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Join NABR in partnership with Corp! Magazine for our CEO & Executive Thought Leadership Series, where Jennifer Kluge sits down with C-Suite Leaders to get their insight and expertise.
NABR is a service organization igniting greatness in companies and their people.
00;00;04;29 - 00;00;20;03
Jennifer
Hello everyone, and welcome to another episode of CEO of Thought Leadership. I'm your host, Jennifer Kluge, and today we have a very special guest, Todd Houghton with Homewatch CareGivers. Welcome to the show, Todd.
00;00;20;05 - 00;00;22;13
Todd
Thanks for having me, Jennifer I appreciate it.
00;00;22;16 - 00;00;52;18
Jennifer
Well, let me tell everyone a little bit about you. You have over 20 years of experience growing companies at a leadership level. And you were named the brand president of Home Watch caregivers in 2022? Home watch, just so everyone knows this, how much caregivers is a part of Authority brands. It's a conglomerate of 14, various franchise, businesses, which is pretty cool and interesting in and of itself.
00;00;52;18 - 00;01;29;28
Jennifer
And it's a pleasure to have you to thank you. All right. Well, let's get started. You know, the caregiving, industry is is very interesting right now. So many of us have aging parents or loved ones that need care. It seems like there's such a shortage of qualified talent and services out there. Tell us a little bit more about what those trends are and how you're ensuring, quality experience for your caregivers and those, receiving care in their families.
00;01;29;28 - 00;01;30;26
Jennifer
00;01;30;28 - 00;01;59;28
Todd
Jennifer, I, I, 10,000 people are turning 65 every day, so you're spot on that we're all experiencing that CRC, nami rate of aging people and about 90% of those people want to age at home. So the whole caregiving industry is rapidly changing, evolving, becoming a, a more, relatable partner of the whole health care continuum. So we have to continue to evolve and understand how we're going to meet such demand.
00;02;00;03 - 00;02;29;10
Todd
You're right. There's going to be a supply issue. We need about 2 million more caregivers in the next five years, across the health care spectrum. So what is happening in the caregiving world is really figuring out how do we bring technology in to aid in the delivery of care? Also improving efficiencies in, in office settings, and things like that to make sure that people that, are getting care are getting the best experience possible.
00;02;29;16 - 00;02;54;24
Jennifer
I wasn't aware that 90% want to have caregiving at home rather than in a facility. That's an interesting number. And 2 million shortage of 2 million caregivers. I can only imagine, you know, what is your recruitment and, talent retention strategy? How are you navigating that?
00;02;54;26 - 00;03;18;12
Todd
It's it is a challenge. I will say that, I think it's critical to have a very solid plan in place. For, for us, we're very unique in the fact that we have a workforce Solutions team, and part of their role and responsibility is to focus on all of that recruitment, retention aspect, help build an appropriate culture within the office setting.
00;03;18;14 - 00;03;41;27
Todd
And really, that helps drive those results. So some of the things that we've done, we've developed, our recruitment retention playbook, which in 24, beginning of 24, we were recognized, across all franchise organizations, with the first place award for that playbook. And so we're pretty excited about, we also have built a program called The Making of a caregiver.
00;03;42;00 - 00;04;07;08
Todd
So that program really helps our officers out there across the, the United States. Look for, you know, people that may have not knowing they could be a caregiver and provide the appropriate training, to get them to a level to, provide the appropriate, care for our clients. That's really helping drive results and bring nontraditional caregivers into the space to be caregivers, which we're excited about.
00;04;07;08 - 00;04;22;10
Jennifer
But I would imagine that training's pretty intense. And when you bring someone on, they go through the training, and then you match them up with the appropriate, appropriate, receiver of the care, the loved one.
00;04;22;12 - 00;04;43;02
Todd
Yeah. I think the first thing to, just kind of backtracking there for a second is really, the critical component is trust, right? The person that's going to receive care is, opening their doors, to their home and allowing a complete stranger to come in and provide some intimate care that they might need. And so trust is critical.
00;04;43;02 - 00;05;10;17
Todd
So we always elevate that first and say, we need to find people that you can trust. And then looking through backgrounds, screening, and credentials that they might already have and then falling into that the training program. So we have our, our academy, and our academy has close to 400 different classes, that are available through a learning management system that allow our franchise owners to train people to deliver the appropriate care.
