever two-part episode. While they cover plenty of home care, they also venture into personal development, leadership, family, and the unexpected ways we learn about ourselves along the way.

In Part 1, David and Jesse explore what happens when you achieve your biggest business goals but still feel like something is missing.

After acquiring Hillandale Home Care and growing the business by approximately 800% in three and a half...

Nick Provost, Director of Client and Community Relations at Gratitude Home Care, joins David Knack to share the lessons he learned from starting his own home care company, navigating the challenges of entrepreneurship, and returning to the industry with a different perspective on growth and leadership.

Nick reflects on his biggest business mistake: believing he knew more about home care than he actually did. After launching his own company in 2018, he became comfortable, encountered the challenges of COVID, and eventually fell out of love with the industry. His wife encouraged him to return in 2022, and the experience...

Nick Provost, Director of Client and Community Relations at Gratitude Home Care, joins David Knack to share the lessons he learned from starting his own home care company, navigating the challenges of entrepreneurship, and returning to the industry with a different perspective on growth and leadership.

Nick reflects on his biggest business mistake: believing he knew more about home care than he actually did. After launching his own company in 2018, he became comfortable, encountered the challenges of COVID, and eventually fell out of love with the industry. His wife encouraged him to return in 2022, and the experience...

Olivia Jones, Executive Vice President of Operations at Care Advantage, joins David Knack to share lessons from nearly three decades in home care from starting as a caregiver to leading operations across Virginia, DC, and Maryland. She explains how moving from frontline problem-solving into strategic leadership changes the way you think about people, processes, and performance.

Olivia argues that leaders need to be careful not to become so focused on KPIs that they lose touch with the frontline. While data and strategy are essential for scaling, she believes the mission and the people doing the work must...

Ethan Schwartzbach, CEO of Flychain, joins David Knack to unpack the financial and operational challenges that can make or break a growing home care business. From messy financials and generic accounting systems to benchmarking and proactive decision-making, Ethan explains why having accurate, home-care-specific data can fundamentally change how owners run their businesses.

Ethan also shares one of Flychain's biggest early mistakes: building too much in a silo instead of staying close to customers and prospects. He explains how that experience changed the company's approach to product development and reinforced the importance of listening to the people actually...

Jensen Jones, Owner and CEO of Home Care CEO Forum, returns to discuss five things he was wrong about and how his thinking has evolved. From the founder bottleneck myth to overtime as a strategic tool, Jensen opens up about the mindset shifts that reshaped how he leads and facilitates peer groups for the top 10% of home care operators.

In this candid conversation, Jensen explains why finding a strong number two isn't enough if the founder won't actually let go, why uncontrolled overtime is a recruiting problem rather than just a cost issue, and why benchmarking data...

Jamie Arber, Executive Director of Supported Living Group, shares how his organization supports individuals with brain injuries, autism, and other complex care needs across Connecticut.

He discusses the major gaps in access to Medicaid brain injury services, why home care operators need to think beyond traditional in-home care, and how advocacy, community-based programs, and specialized services can create better outcomes for the people they serve.

Jamie also reflects on the career mistake of staying too long in an organization that didn't align with his service philosophies, the risks of relying too heavily on technology, and...

Emily Harlan, Vice President of Business Development at 24/7 Solutions and longtime home care sales leader, shares the lessons she learned from building referral relationships, navigating hospital systems, and becoming a top-performing salesperson in home care.

From getting her foot in the door of the largest hospital in her market during COVID to completely changing how she approached referral marketing, Emily explains why home care sales isn't about being everyone's best friend—it's about delivering value, asking the right questions, solving problems, and confidently asking for the referral.

In this episode, you'll discover: 1. The 10-Minute Hospital St...

In this episode of Home Care Hindsight, host David Knack welcomes Guy Tommasi, a seasoned leader in the home care industry with over 25 years of experience. Guy shares his journey from hospital care to pioneering innovative, data-driven strategies in non-medical home care.

He takes us to a discussion of the importance of differentiating your agency by aligning with stakeholders' needs, leveraging data to demonstrate outcomes, and the pitfalls of overemphasizing "scaling" as a measure of success.

Guy also highlights the transformative power of collaboration, both within teams and with clinical partners, and why home care...

Jeff Salter, Founder and CEO of Caring Senior Service, joins host David Knack for an unforgettable conversation about leadership, growth, and a cross-country adventure. Jeff shares how a 9,500-mile electric bike journey to celebrate his company's 30th anniversary transformed his perspective on delegation and leadership. Along the way, he raised $170,000 to install grab bars in senior homes, creating a lasting impact.

This episode dives deep into Jeff's mindset shift from "doing it all" to empowering his team, the lessons learned from mistakes, and his innovative approach to improving the home care industry with tools like InkyScribe. Packed...

