Libsyn Directory

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

Release Date: 07/09/2025

I Trusted Passion Over Process and It Broke My Business – Kristen Duell

Home Care Hindsight

Kristen Duell, founder of Momentum Healthcare and Technology Consulting, joins host David Knack for a raw conversation about the recurring mistake that has shaped her entire leadership journey: believing that shared passion and purpose are enough to run a successful business. Kristen opens up about the "black eyes and kidney punches" she's endured from moving too fast and trusting that others shared her standards of integrity, without first establishing clear structure and alignment. She explains why "momentum without tension is chaos" and how this hard-won lesson is now the core philosophy of...

My Failed Acquisition Pushed Me To Do More Due Diligence – Kevin Smith

Home Care Hindsight

Kevin Smith, CEO of Best of Care, joins host David Knack to pull back the curtain on a splashy but failed acquisition that taught him a brutal lesson about due diligence. Kevin opens up about buying an adult day health program's home care arm, a deal that made perfect sense on paper but fell apart at the seams, resulting in a massive revenue shortfall. He reflects on the costly mistake of relying too heavily on his relationship-driven "gut" for a process that required forensic analysis, and how the timing—closing the deal the day before his first child was born—added immense personal...

On Death and Dying in Home Care Part 2 – Gabrielle Pumpian and Nicole Soares

Home Care Hindsight

Gabrielle Pumpian returns, joined by death doula and end-of-life consultant Nicole Soares, for a profound conversation about the one thing every home care agency deals with but few are prepared for: death. They explore a common operational mistake: failing to align a caregiver's duties with a client's core values, leading to disengagement and a reduced schedule. Nicole shares her powerful personal journey that led her to become a "one-stop death shop," while Gabby reflects on the costly mindset of viewing a client's passing primarily as a revenue loss. The discussion offers actionable advice...

On Death and Dying in Home Care Part 1 – Gabrielle Pumpian and Nicole Soares

Home Care Hindsight

The "Frankenstein's Monster" Team That Forced a Culture-First Fix – Victor Hunt

Home Care Hindsight

Victor Hunt, the passionate CEO and co-founder of Zingage, joins host David Knack for a long-awaited conversation. Victor opens up about the critical hiring mistake from his first startup: prioritizing raw technical skill over team cohesion and culture fit, a misstep that almost broke the company. He explains why this "Frankenstein's monster" approach to building a team fails and how it informed his "culture-first" philosophy at Zingage. Victor shares the only two traits he now looks for in every hire and dives into the underrated genius of home care owners, who are often overwhelmed by...

The $10,000 Mistake That Forged a Stronger Partnership – John "Moz" Mozdzien

Home Care Hindsight

John "Moz" Mozdzien, a Navy veteran and co-founder of Veterans First, joins host David Knack to share a costly hiring mistake—but not of a person. He "hired" a flawed understanding of VA benefits, leading to a $10,000 loss on his company's very first case. He opens up about the specific rule regarding surviving spouses that they misunderstood and how this "hard fail" became the foundation for a 99.9% approval rate today. Moz reflects on how the crisis forged an unbreakable bond with his business partner, built on pre-existing trust. The conversation also covers the underrated power of...

Hiring the Wrong Person Taught Me About Building a Better Team – Becky Reel

Home Care Hindsight

In this re-released episode of Home Care Hindsight, host David Knack sits down with Becky Reel, founder and CEO of Reel Home Care Consulting and former owner of a top-rated home care agency. In their conversation from 2024, Becky vulnerably shares the story of her biggest hiring mistake: bringing her nanny into the office during COVID-19. She details how she overlooked numerous red flags, which led to a toxic work environment and significant business disruption. From this experience, she learned invaluable lessons about the importance of thorough reference checks, truly listening to her team,...

Stop Waiting for January: Strategic Growth Planning – Steve “The Hurricane” Weiss

Home Care Hindsight

In this returning episode of Home Care Hindsight, host David Knack is joined by Steve “The Hurricane” Weiss, founder of Home Care Evolution. Together, they dive into how home care agencies can finish 2025 strong and hit the ground running in 2026. Steve emphasizes the importance of using September–October to audit your business, tighten referral relationships, and prepare for seasonal surges (like elective surgeries leading to more home care referrals). He shares how to create an orthopedic specialty program to stand out from competitors and walks through the patient journey for better...

The $100,000 Partnership Mistake I Was Too Stubborn to Quit – Clayton Foutch

Home Care Hindsight

In this episode of Home Care Hindsight, host David Knack is joined by Clayton Foutch, a home care veteran and founder with over 18 years in the industry. Clay opens up about the costly mistake of stubbornly pursuing a major partnership that was a poor strategic fit for his company's "Four Seasons" vision. He shares how his refusal to listen to his team and cut losses earlier resulted in a significant financial and reputational hit. Clay also dives into the importance of revenue diversification for stability, the collaborative nature of the home care industry, and how to thoughtfully...

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...

More Episodes

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 left behind" approach that’s transforming referrals, discharge planning, and even veteran care access.

In This Episode, You’ll Discover:

1. The $2M mistake: Why John ignored expert advice (and how it burned his runway).

2. The "middle 96%" problem: Solving care for seniors who aren’t poor enough for Medicaid or rich enough for private pay.

3. How Project Senior Care’s mentor program turns stagnant leads into high-conversion clients.

4. Why caregiver academies should target new talent pools (not just industry veterans).

5. The nonprofit partnerships that now let agencies say: "We can help anyone."

Lesson Takeaways:

1. Focus beats complexity: Start with one "gear" of your vision, then scale.

2. Farm, don’t just hunt: Invest in long-term relationships, not just crisis-mode referrals.

3. Reputation is more valuable than revenue: Agencies that help all families (even non-paying ones) build unstoppable trust.

4. Recruit for passion, not experience: Train caregivers who see this as a career—not a side gig.

5. Listen to your team (and experts): Emotional detachment saves startups from "ugly baby" blind spots.

Timestamps:

00:00 - Welcome to Home Care Hindsight

01:15 - John’s entrepreneurial journey & Project Senior Care’s mission

03:00 - The "middle 96%" crisis: Seniors who can’t afford care

06:10 - John’s $2M mistake: Overbuilding tech instead of focusing

09:55 - The pivot that saved the business: Caregiver academy & mentor programs

13:30 - Why most agencies recycle caregivers (and how to find new talent)

16:45 - The problem with traditional referral sources

20:00 - "No one left behind": Partnering with nonprofits to serve all families

25:10 - How the mentor program transforms stagnant leads

28:40 - Little mistakes that sink agencies (and how to fix them)

32:50 - John’s proudest win: Expanding resources for veterans and low-income seniors

35:20 - How to join Project Senior Care’s mentor program

Quotes:

"I wasted two years of runway because I thought I was the smartest guy in the room." — John Soltys

"96% of seniors aren’t poor enough for Medicaid or rich enough for private pay. That’s our sweet spot." — John Soltys

"Stop hiring the same caregivers working for five agencies. Find people who see this as a career." — John Soltys

"Farm, don’t just hunt. If you’re not planting, you’re stuck on a treadmill." — John Soltys

"The power of saying, ‘Send me everyone—not just the ones who can pay.’" — John Soltys

Resources:

1. John Soltys on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnasoltys/

2. Project Senior Care: https://www.projectseniorcare.org/

3. Connect with David Knack on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-knack/

4. Connect with Zingage on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/zingage/

5. Powered by Zingage: https://zingage.com/

6. Watch Episode on Zingage’s YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Zingage

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