The Vicki Kotris Podcast

Ep 64: Relationships Over Resumes: Stu Soloman on Building a Business from the Heart❤️

• Vicki Kotris

Share episode

In this episode, Stu shares his journey of building a business during the COVID-19 pandemic by focusing on the everyday needs of communities, particularly in nursing homes. He discusses the hard work and hustle required, and how he fell in love with his work at a nursing home. Stu emphasizes the importance of building relationships, which has been key to expanding his business even in challenging times. 💼❤️

Connect with Stu here: https://myseniorcarepartners.com/

Email: s.solomon@myseniorcarepartners.com


Thank you again for tuning into another episode of the Vicki Kotris Podcast! I want to support you, cheer you on a HYPE you up!! If you're celebrating anything (and I mean ANYTHING), send me a DM and let me highlight you on a recent episode.

If you're looking for support in building a social media content strategy, I'm your girl! Send me an email to vkkotris@gmail.com and we can set up a FREE account audit.

Please subscribe and leave a review HERE:

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a-confetti-filled-life-podcast/id1391196589

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/00cehOlAGd5HbUpAZ4wuYY?si=4c7353dd4c1e4312

Vicki:

Welcome back to the Vicki Cora podcast, where we talk to creatives, service-based founders and entrepreneurs who broke the corporate mold and built something bold. Today's guest is Stu Solomon, a longtime friend from our Ohio University Days, whose journey is the perfect mix of hustle, heart, and one well-timed email. After starting out in the hospital systems and long-term care, Stu saw a need and turned it into an opportunity. And in 2020, he launched senior care partners from his basement, and today it is one of Cincinnati's leading senior placement services, connecting families to the best assisted living and memory care options available at no cost to the client. We talk about what it really takes to grow a business from scratch, the emotional side of the senior care industry, and how trusting your gut can lead to something so much bigger than you imagined. So let's dive in. Hey, Stu, happy to have you.

Stuart:

Thank you, appreciate.

Vicki:

Absolutely. So you said it or you said it before, I said it in my intro. How one email changed at all for you and kind of built this whole trajectory of your life. So tell me about it. What was it that changed Everything.

Stuart:

So, uh, back in our OU days, um, I was an undecided, uh, freshman Jeff Dorm. For those who know. Um, but um, I got an email from the Health and Human Services Department, uh, looking for health and human services, um, a bachelor's in the Health and Human Services. And a little research. I realized that there's gonna be a lot of people who are in need thought it would be a great opportunity. Um, and that kind of launched me on the trajectory to where I.

Vicki:

Wow. And so how did it start for you? I mean, were, did you start the traditional, like internship route, move it into a corporate kind of job? What did that look like?

Stuart:

well I always thought I'd wanna work in hospitals'cause that's like the, that's the big thing.

Vicki:

Yeah.

Stuart:

um, when I was looking for an internship, I did, uh, an internship in, um, Cincinnati at a hospital. It was great. It was that first introduction to the corporate life than a corporate healthcare feel. And I was like, okay, that, that's great. You know, I could certainly see myself doing that. Um, then I did a, another internship at a traditional nursing home and it was awesome. It was amazing. It was like that perfect blend of relationship building with that business side where, where hospitals are very transient. You know, someone's in there for three, four days and they're gone. Well, in these traditional nursing homes, long-term care. are there for years, you really are able to build those relationships with the residents, the families, the staff. I thought it was awesome. It was just like, oh my gosh, this is what I have to do.

Vicki:

Wow.

Stuart:

so I started, I started, uh, doing that. I got my, uh, administrator license, here in Cincinnati and through the state of Ohio. And then, uh, actually moved to Baltimore, uh, where I actually lived in an assisted living for four months.

Vicki:

Stop how.

Stuart:

in one, living in one and working at another. My neighbor was Gert. She was a lovely, absolutely lovely woman. Um, but yeah, I lived next to Gert and just was, you know, doing my thing. I was probably 24 at the time.

Vicki:

Okay.

Stuart:

The company I was working with had expanded we were able to, um, I was able to fill a role as, as an executive director of an assisted living in Cincinnati. So I did that. Uh, I then opened a brand new facility here in town as well. Then was recruited away, um, to, uh, another community in the northern Kentucky area, and that's when Covid hit. Um. January 1st, 2020 or January 2nd is when I started in Northern Kentucky. And then, um, I started senior care partners in September and I think

Vicki:

Wow.

Stuart:

mix of the unknown. Uh, my wife and I had had our second child, so fear of

Vicki:

Yeah.

Stuart:

to a place that was so publicized as being a hotbed. And then coming back to a newborn baby, it, it just was a, an opportunity. I just, I, I felt like this was the right time and, um, we were able to it happen. Uh, like you said, started in my basement.

Vicki:

Yeah.

