Book excerpt: Home Healthcare Business Startup on a Budget Do you have what it takes to start, run, and grow an in-home care business? When I was faced with the reality of caring for my mother when she became ill while also caring for my elderly grandma, I realized that I needed more education (and help) for my situation. While I loved them both dearly, my love itself wasn't enough to properly care for them. I decided to gain that education and eventually became a CNA. When my mother and then grandmother finally passed away, I continued in this field of providing at-home care. Caring for a family member at home while they are recovering, terminally ill, or in the final stages of life can be stressful. The burden can be eased when you're able to bring in qualified help to assist you. Home healthcare encompasses a large range of skilled nursing and unskilled home care services that can be accomplished in a client's home after an injury or illness. It can also apply to services that are for an older or disabled person who might require assistance with daily activities such as cooking, bathing, running errands, shopping, and more. Do you have a caring, compassionate heart? Do you want to start a business where you know you will be assisting people when they need it most? Do you want to be your own boss and run an agency of skilled professionals who you trust to do the hands-on work? In this Home Healthcare Business Startup on a Budget book, I will outline the different levels of care that your agency might provide according to the need you see in your community. This could range from simple companion care services with light housekeeping and friendly faces, to more skilled nursing and palliative care. The fact is that you need not be personally professionally skilled to be an agency director. You can have a heart for starting the business, do the back-end work, and hire trained professionals to work for you. I'll show you how! This book will discuss all aspects of starting an in-home care services company, with variations on skilled and unskilled service providers. I guide you through starting this business from scratch, step-by-step. Once we have the business established, I will talk you through how to grow and run your operation from marketing, advertising, and dealing with employees. Be sure to check out the table of contents to see exactly what my book will provide to you in terms of information. I would strongly encourage you to get your hands on any and everything you can read about starting a business like this before you take the leap. We will Discuss Topics such as: What home healthcare means If you're cut out for this line of work What different levels of care encompass The different types of services your new agency might provide What a day in the life of an in-home care provider looks like 8 steps for building your business How to gain clients through advertising and partnerships How to craft a solid business plan What licensing you'll have to obtain How to get paid How to hire staff and manage employees in your day-to-day operations All this and much much more is contained in this book. I also describe to you some True-to-Life, Real-World Illustrations of what I'm teaching you in action with personal stories from those who have experiences with this field. I hope that reading about the concepts in action will give you a better understanding.