Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interiviewed Eric Thornton. FirmCare Life Sharing is a cutting-edge healthcare company with a passion for serving families and individuals of all spectrums. We are licensed by the State of Georgia through the Department of Community Health and Medicaid programs Georgia Pediatric Program (G.A.P.P), Community Care Service Program(CCSP), and SOURCE. We are dedicated to providing our clients with the highest quality home healthcare and healthcare consultation solutions.
1. Who is Eric Thornton?
2. Tell me a little about FirmCare Life Sharing and how you came up with your company's name.
3. Who does your company service?
4. How does FirmCare help the community?
5. What led you to provide Healthcare services?
6. What motivated you to choose the entrepreneurial path?
7. Are you involved in any other businesses or industries?
8. What is the low-income community?
9. How do you get paid when dealing with underserved communities?
10. The impact of COVID-19 on your business.
I’ve always had a heart for giving back and a passion for helping my community. I was born and raised in Atlanta, GA, growing up on the south side in Riverdale, GA. I attended school in Atlanta from preschool to 8th Grade thereafter, I moved to Decatur and attended Southwest Dekalb High School. I was blessed to have great parents and although they divorced when I was very young, they afforded me and my sister a great childhood. I always knew I wanted to make a difference in the underserved and especially the developmentally disabled community. I also knew that I wanted to become an entrepreneur and use my leadership skills to positively affect the community in a way that I couldn’t while working for a major bank. I had to step out on faith and take a risk and I did so by opening a home healthcare company–FirmCare Life Sharing. My company has an emphasis on helping developmentally disabled children and seniors in low-income communities within and around the metro Atlanta area as well other cities within the state of Georgia.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:05):
Welcome to the show. I am Rashwan McDonald, the host
of Money Making Conversations Masterclass, where we encourage people to
stop reading other people's success stories and start planning their own.
Listen up as I interview entrepreneurs from around the country,
talk to celebrities and ask them how they are running
their companies, and speak with dog profits who are making
(00:25):
a difference in their local communities. Now, sit back and
listen as we unlock the secrets to their success on
Money Making Conversations Masterclass.
Speaker 2 (00:35):
Welcome to Money Making Conversation Masterclass.
Speaker 1 (00:37):
I'm your host, Rashaan McDonald down here in Atlanta, Georgia,
interviewing Eric Thornton in this business firm, Care and life
Sharing because we want to know the secrets to his success.
Speaker 2 (00:49):
Now yet two phones, two phones. Now, I've interviewed people
all those counts.
Speaker 1 (00:54):
Now, I've interviewed foot doctors, tax for countin, pancake people.
Speaker 2 (01:00):
Barbara Barbara College. So I've had a variety of stem
like a STEM atlant of women.
Speaker 1 (01:07):
So I've had a lot of people, never having anybody
with multiple phone talk to me.
Speaker 2 (01:13):
How busy you are?
Speaker 3 (01:14):
Eric, Well, first borneo, I'm honored to be here with
you with a legend here, but hey, the two phones.
I got to be available for the clients, Okay, I
have to be available for the clients as well as
also on my staff listen, right, And so we're a
business where we're we have a lot of touch points
with our clients.
Speaker 2 (01:33):
So I have to make sure that if they call,
I'm here to ads. Absolutely.
Speaker 1 (01:38):
So let's talk about your business, your firm, care life
sharing when.
Speaker 2 (01:42):
It's your starting.
Speaker 3 (01:43):
So we started in twenty nineteen, okay. And the reason
why I started is because I wanted to actually make
not only a better way in the entrepreneur I've always
wanted to be an entrepreneur, yes, sure, right, I always
had those aspirations, A man of high aspirations and that
and I wanted to get in the business in which
I can really be somewhere that I can help our people.
(02:07):
And we normally help a lot of people that have forgotten,
people that have developmental disabilities, a lot of our seniors
that they need someone to help, right, And so I
get a lot of fulfillment with being able to have
and build a company that can really help our people,
not only just in the Atlanta area Metro Atlanta but
(02:29):
also great Georgia areas. Here in Georgia, we look we
look forward to actually growing outside of this state as well,
but Georgia is our most important I would say aspect
right now in order to help you.
Speaker 1 (02:42):
Know around because let's a good little detail exactly because
you're talking about helping you define certain lanes of people
who needed your help.
Speaker 2 (02:49):
How does your company work? Yes, so our company works.
Speaker 3 (02:54):
We actually are a full service agile healthcare company. We
actually we actually work specifically in a home in a
home health care arena, so we're able to add uh
provide skilled and unskilled nursing services.
Speaker 4 (03:14):
Uh.
Speaker 3 (03:14):
And we normally work with we worked with the myriad
of private clients, but a lot of our clients they
are a part of the Medicaid system, all right, and
so lower income. So what we'd like to do is
we actually like to make sure we educate as well,
so we're an educational company also. With these services that
(03:36):
we're able to offer with us with our partnership with Medicaid,
our clients actually received free home health care services in
which we actually send a caregiver directly to the homes
and we can really help that family.
Speaker 2 (03:51):
And so this is what we were talking about the
educational parks.
Speaker 1 (03:53):
A lot of people who have medicare may not know
that they can have this service provided to them.
Speaker 2 (04:00):
How do you get that word to them? How do
you like?
Speaker 1 (04:02):
I said, you know, because there's so many people out there,
especially in the community, in the community of color, which
is our dominant Lane is African America. Definitely, you know,
because twenty nineteen, you see a need was just like, well,
you're doing a traditional forty all week job before you
became an entrepreneur, or it was just a transition from
another entrepreneur.