Stuart:

if my wife and I took turns, I would work for four hours. She would work for four hours and we just did our

Vicki:

Wow that. Well, I have so many questions from everything you described. Number one, I have to know how you ended up being roommates with Gert. Was it a program that they offered that you, it's like a work and stay.

Stuart:

they were just like, listen, you just, you, we have no position for you here in Cincinnati. The only thing we have is we are selling a building in Baltimore, and we happen to have another community there. And I was like, listen, oh, this will be great. I'll like get, you know, one of these like corporate apartments downtown. It'll be awesome.

Vicki:

Yeah.

Stuart:

I was in Owings Mills, uh, Maryland, Bal, you know, suburb of Bal and I was in, I was like on the 10th floor next to Gert. Um,

Vicki:

my gosh.

Stuart:

yeah, it was just like a, basically they gave me a, um, a furnished apartment and that was kind of it. I had

Vicki:

Wow.

Stuart:

dresser. And then I was rarely there. Um, you know, just like slept there. Fun, fun. Little story is they actually moved my room while I wasn't there. They had, they had sold the apartment that I was staying in and moved my stuff without, without me knowing. And I

Vicki:

Oh my gosh,

Stuart:

like nine o'clock. I'm like, where's my stuff? Uh.

Vicki:

have I been fired?

Stuart:

I was like, oh my God. Like, what happened? Uh, luckily I was able to call somebody and like, oh, yeah, we moved your stuff. I, and I was like, listen, I, I'm, it's too late to even yell at you right now. I just need to go to sleep.

Vicki:

Mm-hmm.

Stuart:

yeah, I was like, three doors down. I, I moved away from Gert, unfortunately.

Vicki:

Sad.

Stuart:

I know very, but, uh, yeah, so, and it was like basically like this is where you have to stay if you want to continue to have a job. And I was young and I know better, so,

Vicki:

Yeah,

Stuart:

Here

Vicki:

great opportunity. Great opportunity. And you know what I love when I was asking earlier, kind of like what just got you excited about? Like senior living or working in healthcare is that, I think if you were to ask a typical college freshman what they wanna do, there's all of these like sexy lines of work that you think, you're like, I'm gonna go into sports management and I'm gonna manage a major league baseball team. Or I'm gonna go into journalism and I'll be a, a lead reporter for, you know, NBC. What really comes of that is like when you realize there's a lot of work, there's a lot of hustle that goes into those things and there's only one of them, you know, and that's really challenging.'cause that's a, that's a real reality I think, that I was faced with that kids today are faced with and um, but realizing that there's so much opportunity in just the everyday needs of. Communities, and that's what you found in nursing homes. So I'm curious, like what was, when you said you just kind of fell in love with it, when you started working at a nursing home, what was that feeling or what was that connection?

Stuart:

Yeah. It's the, it's, it's the building relationships and I think that kind of goes into the business now is building relationships is what is key.

Vicki:

Mm-hmm.

Stuart:

about the Association Building those relationships have, has allowed you to meet other people and expand your business.

Vicki:

Yeah.

Stuart:

it's building relationships with those staff with. With the, the families, with the residents, you know, it's fun to walk around and say, Hey, Gert, give them a, a few finger guns and keep walking. You know, it's,

Vicki:

Yeah.

Stuart:

things to do and it's, it, it's so, it's so tough to just sit in an office all day. Like my dad is an accountant. I used to work in his office during the tax season. Maybe the most boring job of all time. I'm sorry, accountants out there.

Vicki:

Mm-hmm.

Stuart:

was not my thing. I, I am an, I'm an extrovert to the nth degree and I needed that ability to build those relationships to kind of get me through the day.

Vicki:

Yeah,

Stuart:

was so I guess that aha moment of this is what I love to do. Um, and, and even now. I don't get those relationships as much, so I've joined a few

Vicki:

yeah,

Stuart:

groups just to like be able to talk to people. Um, it's just, it's innate in my, the way I live my life, but I think it just like fit my personality so well.

Vicki:

Totally. And it's like magic when you find stuff like that that just kind of fits what you love. Um, and so you were saying that you started senior care partners in 2020. You are, you have just had your second kid, which I, I would say is probably one of the hardest times to then decide to start your own thing because you are just running on fumes constantly. You know, I, I so to, to, I always say this to my husband too. I think if this were. If we were starting a new business today, having an almost 2-year-old, uh, we're about to have our second in July, I don't think I would've have done it. I almost feel like I would've stayed in a safe place. So like, how the hell do you talk yourself into it to say, now's the time.

Stuart:

you know, it was one of those things where I'd always wanna do something for myself, and the joke I always tell people is, listen, I didn't have$50 million to build my own place.

Vicki:

Yeah.