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 ep...

Jeremy Fuller, a digital marketing expert with 23 years of experience and founder of Grow Senior Care Marketing, shares actionable insights for home care agencies.

In this episode, you'll discover:

1. The ChatGPT Surprise: How a client found their agency through ChatGPT—without it being a marketing goal.

2. The $500 Mistake: Why most home care agencies waste 80% of their Google Ads budget (and how to fix it).

3. Automation Pitfalls: The dangers of over-automating caregiver recruitment and how to strike the right balance.

4. SEO Myths Debunked: Why tracking rankings isn't SEO—and...

Jensen Jones, CEO of Home Care CEO, opens up about the surprising mindset shift that reshaped his entire business model from an "exclusive" high-revenue think tank to a values-driven, mission-aligned community. In this candid conversation, Jensen and host David Knack explore how aligning personal values with business decisions can radically improve culture, retention, and growth.

Jensen reflects on how his father's illness helped define his core values and how he now helps agencies scale without losing their humanity. He reveals the dangers of over-customizing roles, why playbooks prevent burnout, and why culture, not revenue, is the most...

In this episode of Home Care Hindsight, host David Knack welcomes Chuck Bailey, founder and CEO of True North Holdings, to discuss the realities of being a small business owner in the home care industry.

With decades of experience as a corporate executive, franchisee, franchisor, and now a service provider to franchisees, Chuck shares invaluable insights on the challenges of entrepreneurship, the importance of financial discipline, and the two critical roles every business owner must master: driving revenue and building a team.

He also reflects on his biggest mistake: trying to control everything, and how...

Jeremy Meng, owner of Always Best Care, Jacksonville, tells host David Knack his biggest leadership mistake: assuming others think and operate like him. As an Air Force vet and federal agent, he brought unspoken expectations into home care, causing confusion with clients and caregivers. Fixing this changed how he onboards, trains, writes contracts, and leads.

Jeremy also embraces AI (Claude, Zingage Operator) to strengthen operations, find compliance gaps, automate busywork, and free time for human connection, not to replace people, but to reduce admin burdens and protect meaningful moments.

The discussion covers servant leadership, communication...

JM and Michelle Simmonds join David Knack alongside Alex Veach of Agenda Health for a behind-the-scenes look at the journey from startup founders to successful sellers—and what came next after the deal closed.

What began as a small home care agency eventually grew into Clear Path Home Care, a multi-location operation serving rural communities across Texas and Colorado. Rather than chasing large metropolitan markets, the Simmonds built their reputation by going where others wouldn't—bringing care to underserved communities, creating jobs in rural areas, and becoming a trusted provider for veterans through their VA partnerships.

Th...

Nick Bonitatibus, founder of Digital Champions, joins host David Knack for a wide-ranging conversation about how AI is transforming the way entrepreneurs think, work, and operate their businesses. Rather than focusing on flashy tools or futuristic predictions, Nick shares practical examples of how he uses AI every day to eliminate repetitive work, document processes, and create systems that scale.

From AI-powered airport planning to generating video outlines and social media content from a single client conversation, Nick explains why the real opportunity isn't automation—it's building repeatable systems that AI can execute. He breaks down the difference be...

Lisa Hall, owner of Griswold Home Care, joins host David Knack to share how she scaled her home care agency from under 1,000 weekly hours to more than 2,000 hours while avoiding staff burnout. With a background in engineering and automotive quality systems, Lisa explains how operational discipline, SOPs, and AI-powered scheduling transformed her agency's growth trajectory.

She shares the story of landing a major CCRC partnership after simply helping someone with a "pet project," and how that relationship ultimately doubled her business. Lisa also breaks down the operational chaos of traditional on-call systems and how implementing AI scheduling...

Rachel Gartner, CEO of Carework, joins host David Knack to discuss the state of recruiting in 2026. Rachel shares her big mistake of running the old 2025 playbook where relying on free Indeed job postings and scheduling interviews caused massive inefficiencies.

She explains how using AI to automatically schedule interviews actually caused her recruiters' live phone time to plummet. Instead of playing phone tag, Carework now uses AI to filter out unqualified applicants and immediately transfer ready caregivers to a live human.

Lesson Takeaways:
1. Texting is Out, Calling is In: Texting engages caregivers but lacks commitment...

Tiffany Dutcher joins host David Knack to unpack the leadership blind spots that quietly drive burnout in home care. After spending 15 years in the industry as an agency owner, franchise business coach, and now author, Tiffany shares the core lesson behind her new book, The Unfiltered Truth About Home Care: most owners are trying to scale businesses without first understanding themselves.

The conversation explores Tiffany's framework of four home care owner types — Drivers, Methodicals, Humanitarians, and Connectors — and how each personality type experiences burnout differently. Tiffany explains why some owners unintentionally burn through teams, why others freeze grow...

