{"type":"rich","version":"1.0","provider_name":"Transistor","provider_url":"https://transistor.fm","author_name":"Mission in Motion: A Minute With Maxwell","title":"Leading a People First Senior Living Organization Pt. 1 | Salimah Walji-Shivji","html":"","width":"100%","height":180,"duration":1922,"description":"In this episode of Mission in Motion, host Heather Maxwell sits down with Salimah Walji‑Shivji, CEO of AgeCare, to explore what it really means to lead a people‑first senior living organization. From her first job in retail to a master’s in clinical social work, a career in health law, and now the CEO role, Salimah’s journey is anything but traditional—and that non‑linear path has shaped a leadership style that is deeply human, values‑driven, and grounded in service.\nSalimah shares how early experiences on the retail floor—navigating the chaos of Christmas, Valentine’s Day, and Mother’s Day at La Senza—taught her enduring lessons about customer service, teamwork, and resilience that still show up in her leadership today. She reflects on the camaraderie of a great team, the importance of having fun in hard jobs, and what she learned from working with an exceptional CFO and senior leadership group over more than a decade. Together, Heather and Salimah connect those frontline lessons to the realities of leading a national portfolio of senior living communities.\nFrom there, the conversation traces Salimah’s path from clinical social work and trauma into health law, and eventually into executive leadership. She describes herself as an “accidental CEO,” explaining how pairing a social work lens (impact on people, families, and staff) with a legal lens (risk, regulation, and reputation) informs every decision she makes at AgeCare. Throughout, she emphasizes that AgeCare is a people business, not a product business, and that everything—from policy to strategy—must ultimately support how residents and families experience life in their communities.\nHeather and Salimah also unpack the realities of being part of the “sandwich generation”: leading a large, complex organization while raising teenagers and supporting aging parents. Salimah shares the habits and boundaries that help her stay grounded, including being present where she is, working in flexible “off cycles” when...","thumbnail_url":"https://img.transistorcdn.com/iI4L1kkhlrM_ExGkgUOTEHWL14qjU_NGtIEjGmg7Yy4/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:400/h:400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS8yNWY4/YzVmOWVjZjM2YmIx/NDUyZjBmOTRkY2Rh/ZmQ0OS5wbmc.webp","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_height":300}