Stuart:

is the best. This was the best use of my knowledge and the best use of our resources. Um. I have to say my wife has been awesome. Um, kudos to her. Um, she has a amazing job and weren't spending, honestly, we weren't spending any money. We weren't

Vicki:

Yeah. Yeah.

Stuart:

we were able to say like, listen, if we're gonna do it, we're gonna do it now. And if anything, it gives me the flexibility. To manage our children, if, if and

Vicki:

Yeah.

Stuart:

going back to work, I guess.'cause at that time we just didn't know.

Vicki:

Yeah.

Stuart:

and, and Kate, my wife, was probably one of the first people to have to go back to the office. So it actually worked out well. Like even if we didn't make thousands and thousands, you know, even if it was a mediocre success,

Vicki:

Yeah.

Stuart:

still gave us this ability to be flexible.

Vicki:

Mm-hmm.

Stuart:

To make our work life balance work.

Vicki:

Yeah.

Stuart:

and so it was just, it, it just, if it was not now, then it would be never, um, I just, I don't know. I kind of woke up one day, honestly and just said, do it. And I, I, my job in Jo in the end of July, and then September 1st I launched, if you will.

Vicki:

What did launch look like? Was it just having conversations with people in, in Cincinnati who you knew, or was it a super, did you go super aggressive when you started?

Stuart:

Um, no, actually at that point it was a, uh, LinkedIn post that said, Hey, I'm starting this business. I'd love to talk to everybody.

Vicki:

Cool.

Stuart:

Um, and, and as I tell my, you know, when I bring on team members is it takes three or four months just to get rolling. I mean, that's just the, the process of our business. You have

Vicki:

Mm-hmm.

Stuart:

go see people. Well, in 2000, in September of 2020, you couldn't see anybody.

Vicki:

Totally.

Stuart:

uh, I would just, there were these Zoom networking calls I got on them, and then I just called every single person that was on that list and just set up times to meet, literally in parking lots. And we would just meet outside and just kind of see what I could do, you know, to help them. Um, you know, had some great friends in the industry that were able to kind of throw some, uh, basically throw me some bones, if you will.

Vicki:

Yeah.

Stuart:

and, and honestly, even though we were in Covid, people still were going to the hospital. People were still unable to live in their homes. And so, yes, it certainly slowed, but. Getting old doesn't change.

Vicki:

Yeah.

Stuart:

and so, yeah, we were just, I just kinda hit the ground running and I di I, I, I always tell people, I'm like, I don't know if I was really smart or really stupid during that time. I,

Vicki:

Yeah.

Stuart:

know, I think I might be too stupid to understand how stupid I actually was and ignorance is bliss. So I just,

Vicki:

Yeah.

Stuart:

you. But that was it, you know, the, hit pavement. Reach out to the people that I knew. Yeah. After the announcement kind of made

Vicki:

Yeah.

Stuart:

the few phone calls and, um, were able to start up and, you know, be in the, the basement, the basement

Vicki:

Yeah.

Stuart:

folding chair and table.

Vicki:

Truly where the magic happens, where the And and you saying too, you don't know. And I, I think this too, to this day, I don't know if I am a creative genius or incredibly stupid because I always have new ideas. I always wanna try new things. And I don't know another way, I don't know if that makes me dumb to just like throw mud against a wall, but I know that it's fun and I know that leaning into the things that feel. Fun or like provide energy. We'll always have a really great outcome, so. I love that you were saying that you were just meeting people in parking lots too, because that's a big it. Uh, COVID was rocked. I mean, it rocked all of our worlds, obviously, but it was such a change for the business I was running at the time'cause we were, so, we relied on events that were over 5,000 people. It's like you couldn't meet in a room over 50 people. So having, creating your own opportunities is so. Underrated. I think a lot of people just expect that the flow will naturally happen, but sometimes you have to get really comfortable with just trying new things and being creative. So I'm curious in that instance where you said you were, it was a LinkedIn post, you're reaching out to your network, like what was, what do you think that kind of secret sauce was at the time that converted it From just general conversations to then people saying, yes, do I wanna work with you? Like, this is new for you, but I'm, I'm here. I will. I, you know, I'll partner with you.

Stuart:

I

Vicki:

I mean,

Stuart:

I

Vicki:

I think,

Stuart:

um, shout out, uh, to another, uh, Bobcat alumni who, she was in a, she was in admissions and she, um, calls all the time. And, um, we had worked together for years.

Vicki:

okay.

Stuart:

getting calls that were not nursing home related, were actually assisted living related. um, she'd just be like, listen, that's not what we do call Stewart. Honestly, those were probably my first, you know, 10, 12 move-ins just like that.

Vicki:

Wow.

Stuart:

and then it just happenstance is you just kind of. Talk to the right people. You make that connection. You know, you, you have the same, I've been doing a lot of work on, you know, different personalities and how to sell to different personalities, and sometimes you just click, you

Vicki:

Yeah.