Speaker 2 (04:22):
Lane, Yes, no, definitely. So I was actually in corporate.
Speaker 3 (04:28):
I was graduate from graduate of Moorhouse College, and they
prepared us immensely to be in the corporate arena. So
I worked at as a vice president at a bank,
and I said, hey, I wanted to have more fulfillment,
you know, in my life, to be able to help
the community.
Speaker 2 (04:47):
And so I was.
Speaker 3 (04:49):
Actually thinking about different you know, businesses, and you know
obviously different verticals within those businesses, and I said, hey,
you know, this is h something that resonates with me.
Always always had and a stude fondness for people with
you know, developmental disabilities. This is something in my heart
(05:10):
there that always wanted to serve in that capacity. So
I thought that this would would be a great marriage
in some of the skills that I had, and also
me going full throt onto my entrepreneur Community House College.
Speaker 2 (05:25):
Were you like, were you engaged? Like, you know, you
play a fraternity.
Speaker 3 (05:29):
Hey, you know, only the best fraternity, you know, and
that's Omega Sout five fraternity incorporated by way of side
Chapter More House College and Spring in two thousand and five,
and we actually celebrated nineteen years in the fraternity.
Speaker 2 (05:47):
Another compere I looked up to you now, you know.
Speaker 3 (05:51):
But but in there, you know, obviously we were in
the community, right right, Uh, but that's where the seed
was planted. Yeah, definitely, definitely, And also too, I wanted
to you know, not let this be remiss as well.
One of my really good friends in middle school, and
(06:13):
his name was Kyle Suffer with you know, with the
developmental disability. We become really great friends, right and you
know I was just always always there with him, and
you know, he was wheelchair bound, and you know, I
always always thought he was one of the strongest people
(06:33):
that I know, I mean people don't have to have
to deal with this on a regular basis. We I
think this sometimes and oftentimes we don't really express our gratitude,
you know, to the Creator to be able to have
all of our functions, and so I thank God for
that every day. But also I wanted to be someone
(06:55):
that could go into this this community. And also to
one of my one of my really good friends, Brad Jiles. Uh,
he actually introduced me to the home healthcare industry, and
I always would be thankful for that brother, for introducing
me to this.
Speaker 2 (07:14):
Land of opportunity.
Speaker 4 (07:15):
Please don't go anywhere. We'll be right back with more
Money Making Conversations Masterclass. Welcome back to the Money Making
Conversations master Class hosted by Rashaan McDonald.
Speaker 1 (07:32):
Now, I know that you know I'm talking to you
Eric okay in front of me. But I know you
got to have a right or left hand person. Who
is that person? I'll tell you I do.
Speaker 2 (07:42):
I have both right and and that is first and
foremost my wife.
Speaker 3 (07:47):
She's been phenomenal or has been phenomenal in uh just
being that support system that was there. I also have
two other people that I would like to mention. One
is Tsanamic Kenny. She is literally like my right hand.
She's the vice president of our client care and she
has been phenomenal. And not only is this our client services,
(08:11):
but also just being there and uh just being there
going beyond here with our clients and just building relationships.
She has been just phenomenal. And then also Tia, Tia
is our head of nursing. And when I tell you
she believed in me from the beginning, that sister is,
(08:34):
you know, phenomenal. And I worked with pretty much all
of all of our staff is there is black women,
you know, and they, when I tell you, the most
amazing and helping the growth with firm care life sharing.
Speaker 2 (08:49):
You know, I'm honored to have them on the staff.
How did you come up with the name firm care
life share? Firm care life sharing is kind of a mouthful. Well,
it's interesting, firm care we have life yes, me have sharing.
So it's not so much as a mouthful. Each each
one of the levels says something yes.
Speaker 3 (09:06):
So I've always been a big proponent of acronyms, So
firm is a acronym. It means foundations in real moments, all right,
Life sharing is or will care firm care Life Shares
obviously we're providing care to our community, right, providing that
(09:27):
foundation in real moments where we're also providing that care
to our community.
Speaker 2 (09:31):
Right.
Speaker 3 (09:32):
Life Sharing is also I wanted to pay homage to
the person that introduced me to this business and my
one of my actually my friend Brad, which is also
he's kind of like a brother to me as well.
His company's name is g h our Life Shared. I said, hey,
you know, you kind of paved the way for me
(09:53):
to get into this business as a mentor, and so
I want to, you know, I want to give back
to you. And so the Life Shared the actually was
a pretty much a shout out to him, and so
I actually put all of that together.
Speaker 1 (10:06):
Oh cool, cool, Well, congratulations on the concept because a
lot of people, I think it's important people understand that
that name has to People ask you that the interviews
and if you don't have a rational reason that said.
Speaker 2 (10:17):
Well, I just flip the cone.
Speaker 1 (10:19):
It has to have some emotional attachment because it drives
the longevity of a brand.
Speaker 2 (10:25):
Why did you come up with Google? Why did you
come up with this Apple?
Speaker 1 (10:28):
Or IBM or all these very tesler, all these popular
there's a reason for those names, and there's a reason
that you give her here for your day. Now, when
you look at your company, I went to the website
and COVID testing at the top of the line. So
over seventy thousand COVID testing. Now, your company started in
(10:49):
twenty eighteen, yes, sir, COVID is in twenty twenty. Oh yeah,
so talk about so there had to be a shift
in home care because COVID screen. COVID just shut down
the countries as the world, right, right, So how did
you make that? Then took COVID test and then what
applications did you have to put in place to be certified?
Speaker 2 (11:12):
Definitely, well, obviously a really great question.
