Home is where the heart is and you all will agree that there is no place like home. It is the place where we enjoy ourselves with our families and feel complete freedom. Home care is a booming industry where a wide range of customized services is being offered in the convenience of home. Home care providers provide a plethora of services for care and assistance like never before. A booming brand in this industry is the ‘In Home Personal Services’ that relentlessly provides care, ensuring a safe, healthy, active, and independent lifestyle of grace and compassion. The company is a non-medical senior care business offering services from both corporate-owned as well as locally owned and operated franchises across the US. We had the privilege to interview Mr. Michael Collura, President, and CEO, who talked about his successful journey of taking this company from plinth to paramount.
Embarking on a New Journey
Through the relentless zeal and perseverance of Michael, what started as a project of passion way back in 2004 is now a successful franchise chain. Growing at a staggering pace, it has expanded throughout the United States. For Michael, it has been an eventful journey and a rewarding experience knowing that the legacy of the brand has ever so grown stronger day by day standing on the core pillars of quality and staying focused on the mission.
The Life of CEO
The life of a CEO is often thought of as a road less travelled by, the one which is of struggles but certainly full of lessons that one can learn during this period. Michael believes that every leader has their own sets of hardships on their journey of learning and understanding. As a successful entrepreneur himself, he asserts that struggles may be idiosyncratic, what is important is how to face adversity, get stronger, and move forward towards your goal. Michael is grateful for all the challenges life has thrown at him and the experiences have turned him into a versatile leader. What makes Michael satisfied are the people who believed in him and are still present as his support system. His existence will be incomplete without a team, where he modestly remarks that he is not that good enough, smart enough, and important enough to achieve this spectacular feat without any of them.
Dominating the market
Every client that the company serves is special to them. What is important to know is that the care and the service they provide are beyond luxury or comfort. Treat the client as if you are that client and with unmatched diligence provide the care that the entire family wants and relies upon. The trust and belief that our these clients manifest is a serious undertaking for Michael’s team. These sweet little stories are shared every week in franchises spread out across the country that are making an impact on the quality of life of people. Michael is glad that the company is among the favorite providers when it comes to making life better. He describes that on daily basis they adapt, grow and pivot everything from the perspective of their business model to the care provided to an individual. So, changing market trends do not challenge them as they are also not built out of “trend”. For Michael, R&D is paramount, one needs to think in the forward direction and be innovative otherwise they will do what others are doing. “To cater to what clients look for, you need to constantly put in the effort”, he says.
Building people
Michael’s visionary leadership reflects upon the idea that leaders are not meant to please everyone, “There will always be those who will find a reason to be unhappy”, he exclaims. What is vital to understand is, one cannot control the emotions of others, you can only control your response.
Climbing up the ladder
Michael started the argument and remarked that “most CEOs are overpaid and entitled” when asked about whether CEOs today face equal competition or is there and it’s okay attitude. According to him, the social and economic divide is apparent across all industries. He explains that the top 1% earn staggeringly high income as compared to others. When it comes to Michael, he assures that he is not overpaid rather he prefers to make others happy with the fortune. He has had wages as low as $0 for an entire year where 100% of his wages were given back to the team as wages and benefits. For him, leadership is about making an impact on the brand and not who gets the bigger cheque. He adds that there will be some difference in the compensations based on responsibilities but when a large divide exists in this world, it is a shame not to do anything about it.
What lies ahead in the future?
The company has been a pioneer in this industry and perseveres to sustain this growth. Michael explains that they have a record number of franchise units joining them. During the conversation, another set of franchise agreements was closed for the Las Vegas, NV area. The future belongs to those who work in the present, Michael and his team are surely on the paths of progress.
Michael is boastful about only two things –
- Absolute joy and fulfilment they bring to the life of others
- The team that leads to the mission
He says every other milestone and achievement belongs to them.
When it comes to giving back to society, Michael shares that everything the company does is a step towards the improvement of the quality of life to those under their care, in the relief and security the company provides. He adds that the team and their families to be a part of this amazing brand and community for creating a long-term sustainable professional job that builds trust and make a difference in the lives of ordinary people.
A motivational advice
Michael firmly believes that being a CEO means nothing, an entrepreneur sounds nice but a leader in their true sense will impact the world around us. In short, he says, “Don’t aspire to be an entrepreneur, be a leader”. Michael advises all the budding entrepreneurs who want to shine brighter than the sun is you should back your dreams and turn every failure into a success story. All successful people embrace failures as it is a part of growth and learning. But when you fail because you have given up, is the only time you truly failed otherwise it is better to fail at what you love doing and keep fighting for success.