00;05;10;20 - 00;05;40;27
Todd
They're going to go out and deliver. And that can range from what we call active care. So that's really just relationship building, keeping somebody connected and engaged, fighting off loneliness and isolation all the way through nursing care. And nursing care can be focused on, infusions or wound care. But every step of the way, there's training, and training modules to, to provide the most up to date, knowledge and resources to, clinicians and, and unlicensed people that we employ.
00;05;41;00 - 00;05;53;22
Jennifer
And just to clarify, you, you are corporate, so to speak. Correct. And the reason spouses report into you just to clarify that for everyone listening today. Correct.
00;05;53;29 - 00;06;07;02
Todd
We are a franchise model. So we are the support center. We provide, the resources and the tools and the platforms and the marketing to assist our franchisees. But our franchisees do employ the, the, care providers.
00;06;07;06 - 00;06;21;09
Jennifer
So let's, let's, let's stick with that for a minute. You know, someone you have both franchisee and franchisees or, experience. What are the keys to success in this model?
00;06;21;13 - 00;06;34;27
Todd
The Keys to success franchise or, brings a, a, a system, if you will, and the success is when the franchisees follow that system. And that is and throughout a and.
00;06;34;29 - 00;06;40;17
Jennifer
Salisbury, this is very like follow the book. Right. You probably.
00;06;40;20 - 00;06;41;05
Todd
Follow them.
00;06;41;05 - 00;06;43;13
Jennifer
I bet they don't follow the book all the time. Right.
00;06;43;13 - 00;07;02;18
Todd
Said and that is absolutely true. You do. You have you know, those those opportunities where they could do better and following the system. I mean, for us, we've been around for 45 years. So 45 years of of delivering, you know, top quality care in the home, speaks volumes about our brand and what our franchisees do every day.
00;07;02;20 - 00;07;09;28
Todd
But there is opportunity out there sometimes, and we have to remind them why they're bought into a franchise.
00;07;10;00 - 00;07;18;12
Jennifer
Right, right, right. And I would imagine they have some good ideas for the system. Had had those ideas.
00;07;18;15 - 00;07;37;24
Todd
Yeah. We, we love to get feedback from our franchise owners, their input and thoughts and processes. So we we actually have a couple different things that we do. We have a an innovation, box on our intranet site that they can go in there and submit their innovation ideas. But we also in the franchising world have what's called a franchise advisory council.
00;07;37;26 - 00;08;07;26
Todd
And that's made up of, a franchisee from each one of our regions across the United States. We get together on a monthly basis. So it's like that flow up, model where they can bring their thoughts and ideas, through the back. And then we also, utilize what we call working groups. So if we're looking at a specific initiative, we really gather franchisees to be part of that working group to harvest their knowledge, real life experiences, being out there every day, doing what they do best.
00;08;07;26 - 00;08;18;08
Todd
And that really helps us, to learn and to provide that best experience for our franchisees, for their clients, for their employees. On that passion.
00;08;18;10 - 00;08;45;14
Jennifer
Yeah. Well, you and your franchisees and all of the team members of them, do really important work out there. Really important work. And as you mentioned, the need is great. And I'm sure there's been in your career, there's been some monumental moments. I would I would imagine that there's been some really big lessons learned and things that shape us.
00;08;45;16 - 00;09;05;11
Jennifer
But as for the positive and the negative, but, you know, sometimes the negative give us opportunity as well. Could you share a story or two on some of your monumental moments? In the health care industry, as well as as leading teams that I think we can all learn from?
00;09;05;13 - 00;09;29;26
Todd
Yeah, two, two components there. Right. I was very fortunate to, get into business at a very young age of 14. And so really a monumental experience early on is when I own a business. And quite frankly, it was not successful. But there were so many learnings from that and takeaways and what I had to do differently, both as a, as a business operator and as a leader.
00;09;30;00 - 00;10;08;28
Todd
Fast forward from that. That's that's really made me the person I am. Over the last, you know, many years. And we won't talk about how old I am, but the last many years. And I think from the, the leadership perspective in the home care space, is really understanding the critical need, to be a partner with all health care providers, and, and when you are in that role, you really have to understand how to be resilient, and be, an innovator and help people, fulfill their, their wishes and their dreams.
00;10;09;00 - 00;10;31;10
Todd
And I say it like that because we essentially have our eyes and ears. They have for customers, if you will. And so when I say that I have my, my private equity company, that I have to make sure that they're happy, I have my franchisees that I, I want to make sure that they're happy. And then we have, their, their clinicians and their employees and then their clients.
