Today we’d like to introduce you to Claudia Summers.
Hi Claudia, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself
I have been a Registered Nurse for over 25 years. After working in the hospital setting for so long, I became very burnt out and it took a tremendous toll on my health. I had to figure a way to do what I love without the physical demands of bedside nursing. My gifts have always been compassion and empathy, so I decided to follow my dream of being an entrepreneur. I decided to continue nursing, but in a more creative way. I did not have a sophisticated business plan or any business acumen to speak of. The only asset that I had was my home, so I decided to use a part of my house as a personal care home. I started with just one client and have now grown to having three multi-bed personal care homes. my goal was always to share with others how to provide that special caring and how to do it right.
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?
I became very sick some years ago and underwent several surgeries. I was not able to pass a physical to return to work and so I was home with an RN degree and unable to work.
my journey to entrepreneurship has been a lot of trial and error, I haven’t always been successful right out of the gates, and in fact, I have failed many times and just instinctively gotten back up dust off and try again because of my Jamaican heritage I was brought up to remain optimistic, I persevered, and that mentality has gotten me where I am today. You fail when you give up on trying.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I do everything from the heart. I’ve worked in hospitals, and I know that though many nurses are extremely compassionate people, sometimes the demands of the job get in the way of that priority. What sets my business apart from others is that I strive never to lose the true focus. If we are not working from the heart before all else, then in my opinion, we are not doing our best work. I’m in the business of helping people.
we have become a city, and a culture at large, that relegates our elderly to gated communities and facilities. We don’t have the time or energy to deal with aging relatives, so we put them out of sight. I think this is one of the biggest detriments to our society. Our culture gains so much texture when we integrate members of different generations. There is so much to be learned from our elderly. By keeping them in places like my personal care homes, they can receive the care that they need without being locked away or forbidden to interact with their younger counterparts. Life is so precious; we need to embrace the highs and lows of every age. We are all the same at heart, and our society is so much richer when reach across age barriers and remember what’s important.
If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?
I do everything from the heart. Do what you love, work hard, and remain optimistic. If you do these things, there is no way that you can’t succeed. I strive never to lose the true focus. If we are not working from the heart before all else, then in my opinion, we are not doing our best work. I’m in the business of helping people, so losing sight of what truly matters is non-negotiable for my business.