Sailing Lessons: What Boy Scouts Taught Me This Summer About Growing Your Agency
Sailing Lessons: What Boy Scouts Taught Me This Summer About Growing Your Agency
Picture this: Me, eight teenage boys (ages 12-15), and a 40-foot sailboat in the sweltering Florida heat. No air conditioning. No real beds—just sleeping on deck under the stars. Did I mention it was HOT?
This summer, I had the privilege of chaperoning a Scout crew to Florida Sea Base, and let me tell you, it was nothing like the glossy brochures suggested.
When Reality Hits Like a Boom to the Head
The first morning, watching these boys try to hoist the mainsail was... entertaining. They pulled and tugged, faces red from exertion and frustration, barely budging that massive piece of canvas. Sound familiar, agency owners?
That's exactly what I see when agencies try to grow without the right systems and leverage. They're pulling with all their might, getting exhausted, and wondering why growth feels impossible.
The Captain Knew Something We Didn't
Then our captain stepped in. She showed the boys how to use the winches—these mechanical devices that provide incredible leverage. Suddenly, what seemed impossible became manageable. With the right technique and tools, those same boys were hoisting sails like seasoned sailors.
I couldn't help but think: "This is exactly what we do at Home Care Sales."
The Hard Truth About Growth
Let's be honest—growing a home care agency is HARD work. Anyone who tells you it's easy is either lying or has forgotten what it's like to be in the trenches, building relationships one medical professional at a time.
Just like sailing in 104-degree heat with no AC (yes, I'm still traumatized), agency growth can be uncomfortable, exhausting, and make you question your life choices. But here's what I learned watching those scouts:
You Build Muscle Every Day
By day three, those boys weren't just surviving—they were thriving. They were cooking amazing meals on a tiny galley stove, snorkeling twice a day, fishing off the stern, and working the rigging like pros. Their confidence was through the roof.
Why? Because they kept showing up, even when it was hard. Especially when it was hard.
The same thing happens when you consistently work on business development. That first hospital visit feels terrifying. By the tenth visit, you're walking in with confidence. By the fiftieth, medical professionals are calling YOU.
The Power of the Right Guide
Those boys didn't figure out sailing on their own. They had a captain and mate who knew exactly which lines to pull, when to adjust the sails, and how to use the equipment for maximum leverage.
In the home care world, too many agency owners are trying to figure out growth by themselves. They're pulling on ropes that aren't connected to anything, getting exhausted, and wondering why their competition is sailing past them.
Finding Your Leverage
The winches on that sailboat were game-changers. With the right leverage, impossible became possible.
In your agency, that leverage might be:
Diagnosis-based conversations that immediately establish credibility
Systematic approaches to relationship building
Proven methodologies that work in today's restricted healthcare environment
Training that builds confidence instead of just providing information
The View from the Other Side
By the end of the week, watching those boys navigate into the harbor with huge grins on their faces was pure magic. They had accomplished something they didn't think was possible. They had built skills, confidence, and memories that will last a lifetime.
That's exactly what happens when agency owners stop trying to figure out growth alone and start working with experienced guides who know the waters.
Your Invitation to Set Sail
Growing your agency doesn't have to feel like trying to hoist a mainsail in 90-degree heat without the right equipment. You don't have to figure out the rigging by yourself.
Just like those Boy Scouts needed a captain and the right tools, you need experienced guidance and proven systems to achieve growth that once seemed impossible.
Ready to Find Your Leverage?
If you're tired of pulling on ropes that aren't connected to anything, if you're ready to learn from someone who's navigated these waters for 23+ years, let's talk.
Schedule a call with Casey today to discuss how Home Care Sales can help you gain the leverage you need to achieve agency growth you didn't think was possible.
Because trust me, the view from the other side of growth is worth every hot, hard moment it takes to get there.
P.S. - Those boys are already planning their next sailing adventure. Once you experience what's possible with the right guidance and tools, you'll never want to go back to struggling alone.
— Melanie Stover
Founder | Home Care Sales
www.homecaresales.com
