I don’t have the schooling. I don’t have the hands for it. And squishy things make me squeamish. In short, I’m not qualified. Then why is it that you’re letting someone care for your parent, spouse, or other loved one when their supervisor has no medical training or knowledge?

This is the danger of an industry that’s expanding as quickly as home health is nowadays. There are lots of people who need help and a ton of money at stake. Health care professionals are not the only ones who knows this – people from all walks of life are buying home health franchises or starting their own business to take advantage of the opportunity. I’m not begrudging someone the chance to make a living any way they choose – but I will be careful about where I make the referrals, both for my clients’ sake and ultimately for my own.

If you want to be taken seriously in your business, focus hard on it and don’t try to be something different for everyone. Your clients did not fall off the turnip truck – they will figure out what you’re up to and find somebody more credible. The worst consequence of this strategy is that the clients you miss out on for this reason will be the best ones, who know better – and the ones you’ll keep will be the ones you wish you could give away. These last couple of sentences aren’t just about the home health industry. They apply to the legal field and others with equal force – and it’s a message that my office lives by.