Mike Doughty, owner of Home Care Agency Zeabe, and former sales and marketing automation expert, shares his journey from New Zealand to the U.S. and how he transitioned into the home care industry.

He discusses the importance of automating 90% of tasks to humanize the remaining 10%, building a remote team in the Philippines, and the value of psychometric tests in understanding team dynamics.

Mike also reflects on the lessons he's learned from his mistakes and how he applies them to his business today.

Lesson Takeaways:

1. Automation should handle repetitive tasks, but meaningful human interactions remain the foundation of a successful home care business. Knowing what to automate and what to personalize makes all the difference.
2. Building a remote team, especially across different time zones, requires well-defined roles and expectations. Mike Doughty’s success with a team in the Philippines proves that clarity and structure are key to remote work effectiveness.
3. Seeking guidance is valuable, but blindly following advice can lead to costly mistakes. Mike learned that trusting his own judgment—while considering expert input—is the key to making sound business decisions.
4. Tools like the Predictive Index and Wealth Dynamics help identify individual strengths, ensuring that team members are placed in roles where they naturally excel. Investing in the right fit leads to higher performance and job satisfaction.
5. Instead of only measuring end results, focusing on leading indicators (daily activities that drive outcomes) keeps the team engaged, motivated, and continuously improving.

Timestamps:

• 00:00 - Intro
• 01:30 - Mike introduces himself and his journey from New Zealand to the U.S.
• 03:00 - How Mike got into the home care business through his father.
• 06:15 - Mike’s approach to learning and personal growth.
• 09:00 - Mike shares his biggest mistake and the lesson of taking advice but making your own decisions.
• 12:45 - The importance of trusting your gut in a regulated industry like home care.
• 18:45 - Mike’s philosophy on automating 90% of tasks to humanize the 10%.
• 22:05 - Using technology to recognize and appreciate caregivers.
• 32:50 - Mike’s proudest achievement: building a successful remote team in the Philippines.
• 34:55 - Mike’s vision for the future of his business in 2026.

Quotes

1. Mike Doughty: "Let’s automate the 90%, humanize the 10%. That 10 percent is really the most important. That’s when you’re able to have people face to face with other people and be developing that relationship."
2. Mike Doughty: "I’ve learned over the years that I have the learning gene, and I’m lucky I can learn without there needing to be an outcome."
3. Mike Doughty: "Take lots of advice, but ignore it all. At the end of the day, you want to make sure that you make the decision from your perspective."

Resources:

1. Twitter/X: @MikeDoughty https://twitter.com/MikeDoughty
2. LinkedIn: Mike Doughty https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikedoughty/
3. Website: The Knowledge Gym https://theknowledgegym.com/
4. The Power of Regret by Dan Pink: https://www.danpink.com/the-power-of-regret/
5. Predictive Index: https://www.predictiveindex.com/
6. Wealth Dynamics: https://www.wealthdynamics.com/
7. Connect with David Knack on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-knack/
8. Connect with Zingage on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/zingage/
9. Powered by Zingage: https://zingage.com/
10. Subscribe on Zingage’s YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Zingage

In this episode of Home Care Hindsight, host David Knack sits down with Matt Thompson, franchise owner of Visiting Angels, to discuss the biggest challenge business owners face—distractions.

Matt shares how he keeps his team focused on what truly matters: caregiver and client acquisition.

From implementing daily huddles to leveraging caregiver incentives through Zingage, Matt offers practical insights into leadership, culture-building, and staying on track in the home care industry.

Lesson Takeaways:

1. Avoid distractions by focusing on high-impact activities.
2. Set clear daily goals and track progress through end-of-day reports.
3. Use incentives to motivate caregivers and improve retention.
4. Build a strong office culture through daily team huddles.
5. Encourage positive reinforcement over punitive measures.

Timestamps:

• [00:00:00] Introduction to Matt Thompson and Visiting Angels.
• [00:02:00] The challenge of distractions in business.
• [00:05:00] Using Zingage for caregiver incentives and retention.
• [00:08:00] The importance of rewarding positive behaviors.
• [00:12:00] Pressing the two key buttons: caregiver and client acquisition.
• [00:15:00] Why daily huddles and end-of-day reports drive success.
• [00:19:00] Measuring the right metrics to drive business growth.
• [00:26:00] The biggest mistake: making decisions based on anecdotal evidence.
• [00:30:00] Creating a strong, engaged office culture.
• [00:34:00] The servant leadership mindset in home care.

Quotes

1. Matt Thompson: "A business is a living, breathing thing—if you lose focus, you lose growth."
2. David Knack: "The best leadership isn’t about being in front—it’s about setting others up for success."
3. Matt Thompson: "If you want your caregivers to engage, show them that you value them."

Resources:

1. Visiting Angels
2. Matthew Thompson on LinkedIn
3. Connect with David Knack on LinkedIn
4. Connect with Zingage on LinkedIn
5. Powered by Zingage
6. Subscribe on Zingage’s YouTube

Tim and Gina Murray, former home care agency owners and creators of CINCH, join host David Knack to discuss the challenges and rewards of community-based home care. They share insights on the concept of fractional care, how it supports independent living communities, and the lessons they learned transitioning from agency owners to tech entrepreneurs. They also highlight how proper scheduling, caregiver teamwork, and sustainable revenue models can transform home care businesses.

Lesson Takeaways:

1. Fractional care provides short, structured visits that help seniors maintain independence.
2. Proper scheduling improves efficiency and caregiver satisfaction.
3. Caregiver teamwork enhances service quality and reliability.
4. Community-based home care can be both profitable and sustainable.
5. Understanding and respecting the language of senior living communities builds stronger partnerships.

Timestamps:

• [00:01:00] Tim & Gina’s journey from agency owners to software founders.
• [00:02:00] How they discovered the power of community-based home care.
• [00:06:00] What is fractional care and why it’s cost-effective.
• [00:09:00] Scheduling challenges and how they improved efficiency.
• [00:14:00] The impact of proper scheduling and team collaboration.
• [00:20:00] How caregivers benefit from the fractional care model.
• [00:24:00] The financial benefits and profitability of fractional care.
• [00:28:00] The importance of using respectful language in senior living communities.
• [00:32:00] Tim & Gina’s biggest mistake and key lessons learned.
• [00:36:00] Cinch: A tool to help home care agencies thrive in community-based care.

Quotes

1. Tim Murray: "Home care is a team sport. When caregivers work together, everyone wins."
2. Gina Murray: "Fractional care is about meeting seniors where they are—providing just the right amount of support to help them stay independent."

Resources:

1. CINCH CCM
2. Connect with Tim Murray on LinkedIn
3. Connect with Gina Murray on LinkedIn
4. Connect with David Knack on LinkedIn
5. Connect with Zingage on LinkedIn
6. Powered by Zingage
7. Subscribe on Zingage’s YouTube