Ep. 155 Building a Care Driven Business Model That Actually Scales

Show Notes:In this episode of the Business Growth Spotlight, Heidi Schalk sits down with Daniel Story, founder of HomeJoy of Kalamazoo, to unpack what it really takes to build and scale a care based business without sacrificing quality, trust, or humanity.Daniel shares how his 30 year career as a registered nurse shaped the way he built Homejoy and why caring has always come before systems, safety checklists, or scale. From starting the business with fifty dollars and a PO box to leading more than one hundred employees across multiple locations, this conversation pulls back the curtain on the operational realities of home care and service based businesses.You will hear how Daniel navigated economic downturns, near business failure, and capacity challenges by leaning into mentorship, systems, and core values. He explains why communication breakdowns are the most expensive mistakes businesses make, how technology and automation support growth, and why culture is the only way to scale people-led organizations.Daniel also shares what has not worked, including referral middlemen and misaligned marketing spend, and why deep community relationships continue to be Homejoy’s strongest growth driver.The conversation closes with a look at what is next for Homejoy, including the expansion into professional housekeeping services and Daniel’s upcoming book on compassion, conflict, and leadership in healthcare.This episode is a must listen for founders, operators, and service based business owners who are growing fast and want to do it the right way.Bio: Daniel Story has been the CEO of HomeJoy of Kalamazoo for over 20 years. HomeJoy has bought out two competitors, received Best of Care awards for employment and for client care, it has been on the Inc 5000 list, a Michigan 50 company to watch list, and has had other local awards. Outside of running HomeJoy Daniel has been the owner of a Property Management company and has established and later sold an assisted living and a non-profit organization serving the needs of persons with dementia. He is currently writing a book which is aimed at helping the healthcare industry deal with difficult behaviors which our patients often demonstrate during their engagement with our services.To connect with our guest, click on the links below:LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-story-362a921a/Website:  HomeJoy.careConnect with me:LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/heidischalkcoaching/