00;10;31;10 - 00;10;48;14
Todd
But that all falls underneath the umbrella. So really, as a leader, you have to be resilient. You have to be able to meet people where they are and and have a true innate ability to adapt and, and bob and weave a little bit sometimes to any, any stories.
00;10;48;21 - 00;10;53;05
Jennifer
And then do you have any stories in your career of, lessons learned?
00;10;53;07 - 00;11;14;20
Todd
Yeah, I think as I kind of allude to that one. You know, when I, when I thought I would be a very young age, that my first venture into business was, in franchising with my family. We did that. And then, right out of college, I thought it would be very fun to open a restaurant and, a jazz club combination type thing and did that, and.
00;11;14;22 - 00;11;39;14
Todd
But it had. Hey, it was great. But, I had a very valuable, lesson in trust. And so, I trusted everybody that worked for me. I trusted my managers, and unfortunately, was taken advantage of through it. You know, somebody stealing and stealing a very large sum. So the valuable lesson, right? You you have to have that balance of.
00;11;39;14 - 00;12;03;05
Todd
Yes. You want to trust your people. You want to instill autonomy and and allow them to do what is right. But you also have to make sure you have a pulse on everything. And so that was a valuable lesson, because now as as I sit on the franchisor side of things, and I'm working with entrepreneurs, independent business owners under the franchise model, it's always about that, right?
00;12;03;05 - 00;12;22;07
Todd
Like trust your teams that verify your teams, and you talking to that all the time as, as a business owner, you have to be, have a heightened sense of of what's going on in your business and be connected to it all the time. So that was a very big lesson. I'm a young age. They continue to carry with me and over the years.
00;12;22;10 - 00;12;47;02
Jennifer
Yeah, yeah. Well good, good that you had a young so you could get it out of the way. There's, there's many that have that as an issue whether it's embezzlement or stealing or, or what have you. And they don't find out for years. You learned that lesson pretty quickly as a young person. Being an entrepreneur. So you were an entrepreneur yourself.
00;12;47;02 - 00;13;04;14
Jennifer
You're still, in that space. You mentor other entrepreneurs. Give us the good, the bad, and the ugly. For entrepreneurs and and future entrepreneurs, what are your findings related to this whole space of entrepreneurship?
00;13;04;14 - 00;13;29;15
Todd
That entrepreneurship is exciting, right? I mean, you get to be in business for yourself, hopefully, you know, fulfilling, like your dreams and your passion and all of that. But with that, I will say, not everybody is an entrepreneur, right? And that's where you have to really evaluate yourself. There's so many different, opportunities out there now to take assessments of yourself and really understand the type of person that you are.
00;13;29;18 - 00;14;02;01
Todd
And, you know, I always say follow those because they'll identify if you are that entrepreneur, if you're not, run and run fast because you know when you are going into business for yourself, essentially, whether it's a franchising model or independently, you are risking the loss of everything that you've ever gained in life. Right? And I say that in a very open fashion because you could lose all your money, you could lose your family, you could lose your friends because you get so focused on, your business or your opportunity that you want to do.
00;14;02;03 - 00;14;25;25
Todd
So it's not for everybody, but it's very self fulfilling. It's very exciting. It provides a phenomenal quality of life. When done appropriately. And I say that because you're, you're not under the, you know, the, the corporate philosophy of I have to work 8 to 5, you get to control your destiny. And so it does provide a lot of opportunity, a lot of excitement, but there's also a lot of risk.
00;14;25;25 - 00;14;35;12
Jennifer
So a lot of risk when you said when done appropriately, what do you mean by that? Being an entrepreneur.
00;14;35;14 - 00;14;56;20
Todd
Well, it's like following systems, following processes, right. Even if you're in a franchise model, obviously there's the box and you you need to follow the model. If you're doing it independently. There's still processes and systems in place. You have to make sure that you develop your processes as an entrepreneur for whatever your business model is, to, you know, garner your success.
00;14;56;26 - 00;15;10;25
Todd
You can't be, you have to create that vision. You have to create the direction you're going to go. And what's the mission? You can't be doing something today and change it all tomorrow. That was not a successful entrepreneur. So you really have to look at what you're doing with that.
00;15;11;00 - 00;15;41;19
Jennifer
That's wonderful. Earlier you mentioned that, there's new technology coming out. You have this 2 million shortage of qualified caregivers. You know, as the population increases, the costs go up. What are some of the new innovations in your industry and anything interesting that's developing in the home health care space?
