The CEO Who Left Car Dealerships to Build a 100-Year Plan for Aging | Jess Dalton

[0:17]  Most people think aging is declined, but the people closest to death often have the deepest hunger to live. We're not here to help them fade out. We're here to help them thrive, says Jess. Jess, I appreciate you joining on, man. Thank you so much for doing this. You're in the other side of the country in Salt Lake City. Is that correct?

[0:36]  That's right. It's great to be with you today. Couldn't be

[0:39]  What is the weather What is the weather like in Salt Lake?

[0:41]  Oh, well, you can maybe see a little bit behind for those that are viewing this, but uh it's a blue sky day here in Salt Lake City. It couldn't be more beautiful. It's uh I'm new to Utah. I've relocated to Utah in the last few months and and this is an incredible place to be for sure.

[0:54]  So So no regrets moving to Utah?

[0:56]  No regrets yet. I mean, the the jury is still out, but no, I I don't think I'll have any regrets.

[1:02]  I love it. And tell tell us what what did you move to Utah? Clearly, it was the u opportunity that you've have. What are you doing nowadays, Jess?

[1:08]  Yeah. Well, uh, so the opportunity to join an organization, uh, here in Utah, based out of Salt Lake City, uh, was really the impetus for our our move and, uh, the opportunity to grow something and to continue to grow something that's been such a part of the heart of Utah, the communities within Utah that are served, and also to expand the reach of this organization nationally is it's really what's intriguing. Uh, I've I've joined the Larry H. Miller group uh, under the Larry H. Miller senior health platform and uh am very involved in the strategic uh outlay for the platform of senior health uh and also uh the development and the establishment of uh a traditional long-term care business and service line within the platform. So,

[1:56]  and we'll get into more about the organization itself, man, but the last time I spoke to you, you said you've lived multiple lifetimes before this role. what through line connects all of them and what pulled you into senior healthcare man

[2:07]  you know I think that the the the thread of my life the why and it's been something that was established uh through or or uh as a part of me as I grew up and and entered into college and the workforce but but that why has always been to serve vulnerable communities marginalized populations uh individuals that may be in a very vulnerable place in their lives and and that may require some advocacy intervention or a framework of support that will really help them to thrive in the midst of of their of their challenges. So that's my why. That's the common thread throughout all of the lifetimes that I've lived. Um I I I really kind of live that and try to live that every single day. and and uh senior care is a natural extension of of really approaching uh a population and a people. I often say this is the most vulnerable population and the most venerable generation that we as a country have ever been able to witness. and and we see the two uh at the same time the vulnerability and yet the venerability of this uh aging nation and population of boomers and uh and it's really kind of strikes a chord for me where I want to be oriented toward uh uh assisting and advocating and and even creating really positive innovative change within uh a grouping of people that that may have some very unique challenges. challenges. I

[3:50]  I love that and I can imagine that you can vouch for this as well. These are the most passionate people about life, the ones that are at the end of it. What have seniors taught you, man, that that other leaders probably miss? I I think that's exactly right. Um, I I've found that in my own kind of personal contemplative or meditative practice, I'm always seeking to be really present

[4:14]  and really uh centered in what I'm doing and very intentional. And it's a it's a struggle for me, right? And I've been working at this for decades. And yet what I've learned from seniors uh is is that it seems to come a bit more naturally. And maybe it is because they are very serious about living. uh they see that there's uh a timeline that's that they're facing and that they may uh want or need to uh be a bit more intentional about how they spend these these latter years and and how they dedicate themselves to their own personal growth, development, and journey as they as they see kind of the horizon and the sunset approaching. And so I found that when I'm with seniors, yes, there's a vulnerability there. Yes, there's also an incredible strength there. There's there's the knowledge and and wisdom of the ages that they contain wholeheartedly, but there's also this incredible intentionality behind all that they do, how they spend their time, where they choose to be,

[5:26]  the type of uh interactions that they elect to have, who they prioritize and who they uh really uh treasure and and also that translates into health care and to their wellness journey. you know, which which avenues are going to provide them the greatest opportunity for quality and wellness and for thriving and and that's what I learn uh from seniors every day. It's what fuels me and helps me to also be uh very much more intentional about my own practice and being present and

[6:00]  and I can imagine is also the story behind it all right and this is a special organization because before this Gail Miller they were selling jazz they were selling dealerships then Gail Miller chose healthcare specifically senior care as the next chapter.

[6:15]  Wow.

