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/

Welcome back to Care to CEO, the podcast where caregivers become confident care entrepreneurs. In this candid episode, “The Ugly Truth: The Hardest Parts of Running a Care Business,” host Crystal Smith pulls back the curtain on what it really takes to build and sustain a care-based business. You’ll hear Crystal’s raw reflections on staffing nightmares, staying compliant, emotional burnout, and those moments when everything seems to fall apart at once. She shares personal stories, like the unforgettable day when staff quit, clients threatened to walk, and her own child fell ill, and reveals how she found the resilience to keep going.

From learning the critical difference between hiring hands and hiring hearts, to the ongoing challenges of compliance (“the license is just the wedding, compliance is the marriage”), Crystal gets real about the emotional and organizational tolls of entrepreneurship. She also opens up about the importance of self-care, learning to ask for help, and forging strong boundaries to avoid burnout.

Whether you’re just dreaming of starting your own agency or are deep in the trenches, this episode is packed with advice, hard lessons, and the encouragement you need to stay in the game, even when it gets messy.

Timestamps:

00:00 Entrepreneurship: A Heartbreaking Calling

04:14 Overcoming Crisis with Resilience

07:32 "Heart Over Skills in Home Care"

12:31 Organizing: Key to Legacy Building

14:58 Embracing Self-Care and Balance

19:15 Boundaries Bridge, Protect, Empower

20:43 Rethinking Boundaries as Bridges

25:42 Learning to Delegate with Love

28:52 Clutter Reflects Mental Health Struggles

31:06 Challenges of Building a Business

34:59 "Embrace Solitude in Business"

38:34 Networking for Success

41:46 Breaking Cycles, Empowering Women

46:40 Strategic Thinking Reflection

47:30 Coping with Leadership Stress

Care to CEO - Podcast Show Website - https://caretoceo.com/

Crystal Smith - https://www.crystalsmithandco.com/

TopHealth - https://tophealth.care/

Welcome back to Care to CEO, the podcast that helps caregivers and underdogs take bold steps toward confident business ownership in the care industry! In this episode, host Crystal Smith cuts through the confusion around getting licensed —and getting paid — for a home care business. Crystal shares her personal journey, practical steps, and plenty of hard-won wisdom on how to navigate the paperwork, state requirements, and the all-important approval process to become a Medicaid or state-funded provider.

If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by confusing government websites, unsure of what license you really need, or just stuck googling into the void, this episode is your go-to guide. Crystal walks us through the exact steps she took: choosing her business structure, opening the right doors at state agencies, leveraging mentorship, and building her network. She talked about common mistakes (so you don’t make them!), working with reviewers, setting up for renewal, and even how to diversify your funding streams. Plus, Crystal shares that sometimes “starting scared” is the best way to get going — no matter how daunting it all seems.

So whether you’re just dreaming or deep into your application, tune in for real-world tips and inspiring stories to help you launch and grow your care business. Let’s get you from uncertainty to approval, and from care to CEO — together!

Timestamps:

00:00 Overcoming Licensing Challenges

05:53 Licensing Challenges for New Businesses

08:16 Choosing a Path in Caregiving

11:23 Medicaid Payee Approval Process

15:48 Foster Care Challenges and Experiences

18:59 Medical Coding for Billing Payments

22:47 "Effective Communication and Responsiveness"

23:51 Application Process Challenges and Review

27:10 Helpful Feedback from Reviewer

33:08 Power of Mentorship

36:28 "Embracing Help and Delegation"

39:15 Affordable Help and Rachel's Book

40:59 Mentorship: Driven to Elevate Others

43:35 Embrace Action Despite Fear

Care to CEO - Podcast Show Website - https://caretoceo.com/

Crystal Smith - https://www.crystalsmithandco.com/

TopHealth - https://tophealth.care/