Stuart:

it's just easy. Um, we were saying before, like, we haven't, we haven't seen each other in 15 years, but boom, it just kind of clicked. You know? We're, we're

Vicki:

Yeah.

Stuart:

that way. And you know, when you're meeting people and I felt like you don't get. If you don't get that connection as much in this medium of, you know, zoom, the zoom age, if you will.

Vicki:

Yeah.

Stuart:

had to be out there.'cause that was where I excelled, is that relationship building. And I was able just to connect and, and people were willing to give me a chance. I mean, our, our big sales mantra, if you will, and how we get our referrals is really like,

Vicki:

Yeah.

Stuart:

gonna save mess around talking to. The, the daughter who wants to talk to you for two hours, I'm happy to talk to that daughter for two hours. And they were like, oh, Sounds good. I mean, everyone was so scared and so overwhelmed with Covid, but they're like, please like give to do what you can help me. and a lot of times I was getting calls from hospitals like, Hey, we don't know where to send people. help us? Because there are only so many places.

Vicki:

I would imagine.

Stuart:

people with Covid. And so just, you know, I, it was just the right time and I was able to just make those quick connections calling around, you know, Hey, are you able to accept, you know, someone with Covid, you know, I'm getting this from the hospital, they don't know. And just kind of morphed into being able to, you know, talk to so many people so quickly. it, we morphed into, uh, one of the, like you said, one of the leading, uh, placement agencies in the city. It just,

Vicki:

That's awesome.

Stuart:

for lack of a better word, it was crazy craziness. I don't know. I like, I look back, I'm like, oh my gosh, I can't believe that's how it all started and that's how we did it. But we

Vicki:

Yeah. And five years later there's some kind of weird statistic that says like. 95% of businesses or something like that don't make it past five years. And here you are talking about like plans to grow and and evolve. So that says something right there too.

Stuart:

Yeah. It was one of those things where I was like, well, if I fail, I can always be a nursing administrator again. And I think that

Vicki:

Yeah.

Stuart:

pocket of took the worry out of branching outta my own, doing my own

Vicki:

Yeah.

Stuart:

Yeah.

Vicki:

Yeah, absolutely. And you know what, it might help too, because I get listeners from all over to just insert elevator pitch here of what Senior Care Partners actually does,

Stuart:

Sure,

Vicki:

and kind of fill in that gap. And then I wanna move into Stew as the entrepreneur. I.

Stuart:

yes. So senior care partners, we do placements for seniors into, uh, assisted livings, memory cares, independent living, uh, where a free service to people. We get paid a referral fee from the communities. but actually we're just a resource. At the end of the day, we are a free resource to help people navigate senior housing and uh, there are a lot of times where talking to people who have no money. They're on Medicaid, but part of our brand and part of what we wanna do to be that resource is to help whomever, and I'm happy to help whomever. Because it's really hard, really challenging. I always kind of say to people that we are agents of chaos. You know, no one wakes up and says, you know what? Today I'm gonna go to an assisted living. That sounds great. Um, no, you have to have a moment. You have to have, for lack of a better word, kind of an oh shit moment. Mrs. Smith fell down the

Vicki:

Yeah.

Stuart:

You know, you have to have that, um, moment. Say, okay, I'm giving up my independence, or I'm. I'm giving up my home to move into somewhere that's more safe. And so we're just here to navigate, um, that process with people. Take it, do as much of the legwork, take as much off the plate. It's a really emotional time for both the seniors and the families. There's a lot of loss in terms of losing your independence, losing your, the home you've been in for. Um. For 60 years, you know, we're, we really try to help navigate that process and, you know, we wanna make sure that you're getting the right care, you're getting, you know, the community has the, is the right from the financial perspective, um, and that it's in the location that you want.'cause we want long-term success. We don't wanna move around people a bunch of times. We want

Vicki:

Multiple times. Yeah.

Stuart:

and that's just kind of where we are. We're here to help. We're here be a resource for people.

Vicki:

That's amazing. And I'm just curious, I have to ask this question because what you do and the people that you work with, it is such an emotional thing. Like, we are all gonna get old somehow. Our, our brain blocks that reality from actually thinking about it, but it does, it changes. And our, our bodies change. And like, how, how do you deal with that? Is it different than when you were an administrator? Because you're kind of

Stuart:

Yeah,

Vicki:

on the, you're more on the ground.

Stuart:

this is, I, I always tell people this is a much more positive kind of way of working with seniors, um, because you're truly providing a helpful service to people. Um, when I was running buildings, you know, we would move people in. I would just say hi to the sales, to the people coming in for chores and be, Hey, I'm

Vicki:

Yeah.

