Start With Occupancy Podcast

02/28/2026

I vowed…”I will NEVER go back and work for another senior living company again!!!”

NEVER!!!

🚫Not because I didn’t love it. I did. ALOT ♥️
🚫Not because I was tired of the traveling. It was fun…for a while 😒
🚫Not because I sucked at my job (I actually was very, very good at it 😉)

But because of the toxic environments…😠

✅ The micro-aggressions.
✅ The unrealistic demands from the sales & marketing teams without the accountability from the operations teams
✅ The lack of transparency to private equity investors and how it impacted decisions affecting residents and staff.

And more…😂
I became disillusioned and disappointed.🏳️

How can an industry whose message of care, compassion, and enriching lives be so…

Fractured, disconnected, and profit over people driven…🤯….uggghhhh…

And don’t get me wrong, the people working in the communities (the staff) were caring and compassionate…but the top brass made it hard for them…😤

I knew there were owners who REALLY were passionate about serving seniors, helping caregiving families and doing “right” by their staff…

Who also needed guidance and help.🛟

That’s when I decided enough was enough…

While I was limited in the scope and reach that could be achieved in the corporate arena by division, district or a small company…

I could help MANY more owners and operators to impact an unlimited number of seniors, families and their staff working to support them.

I am doing just that.🥰

Through podcasts, Youtube shows, workshops, live intensive trainings, group mentorship, etc

While it has taken me a while to build the ecosystem, I am proud of what has been accomplished so far.

Long nights.
Short cash flow.
Frustrated with tech.
The list goes on and on…

As a business owner, you get it.

BUT, I am happy because this work matters.

Why? Because the work you are doing to start, own, operate, and grow, impacts lives.

Not just yours, but the many many people you can touch in AND outside of your home.

There are people circling…like a plane waiting for clearance to land…

And it is your dream business, your passion for caring for others, your commitment to make a difference in their lives that is the gate to unlock the next stage of their life’s journey.

So thank you for every follow, subscription, class, workshop, session…all of it.🙏🏽

No call to action here…
just a heartfelt thank you to all of you on a very grateful and reflective Saturday♥️

Photo: 4 months into my “I will figure it out phase” 😂

And be encouraged, you will figure it out too😉

02/26/2026

Have you ever thought about a trusted community organization as a referral source?

Not the hospital.
Not the discharge planner.
Not the skilled nursing facility.
Not the usual list almost ALL senior living homes and communities call on.🫣

In today’s episode, I share the story of a partnership I worked on for two years with our city YMCA before it was finally approved and what happened when we actually launched it.

Packed rooms.
Standing room only.
Of the very people my team needed to reach.

And, more visibility across the city.
And, conversations with families who weren’t even “in crisis” yet.

That’s the part we miss sometimes.

There are trusted voices in your community who already have access to the exact families you’re trying to reach.

Pastors.
Senior club leaders.
Realtors.
Even hairstylists…yes…you heard me 😏

This episode isn’t about replacing your traditional referral sources.

It’s about expanding your circle.

It’s about becoming the big fish in a smaller, more intentional pond.

🎙 Day 16 of the 21 Days of All Things Senior Living Marketing series is live.

If you’ve been feeling like you’re working hard to get referrals for your home or community…

But not widening your reach, this one is for you.

🎧Listen to the Start With Occupancy Podcast

It is available where you stream your favorite podcasts ☺️

Drop a 💡 if you never thought of a hair salon as a referral source for your community 😉

Just a note: why did my sales manager take a pic while I was talking is beyond me 😐🙄😂

02/25/2026

‼️FYI…No one wakes up excited at the prospect of moving their loved one into assisted living.
NO ONE...😐

When families say:

“It’s too expensive.”
“We’re not ready.”
“We need to think about it.”

They’re not rejecting you.

They’re overwhelmed.
They’re grieving.
They’re uncertain about the future.
They’re questioning themselves.
They’re trying to make one of the hardest decisions of their lives.

If you take their concern personally, you’ll either get defensive, dismiss their feelings, overlook what they’re really saying…

Or, you’ll discount your value.

