In this episode of the Care CEO Success Stories Podcast, host Adam James of Springup PR speaks with Adam Welsh, CEO and Founder of Autograph Care Group (which operates four homes across the North-West and Yorkshire)

Adam shares his practical and human approach to enquiry management in care homes.

After launching Autograph Care Group in 2019, Adam and his team navigated the same challenges many providers have faced — from COVID pressures to occupancy dips and operational strain.

But rather than focusing solely on generating more enquiries, Adam recognised a more fundamental issue: what happens after the enquiry.

Through a structured, data-led approach, the group rebuilt its entire enquiry journey — transforming occupancy from the 70% into >90%.

At the heart of Adam's philosophy is a simple but often overlooked truth: "The first phone call is the one families don't want to make."

With around 80% of enquiries coming via phone, he emphasises that every interaction must be handled with empathy, patience and genuine intent to help — not rushed, transactional responses.

This mindset shift reframes enquiry handling from an administrative task into a critical moment of care delivery in itself.

One of the most impactful changes has been the creation of a dedicated enquiry role — allowing the team to respond faster, listen properly, and guide families through what is often a complex and emotional decision-making process.

Combined with clear processes, simple scripts, consistent follow-up, and better use of technology, the result is a more supportive experience for families — and significantly improved commercial outcomes.

In this episode, Adam shares how care home providers can rethink enquiry management as both a human and operational system — and why getting this right can transform both occupancy and reputation including:

• Why "the phone call you don't want to make" should shape your entire enquiry approach.
• How mapping the full enquiry journey — from Google search to move-in — creates clarity and control.
• The hidden cost of missed calls, rushed conversations, and inconsistent responses.
• Why most enquiry handling fails not because of people — but because teams lack the tools and training.
• How introducing simple scripts and templates can "make it easy to deliver a great conversation".
• The impact of creating a dedicated enquiry role to remove competing priorities.
• How faster response times and structured follow-up dramatically improve conversion.
• Why "you're not bothering people — they've asked for help" reframes the follow-up mindset.
• The importance of ongoing, value-led follow-up — from newsletters to personalised check-ins.
• How tailoring communication based on family needs builds trust and long-term engagement.
• Why preparation and personalisation during show-arounds can make or break decisions.
• The role of measurement and data in driving continuous improvement.
• A powerful lesson: "Don't assume things are happening — verify and structure the process".
• How better enquiry handling alone helped drive occupancy from ~80% to over 90%

In this episode of the Care CEO Success Stories podcast, Adam James of Springup PR talks with Nitesh Somani, founder and CEO of Kara Healthcare, which run 13 homes with 700 employees

With over 13 years' experience in care, Nitesh has overseen an 18-month period of accelerated growth — including the acquisition and turnaround of eight homes in a single year, six of which were rescued from administration.

For Nitesh, success isn't measured purely in numbers — it's defined by purpose, people, and progress, and the belief that culture cannot be imposed; it must be inspired.

This conviction led to the creation of the Kara Training Academy, an initiative designed to empower every member of staff through skill development and shared belief.

The Kara Training Academy goes beyond mandatory care training to embed a culture of optimism, empowerment, and commercial understanding because Nitesh believes that care quality and financial performance are inseparable — "two sides of the same coin."

In this episode, Nitesh explains how he created this training academy, the benefits it could have to your care provider and what he has learned along the way, including:

• How eight homes were acquired and turned around in just one year.
• The birth of the Kara Training Academy, a bold initiative built around culture, not compliance because, "culture isn't taught or imposed — it's inspired"
• The importance of training and belief as the foundation for performance because "when you invest in skills, you invest in confidence… and when you invest in your people, you invest in success."
• Why learning and opportunity matter more than salary because, "you don't keep people by paying them — you keep them by believing in them."
• How culture as the driver of occupancy and the most effective marketing tool is the feeling inside your homes. "When your team believes in what they do, families feel it when they walk through the door."
• Redefining what it means to succeed in care. "Success isn't just about profit — it's about purpose."
• Why training that includes everyone empowers the whole team from managers to maintenance.
• How moving from performance management to people empowerment drives perfomance and lifts the whole team.
• The importance of 'Care and Share with the CEO,' a weekly open forum for accountability and connection. "Anybody can join and hold me accountable — and we'll resolve issues within 24 hours.
• Turning contagious negativity into contagious optimism. "In care, negativity spreads — but so does optimism. Positivity creates progress.
• How quality drives trust, and trust drives financial health. "Excellent care leads to trust. Trust drives occupancy. Occupancy sustains financial health.
• Learning from high-performing staff and outside experts alike. "A great housekeeper trains others — and we also bring in external expertise.
• How belief and consistency power Kara's turnaround success. "With courage and consistency, the impossible becomes inevitable.
• The single idea that guides every decision is, "People forget what you said or did — but never how you made them feel.
• Why every provider should invest in training and belief. "Don't be afraid — the return on investment in training is always greater than the cost.

