Today we’d like to introduce you to Ashlee Lafavor.
Ashlee, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
My journey to becoming an entrepreneur started in 2016. I decided to launch my home health care agency in Florida to bridge the gap for a lot of complaints I will hear from families in the community of a need for more in-home care workers & complaints of caregivers feeling overworked and underpaid. I graduated July of 2009 as a certified medical assistance landing a job in the home healthcare industry, working with medically complex special needs children, adults with disabilities, and seniors. As I was working for this agency I was promoted into multiple positions as not only a caregiver in the field but helping my operations/administration duties as an administrator assistance. That’s when my eyes were open to so much that shocked me. Moving forward there were so many issues of caregivers not showing up to work, caregivers not satisfied with their work duties or assignments, clients complaining of not a right fit caregiver for their Care needs. My heart just would be crushed hearing this and families suffering at the same time because they need care. My real story begins when I decided to question the owner of the company in regards to the complaints of each side from caregivers to the families is going on why families are not getting what their insurance is covering, why is caregivers having issues with on-time payments from us. That’s the day I got fired July 2015, talk about a storm moment going through a season of that was insane I had to go through a court hearing with the company due of non-payments rendered to me from worked hours and days all because my care to help families. As I set one day in my lowest moment, I said to God I am going to start my own home care agency, hire loving staff that will love to work, care, and not be overworked with no good pay and families can have Someone to add in their live as a companion to love and really take care of them. I still had no money at the time suffering from unemployment benefits out a mom just battle after battle. I set in my room at my mom’s house we had to move back into set in the floor said let me just start planning, researching, and do it something will come together. 3-4 months later income tax returns were due to come out, not gone lie I was in between trying to catch up on my bills or take some of the money to invest in the business. I prayed on it just set I am going to do it. April 2016 was the official start I received my license, insurance and etc. to start. But still stuck little no funding, no clients yet working part-time at the time so still limited, but determined to not quick. I know I needed more so I decided to work during the day at the optometrist clinic and work families after all night until 11 pm some nights to build my business. The end of 2017 I was terminated my position at the clinic and pushed myself to fully run my business only. There were good days and suffering days because I was exhausted managing operations, limited with financial overhead, working families myself, and one other caregiver that I could afford barely. 5 years later we are still up and operating I now have a full staff of CNA and home health aides, expanded to central Florida we now have 2 offices Orlando and Jacksonville Florida. I am also a published author I launched my first book called from the pit to the palace along with a prayer journal called from Ratchet to Righteous & empowerment coach. I launched the brand from Ratchet to Righteous March 2020 to have a platform for women to know that they can embrace those broken areas or situations in life because God uses that for something bigger a Righteous that we can’t even imagine. The book is a self-reflection/ self-help book I share clippings of my life pit seasons and how I transition to my palace from being anchored by Christ and God as my foundation through his word. The prayer journal was designed for anyone that wants to transition their prayer life being consistent & intentional with daily prayer. Through this journey of my story, I became a wife of an amazing man Willie Lafavor that endured so much with me through these pit seasons of transformation I thank God for him daily because he never gave up on me even in times, I knew I was not as a good wife I could have been with my stages of depression but he still was their loving, supportive, comfort in my crazy moments. Lastly my kids that also was a rock for their mom always finding ways to be fun, loving and great kids they will write me notes that I still keep as encouragement and why I can’t let nothing get in the path of the generational calling on our family. I encourage anyone to not give up either even if your journey is not in business but in a career, schooling, etc. know that with God you have more than enough.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
There were obstacles, some days were smooth but there were more challenges than smooth days, learning how to manage administrative duties that I never had to handle before, trying to keep the doors of my business open because a lot of revenue was not flowing in, and still fight mentally for my dream when there were days of wanting to stop. I would cry in my car and then get into a family’s home it will shift me to why I am doing what I am doing because of Their need of someone to help them so I had to reshift things off of me and put myself in their shoes.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Acare Provider Services?
Acare is a non-medical in-home care & home health exempt care agency, we specialize in senior & adult with disabilities care in the home setting. We also are a contracted licensed Medicaid provider agency servicing children with medical complex needs of care offering services to children ages 0-21 under Medicaid & Medicaid wavier programs. We assist with all activities of daily living needs in the home and out in the community, we offer transportation to our clients that need to get to the grocery stores or appointments.
Acare Provider Services is known for our amazing care staff they each at personally matched with the right family based upon care needs and personality traits. The families love how I come out myself to meet and greet them an also allow my caregivers to meet one on one with them before being placed on an assignment which allows them to get a feel for the aide, interview them and know who safely will come into their home.
What sets me apart is how I train and care for my healthcare workers, I allow them to have a space of ownership in the company, taking their advice on things that can help our families better letting them know their voice matters at Acare Provider Services, this has helped with me not having high caregiver turn over, satisfied families without multiple staff in a home.
I am most proud of brand-wise is that we are still here serving and the smiles of every family’s needs being met and caregivers sharing their experience on the job.
What I want readers to know about my brand is I am currently coaching people that are looking to start a home care agency in their state I currently have coached and help launch several here in Florida, there is a demand for more in this industry if they are interested, I am offering those services.
Is there a quality that you most attribute to your success?
Personal development is the key quality for my success. We can know business or have a plan but if we are not doing things to build our personal development, in my opinion, is not good traits. Personal development skills play a factor on all areas of your success to how you handle finances, customer service skills, how you handle things under stressed moments, how you treat others, and the system flow of your operations matter.
Contact Info:
- Email: info@acareproviderservices.com
- Website: www.acareproviderservices.com
- Instagram: Ashleelafavor
- Facebook: Ashleelafavor
Image Credits
Shawna Grant