Stuart:

administrator. You know, nice to meet you. I my day was truly spent complaints, staffing, making sure the financials were correct, you know, so it really was, there was, you know, that, that managing by walking around piece, Hey, how are you? Good to see you.

Vicki:

Yeah.

Stuart:

but it wasn't as much as I would've liked and it just kind of got to the point where I felt like I could do a job doing this. You using my

Vicki:

Yeah.

Stuart:

And, um, it just, just more, more fun this way.

Vicki:

Yeah,

Stuart:

it's more I impact, I find it more impactful'cause we would get people who, don't have the right expectations coming into an assisted living. You know, it is not a perfect, uh, system by any means. It's people

Vicki:

I'm sure.

Stuart:

People suck usually, unfortunately. And, and we just did a really bad job as an industry of telling people how it's, and I think that has been the most valuable piece that I can give people is this is how it's gonna be you just have to be okay with that. And if you're not, then we need to look somewhere else

Vicki:

Mm-hmm.

Stuart:

a different. Solution. Um, so I think it's just been much more, I feel, I feel better about myself, um, because it is the core. I mean, you, you worked in the corporate world. Um, the corporate world is no different in senior housing than it is in any other industry. you know, we still have to make our sales, we still have to make our

Vicki:

Yep.

Stuart:

We, and sometimes it. It could be construed as, uh, we're doing all these things in, in spite of making a, a, a great place for people to live. And it's funny, when I do placements, you know, I look at my, my, uh, historical data it's like we only go to like the same like 15 places because we know that those places are, just, they're good, they're better, and they create an environment that is. So much fun and invigorating for our

Vicki:

Yeah.

Stuart:

that

Vicki:

Mm-hmm.

Stuart:

it, it's, fun. It's fun. I just, I enjoy it so much.

Vicki:

Yeah.

Stuart:

that I made this change and, um, I'm glad I get to work with the people I work with.

Vicki:

That's amazing. And I, I, it's actually kind of a good segue into talking about. Building a business and changing into an entrepreneurial mindset because you, I would imagine as an administrator, like you said, you're managing budgets. You're, man, you're managing employee relation issues. Those are all the same things that you do as an entrepreneur, but you have more control and you have kind of a, you can, you can manage the communication process and the workflow, and that is so much more empowering than having to. Kind of work your way through a bureaucratic system. That's many tiers, many levels. So my first question for you is what had to change from a mindset perspective, from being an employee to now being the runner of the show?

Stuart:

Uh, first and foremost, I mean, our, our industry is, you know, we don't sell widgets, so we are a service base. So if I don't have a move in, I don't make any money. And it's the, oh my gosh. Even if I, we don't have any move-ins. I still make a paycheck. Well, not anymore. You know, I wake up at

Vicki:

Yeah.

Stuart:

the morning, be okay, I've done okay for April, but what about May? Where are my,

Vicki:

Yeah.

Stuart:

coming? Where's my pipeline? Um, and it's, it's the grind. It's, it's being really good about your time. I mean, before, she's like, oh, I'll get these done when I get'em done. You know, I'm here, I'm dealing, putting out fires, all these things.

Vicki:

Yeah,

Stuart:

I mean, I was a solopreneur. It was just me.

Vicki:

it's crazy.

Stuart:

which is good and bad at, you know, all at the same time. But it was either, you know, you make, you have movements or we aren't eating. Uh, now

Vicki:

Mm-hmm.

Stuart:

my wife had a, a nice job and we were eating, but that's the mindset that I had is, if you're we're gonna do this, gotta do it. And you gotta really focus on structure. I really focus on blocking time out. will tell you this, I'm not the best at that, I had to learn how to be better

Vicki:

Okay.

Stuart:

Yep. And, um, trust me, I still work on it every day, every week trying to block out my schedule. That allows me to kind of create my own checklist to be like, listen, this is what you have to do. and that's just what it was, is you just have to do it. You know,

Vicki:

Yeah.

Stuart:

not in my line of work. You know, it, it is just a lot of calling, but also like cold walking in and, you know, walking into people's office and like, hi, I am Stewart. Here are my, here are my wares. You know, send

Vicki:

Yeah.

Stuart:

Um, learning how to be okay with that, that uncomfortable just interaction. It's awkward. It.

Vicki:

So I think that is what holds people back. I'm, I'm, I'm sorry, I didn't wanna interrupt you, but I just wanna say I think that's what hold holds people back. So what have you found is a good trick to open up those conversations? Are you like dropping off donuts or are you, is there something that you've done that you're like, wow, this is actually creates a lot of connection for me and helps me.

Stuart:

You know what? I think honestly, it's, it's telling people that I used to work in the industry. Um, they go, I, I, oh, I'm steward. I do this. They're like, go, whatever. I go, you know,

Vicki:

Yeah.