Speaker 3 (11:16):
First and foremost, I definitely want to shout out to
the Atlanta University Center, right consorting them there, So the
a U c C, which in encompasses of Spellman Clark,
Atlanta University, Morehouse College, and Morris Brown all right, just
being somebody from Morehouse College. And first and foremost I
had a phenomenal time there. I was in leadership there
(11:40):
and first and foremost the staff. I was able to
really build a relationships with my professors and also just people,
you know, all a lot of the staff within the
Atlanta University Center and doctor Tredwick believed in me, and
(12:00):
a lot of the staff member members believed in me.
At Morehouse, I was president of my class sophomore year.
Speaker 2 (12:07):
Obviously a.
Speaker 3 (12:09):
Member of Omega Soft File Fraternity Incorporated, in which I
served as keeper of finance as well as Vossile is
also there. So I had to really be able to
you know, really sync with the staff, and they had
to know that, hey, Eric is a man of integrity, right,
a man that really had those and embodied those cardinal principles.
And I think that that served me down the lawn, right,
(12:33):
And so I was able to come they gave me
a call.
Speaker 2 (12:35):
Obviously it was.
Speaker 3 (12:39):
That it wasn't a long time as far as the
distance and when they needed to have these services, so
we had I had to really pivot right. We were
doing home health care, and the world kind of fell
fell out right with COVID. I also really really really
want to thank my mother. My mother came on. You
(13:02):
said they gave you a call? Yes, you get your mom.
So I'm trying to get the patterns. So COVID, did
they gave your company a call? You had to pivotes. Now,
you also said that you do a lot.
Speaker 1 (13:15):
Of contracting out right, So talk about how did that
come about when the call was made to you and
you had to make a decision based on finances.
Speaker 3 (13:25):
Yeah, yeah, so that was a leap of faith, all right.
That story is truly amazing. I'm thankful to God that
he had me in a position there so I was
able to get a call. I wasn't the first company
or the second company to get this call, right right,
all right, right, So so I had to really have
(13:45):
a belief in myself. I mean, firm care life Share
is an agile company. We look to be as a
small company. Obviously, we look to be able to uh
make decisions in order to really put our you know,
our up any an interest in order for our purpose, right.
Speaker 2 (14:03):
And that's to be able to.
Speaker 3 (14:05):
Serve our clients and communities in an exceptional way.
Speaker 2 (14:09):
And so I was able to get the call.
Speaker 3 (14:11):
They actually needed COVID testing centers for more else spelling
and Clarkland.
Speaker 2 (14:15):
And University book be built out.
Speaker 3 (14:17):
Obviously this is new, right, Lots of people didn't have
the or companies I actually say didn't have the bandwidth
to be able to actually create this. We were able
to actually come in in three weeks. We were able
to put together the cases of the plan there in
order to build out these COVID testing centers. That's why
I really wanted to thank to thank my mom Maryland,
(14:40):
and she actually we came together. We were able to
actually not only order the supplies and the PPE, but
we were also able to staff in building a staff
of close to almost I would say, seventy different members
seventy different contractors that came in to firm Care Life
(15:03):
Sharing to work at these COVID testing centers. And when
I tell you, it wasn't a test for the week.
At heart, I was still working a job as a
vice president. I was staying I was staying up to
you know, three and four o'clock in the morning, and
still had to be in that office at seven, you know,
eight o'clock am.
Speaker 2 (15:22):
Right. But we were able to do that, right.
Speaker 3 (15:26):
We were able to negotiate with the CFOs and with
the AUC Consortium in order to get contracts in places.
We did so well that once we were able to
actually start with the COVID testing and staffing the testing centers,
we actually said, hey, you're doing it so well, we
trust you, we want you to do the data entry also, okay,
(15:49):
all right, And so I really wanted to also shout
out to Care Guaranton and with the Morning School of Medicine,
and I wanted to definitely shout out to doctor Treywick
with more House College and the whole AUC Consortium for
Believing and we did such a phenomenal job. And this
(16:10):
is back in twenty twenty one, the fall of twenty
twenty one, to say, hey, you did a great job,
Eric and firm Care Life Sharing. We want to bring
you back for you know, the next semester. And so
we were just able to grow and knowing and coming
from that environment, it actually prepared me to be able
to deal with the student's falculty and staff but mainly
(16:33):
give them amazing services to be able to, you know,
to make sure that they loved what he did.
Speaker 2 (16:40):
He said the first of all, when I started talking
about secrets to.
Speaker 1 (16:43):
Success, what pops out in your conversation over over again
a foundation that was given to you at more House
and that whole.
Speaker 2 (16:52):
You know center, which includes like you said, Maris Brown
spelled Clark and Mount University. More can't forget more Haut
medical Marge, people met from the Deil. It's good of
letters and.
Speaker 1 (17:01):
Also relationships that what really is your secret to success?
Speaker 2 (17:06):
Relationships?
Speaker 3 (17:07):
I mean I think you know obviously, uh, you know,
I put God first because it's the positioning we never know,
you know, even positioning for here, you know, to be interviewed,
you know from a legend like yourself. You know, I
think that you know, it's a purpose in every way.
But yes, relationships are the most important because and also integrity,
(17:29):
right keeping your work, bring somebody being somebody that you know, hey,
is he going to show up?
Speaker 2 (17:36):
Is he going to come through for us?
Speaker 3 (17:38):
Can we depend on this person seriously to have the
integrity in order to you know, follow through on what
he's saying. And that's what I always want to be,
you know, just remembered, remembered.
Speaker 2 (17:51):
By right now.
Speaker 1 (17:52):
So it's always that moment you start a couple, leasy,
you're doing double time, you're talking about rashon them, over
doing COVID testing the movie. We're still working at the bank, Yeah,
staying up to three o'clock to get off.