Emily Isbell, founder of 24/7 Solutions, joins host David Knack to discuss her career-defining mistake: assuming that strong leadership could compensate for weak management. After nearly ending her home care career due to burnout, Emily realized that passion and vision alone cannot sustain a growing agency. She opens up about learning to build systems, establish KPIs, and empower team members to become "miniature entrepreneurs."

The conversation explores the critical difference between leadership (soft skills, vision) and management (structure, accountability, systems).

Emily shares her four-stage framework for management maturity, from simply surviving to having team members report...

Stephen Tweed, CEO of Leading Home Care and Founder of the Home Care CEO Forum, joins host David Knack to discuss his biggest career regret: choosing to build a solo practice instead of a scalable company. With over three decades in the industry, Stephen explains why "working on the business" rather than "in the business" is the key to long-term survival and impact.

The conversation covers Stephen's philosophy on mixing work with adventure (including a memorable trip to Japan), the three major causes of 90-day caregiver turnover, and why home care owners must stop answering the phone...

In this episode of Home Care Hindsight, host David Knack sits down with Sarah Barker, owner of Senior Care Sales Solutions, to discuss the balance between growing a home care business and managing personal priorities. Sarah shares insights from her journey, including her big mistake of attending too many networking events at the expense of family time and how she's learned to optimize her efforts.

Their conversation touches on overcoming childhood trauma, the importance of strategic time management, and the role of quality over quantity in marketing relationships. Listeners will gain valuable insights into managing home care...

Steven Gonzalez, CEO of HealthView Home Health and Hospice, joins David Knack to demystify the complex world of home health and how it intersects with home care. Steven shares how he overcame the "referral problem" by realizing it was actually a payer mix and contract challenge.

With a focus on patient-centered care that has earned his agency a top-25 national ranking on Fortune's Best Small Workplaces, Steven explains the clinical nuances—from wound care to physical therapy—that make home health a vital partner for non-medical home care agencies.

The conversation explores the "Home Health 101" fram...

Bob Roth, co-founder and managing partner of Cypress Home Care Solutions, joins host David Knack to discuss the painful mistake that nearly sank his agency: letting empathy override good business sense. After building a successful home care brand in Arizona, Bob recounts how he held onto a toxic C-suite leader for too long because of compassion, leading to a 20-person turnover in just three years.

In this candid re-release, Bob reveals how his greatest strength (being a caring, compassionate person) is also his greatest weakness. He shares why home care owners must fire fast even when it...

Nancy Gillette, Chief Growth Officer at Pocket RN, joins host David Knack to discuss her career-defining mistake: never promoting herself or building a personal brand despite accomplishing extraordinary things. With over 20 years in home care and home health, Nancy opens up about how she quietly won for two decades, letting her companies' successes overshadow her own contributions, and how that limited the opportunities that came her way.

The conversation dives deep into the groundbreaking CMS GUIDE program (Guiding an Improved Dementia Experience), which Nancy has scaled to over 2,000 provider locations across all 50 states since July 2025. She explains...

Diana Tucker, co-founder and President of Private Home Care, joins host David Knack to share the hard-learned lesson that reshaped how she leads her multi-state home care company.

After 11 years of growth from St. Louis into Illinois and Kansas, Diana opens up about her biggest mistake: tolerating underperformance for too long because people were kind, loyal, or simply because she didn't want to disrupt the team.

Diana reveals how she learned that kindness without accountability isn't compassion, it's complacency, and how this realization transformed her approach to team building. The conversation explores the nuanced challenges...

Angelo Spinola, the "attorney for the home care industry" at Polsinelli, joins host David Knack for a candid conversation about the legal landmines buried in the home care business.

A former caregiver himself, Angelo brings a unique, empathetic perspective to the complex web of regulations that providers face. He reveals why compliance isn't just about avoiding lawsuits, it's about protecting your enterprise value, your freedom, and the business you've worked so hard to build.

Angelo breaks down the biggest blind spots he sees, from the explosion of city and state-specific laws (like domestic worker bills...

Melanie Stover, founder of Home Care Sales and the only OT-led sales training firm focused on home health, hospice, and in-home care, joins host David Knack to break down one of the most persistent mistakes in the industry: confusing activity with productivity.

Melanie explains why many agencies hire a marketer, hand them a territory, and expect referrals to magically appear without giving them a real strategy. Instead of focusing on high-volume sales calls and generic pitches, Melanie advocates for "diagnosis-based selling," a method that teaches sales reps to speak the language of clinicians and connect their services...

Sandi McCann, founder of HomeCare of the Rockies and now an EOS implementer, joins host David Knack to share her journey from burnout to building a business that could thrive without her.