00;15;41;21 - 00;16;04;26
Todd
There's actually a, yeah, there's a there's like, oh, I'm sorry, but yeah, there's a there's a lot that's happening. And I think from, from our brand standpoint, we've really been the leader in bringing, video technology into the home, through smart cameras. We're seeing it start at the, the top of the health care ecosystem. A lot of hospitals are turning their, their hospital rooms into what are called smart rooms.
00;16;04;28 - 00;16;24;05
Todd
So smart rooms have the ability for a virtual nurse to come into the room when a nurse can be in there, or a doctor can be connected and be a thousand miles away. But evaluate a patient, in the room so you can get better access to specialists and things like that. That is, transitioning down to the home now.
00;16;24;05 - 00;16;49;12
Todd
So in our brain, we, we do have, our home connect vertical, which is our technology vertical. It keeps that person connected and engaged and fights off that loneliness and isolation they might be experiencing through video connection or virtual connection with loved ones in their care providers and nurses and doctors and and all of those good things that really elevate that level of care and keep that 90% at home that want to stay at home.
00;16;49;14 - 00;17;12;15
Todd
So that's, that's a big piece of it. You're starting to see a lot, ambient, monitoring going on. So sensors, that go out throughout the house, that can, detect, fall risks and other things like that, which are huge. There's also, the big drive with, with AI, and AI is, is it's exciting.
00;17;12;18 - 00;17;39;08
Todd
We're testing a lot of things with AI right now. That is just going to be huge as we move into the next year. Both from an engagement aspect, but also from your looking at care plans and making sure that care plans are person centered and getting the right data around that person. We're seeing it at, a I I'll say on the clinical side, a lot of, practitioners, doctors are starting to use ambient AI.
00;17;39;12 - 00;18;01;16
Todd
We're starting to to venture into the ambient AI as well, and the development care plan. So essentially what that means is it's just like you and I sitting here and conversing today, the ambient AI is is detecting all of your needs and helping me prepare the right care plan for you. I mean, it's scary, but exciting. People are living longer than ever.
00;18;01;19 - 00;18;23;18
Todd
And so we want to make sure that they're getting the right care wherever they are in their care journey. And it's critical technology is going to play that that role in the gap. Conversely, on the other side of things, what it does is it helps improve caregiver efficiencies. So in the home care space, you know, you have caregivers that go into the home to provide direct care.
00;18;23;21 - 00;18;40;28
Todd
But if we can do some of that through a virtual assistant or virtual, capabilities, it now allows that caregiver to see multiple people in a days time that they might not have been able to do before, but still providing same quality care, with just a little more virtual aspect of it.
00;18;41;00 - 00;19;04;11
Jennifer
This is all fascinating and much needed. I mean, we have the technology. I can only imagine, though, forgive me, maybe I turned into a little old lady and I can't get the internet to work. I'm sure there'll be complications, but it's exciting. I mean, it's it's exciting, and it gives peace to the family, so. Wow, this.
00;19;04;11 - 00;19;11;27
Jennifer
I bet this is really going to explode in the next year or so as it relates to, ambient, technology and AI.
00;19;11;29 - 00;19;28;15
Todd
It's huge efforts. Huge. I mean, I, you know, I do participated in some conferences learning and things like that. And I can tell you, I just came off of a conference last week for a and and, it's an annual conference and just how far we've come on the innovation side and health care in just that one year's time.
00;19;28;17 - 00;19;49;27
Todd
It's just it's tremendous how it's going to change lives. And I think it's really because you're you're like, I'm going to turn into this little lady and be like, how do I use the internet? It's interesting on that because, you know, 65% of Americans have a, over the age of 65 have a smart device. So they have a phone or they have an iPad or something, and 50% are using social media.
00;19;49;27 - 00;19;57;27
Todd
Like, I just learned that number. I'm like, wow. And 50% of like my my dad's 90. He's on social media. But it's kind of scary.
00;19;58;00 - 00;20;00;16
Jennifer
What are they going to say on their rate?
00;20;00;18 - 00;20;01;22
Todd
Yeah.
00;20;01;24 - 00;20;04;05
Jennifer
You can imagine. That's great.
00;20;04;13 - 00;20;17;03
Todd
These are interesting. It's it's just it's elevating every day the number of people that are connected. And, you know, pretty soon it's just going to be commonplace. Like, if we don't have some smart, smart device, right?