Speaker 2 (18:04):
In seven thirty.
Speaker 3 (18:04):
Yeah, definitely, What were the highs and lows of this
transition into being an entrepreneur, successful, competent life firm, care
life sharing. Yeah, so I would say the highs and
it really gave me an immense amount of confidence to
be able to execute on a large scale like that
(18:25):
with the you know, morales More School of Medicine, CLARKLANDA University.
It spelled me to be able to provide, build those relationships,
to provide you know, that COVID testing. But also I
would say, is building this home healthcare business. It's you know,
it's not for the week. I didn't. It took me
(18:47):
almost Obviously, there's a planning period in which I said, hey,
I want to get into it. Twenty eighteen, twenty nineteen
is when we you know, actually got actually got into
it twenty twenty Right, we operated three years at a
loss and then you know, twenty twenty one and you know,
and being.
Speaker 2 (19:06):
In that positioning that was extreme high for me.
Speaker 3 (19:10):
Right, And so you talked about, you know, obviously the loves, right,
because the lows, the highs are phenomenal.
Speaker 2 (19:20):
The lows character building.
Speaker 3 (19:23):
Yes, the failures, you know, as much as I hated
the failures actually created that. That's the character building building
to actually see if you're resilient en right, right, because oftentimes,
and I'm only speaking for myself, when I got the
extreme highs there, I was just sitting on you know
(19:43):
this being high horse. I got a little complacent and say, hey,
we built the company to you know, a million dollars
plus in revenue, right, And I was like, hey, you know,
I'm you know, hey, I'm riching that right, right, And
so I wanted to I started looking at that as
an entrepreneur, you know, and I hit and you know,
one of the biggest pitfalls in my life because I
(20:06):
started looking at you know, the money following the money,
following the money, and not the play and and specifically
what I asked I prayed and asked God for and
so I trusted you know, some another platform or something else.
And by investing my money more than I trusted my
(20:27):
own plan. That that led to an extreme loss that
led to me really you know, having a lot of
like tearful, tearful you know nights and tearful days. I
have a beautiful family, amazing wife and also to trusting
(20:47):
wife because when I told my wife when that much
I lost, you know, I don't know, I don't know
if you know, a lot of won't a lot of
them will stay for that. But my wife trusted me
someone missingly she said in one said it's.
Speaker 2 (21:07):
You gotta get it back.
Speaker 3 (21:09):
And that spoke so much you know, life in to
me because I was I was actually you know, really
at a lower at that top, you know, and you know,
I wanted her.
Speaker 2 (21:19):
I was like, hey, you.
Speaker 3 (21:20):
Know, you know, I'm gonna have you quit your job,
you know, But she said, hey, you know, she just
kept on asking me, kept on kept on asking me,
and I said, hey, you know, babe, I'm not able
to you know.
Speaker 2 (21:31):
And this is what happened. Full transparency.
Speaker 3 (21:34):
And so again a big, low, big load for me,
but that load taught me extremely resilience.
Speaker 2 (21:42):
Awesome.
Speaker 1 (21:43):
I really appreciate to understand, yes and very important to
people because I want people to see these interviews and
also maybe see a part of their life they're up
there down and also a lot of people in these
interview in the interview process, the reality is, man, these
stories are set. Yeah, you may be baking cakes, you
might be we model the house, but it's still the
(22:06):
same journey, definitely, you know. But the one that steps
out is that you gotta have backup. You gotta have
people who believe in you. And you've said that already
that your structure, that's structure that's in place.
Speaker 2 (22:18):
But believe you.
Speaker 1 (22:19):
So what's the five year plan from now? What is
the future that holds for firm care life sharing?
Speaker 3 (22:24):
Well, the future that we have here is that we
want to grow in all fastest of health care.
Speaker 2 (22:29):
Health Care is an extreme extreme need.
Speaker 3 (22:33):
You know, we have a lot of you know, the generation,
especially you know, the baby boomer generation. They're living longer,
which is a phenomenal thing. Is there However, help is
needed in all aspects. Right, this is a the healthcare
space is a trillion dollar, multi trillion dollar space.
Speaker 2 (22:56):
It's one of the spaces that.
Speaker 3 (22:57):
Grows are you know, not only you know in the
United States of North America, but everywhere everywhere is in
need of this. And we want to be one of
the companies that not only be not only is like
the premier home health care company, but we want to
grow to that large that large business and multi.
Speaker 2 (23:20):
Multi million dollar business.
Speaker 3 (23:21):
We want to be able to employ so many people
here in the Georgia, in the State of Georgia, but
all over all over the US. Right, we want to
move into all different types of you know, health care verticals.
We want to move into provide a personal care homes, right,
we want to provide transportation services, we want to be
(23:44):
able to provide you know, adult daycare services. But mainly
what we want to do in that five years is
we want to solidify ourselves.
Speaker 2 (23:53):
As one of the premier home health care.
Speaker 3 (23:56):
Services health or home health care companies here in the
Atlanta metro Atlanta and Greater Georgia area.
Speaker 2 (24:03):
Eric Oan, thank you for allowing me to come on,
come on, coming to.
Speaker 1 (24:06):
Your building man, to come into your world, you know,
for our care life sharing. But before we wrap up
this conversation, Walmart Business has a little surprise for you,
my brother, my fret brother. They're setting you up with
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(24:28):
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Speaker 2 (24:37):
Com standing what to spend.
Speaker 4 (24:43):
The name.
Speaker 1 (24:46):
Well, the conversation about our community, our community of color
is they are living longer, you know, and how do
we take care of that?
Speaker 2 (24:56):
And you being at the forefront of that thought process.