Sandi opens up about her biggest mistake as a founder: trying to do everything herself for nearly a decade holding onto control out of perfectionism and fear, until she physically, emotionally, and spiritually burned out.

She explains how implementing EOS (Entrepreneurial Operating System) helped her fall back in love with her business and ultimately prepared it for sale in 2021. But the sale brought...

In this episode of Home Care Hindsight, David Knack sits down with Sara Wilson, CEO and President of Home Assist Health, to discuss her lifelong journey in home care and the biggest lesson she's learned while scaling her organization. Sara shares her unique origin story, raised in the industry as her parents helped establish one of Arizona's first Medicaid waiver agencies, and how she eventually found her way back to the family business after a brief stint in corporate America.

The conversation pivots to the core mistake that many successful founders make: holding on too tightly. Sara...

In this special solo episode and inaugural "book club" format, David Knack shares his journey from problem-solver to coach as his team at Zingage grows from one person to six. Facing the transition from customer-facing sales to internal leadership, David opens up about his struggle with being the "smartest guy in the room" and how The Coaching Habit by Michael Bungay Stanier transformed his approach.

David walks through the seven essential questions that replaced his advice-giving habit with curiosity-driven leadership. He reveals why rhetorical questions disguised as coaching actually create the same dependency problems as direct advice...

Yvan Castilloux, Co-founder and CEO of Augusta.care joins host David Knack to discuss the fundamental challenges of recruiting in home care. Starting his journey in 2022, Yvan shares how discovering the "broken" applicant experience where half of potentially good candidates are confused and disengaged. This phenomenon motivated him to build solutions.

He argues that solving home care's staffing problem requires aligning people, process, and technology, and debunks the myth of software as a "magic pill."

The conversation dives into the critical need for sales and recruiting alignment, the surprising burnout rate among back-office staff (recruiters...

Adam Sall, President and Co-founder of Advantage Pointe Home Care, joins host David Knack to discuss how his agency transitioned from traditional private duty care to becoming a vital partner for value-based healthcare entities. Drawing from his background on Wall Street, Adam explains the mechanics of risk-sharing models like MSOs and ACOs and how home care can save these organizations millions by preventing unnecessary 911 calls and hospitalizations. Adam opens up about his biggest mistake; being a "terrible interviewer" who let personal likability cloud his judgment and how he empowered an expert HR team to prioritize competence over "shooting the...

Lisa Fausey, owner of 3 Home Helpers Home Care franchises, joins host David Knack to discuss her employee-centric approach to building a thriving home care business. Lisa shares how she shifted her focus from simply driving revenue to creating a culture where caregivers feel valued, heard, and supported. She opens up about her biggest early mistake, waiting over a year to hire her first office employee, and how overcoming that fear transformed her business and personal sanity.

Lisa dives into the underrated power of "liberal leave" over traditional PTO, the importance of voluntary benefits for part-time caregivers, and...

Mordechai Wolhendler, CEO of GlattHealth Consulting Group and co-founder of the Home Care Show, joins host David Knack to discuss the complexities of scaling a home care business across different regions and the hard lessons learned along the way. Mordechai shares his experience expanding an agency from upstate New York into New York City, revealing how assumptions about "copy-paste" growth can lead to major operational and cultural missteps. He breaks down the stark differences in regulations, reimbursement models, caregiver pay, and even communication styles between markets, emphasizing that what works in one region may fail in another.

...

Matt Kroll, President of Personal Care Services at Bayada Home Health Care, joins host David Knack for a deep dive into the lessons from his 25-year career. Matt opens up about his biggest strategic mistake: trying to launch and manage too many different service lines at once in a search for an "easy way out," which diluted focus and resources. He explains how learning to master one thing before diversifying became the key to successfully scaling operations across over 100 offices.

Matt shares Bayada's relentless focus on caregiver recognition, wages, and career advancement as their cultural north star...

Shauna Sweeney, founder and CEO of Tender Care, joins host David Knack to discuss the pivotal mistake that reshaped her approach to building technology for families navigating aging and care. Shauna, a former Facebook executive who entered the care space while caring for her father with Alzheimer's, opens up about how she initially overlooked a simple, physical solution, the Tender ID, because it didn't fit the "tech founder" mold.

She shares how clinging to the vision of a complex, all-in-one digital platform delayed solving a critical, immediate need: giving first responders instant access to vital health information...

Michelle Cone, SVP of Industry Engagement at HomeWell Franchising, joins host David Knack for a conversation that spans from marathon running to mission-driven leadership. Michelle opens up about the career mistake that shaped her trajectory: playing it safe early on and not taking enough risks. She explains how saying "yes" to an unfamiliar role in home care as an inexperienced mom became the turning point that led to a 27-year career.

Michelle dives into the underrated core of home care: delivering exceptional quality care as the ultimate growth engine. She unpacks why a strong intake process is...

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...