[6:15]  Yeah. I mean, it's it's an incredible pivot. Um, and and it's something that I think is is is to be really uh really seen for what it is. Uh here is is a thriving uh family office and with a lot of interests all of which however have been centered in and rooted in community and in enriching lives. And I can't speak for the Millers in terms of why they pivoted the way that they did towards senior health. I I am grateful that they did because uh just that in and of itself is an incredible testament to the importance right of really taking good care of our seniors. But I will say this, uh, I I know that if we look at the the greatest of themes nationally and we look at the greatest of of of threads that that might uh really impact the future and and the future of of generations that that one of the main threads is this uh growing uh aging population of boomers, the silver tsunami of sorts. and and the promises that we as a country have made to our seniors that that we will care for them, that we will provide them a dignified and and incredible journey uh a as as they age and and I'm worried that we don't have uh given the impending and the increasing demand, I'm worried that we don't have uh the ability to make good on those promises. And and I'm grateful to be part of an organization that has that viewpoint, that has a 100-year plan, and that is saying, "Hey, this and these promises that we've made to this generation are crucial. Uh they're crucial from a generational aspect. They're crucial from a national, from an economic, from a wellness perspective. and we're going to pivot and invest heavily so that we can be part of systemic and and significant change.

[8:30]  And you guys have a pretty cool mission uh mission enrich lives.

[8:33]  How do you measure that though when your real goal is more birthdays,

[8:37]  more for generational photos, more meaning?

[8:41]  Yeah, I I mean it's a simple statement, isn't it? Enriched lives. And I think that there are lots of ways that we can measure it. Um I think that we see that the measurement comes uh through the avenues of of just what you said, you know, the extension of life and of life's journey. Uh providing for more milestones to be had within families and within communities and within uh the lives of individuals. Uh I I I I know that we recognize and are recognizing more and more that there's an incredible body of literature and research that shows that development doesn't just happen in the early stages of life and childhood, but development continues to happen throughout our entire uh lifetime. and adult development in particular uh tends to have right a real uh impact upon um not only the the life of the individual but the lives of our of our communities that that living enrichment. Uh I I see the impact of the Miller family here in Utah where uh communities are being built where there's a a wellness and a focus on wellness where there's a a sports and entertainment uh focus to to really provide for a little bit of fun and a little bit of work, right? The opportunity to do so. And that's kind of the founding language of that that that that Gail and Larry H. Miller really began with is let's have a little fun. Let's do a little work and let's make a little money so that we can create a virtuous cycle. Right.

[10:21]  I want to go back, Jess. We talked about how you're here. You got here, but before this, who was Jess? What was Jess doing before he got into the senior care?

[10:30]  Oh, before senior care. Well, I you know, I started as a phabbotomist in a pediatric hospital. And uh I was the I was the guy. I was the the vampire, so to speak, that would uh work in the niku and the piku with incredibly fragile, you know, human beings and and and holding life just in my hands and in the balance and and doing important work with a needle. It was it was kind of interesting to see how uh we could create wellness and and how the diagnostic testing that came from that really did promote and and prevent right untoward outcomes but also it was life-giving and life affirming and and uh you know I went from there into hospital and executive leadership uh through the the avenue of women's health. uh women in the United States and and across the world, right, have always suffered from very specific disease states and conditions that have never truly been researched or or addressed or even solved. And and I think that we had an opportunity and I had an opportunity to dive deeply into, you know, why is that? You know, why why are women uh experiencing health concerns and conditions, especially in pregnancy or related to pregnancy that have never been solved? And we wanted to kind of crack that code and see if there was some protective factor or some uh preventive uh element that was that that we could make a difference and a change in. And uh and then you know from there I went into hospital executive leadership and and then pivoted into post-accute healthcare. Um I I have to say uh there's an incredible body of mentors that are very people and patient focused and I've been the beneficiary of these individuals. these mentors that have been truly anchors to me as I've grown in this work and and in this kind of calling, right? I've never seen myself with a career or pursuing a career. I've always wanted to be aligned with more missiondriven callingspecific activities. Yeah.

[12:32]  So, a little bit about me professionally, but outside of the professional realm, I I have a a an incredible passion for for life, for being outdoors, for rock climbing, and for hiking. I have a a meditative and contemplative practice that's really important to me.

[12:48]  Salt Lake City kind of fell into that then like the outside, the hike,

[12:51]  the energy here. I mean, I was saying the other day that I feel like the mountains here in Salt Lake in the Salt Lake Valley are are so big and so present that it almost feels as though they're kind of reaching up to just eat us and consume us. They're so close.

[13:06]  Oh, man.

[13:07]  And I love that.

[13:09]  I love it. I um clearly I'm in Florida. There's not really a lot of mountains here. Okay. So, when I do see the mountains, I do appreciate them. But man, what a fascinating just career where you started at the beginning of life and now you're working with those at towards the end of their life. Like you really got to see both sides and you really got to learn so much uh being the leader that you are today. But I ask you, I feel like there's so many prominent leaders in our lives that we can kind of tap back into and remember what they said to us that allowed us to to continue to kind of get over that hurdle. Um, do anything come in mind, any leader, any any moment that you just remember that you still cherish and carry with you today?

[13:47]  Yeah, you know, I I remember there was an individual who was really uh and in a way that didn't make any sense to me, was really cheering for me, that was really kind of pushing the envelope and and advocating for me at a very young age. Uh I I think that there was an opportunity that I had to move into a leadership role that that maybe was uh a bit untraditional for an individual of my age at that time.