Speaker 1 (24:59):
Sharing your child relationship, lets we know this is an
honest business that's built on a relationship that has a
bright future. Congratulations from starting this company and I wish
your tremendous mindess success. I really appreciate it. That's honored.
This has been another edition of Money Making Conversation Masterclass
(25:20):
hosted by me Rushaun McDonald. Thank you to our guests
on the show today and thank you our listening to audience.
Speaker 2 (25:27):
Now.
Speaker 1 (25:27):
If you want to listen to any episode I want
to be a guest on the show, visit Moneymakingconversations dot com.
Our social media handle is money Making Conversation. Join us
next week and remember to always leave with your gifts.
Speaker 2 (25:39):
Keep winning.
Welcome to the show. I am Rashwan McDonald, the host
of Money Making Conversations Masterclass, where we encourage people to
stop reading other people's success stories and start planning their own.
Listen up as I interview entrepreneurs from around the country,
talk to celebrities and ask them how they are running
their companies, and speak with dog profits who are making
(00:25):
a difference in their local communities. Now, sit back and
listen as we unlock the secrets to their success on
Money Making Conversations Masterclass.
Speaker 2 (00:35):
Welcome to Money Making Conversation Masterclass.
Speaker 1 (00:37):
I'm your host, Rashaan McDonald down here in Atlanta, Georgia,
interviewing Eric Thornton in this business firm, Care and life
Sharing because we want to know the secrets to his success.
Speaker 2 (00:49):
Now yet two phones, two phones. Now, I've interviewed people
all those counts.
Speaker 1 (00:54):
Now, I've interviewed foot doctors, tax for countin, pancake people.
Speaker 2 (01:00):
Barbara Barbara College. So I've had a variety of stem
like a STEM atlant of women.
Speaker 1 (01:07):
So I've had a lot of people, never having anybody
with multiple phone talk to me.
Speaker 2 (01:13):
How busy you are?
Speaker 3 (01:14):
Eric, Well, first borneo, I'm honored to be here with
you with a legend here, but hey, the two phones.
I got to be available for the clients, Okay, I
have to be available for the clients as well as
also on my staff listen, right, And so we're a
business where we're we have a lot of touch points
with our clients.
Speaker 2 (01:33):
So I have to make sure that if they call,
I'm here to ads. Absolutely.
Speaker 1 (01:38):
So let's talk about your business, your firm, care life
sharing when.
Speaker 2 (01:42):
It's your starting.
Speaker 3 (01:43):
So we started in twenty nineteen, okay. And the reason
why I started is because I wanted to actually make
not only a better way in the entrepreneur I've always
wanted to be an entrepreneur, yes, sure, right, I always
had those aspirations, A man of high aspirations and that
and I wanted to get in the business in which
I can really be somewhere that I can help our people.
(02:07):
And we normally help a lot of people that have forgotten,
people that have developmental disabilities, a lot of our seniors
that they need someone to help, right, And so I
get a lot of fulfillment with being able to have
and build a company that can really help our people,
not only just in the Atlanta area Metro Atlanta but
(02:29):
also great Georgia areas. Here in Georgia, we look we
look forward to actually growing outside of this state as well,
but Georgia is our most important I would say aspect
right now in order to help you.
Speaker 1 (02:42):
Know around because let's a good little detail exactly because
you're talking about helping you define certain lanes of people
who needed your help.
Speaker 2 (02:49):
How does your company work? Yes, so our company works.
Speaker 3 (02:54):
We actually are a full service agile healthcare company. We
actually we actually work specifically in a home in a
home health care arena, so we're able to add uh
provide skilled and unskilled nursing services.
Speaker 4 (03:14):
Uh.
Speaker 3 (03:14):
And we normally work with we worked with the myriad
of private clients, but a lot of our clients they
are a part of the Medicaid system, all right, and
so lower income. So what we'd like to do is
we actually like to make sure we educate as well,
so we're an educational company also. With these services that
(03:36):
we're able to offer with us with our partnership with Medicaid,
our clients actually received free home health care services in
which we actually send a caregiver directly to the homes
and we can really help that family.
Speaker 2 (03:51):
And so this is what we were talking about the
educational parks.
Speaker 1 (03:53):
A lot of people who have medicare may not know
that they can have this service provided to them.
Speaker 2 (04:00):
How do you get that word to them? How do
you like?
Speaker 1 (04:02):
I said, you know, because there's so many people out there,
especially in the community, in the community of color, which
is our dominant Lane is African America. Definitely, you know,
because twenty nineteen, you see a need was just like, well,
you're doing a traditional forty all week job before you
became an entrepreneur, or it was just a transition from
another entrepreneur.
Speaker 2 (04:22):
Lane, Yes, no, definitely. So I was actually in corporate.
Speaker 3 (04:28):
I was graduate from graduate of Moorhouse College, and they
prepared us immensely to be in the corporate arena. So
I worked at as a vice president at a bank,
and I said, hey, I wanted to have more fulfillment,
you know, in my life, to be able to help
the community.
Speaker 2 (04:47):
And so I was.
Speaker 3 (04:49):
Actually thinking about different you know, businesses, and you know
obviously different verticals within those businesses, and I said, hey,
you know, this is h something that resonates with me.
Always always had and a stude fondness for people with
you know, developmental disabilities. This is something in my heart
(05:10):
there that always wanted to serve in that capacity. So
I thought that this would would be a great marriage
in some of the skills that I had, and also
me going full throt onto my entrepreneur Community House College.
Speaker 2 (05:25):
Were you like, were you engaged? Like, you know, you
play a fraternity.
