Through my dedication to residents and pragmatic management approach, I rose to the position of Executive Director by the end of my 20-year stint at the Fountains. I loved it there, but I had outgrown it — I needed a new challenge. 

 

After leaving the Fountains, I have overseen operations at more than a dozen facilities around the state and been exposed to several more through colleagues and associations. The more I was exposed to the corporatization of senior care, the more convinced I was that I needed to strike out as an entrepreneur. It became increasingly difficult to be at the mercy of corporate leaders who would say they value people and yet take actions that tell a different story. 

 

So, I climbed off the corporate ladder, and along with my business partner Jamie Lemon, started the Nested Story. The Nested Story is fundamentally inspired by my grandparents Stan and Charlene. Granddaddy passed away in May 2016, succumbing to Alzheimer's disease. As his disease progressed, my grandmother took care of him. Anyone who has interacted with a dementia patient understands what a massive undertaking it is to properly care for them 24/7. It took such a toll on her that she started to decline physically and emotionally. 

 

Were I to turn over my grandparents’ care to some of the companies and facilities I know of, they would, at best, be one-dimensional names in a ledger or forgettable tasks on someone’s to-do list. They wouldn’t understand that Stan had a generous spirit and brilliant mind, one who was so gifted that without schooling, he became an engineer at Lockheed working on guided missile programs.  They wouldn’t take the time to learn that the most important thing in the world to Charlene was her close-knit brood of four children, five grandchildren, and 11 great-grandchildren, so much so that she cooked a massive dinner for all of them every Sunday. 

 

My grandparents have played a profound role in shaping who I am and in the lives of countless others. The same can be said of so many other seniors. Each of them has a story, values, traditions, and relationships that must be honored as part of their care in assisted living. This is what Jamie and I have set out to deliver at the Nested Story. 

 

You see, it's not just a business; it's a manifestation of our heartfelt commitment. Our approach prioritizes the residents, and we know that starts with finding the right staff and taking care of them. We are determined to demonstrate that there is a wholehearted and sustainable way to deliver high-quality senior care.