In this episode of the Care CEO Success Stories podcast, Adam James of Springup PR talks with Claire Rintoul, CEO of Sheffcare — a Sheffield-based charity running nine care homes and two care centres.

Claire brings over four years of leadership at Sheffcare having previously led several charitable organisations.

Sheffcare supports around 1,000 people annually, delivering care for older adults in Sheffield.

Before entering adult social care, Claire worked in the broader charity world.
Stepping into social care, she encountered a "hierarchical and closed" culture — one she set out to transform.

Her mission: build trust, empower staff, and make culture the foundation of everything.

Under Claire's leadership, Sheffcare introduced structural reforms — from a Leadership Charter to regular drop-ins and a strong internal comms platform — to foster transparency, mutual respect, and continuous improvement.

In this episode, Claire shares insights on building a values-driven culture in care, including:

• Why culture drives performance, morale, and the quality of care.
• The power of a Leadership Charter "written by managers, for managers" to promote fairness, empathy, and consistency.
• The human reality of care work: "We're looking after people. Every day matters."
• Why she worked 12-hour frontline shifts — including as a janitor — to fully understand staff challenges.
• Overcoming resistance to change and why giving staff a voice was non-negotiable.
• Creating transparent, two-way communication via digital tools and open leadership access.
• Building psychological safety: "Scared people can't do their best work."
• Developing a lean leadership model that trusts managers on the ground to lead.
• Leading values-based recruitment with respect, responsiveness, and personal induction by Claire herself.
• Navigating the tensions of culture change and holding firm on core values.
• Delivering outstanding care on tight budgets.
• The impact of the staff-led 'Everyone Matters' group on major decisions.
• How new digital tools connect teams, celebrate wins, and break down silos.
• The role of early adopters in driving culture change: "There was always a critical mass who believed this was the better way — we built from there."

In this episode of Care CEO Success Stories Podcast, Adam James of Springup PR interviews Geoffrey Cox, founder of Southern Healthcare, a family-run nursing home provider based in the southwest of England.

Since founding the company in 2001, Geoffrey has overseen the development and management of four nursing homes—three of which have earned an "Outstanding" rating from the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

Originally a solicitor, Geoffrey transitioned into the care sector after 25 years in law and the sale of his legal practice.

His early experience in the industry was marked by challenges and steep learning curves, including struggles with culture, regulation, and team dynamics.

He was quick to recognise many care providers believed they were performing well, but he envisioned a more innovative, people-centred model.

At the heart of Geoffrey's leadership philosophy is the belief that his role is to serve the team.

In this episode Geoffrey shares how your care provider can deliver outstanding care including:

• Geoffrey's leadership ethos of his job being to "serve the team, to support and encourage, and to notice what people do well. That's what leadership looks like to me."
• Geoffrey's move from law into healthcare having no prior experience but a strong drive to do things differently.
• How Southern Healthcare achieved three "Outstanding" ratings from the CQC.
• Geoffrey's belief that "it's not about people doing the job for me—they do it for themselves, because they share the mission."
• The importance of building a passionate and loyal care team through appreciation, support, and recognition.
• How many mistakes were made early on, especially when trying to shift the culture in the homes he acquired.
• The struggles with changing cultures because "people thought they were already very good, and that mindset can be a real obstacle to progress."
• The shift from "we know it all" attitudes to a culture of constant learning and openness to feedback.
• The struggle with poor regulatory feedback, difficulty in retaining good managers, and battling with occupancy and staffing issues.
• How taking over the training in-house with his wife Margo when external training providers proved ineffective and disconnected was a turning point.
• The inspiration he took from thinkers like Carl Rogers and Bill Thomas to improve training and care quality and how "we had to learn how to train effectively ourselves. It wasn't easy, but it was essential."
• The struggles with Covid-19 that "tested their team like never before," particularly when an outbreak hit one of their homes but the team "were fearless, stepped up, and worked their socks off.
• How the current success of Southern Healthcare is a result of long-term persistence, strong partnerships, and deeply held values.