Speaker 3 (05:29):
Hey, you know, only the best fraternity, you know, and
that's Omega Sout five fraternity incorporated by way of side
Chapter More House College and Spring in two thousand and five,
and we actually celebrated nineteen years in the fraternity.
Speaker 2 (05:47):
Another compere I looked up to you now, you know.
Speaker 3 (05:51):
But but in there, you know, obviously we were in
the community, right right, Uh, but that's where the seed
was planted. Yeah, definitely, definitely, And also too, I wanted
to you know, not let this be remiss as well.
One of my really good friends in middle school, and
(06:13):
his name was Kyle Suffer with you know, with the
developmental disability. We become really great friends, right and you
know I was just always always there with him, and
you know, he was wheelchair bound, and you know, I
always always thought he was one of the strongest people
(06:33):
that I know, I mean people don't have to have
to deal with this on a regular basis. We I
think this sometimes and oftentimes we don't really express our gratitude,
you know, to the Creator to be able to have
all of our functions, and so I thank God for
that every day. But also I wanted to be someone
(06:55):
that could go into this this community. And also to
one of my one of my really good friends, Brad Jiles. Uh,
he actually introduced me to the home healthcare industry, and
I always would be thankful for that brother, for introducing
me to this.
Speaker 2 (07:14):
Land of opportunity.
Speaker 4 (07:15):
Please don't go anywhere. We'll be right back with more
Money Making Conversations Masterclass. Welcome back to the Money Making
Conversations master Class hosted by Rashaan McDonald.
Speaker 1 (07:32):
Now, I know that you know I'm talking to you
Eric okay in front of me. But I know you
got to have a right or left hand person. Who
is that person? I'll tell you I do.
Speaker 2 (07:42):
I have both right and and that is first and
foremost my wife.
Speaker 3 (07:47):
She's been phenomenal or has been phenomenal in uh just
being that support system that was there. I also have
two other people that I would like to mention. One
is Tsanamic Kenny. She is literally like my right hand.
She's the vice president of our client care and she
has been phenomenal. And not only is this our client services,
(08:11):
but also just being there and uh just being there
going beyond here with our clients and just building relationships.
She has been just phenomenal. And then also Tia, Tia
is our head of nursing. And when I tell you
she believed in me from the beginning, that sister is,
(08:34):
you know, phenomenal. And I worked with pretty much all
of all of our staff is there is black women,
you know, and they, when I tell you, the most
amazing and helping the growth with firm care life sharing.
Speaker 2 (08:49):
You know, I'm honored to have them on the staff.
How did you come up with the name firm care
life share? Firm care life sharing is kind of a mouthful. Well,
it's interesting, firm care we have life yes, me have sharing.
So it's not so much as a mouthful. Each each
one of the levels says something yes.
Speaker 3 (09:06):
So I've always been a big proponent of acronyms, So
firm is a acronym. It means foundations in real moments, all right,
Life sharing is or will care firm care Life Shares
obviously we're providing care to our community, right, providing that
(09:27):
foundation in real moments where we're also providing that care
to our community.
Speaker 2 (09:31):
Right.
Speaker 3 (09:32):
Life Sharing is also I wanted to pay homage to
the person that introduced me to this business and my
one of my actually my friend Brad, which is also
he's kind of like a brother to me as well.
His company's name is g h our Life Shared. I said, hey,
you know, you kind of paved the way for me
(09:53):
to get into this business as a mentor, and so
I want to, you know, I want to give back
to you. And so the Life Shared the actually was
a pretty much a shout out to him, and so
I actually put all of that together.
Speaker 1 (10:06):
Oh cool, cool, Well, congratulations on the concept because a
lot of people, I think it's important people understand that
that name has to People ask you that the interviews
and if you don't have a rational reason that said.
Speaker 2 (10:17):
Well, I just flip the cone.
Speaker 1 (10:19):
It has to have some emotional attachment because it drives
the longevity of a brand.
Speaker 2 (10:25):
Why did you come up with Google? Why did you
come up with this Apple?
Speaker 1 (10:28):
Or IBM or all these very tesler, all these popular
there's a reason for those names, and there's a reason
that you give her here for your day. Now, when
you look at your company, I went to the website
and COVID testing at the top of the line. So
over seventy thousand COVID testing. Now, your company started in
(10:49):
twenty eighteen, yes, sir, COVID is in twenty twenty. Oh yeah,
so talk about so there had to be a shift
in home care because COVID screen. COVID just shut down
the countries as the world, right, right, So how did
you make that? Then took COVID test and then what
applications did you have to put in place to be certified?
Speaker 2 (11:12):
Definitely, well, obviously a really great question.
Speaker 3 (11:16):
First and foremost, I definitely want to shout out to
the Atlanta University Center, right consorting them there, So the
a U c C, which in encompasses of Spellman Clark,
Atlanta University, Morehouse College, and Morris Brown all right, just
being somebody from Morehouse College. And first and foremost I
had a phenomenal time there. I was in leadership there
(11:40):
and first and foremost the staff. I was able to
really build a relationships with my professors and also just people,
you know, all a lot of the staff within the
Atlanta University Center and doctor Tredwick believed in me, and
(12:00):
a lot of the staff member members believed in me.
At Morehouse, I was president of my class sophomore year.
Speaker 2 (12:07):
Obviously a.
Speaker 3 (12:09):
Member of Omega Soft File Fraternity Incorporated, in which I
served as keeper of finance as well as Vossile is
also there. So I had to really be able to
you know, really sync with the staff, and they had
to know that, hey, Eric is a man of integrity, right,
a man that really had those and embodied those cardinal principles.
And I think that that served me down the lawn, right,
(12:33):
And so I was able to come they gave me
a call.