Stuart:

be an administrator so I get it. And like their face just lights up. Oh, great. Uh, you know how it is. Okay, great. We can connect.'cause there's that comradery of, um, lack of a better word, bullshit that we just had to put up with as a,

Vicki:

Yeah.

Stuart:

healthcare industry. there are a lot of people in my industry who have never worked in healthcare um, I, I don't think that, I don't know how they make any connections with, with these people because you have

Vicki:

Yeah.

Stuart:

go through the suck essentially together, um, to create. And yes, we do do the cookies, we do do donuts,

Vicki:

Of course.

Stuart:

you know, all those things. Um, you know, it's funny, I, I never give the donuts to the actual person I wanna meet. I always give them to the staff because when I was, when I was in buildings, I never got anything and I thought that

Vicki:

Mm-hmm.

Stuart:

So all the sales people got stuff, the social workers got stuff. I didn't get anything. So I was like, way we do this and. So, um, you know, honestly, we've stopped doing a lot of that, you know, we'll do the occasional lunch, but honestly, that connection of going through healthcare together has really been that, um, way to kind of remove some of the awkwardest. Listen, it's still very awkward and you know, me,

Vicki:

Sure.

Stuart:

be a little awkward every now and then. It's okay, but I'm

Vicki:

All of us. That's the thing. Yeah, I agree. I there you have to get through a level of just uncomfortability. And knowing that there is some kind of common ground, but what I took from what you said is kind of creating a certain level of credibility. And I think it applies to every single industry and, and it gets easier the longer you do something. But I, um, you know, I talk to a lot of entrepreneurs who are in all phases just starting out, have been doing things for 30 years, and I think in the starting out phase, it's kind of creating that foundation of credibility. And there's so much life experience that can give that to you. Whether you worked in healthcare, whether you've been a realtor for 30 years or whatever it is, it's, I think it's just kind of finding that in your story and making that connect with someone else.

Stuart:

Yeah. I mean that's been a challenge for me too, is, and something that I had to work on was that kind of, that elevator pitch

Vicki:

Yeah.

Stuart:

like, hi, I'm Stewart. They're like, get the heck outta my office.

Vicki:

Yeah. Leave the donuts. You can go.

Stuart:

Yeah. Like, okay, thank you. But, you know, um, it, it really, yeah, you're right. Is that, is that, um, credibility has been excellent and just kind of crafting the way that I talk to people about the brand, about what we do, about how we do it, kind of in this condensed spiel, if you will, to gain that credibility. I think you hit it right on the.

Vicki:

Yeah. Um, and since you brought up brand a couple times and so I think, um, in branding becomes that really buzzy word of like building, um, a marketing brand or like, not necessarily connecting it with professional services because like, let's be honest, a lot of times in professional services we see it's like just some. Shitty like, you know, logo you built in Canvas or something. Like, there's not a lot of creativity. So I'm curious, when you were building your brand, what went into that or what kind of things did you think about as you were starting?

Stuart:

Uh, thank you to my wife. She is in marketing, so she

Vicki:

Amazing. I.

Stuart:

wrote out a whole thing and she was like, no, this is terrible. I'm redlining everything. And, um, I, you know, I think it was, I. Creating that professionalism that create that credibility. Um, but also understanding that here to help. I get so often, oh, I didn't know you existed. I don't know a business like you existed. And hurts me a little bit every time.'cause I want everyone to know. Um, and so I think what went into that is, you know, we were at farmer's markets, you know, we were, we go to symposiums, we go to all these things. Not to get sales, but to just educate people. You know, we do talks all the time just about senior housing, very generic.

Vicki:

Yeah.

Stuart:

builds the brand. I mean, we're in, I have some advertising around and I, it's funny, I get a lot of, oh my gosh, I saw you in the, the, the newspaper and I didn't call, but I didn't call you then, but I saw it again and now I'm gonna call you. So it's just like some of those things that, just little things that just tried to, to really, um. Really kind of pump it up a little bit. And, and where we are in our, in, in our business life, if you will, is now we have people that it's not just me anymore trying to build the brand of everybody as opposed to just, oh, that's Stewart's company.

Vicki:

Mm-hmm.

Stuart:

know him. Oh, he's great, or whatever. But usually he's great.

Vicki:

Hopefully,

Stuart:

And not just of me. And so that's kinda where we are in our brand strategy. And kind of what I'm doing now is I'm not doing as much head on sales because I am trying to build the brand and expand and, um, you know, just be bigger and better.

