Care to CEO
The only podcast built for underdog entrepreneurs, everyday people, and caregivers who want to build their own care-based business (Group Homes, Home Care, Foster Care, Behavioral Health Housing, Veteran Housing, etc.) without a trust fund or a fancy degree.
This show is hosted by Crystal Smith, a former CNA turned CEO & City Councilwoman, who shares the real, unfiltered, from-the-trenches playbook, helping you focus on the transformation journey from being an overworked and underpaid worker to becoming CEO and business owner — just like Crystal did — with tactical steps, mindset shifts, mentorship, and hard truths.
Care to CEO
Building a Bulletproof Care Business: Staffing, Systems, and Sanity with Crystal Smith
Welcome back to another episode of Care to CEO, the show where caregivers and everyday people get the inside scoop on building confident, sustainable care businesses. In today’s episode, host Crystal Smith — a care business owner who’s seen it all — is here to dig into the often overlooked, “unsexy” essentials that keep your business alive: finding the right team, setting up effective systems, and keeping your own sanity intact.
Crystal shares her candid journey, from the early days of hiring just to fill shifts (and the chaos that followed), to learning why empathy, flexibility, and communication matter more than credentials when building a staff that truly cares. She talks openly about the hard lessons she learned trying to do it all herself, how she finally mastered delegation, and the digital tools and systems that now let her step away from the business without missing a beat.
Whether you’re just starting out or feeling overwhelmed by the demands of your growing care business, this episode is packed with actionable advice, practical tools, and real talk about what it takes to survive — and thrive — in the care industry. If you’re ready to build a business that won’t fall apart when life gets messy, you won’t want to miss Crystal’s insights on staffing, systems, and the heart of successful care leadership.
Timestamps:
00:00 Screening for Values Beyond Resumes
06:55 Empathy in Action
08:45 "Collaborative Problem-Solving and Integrity"
13:26 Transition to Britco System
15:48 "Systems Restore CEO's Peace"
19:06 Empowering Staff Through Teamwork
24:33 "Set Up Access Care Early"
28:04 "Care Business Survival & Mentorship"
28:58 Gratitude and Farewell
Care to CEO - Podcast Show Website - https://caretoceo.com/
Crystal Smith - https://www.crystalsmithandco.com/
TopHealth - https://tophealth.care/