Speaker 2 (12:35):
Obviously it was.
Speaker 3 (12:39):
That it wasn't a long time as far as the
distance and when they needed to have these services, so
we had I had to really pivot right. We were
doing home health care, and the world kind of fell
fell out right with COVID. I also really really really
want to thank my mother. My mother came on. You
(13:02):
said they gave you a call? Yes, you get your mom.
So I'm trying to get the patterns. So COVID, did
they gave your company a call? You had to pivotes. Now,
you also said that you do a lot.
Speaker 1 (13:15):
Of contracting out right, So talk about how did that
come about when the call was made to you and
you had to make a decision based on finances.
Speaker 3 (13:25):
Yeah, yeah, so that was a leap of faith, all right.
That story is truly amazing. I'm thankful to God that
he had me in a position there so I was
able to get a call. I wasn't the first company
or the second company to get this call, right right,
all right, right, So so I had to really have
(13:45):
a belief in myself. I mean, firm care life Share
is an agile company. We look to be as a
small company. Obviously, we look to be able to uh
make decisions in order to really put our you know,
our up any an interest in order for our purpose, right.
Speaker 2 (14:03):
And that's to be able to.
Speaker 3 (14:05):
Serve our clients and communities in an exceptional way.
Speaker 2 (14:09):
And so I was able to get the call.
Speaker 3 (14:11):
They actually needed COVID testing centers for more else spelling
and Clarkland.
Speaker 2 (14:15):
And University book be built out.
Speaker 3 (14:17):
Obviously this is new, right, Lots of people didn't have
the or companies I actually say didn't have the bandwidth
to be able to actually create this. We were able
to actually come in in three weeks. We were able
to put together the cases of the plan there in
order to build out these COVID testing centers. That's why
I really wanted to thank to thank my mom Maryland,
(14:40):
and she actually we came together. We were able to
actually not only order the supplies and the PPE, but
we were also able to staff in building a staff
of close to almost I would say, seventy different members
seventy different contractors that came in to firm Care Life
(15:03):
Sharing to work at these COVID testing centers. And when
I tell you, it wasn't a test for the week.
At heart, I was still working a job as a
vice president. I was staying I was staying up to
you know, three and four o'clock in the morning, and
still had to be in that office at seven, you know,
eight o'clock am.
Speaker 2 (15:22):
Right. But we were able to do that, right.
Speaker 3 (15:26):
We were able to negotiate with the CFOs and with
the AUC Consortium in order to get contracts in places.
We did so well that once we were able to
actually start with the COVID testing and staffing the testing centers,
we actually said, hey, you're doing it so well, we
trust you, we want you to do the data entry also, okay,
(15:49):
all right, And so I really wanted to also shout
out to Care Guaranton and with the Morning School of Medicine,
and I wanted to definitely shout out to doctor Treywick
with more House College and the whole AUC Consortium for
Believing and we did such a phenomenal job. And this
(16:10):
is back in twenty twenty one, the fall of twenty
twenty one, to say, hey, you did a great job,
Eric and firm Care Life Sharing. We want to bring
you back for you know, the next semester. And so
we were just able to grow and knowing and coming
from that environment, it actually prepared me to be able
to deal with the student's falculty and staff but mainly
(16:33):
give them amazing services to be able to, you know,
to make sure that they loved what he did.
Speaker 2 (16:40):
He said the first of all, when I started talking
about secrets to.
Speaker 1 (16:43):
Success, what pops out in your conversation over over again
a foundation that was given to you at more House
and that whole.
Speaker 2 (16:52):
You know center, which includes like you said, Maris Brown
spelled Clark and Mount University. More can't forget more Haut
medical Marge, people met from the Deil. It's good of
letters and.
Speaker 1 (17:01):
Also relationships that what really is your secret to success?
Speaker 2 (17:06):
Relationships?
Speaker 3 (17:07):
I mean I think you know obviously, uh, you know,
I put God first because it's the positioning we never know,
you know, even positioning for here, you know, to be interviewed,
you know from a legend like yourself. You know, I
think that you know, it's a purpose in every way.
But yes, relationships are the most important because and also integrity,
(17:29):
right keeping your work, bring somebody being somebody that you know, hey,
is he going to show up?
Speaker 2 (17:36):
Is he going to come through for us?
Speaker 3 (17:38):
Can we depend on this person seriously to have the
integrity in order to you know, follow through on what
he's saying. And that's what I always want to be,
you know, just remembered, remembered.
Speaker 2 (17:51):
By right now.
Speaker 1 (17:52):
So it's always that moment you start a couple, leasy,
you're doing double time, you're talking about rashon them, over
doing COVID testing the movie. We're still working at the bank, Yeah,
staying up to three o'clock to get off.
Speaker 2 (18:04):
In seven thirty.
Speaker 3 (18:04):
Yeah, definitely, What were the highs and lows of this
transition into being an entrepreneur, successful, competent life firm, care
life sharing. Yeah, so I would say the highs and
it really gave me an immense amount of confidence to
be able to execute on a large scale like that
(18:25):
with the you know, morales More School of Medicine, CLARKLANDA University.
It spelled me to be able to provide, build those relationships,
to provide you know, that COVID testing. But also I
would say, is building this home healthcare business. It's you know,
it's not for the week. I didn't. It took me
(18:47):
almost Obviously, there's a planning period in which I said, hey,
I want to get into it. Twenty eighteen, twenty nineteen
is when we you know, actually got actually got into
it twenty twenty Right, we operated three years at a
loss and then you know, twenty twenty one and you know,
and being.
Speaker 2 (19:06):
In that positioning that was extreme high for me.