But what if you lean in to hear the words behind their words?🤔

You’ll stop trying to overcome the concerns...
And start guiding families through them with empathy, clarity, and solutions.♥️

Day 14 of the series breaks down:

✔️ The 7 most common family concerns
✔️ What they actually mean
✔️ A 5-step process to respond with empathy and confidence
✔️ How to protect the move-in without pushing

Because this isn’t about “closing the sale.”❌🛑

It’s about helping families say yes with peace and confidence.

🎙️ Handle Family Concerns Without Losing the Move-In is now live on the Start With Occupancy Podcast.

It is Day 14 of the All Things Senior Living Series.😉

🎧Listen wherever you stream your favorite podcasts.

💬 What’s the concern you hear most often?

02/24/2026

When was the last time you generated 15 referrals in 30 days?🤔

My sales manager did!😲
And guess what?

The families and residents already trusted her, the staff, and the care they provided BEFORE visiting the community.

If your answer is “never,” “not recently,” or ...
you’re scratching your head, then this episode is for you.

In Day 15 of the 21 Days All Things Senior Living Sales series, I break down how one simple strategy produced 15 referrals and over $20,000 in first-month revenue.

No paid referral fees.
No extra ad spend.
No social content posting.
No luck.

Just timing.⏰
Conversations.🗣️
Creativity.💡
And a system.🔁

🎙 It’s live.
Go listen.🎧

Start With Occupancy Podcast is streamed everywhere you listen to your favorite podcasts including YouTube.

Put a 🔥 in the comments to celebrate the sales manager who achieved this!!!

02/24/2026

When was the last time you generated 15 referrals in 30 days?

My sales manager did!😲
And guess what?

The families and residents already trusted her, the staff, and the care they provided BEFORE visiting the community.

If your answer is “never,” “not recently,” or ...
you’re scratching your head, then this episode is for you.

In Day 15 of the 21 Days All Things Senior Living Sales series, I break down how one simple strategy produced 15 referrals and over $20,000 in first-month revenue.

No paid referral fees.
No extra ad spend.
No social content posting.
No luck.

Just timing.⏰
Conversations.🗣️
Creativity.💡
And a system.🔁

🎙 It’s live.
Go listen.🎧

Start With Occupancy Podcast is streamed everywhere you listen to your favorite podcasts including YouTube.

Bonus:
Put a 🔥 in the comments if you want 15 referrals in 30 days.😉

02/16/2026

Thrive In Five Weekly tips for Senior living and Residential Owners has officially began!!!

You can watch it on the Start With Occupancy YouTube channel…(your subscription will be appreciated☺️)or…

Just click on the link in the comments to the programs page on the Start With Occupancy website…

This is where the trainings, programs, live sessions and workshops schedules are housed.

If you have questions, submit them to me in the comments or through private message.

I will soon have a link to an Ask Me Anything form for the new YouTube show.

Stay tuned for more…😉

02/14/2026

Today, I called the woman who was a cook in my community over 12 years ago to wish her a “Happy Valentine’s Day” 🫶🏽

She is an older woman.

One who was a “mom like” figure to us. I loved her cooking. Her smile. Her Sierra Leone accent. Most of all, her hugs and words of encouragement.

My call was to express my love for her. And, let her know I was thinking about her.

Yes. We kept in touch even after she left the community. We don’t “talk” all the time but keep up with each other on social…

Yes. People in their 70s & 80s still use Whats App and Facebook 😏😂

She was sooooo happy to hear my voice. And as always, she invited me to visit when I go up north in the spring.

What seems simple. A twenty minute conversation, meant the world to her. But, it was really for me.

You see, one thing I have learned over the years serving this demographic…this community of aging adults…

It does more for you than you could ever for them. They literally have changed my perspective on life, love, time, money, like everything…

I can’t explain it.

Many people ask me, “Is assisted living something I can or should do?”

My answer is the same.

What is your passion meter for serving others despite any challenges it may present? If your heart is in it, then you will be rewarded more than any amount of money can give you.🫶🏽

If you are desiring to know how to reach more people so your home can be filled with life-changing wisdom and love…hit me up.

In the meantime…I am…

Wishing all of you a wonderful Valentine’s Day♥️

Don’t forget to check on your elderly neighbors, friends, church family, etc too.

🎙️New podcast episode release is on Monday.

We are talking about addressing family concerns to help you guide them to a move in.😉

The words, “I’m not ready”, “We can’t afford this” or “I’m just looking right now” doesn’t mean no…

listen in to find out what these and other concerns really mean.💕

02/05/2026

What does a fabric marker have to do with moving in a new resident?🤔

It is a step in building trust and showing you care for families.

