Mitch Waks
Cooperative Home Care
Website: www.CooperativeHomeCare.com
Industry: home care and hospice
Education: I have a BA in English and a BA in education.
Family: My lovely wife of 27 years, Ruth Waks, along with our two young adult children: Arielle, 23, is a recent graduate of the University of North Carolina; Dylan, 20, is a sophomore at the College of Charleston Honors College.
What is your mission?
To help the most vulnerable individuals to be as independent as possible, in their own homes and on their own terms.
What was your first job?
I worked at a local KFC knockoff called Kentucky Fried Loaf. I was in charge of the coleslaw station.
What was your worst job?
Teaching middle school remedial English. It was my first and last semester as a teacher, after which I exited the teaching profession.
What led you to your industry?
My mother-in-law was providing in-home education for young adults with developmental disabilities. She asked me to step in during her planned vacation, which was a six-month Appalachian Trail hike. This was a turning point of understanding and opportunity for me.
What was the smartest thing your company did in the past year?
To recognize our 30th year in business, we created our “Serving & Celebrating in Our 30th Year” campaign. We achieved over 30 local service projects in our 30th year. We were recognized in at least eight local news stories, and I won Small Business Monthly’s Top Family Business 2017 award as a result. I am still amazed by the impact of this project.
Who is your industry role model?
There were no home care role models when I started. My personal role model is my remarkable stepfather, Dr. John McCarthy. He was the chief of oncology and hematology at St. Mary’s Medical Center, he served as a medic in World War II, and he was the hardest-working person I’ve ever known.
How do you try to differentiate your business from others in your industry?
We provide every type of home care, and we accept every type of home care funding. We can meet all of your home care needs now and if they change. You don’t have to enlist multiple providers.
What’s the hottest trend in your industry, and are you going to jump on board?
Health care delivery is rarely trendy; however, technology is changing the way all companies do business. We have already jumped on board with things like telemedicine. The next possible trend may be an Uber-style application for health care delivery.
What best advice would you share with new entrepreneurs?
Stay focused. Entrepreneurs by nature are easily distracted by the next shiny and new opportunity. Stay focused on your idea and the goals associated with it. Drive relentlessly until you achieve those goals, and then you can shift your focus to the next opportunity.
What has made you successful in your industry and in St. Louis?
Hiring the right employees and cultivating the right team. In St. Louis, it’s also the power of a strong, personal network.
Submitted 6 years 150 days ago