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The Hiring Mistake That Cost Me Time & Money — Dana Charumbira

Release Date: 02/18/2025

What I Wish Every Home Care Owner Knew – Steven Gonzales

Home Care Hindsight

In this episode of Home Care Hindsight, host David Knack is joined by Steven Gonzales, CEO of HealthView Home Health & Hospice, to demystify the world of home health. Steven breaks down the core function of home health, its role in the care continuum post-hospital discharge, and the critical financial challenges driven by payer mix and Medicare Advantage. He shares invaluable insights on how home care agencies can become essential partners by understanding clinical needs, tracking client payer data, and focusing on true care coordination. Steven also looks to the future, discussing...

I Wasted Hiring 7 Salespeople Before I Got It Right – Gregg Mazza

Home Care Hindsight

In this episode of Home Care Hindsight, host David Knack welcomes Gregg Mazza, former home care agency owner and current coach to home care entrepreneurs. Gregg shares his journey from building a successful agency from scratch to selling it and now helping other owners avoid the pitfalls he experienced. He opens up about his biggest mistake: hiring seven salespeople who failed before he finally cracked the code on building a sales team that drives growth. Gregg emphasizes the importance of hiring for traits over industry experience, implementing clear systems, and holding teams accountable. He...

Find Someone 2-3 Years Ahead of You (Here’s Why) – Lucas Carroll

Home Care Hindsight

In this episode of Home Care Hindsight, host David Knack sits down with Lucas Carroll, CEO of The Business of Senior Care. Lucas specializes in guiding home care startups, change of ownerships, and expansions through the complex world of state licensing and compliance. He shares his unexpected journey from law school dropout to becoming a key resource in the home care industry. Lucas dives into a significant opportunity for agencies: diversifying into private duty nursing to retain clients, offer premium services, and increase revenue. He also emphasizes the profound value of building...

The Two Jobs I Wish I’d Focused On Sooner – Chuck Bailey

Home Care Hindsight

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...

Stop Thinking Like a Manager when You’re an Owner – Emily Isbell

Home Care Hindsight

In this episode of Home Care Hindsight, host David Knack sits down with Emily Isbell, founder of EI and Company, to discuss her impressive journey from caregiver at 19 to a successful home care consultant and bestselling author. They talk about Emily's early career, the evolution of her business, and the release of her book, 'The 24/7 Solution.' Emily shares valuable insights on correcting mistakes, the importance of consistently executing strategies, and the necessity of looking for talent within your existing workforce. They also explore the challenges of maintaining emotional maturity in a...

Why I Stopped Trying to Lead Alone – Guy Tommasi

Home Care Hindsight

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...

Blind Optimism Cost Me Two Years (Here’s How We Fixed It) — Randy Platt & Rodney Burris

Home Care Hindsight

Randy Platt and Rodney Burris, co-founders of Care Partners, reveal how blind optimism and over-reliance on culture nearly derailed their home care startup, and the pivotal shifts that turned their $0M mistake into 40% growth. In this transparent conversation, the duo unpacks their early missteps: from chasing unrealistic budgets to hiring for "culture fit" over performance. Discover how they transformed their partnership through radical transparency ("no barnacles"), why EQ now trumps IQ in their hiring, and the surprising metric that proves their team’s resilience. From solving healthcare...

Don’t Forget Owner Involved Employee Recognition (like I did) – Rachel Gartner

Home Care Hindsight

In this episode of Home Care Hindsight, host David Knack interviews Rachel Gartner, founder and CEO of Carework. They discuss Rachel's life in rural South Georgia as an Army wife and mother, her passion for hiring military spouses, and the unique challenges in the home care recruitment industry. Rachel shares insights on building effective systems for employee recognition, managing rapid company growth, and the importance of maintaining a caregiver-first mindset. They explore the difficulties of balancing recruitment intentions with execution and the significance of analyzing recruitment...

I Wasted Two Years on the Wrong Thing (Here’s How I Pivoted) — John Soltys

Home Care Hindsight

John Soltys, founder of Project Senior Care, shares his hard-won lessons from wasting two years (and resources) on an overcomplicated tech vision—and how a pivot to caregiver training and mentorship unlocked explosive growth. In this raw conversation, John reveals how his "big idea" mentality almost sank the business, why 96% of seniors fall into an unaffordable care gap, and the partnerships now helping agencies serve everyone—regardless of income. From rebuilding trust with his team to rethinking caregiver recruitment (hint: stop recycling the same hires), John breaks down the "no one...

I Overcomplicated Medicare Advantage (And Found a Simple Fix That Worked) — Fady Sahhar

Home Care Hindsight

Fady Sahhar, a disability advocate and home care strategist with decades of experience, unveils how Medicare Advantage is reshaping home care—and why agencies must rethink caregiver training to thrive. In this eye-opening conversation with host David Knack, Fady shares: Why 750+ Medicare Advantage plans now cover home care (and how to tap into this growing market). The "lifetime value" mindset shift that turns clients into long-term partners. How peer coaching solves EVV resistance and caregiver retention challenges. Fady also reveals common cultural blindspots when expanding into new...

More Episodes

In this episode of Home Care Hindsight, host David Knack talks with Dana Charumbira, CPA and financial strategist for home care agencies. Dana shares the biggest hiring mistake she made—bringing someone on board based on an impressive resume instead of proven skills—and how it impacted her business. She also dives into financial strategies, cash flow management, and key metrics that help home care owners scale profitably while avoiding common pitfalls.

Lesson Takeaways:

A great resume doesn’t guarantee great performance. Skills tests and structured interviews prevent costly hiring mistakes.
Cash flow should never be managed by what’s in the bank alone. Tracking gross margin, pay rate per hour, and Days Sales Outstanding (DSO) ensures financial stability.
Expanding into Medicaid or VA contracts can create cash flow strain. Home care owners must plan for delayed payments and adjust reserves accordingly.
Investing in the right systems saves time and improves profitability. Workflows, automation, and financial planning create a sustainable business model.
If a hire isn’t working, don’t wait to make a change. Prolonging the inevitable hurts both the business and the employee.

Timestamps:

[00:00:00] Why Financial Planning is Essential in Home Care

[00:05:00] Dana’s Biggest Hiring Mistake & What She Learned

[00:10:00] How to Hire Smarter: Testing for Critical Thinking & Proactivity

[00:15:00] The Most Underrated Financial Metrics for Home Care Owners

[00:20:00] The Cash Flow Trap of Medicaid & VA Contracts

[00:25:00] How Technology & Workflows Improve Client & Employee Experience

Quotes

Dana Charumbira: "If you know a hire isn’t working, cut ties sooner rather than later."
Dana Charumbira: "A great resume doesn’t mean they can do the job."
David Knack: "Every new hire isn’t just about filling a role. They represent your brand and impact your entire business."

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