Yes. A simple fabric marker.

During the move-in process leading up to the day, emotions are high. Families are trying to hold it together while trusting strangers with someone they love.

And in that moment, I started doing something small that landed huge: I gave away a fabric marker to each family to label their loved ones clothing.

Because here’s what families worry about (even if they don’t say it out loud):

👉🏽 Will Mom’s things get lost?
👉🏽 Will anyone know what belongs to her?
👉🏽 Will she be treated like a person… or just a room number?

That fabric marker said: “We pay attention to the little details. Therefore, we will pay attention to the big ones too, including your loved one”

It communicated care without a speech.♥️

And it didn’t just help families. It helped staff, too:

✅ fewer mix-ups
✅ less time hunting down missing items (those infamous socks🤯)
✅ quicker laundry turnaround
✅ smoother routines for residents

Small details build BIG trust.

If you want families to feel reassured, don’t only focus on the “big wow.”

Win the little moments. The ones that quietly say, “We’ve got you.”😉

What’s one small detail your team does that makes a big difference?

Have you audited your move-in process to find small opportunities to demonstrate your care?

One way is ensuring you have communicated what a “room ready” looks like to your team.

If you haven’t given them written guidance…
Grab my checklist. Just put a 🙋🏽‍♀️ in the comments below and I will send the link to download it ☺️

02/04/2026

Have you joined the private group yet? 🤔

I just renamed it:

Assisted Living Mentorship Hub | Start With Occupancy.

Why? To be honest, because I am baffled at the desire to open a business that carries so much risk (financially and personally) without a roadmap.

So if you are looking for information or support during your journey to assisted living or senior living ownership, with plenty of free resources as well as some paid options (because my bills have to be paid too😏), then review the group information below and join me (link to group in the comments):

Licensing opens the doors. Occupancy keeps them open.

Welcome to the Start With Occupancy Podcast listener hub where we talk about more than licensing. You know, marketing, operations, sales, quality care and compliance.

All of the things you need, if executed strategically, will help you become 100% occupied and profitable while reducing your exposure to risk (Yep, the stuff NO ONE talks about🫣)

If you haven't heard about some of this:

✅ Offering a niche program will increase occupancy

✅ How to start and keep a waitlist engaged BEFORE you open

✅ What to post to promote your community on social media

✅ What to say during a family visit (aka tour) and how your sales process may actually turn a family away from you

✅ How to partner with paid advisors strategically, reducing fees while building stronger partnerships

Then, this group will be for you 😉

And just to be clear, here are the group expectations:

BE KIND, COURTEOUS, AND COLLABORATIVE 🫶🏽

We are here to support each other with the mission to impact the lives of seniors and bring peace of mind to their families

BE SOMEONE'S CHEERLEADER🙌🏽

If someone shares a touching story, or share a small "win" for the day, leave a comment. Encourage them. This can make a huge difference in their day. Be supportive. This is a safe place of learning...positive vibes ONLY.

OPERATE OUT OF AN ABUNDANCE MINDSET🔑

We are not a community of fearful, scarcity minded, cut throat, can't play nice in the sandbox people😏. There is MORE than enough business to go around for EVERYONE. Ensure posts align with abundance mindset and serving others.

So come on in, have that sip of coffee ☕️ or wine 😉 and join our crew of positive, upbeat folks who are shaking things up by paving the way to help the new wave of aging adults.

So if this aligns with you and your values, I would love to have you join me.

Together we will inspire change, impact lives, and improve outcomes. 💕

There are BIG outreach goals in 2026! (more about that in another post ☺️)

You can also connect with me receive free info on these other platforms:

YouTube Channel: Start With Occupancy

Podcasts: Start With Occupancy & Outlive Your Life

Have questions? Post them in the group.

Have requests for trainings? DM me! 😊

02/04/2026

I needed to hear this. And thought 💭

Maybe…you needed to hear it too.
What we do in senior living is not easy.

Especially, if you are a passionate empath who takes caring for aging adults and supporting their family seriously.

Just know, you will be make it through🫶🏽

01/29/2026

All Florida ALF owners and operators please read to know what your requirements are under this new regulation.

➤ Read the full article in the first comment!