Speaker 3 (19:10):
Right, And so you talked about, you know, obviously the loves, right,
because the lows, the highs are phenomenal.
Speaker 2 (19:20):
The lows character building.
Speaker 3 (19:23):
Yes, the failures, you know, as much as I hated
the failures actually created that. That's the character building building
to actually see if you're resilient en right, right, because oftentimes,
and I'm only speaking for myself, when I got the
extreme highs there, I was just sitting on you know
(19:43):
this being high horse. I got a little complacent and say, hey,
we built the company to you know, a million dollars
plus in revenue, right, And I was like, hey, you know,
I'm you know, hey, I'm riching that right, right, And
so I wanted to I started looking at that as
an entrepreneur, you know, and I hit and you know,
one of the biggest pitfalls in my life because I
(20:06):
started looking at you know, the money following the money,
following the money, and not the play and and specifically
what I asked I prayed and asked God for and
so I trusted you know, some another platform or something else.
And by investing my money more than I trusted my
(20:27):
own plan. That that led to an extreme loss that
led to me really you know, having a lot of
like tearful, tearful you know nights and tearful days. I
have a beautiful family, amazing wife and also to trusting
(20:47):
wife because when I told my wife when that much
I lost, you know, I don't know, I don't know
if you know, a lot of won't a lot of
them will stay for that. But my wife trusted me
someone missingly she said in one said it's.
Speaker 2 (21:07):
You gotta get it back.
Speaker 3 (21:09):
And that spoke so much you know, life in to
me because I was I was actually you know, really
at a lower at that top, you know, and you know,
I wanted her.
Speaker 2 (21:19):
I was like, hey, you.
Speaker 3 (21:20):
Know, you know, I'm gonna have you quit your job,
you know, But she said, hey, you know, she just
kept on asking me, kept on kept on asking me,
and I said, hey, you know, babe, I'm not able
to you know.
Speaker 2 (21:31):
And this is what happened. Full transparency.
Speaker 3 (21:34):
And so again a big, low, big load for me,
but that load taught me extremely resilience.
Speaker 2 (21:42):
Awesome.
Speaker 1 (21:43):
I really appreciate to understand, yes and very important to
people because I want people to see these interviews and
also maybe see a part of their life they're up
there down and also a lot of people in these
interview in the interview process, the reality is, man, these
stories are set. Yeah, you may be baking cakes, you
might be we model the house, but it's still the
(22:06):
same journey, definitely, you know. But the one that steps
out is that you gotta have backup. You gotta have
people who believe in you. And you've said that already
that your structure, that's structure that's in place.
Speaker 2 (22:18):
But believe you.
Speaker 1 (22:19):
So what's the five year plan from now? What is
the future that holds for firm care life sharing?
Speaker 3 (22:24):
Well, the future that we have here is that we
want to grow in all fastest of health care.
Speaker 2 (22:29):
Health Care is an extreme extreme need.
Speaker 3 (22:33):
You know, we have a lot of you know, the generation,
especially you know, the baby boomer generation. They're living longer,
which is a phenomenal thing. Is there However, help is
needed in all aspects. Right, this is a the healthcare
space is a trillion dollar, multi trillion dollar space.
Speaker 2 (22:56):
It's one of the spaces that.
Speaker 3 (22:57):
Grows are you know, not only you know in the
United States of North America, but everywhere everywhere is in
need of this. And we want to be one of
the companies that not only be not only is like
the premier home health care company, but we want to
grow to that large that large business and multi.
Speaker 2 (23:20):
Multi million dollar business.
Speaker 3 (23:21):
We want to be able to employ so many people
here in the Georgia, in the State of Georgia, but
all over all over the US. Right, we want to
move into all different types of you know, health care verticals.
We want to move into provide a personal care homes, right,
we want to provide transportation services, we want to be
(23:44):
able to provide you know, adult daycare services. But mainly
what we want to do in that five years is
we want to solidify ourselves.
Speaker 2 (23:53):
As one of the premier home health care.
Speaker 3 (23:56):
Services health or home health care companies here in the
Atlanta metro Atlanta and Greater Georgia area.
Speaker 2 (24:03):
Eric Oan, thank you for allowing me to come on,
come on, coming to.
Speaker 1 (24:06):
Your building man, to come into your world, you know,
for our care life sharing. But before we wrap up
this conversation, Walmart Business has a little surprise for you,
my brother, my fret brother. They're setting you up with
a six month Walmart Business Plus membership. So that's free
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and two percent rewards back on purchases over two organ
(24:28):
and fifty dollars okay, and you're getting a one thousand
dollars e gift card to spend on whatever you need
at business dot Walmart dot.
Speaker 2 (24:37):
Com standing what to spend.
Speaker 4 (24:43):
The name.
Speaker 1 (24:46):
Well, the conversation about our community, our community of color
is they are living longer, you know, and how do
we take care of that?
Speaker 2 (24:56):
And you being at the forefront of that thought process.
Speaker 1 (24:59):
Sharing your child relationship, lets we know this is an
honest business that's built on a relationship that has a
bright future. Congratulations from starting this company and I wish
your tremendous mindess success. I really appreciate it. That's honored.
This has been another edition of Money Making Conversation Masterclass
(25:20):
hosted by me Rushaun McDonald. Thank you to our guests
on the show today and thank you our listening to audience.
Speaker 2 (25:27):
Now.
Speaker 1 (25:27):
If you want to listen to any episode I want
to be a guest on the show, visit Moneymakingconversations dot com.
Our social media handle is money Making Conversation. Join us
next week and remember to always leave with your gifts.
Speaker 2 (25:39):
Keep winning.
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