Running a home care agency is challenging. You constantly manage staff schedules, keep up with regulations, and work to promote your name among many competitors. However, the biggest obstacle to growing your business isn’t necessarily the competition. It’s about understanding who you are truly serving. Too many agencies try to be everything to everybody, and that leads to burned-out staff, frustrated families, and a business that feels stuck.
The real key to steady, sustainable growth? Figure out who your ideal clients are and build everything—your messaging, your processes, your care—around them. More often than not, the person making the call is an adult child, often a daughter, caught in the “sandwich generation.” She’s balancing her own kids, a demanding job, and the emotional weight of caring for aging parents.
That’s where Gabrielle Pumpian steps in. With almost 20 years of experience turning small startups into multi-million-dollar businesses and leading teams across the country, she now helps agency owners through her company, Trail Angel Partners. For Gabrielle, it’s all about alignment: making sure your marketing, your intake process, and your caregiver support truly connect with families navigating tough choices.
You’ve got to know exactly who you’re serving. A lot of agencies focus on medical conditions or service lists, but that’s not the whole picture. Think about who’s actually reaching out—who’s googling options, who’s on the phone. Usually, it’s a daughter who’s stressed out and overwhelmed.
If your messaging, intake process, or services don’t make her life easier, you’re not hitting the mark. Build an Ideal Client Profile (ICP) that goes beyond age or location—think about her emotional needs, her daily struggles. That clarity will make your marketing sharper, your referrals stronger, and your clients more likely to stay.
Sales Tip: Train your intake team to really get your ICP. If someone’s not a good fit, don’t just say “sorry” and move on. Point them to a resource or another provider you trust. It shows you care, builds your reputation, and keeps the door open for future referrals.
Some of the best referrals don’t come from doctors or hospitals—they come from people like fiduciaries, estate attorneys, financial planners, or Aging Life Care Professionals. These are the people families already turn to for advice, often before a health crisis even starts.
When one of these advisors recommends your agency, you’re not just another name on a list. You’re coming in with a stamp of trust. Families feel confident because someone they already rely on believes in you.
Sales Tip: Don’t just hand out business cards. Build real relationships. Invite local fiduciaries to a lunch-and-learn, share a checklist they can give their clients, or follow up with something useful. Be a partner they can count on, not just another vendor.
– Gabrielle Pumpian
Stop obsessing over billable hours and start focusing on finding the right fit. Taking on every client might seem like a win, but it can backfire—caregivers get stretched thin, clients aren’t happy, and your reputation takes a hit.
When you focus on matching the right clients with the right caregivers, things fall into place. Families notice the care you put in, referral partners see you’re consistent, and your growth becomes steady and sustainable.
Sales Tip: Even if a client isn’t a fit, keep the connection alive. Send them a helpful article, check in with a quick email, or give them a friendly call. Show you’re there for their well-being, not just their money.
Tech should make things easier and feel more personal. Families are comfortable with tools like apps or text updates, but they still want to know there’s a real person who cares. A daughter in the sandwich generation might love the convenience of a digital log, but she also needs to feel the warmth behind your service.
Use tech for the behind-the-scenes stuff—scheduling, paperwork—but keep the human connection for the big moments, like intake calls or care updates. Those should never feel automated.
Sales Tip: Let tech remind you to connect. If a prospect hasn’t followed up in a week, have your system flag it, but then have a real person call and say, “Just checking in—any questions I can help with?” It’s personal and shows you care.
Be a guide, not just a business. The first call you get is probably from someone who’s overwhelmed, scared, and worried about making the wrong choice. If you can respond with clear answers, empathy, and real support—not just a sales pitch—you’ll earn trust that lasts.
Before you spend time on logos or ads, build a process that says, “We’ve got your back. You’re not alone, and we’re here to help.”
Sales Tip: Put together a resource bank—guides, local service lists, helpful tips—and share them freely with anyone who calls. Then, set up a system to stay in touch with emails or check-ins that keep you on their radar until they’re ready to commit.
Gabrielle Pumpian’s advice is simple: growth is about understanding who you serve, meeting their needs, and building trust. Agencies that concentrate on their main decision-makers, invest in their caregivers, and develop referral relationships can shift from chaos to confidence.
It’s a simple but bold shift: stop selling hours and start building relationships. With intention, empathy, and the right approach, home care agencies can grow steadily while staying true to their mission—helping families feel supported during life’s hardest moments.
Gabrielle Pumpian — Founder, Trail Angel Partners Gabrielle’s spent nearly 20 years helping home care agencies grow, from launching startups to leading national teams. Through Trail Angel Partners, she gives agency owners the tools to scale smartly, build strong referral networks, and create sales systems that work. As someone who’s navigated the sandwich generation herself, Gabrielle gets the pressures families face. She combines hard-earned industry knowledge with real empathy to help agencies grow while earning lasting trust in their communities.
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