00;20;17;07 - 00;20;37;28
Jennifer
Yeah. Well, you know, there's, there's a whole industry for you is, is teaching seniors how to be on social and how to use these smart devices. That's a whole, vertical for you right there is to do the training and help them feel comfortable with that. We have so much to learn from them. Then, sure, they want to share something.
00;20;38;00 - 00;21;07;13
Jennifer
You know? So, let's talk about, future CEOs and future leaders. You have quite an illustrious background of leading not only your business, but your long career as, being an entrepreneur yourself and and mentoring others. For future CEOs, what advice would you give them for a successful career?
00;21;07;15 - 00;21;31;03
Todd
It's really about, being agile and being a people person. You, as a CEO, you're leading many different teams, and you need to understand all those nuances. Like young aspiring CEOs. The workforce is much different today, than it was when I started my career. So you really have to get into the minds of people and be supportive.
00;21;31;03 - 00;21;53;04
Todd
You're you're the coach, and you want to lead everybody on your team to success. But also being able to have those tough conversations is critical, too. So don't always be the person, you have to be the the innovator. You have to be the strategic thinker. You have to, you know, be out there driving your organization forward.
00;21;53;07 - 00;22;20;20
Jennifer
Yeah. It takes energy. And I I've been saying lately that energy is the newest and most precious commodity. It's not money. It's not time. I really do think it's it's energy. Now you really do. Yeah. All right, well, let's. I have just a couple rapid fire questions before we run out of time here. Are there any daily rituals that you do as a leader to keep you sharp?
00;22;20;25 - 00;22;42;26
Todd
There is. I work out every day. So I am up at, four for 15 every day. And, but it's it's it's really about, you know, it there's a regimen that goes on with that workout, but it really clears the head. And I play music when I'm working out. Most of like, do you listen to podcasts, podcasts or in the evening or when I'm in the car?
00;22;42;28 - 00;22;52;25
Todd
In the morning? It's high energy music. It just gets me pumping and and wanting to go through the day and clearing my mind. That's that's my big ritual. And a couple cups of coffee at that time and money.
00;22;52;28 - 00;23;02;25
Jennifer
Yeah, yeah, I can relate to that too. What about a book or speaker that inspired you to be your best self?
00;23;03;02 - 00;23;28;12
Todd
Think you know one of my favorite books. Right now it's called The Wealthy Franchisee. It's written by Scott Greenberg, and it's just really like it sets the stage. Scott was a former franchisee of a company, and he sets the stage about following the system and the processes. So that book, every time I read and I write it many times, it just helps me prepare when I'm going to go speak in front of our franchisees because it sets that stage.
00;23;28;12 - 00;23;37;19
Todd
I'm like, hey, this is why you want to follow the system, which is a lot of good. Key takeaways. And I think it's a it's just a great book for for where I'm at at the moment.
00;23;37;21 - 00;24;12;07
Jennifer
That's great. That's great. Yeah. You know, you have a unique perspective on life if you have, run a business, you lead business, you lead other businesses. And, your clients are the most precious commodities to families, and they have, they're at the end of their life, and they have a lot to give and offer. So based off of that perspective, how do you define happiness for me?
00;24;12;09 - 00;24;31;01
Todd
Happiness is really my time with my family. I have to say that, you know, I think, you know, it's you kind of. You said it's come in and go, right? It's not always about, you know, the money and the titles and, you know, it's about the energy and happiness. Is is getting time with my family, seeing, my son grow up.
00;24;31;04 - 00;24;54;15
Todd
But then also like, extending that family out to people that are part of my franchise network and seeing their success, whatever. And everybody's success is different. I do have to clarify that, right? Like some, it's monetary, some it's just. Yeah. And so you have to understand that. But that's where happiness just comes from, is just when people are are enjoying what they do, whatever it is that they're doing.
00;24;54;18 - 00;25;01;19
Todd
And for me, like I said, it's being being with my family and watching my son grow up and having those special moments.
00;25;01;22 - 00;25;30;28
Jennifer
Yeah. So it it always ends and begins with family, as an important part of our lives. And, it's just wonderful having you on the program and and, thank you for your time today. Just keep shining bright. And, you doing some really important work, some emotional work. And for that, we thank you. So we don't want to forget that you're helping so many.
00;25;31;03 - 00;25;33;17
Todd
Thank you. Jennifer, I appreciate that.
00;25;33;19 - 00;25;42;08
Jennifer
All right. Well, thank you for being on the program. Wonderful words of wisdom from you, Todd. And, we'll see you all next time. Thanks.