Vicki:

I love that you did not default to like, I thought about these colors or these logos and, and it's, it's great honestly to have a wife or partner or business partner or whatever to help in kind of fill in those gaps no matter what for anyone. But I love that you're talking about, you're building kind of a brand essence of going out and educating people and talking, because those are all. That, like that is really the key is so someone who is making the connection that thinks back on the time they heard you speak or um, met you at a networking event or saw a social media post, all of these things kind of work together. So, um, I love that that's how you think of it.'cause I, I. I always hope that entrepreneurs and and business owners think of their brand that way. That it's not just how you're showing up on a business card with a, you know, uh, with a, a color or signature or anything like that, but it's really how are you represented in the community? What do people think of when they think of your industry or your name? So that's a really powerful thing, and it's so important as you grow.

Stuart:

Yeah, it's less about the logo, more about the person who's wearing it.

Vicki:

Yeah. Yeah. So what does growth look like? What, I know you said you wanna expand to multiple cities, but what do you have in the hopper?

Stuart:

Um, we are always looking for people within Cincinnati, so doing different, uh, parts of our, um, of our city. I don't know if you know this Cincinnati kind of big, so not one person can, uh, do it all. So continuing to find the right pieces for. The East side, the west side, northern Kentucky. Um, and then created, you know, because I was a solopreneur and I said, it's good and bad. Well, it, I didn't have like a sales manual. I just kind of

Vicki:

Mm-hmm.

Stuart:

I just kind of did my thing.

Vicki:

Yeah.

Stuart:

then in the process of creating that sales manual policies, procedures. Expand into Dayton, Columbus, Cleveland, you know, those, um, those big Ohio cities and even in

Vicki:

Yeah.

Stuart:

and, and, and just making a, a, a playbook for someone to be able to say, I have the playbook, let's go. And, um, yeah, that's been, that's been the growth mode is we have our team here. It's great, you know. Kind of going through those, uh, trials and tribulations of what it's like to, uh, not just be by myself, but you know, they have

Vicki:

Yeah.

Stuart:

they have different issues. They're not me. They have different styles. And how do we take all those styles and kind of mash it into a digestible manual and to have to do this, um.

Vicki:

Yeah.

Stuart:

You know, it seems kind of easy to, you know, oh yeah, just go see a bunch of people and they'll eventually give you, eventually give you some referral. it's, there's some, some art to it. There's some,

Vicki:

Yes.

Stuart:

if you will, of how to do it. And, um, I think that's been the biggest thing that to, uh, prepare for growth, um, you know, had some. Opportunities to, to expand into the Columbus area. Just haven't found the right fit yet. Um, so people out there, if you know anyone who's interested, you know, let me know. But, um, that's just, that's what growth looks like today, is building the team here, getting through their trials and tribulations to create that, uh, that sales manual to, allow someone to thrive, you know, and not have to

Vicki:

That's awesome.

Stuart:

them every second of every day.

Vicki:

Yeah, that is the most difficult thing is the creating processes and creating the structure that supports the process being successful. I know that all too well in my own business. So you as now the, from a solopreneur to an entrepreneur to managing a team, do you have any advice or something that has helped you in managing a, a decentralized team too?

Stuart:

Yeah. Um, because yes, our, our, it's not like we work in the same office. You know,

Vicki:

Mm-hmm.

Stuart:

my salespeople have the autonomy to do whatever they feel will drive their business.

Vicki:

Mm-hmm.

Stuart:

and it's maybe things that I have never thought of, I think that's part of it, is I don't know all the answers and letting them do their, do their thing, letting them have that, um, the creativity to, to drive new business. honestly, I, and I touched on it before, is really learning about personalities how to effectively talk to people.

Vicki:

Mm-hmm.

Stuart:

me. I could

Vicki:

Mm-hmm.

Stuart:

all day, every day or people like me. Um, it's funny, I had a meeting, um, recently with, with two women. Um, one was a, an established relationship, and she was introducing me to someone. Well, the person that we were meeting with, a new person was me. We talked endlessly for like two hours.

Vicki:

Amazing.

Stuart:

talk about much of anything, but it was fun. I enjoyed it. It was great.

Vicki:

Yeah.

Stuart:

I can relate to those people. I can, I can manage those people. It, it really is, is, okay, you're a this type of person. What do you need to be successful? Is it, do you need things laid out? You know, in a t do you need a, a tracker, uh, you know, policies, procedures, to think critically

Vicki:

Mm-hmm.

Stuart:

Let loose and just be real back in every now and then to just, you know, once you're spinning to kind of reel you back in to, you know, to, to navigate on the right path.

Vicki:

Yeah.

Stuart:

that's been the biggest thing, e especially in my line of work, because we are so autonomous from each other. Um, yeah. But using the experiences that I've had to yeah, you know, we it your way, but this is how I did it and put your own spin on it.

Vicki:

Mm-hmm. I think it's the best thing that you could possibly do. It's like it's, it's honestly just respecting that everyone is different and everyone brings something unique, which I think ultimately makes entrepreneurs really successful and bringing in people who are so diverse and as you're they, I'm trying to think of that, saying that I always. Heard like in corporate jargon. Oh, it's like building the plane while you fly it. There is some truth to that, and that's kind of what you're doing is everyone's creating this process for you while you're doing it in tandem, which is

Stuart:

Right,

Vicki:

kind of great.'cause you get to tie in opinions and backgrounds of all different kinds of people.

Stuart:

right. Yeah. And sometimes, like I said, I'm not always right. I think I'm always right, but I'm

Vicki:

Mm-hmm.

Stuart:

right. And it's nice to be able to bounce some ideas off of people. Honestly, I think that's been. um, motivating for me is, you

Vicki:

Yeah.

Stuart:

don't, I no longer toil in the basement and just think of all these things, but I'm able to really bounce ideas and be creative and think of outside the box ideas that our competition isn't doing, trying to zag where everyone's zigs. Um, I mean, that's just been, so that's been the fun part of, of this and having a team is.

Vicki:

Yeah.

Stuart:

Throwing mud at the wall and you know, trying to see what sticks and.

Vicki:

Have you, have you upgraded your office from the basement office

Stuart:

Yeah,

Vicki:

or are you still rocking it?

Stuart:

now I'm in the guest bedroom. I got

Vicki:

Wow.

Stuart:

now, which is great. Um, yeah, I mean, honestly, a lot of our, a lot of our work is driving around. I, I do

Vicki:

Yeah.

Stuart:

I have a membership to some coworking space, so if I need to get out of my house, which is pretty regularly, I know that about myself. Like if I'm at home. I might not be as productive. So, um, those things don't get always checked off the list. Um, but yes, I am in my guest bedroom now, so

Vicki:

amazing. Imagine where you'll be in five years. I can't imagine what room you'll be taking over. There'll be two windows in there.

Stuart:

I know, I know I drive by, you know, these, these, um, office buildings all the time be like, yeah, that looks good. I think we could, we could, we could work in there that that could be a good corporate office. you know, it's just think, you know, I think that's the, that's fun too, is just kind of

Vicki:

It is.

Stuart:

the future and what it looks like and, you know, sometimes yeah, you don't wanna get too far ahead of yourself, but, you know, we can, it's, it's fun.

Vicki:

You have to, the dreaming is, is so fun and it just gets bigger and snowballs from there. But to take a, take a step backwards as we're kind of winding down our conversation today, I'm curious, what would you tell Baby Stew in 2020 before you have all of this knowledge, you've built this business from the ground up, what would be your advice that you would tell him?

Stuart:

Don't be so scared make those connections, put yourself out there to be uncomfortable. Those are. Just hard lessons that I had to learn. And think they were good lessons, that those were the big ones. Honestly, I came from the corporate Indus, you know, the corporate world, and we weren't allowed to spend any money. Like spending money was, you know, the Scarlet letter.

Vicki:

Okay.

Stuart:

would also tell myself like, listen, you can spend a little bit of money, like it's okay to do those fun outreach, networking things.

Vicki:

Yeah.

Stuart:

That might propel your business, you were too scared to, you know, spend the money or hey, get the nicer cards, or hey, you know, the polos that you have, spend a little bit more money to make them look more presentable because it is your image sometimes is your brand, especially in our line of work is it's a people business spend a little bit of money. Uh, obviously not too much. I think being, being okay with being uncomfortable. I know that's kind of cliche, but it's it's so true. Like, there are times when I would drive into places like, um, you know what, today I'm just not that. wanna, I, I don't feel like it today. Uh, this

Vicki:

Oh yeah.

Stuart:

give me that much business. I'm just gonna skip it today. No. No, it at this point we're just, I, I will go in anywhere. I don't care. Um, and I'm okay with being a little awkward, um, because our relationship, the relationship has to start somewhere. And what's better than being a

Vicki:

Yeah,

Stuart:

so.

Vicki:

I know, and it is such a gateway. It's, there's this quote that I've always loved and it's the only way out is through, and you can use it in so many situations. But I always think about it, relating it to business is there are. You said it earlier, you have to get through the suck. Oh, I have been through my fair share of the suck in building two different brands. I'm building the marketing arm of my business. There's so many things that have come up, and if I were to just stop and say, I don't, like you said, I don't feel like it, or I just don't have it in me to, to like get through that like icky feeling. There is nothing good that happens from just stagnation. It's just getting through it and realizing that on the other side is this person who's like so much more self-actualized, who's so much more experienced and and is better for that next thing, whatever that thing is gonna be. I.

Stuart:

I.

Vicki:

Well, I love it. Stu, you were just a wealth of knowledge today. Thank you so much for your time. Honestly, this is a great conversation and I learned a lot too. I didn't know a lot about senior care, but just in growing in what you've done, it's amazing. So congratulations

Stuart:

Thank you so much. I, I thank you for having me.