[14:16]  Yeah. And and I remember him saying to me, he said, "Jess, there are times in our lives where every one of us needs to have someone who will pound the table that will that that will pound the table or or or put fist to the desk and say, "No, this is our guy. This is our girl. This is who we want and who we need in this role. This is who we want to invest in." uh and and and this is, you know, who we we we uh ultimately will will benefit from the most. And

[14:52]  for whatever reason, he felt like that was me for that given task or or assignment.

[14:57]  And I always remembered that and and I try to, you know, pay that forward. I think that there are a lot of times that we uh maybe hedge a little bit and and try to find reasons not to bring people in to such important work, especially with vulnerable patients and populations. And instead, I tried to pay forward this this concept and this idea that no, like I'm okay and I will pound my fist on a table to to make the case for someone who who wants to be an active participant and a compelling part of this this story that we're telling.

[15:33]  That's what makes a great leader, man. You're still living by those same things that someone poured into you. And that's what that's what's so good about life, man. Things that are being poured into us. And I could imagine working with senior care, you're really getting poured into like the these these are are humans that were out there that were CEOs that were running their own companies that in reality you learn from being around every single day that that really pour and fill our cups when we think that we don't have it all together. Am I am I sitting here saying anything that's not right?

[16:00]  No, you're you're absolutely true saying saying everything that's right. Um, and I think that there's an element here that that as as we lead uh forward in senior care as an organization, that's at the heart of what we're seeking to do and and something that we want to do different and better. And that is to really tap in to the wi wisdom of the ages of those that we have the privilege to care for. To to to collect the stories to help them live out the remainder of their desired story and to and to have, you know, these opportunities to to bring forward the richness of culture and of experience and and of lives lived in such a way that that we can en enhance uh the future and and really build together a future that that looks much brighter. And that's even more prepared, right?

[16:50]  What What does it take practically and culturally to build environments where people just feel forgotten

[16:57]  but feel more alive or sorry, don't feel forgotten but feel more alive. I apologize.

[17:02]  Yeah. I I think that there's an element of well one we we have to have our systems dialed in. There has to be right competency in all that we do technically, right? There's this there's this this element of what we're doing that is very much at the heart of health care and of caregiving and and oftentimes those care pathways the providers that we engage the clinical decisionmaking the ability to maintain and achieve high quality outcomes clinically those are really really critical and I feel that if we can really dial in those systems and and have a significant right a uh recurrent or repetitive success factor behind uh our clinical provision. That's kind of the basis. But but from there, I think that's then where we can do exactly what you've just mentioned. We can we can do more uh we can do more that that surprises people. I think that there's an element of unexpected hospitality where if we can every day bring people that we're caring for into and foster a state of awe and wonder or help them to experience a moment of remembrance and and and be trained in such a way that they feel as though they can remain right in that place of of wellness, of remembrance. ance um of awe and wonder. I think that's where opportunity really exists and that does tie us very tightly into the hospitality kind of industry, right? We see some of these practices in the everyday um businesses or or restaurants or hotels that we uh that we go into. Uh how often though do we see it in what can be a very sterile impersonal healthcare setting, right? How

[19:03]  where experience really matters, right? Experience really matters at that moment.

[19:06]  It it absolutely does. I mean, when you're in your hardest uh or most uh challenging of times, when your body has broken in some way and you're looking and waiting for it to heal and and become well again, and there's all of the uncertainty swirling around you, it's in those those precise moments where I believe that as operators, right, as as individuals that are tasked with this incredible uh honor and and privilege to care for people, that's where I think we we need to do the unexpected. We need to go the extra mile. Of course, we have to have that foundation of technical expertise and consistency,

[19:45]  but we also then can't stop there, right? this is uh the the trust that's been given to us uh and we've got an opportunity to especially in a in in a custodial or in a long-term care setting where individuals are coming to live in our buildings with us and around us, right? We have an opportunity to create that home family environment and do the unexpected from a hospitality standpoint.

[20:12]  Hey, real quick. If you're enjoying the podcast, we first want to say thank you and we also just want to give you a little insight of what we're up to at Francis. Some don't even realize that we're working with organizations to help them use AI to create that real human communication experiences where that's actually supporting your your families, those patients or the entire community. We're actually creating tech that connects. Check it out. Francis.ai. I'm just listening to the whole time. You're like a storyteller. Like I'm just sitting here and just the highs and the lows and the pauses. I'm like he's a storyteller. Do you tell stories often? Do you enjoy telling stories?

[20:49]  I mean, no, I don't. You're just bringing it out in me. I think

[20:52]  you're so good at this.

[20:54]  Um, I want to go back to Silver Tsunami. Everyone's talking about it. Um, what's happening right now is that we have a a caregiver shortage, right? Kind of actually already here. Um, how are you thinking bigger to prepare? Some thinking AI. I you mentioned something unique that maybe people are not thinking about. What are some of the things that you guys are working on to make sure that as we continue through a civil tsunami that the caregivers shortage is is goes away that we have people in this space that have the passion and the purpose?

[21:22]  Yeah. I mean, one thing that I that I've learned and that I've tried to practice in my daily life has been, you know, do we see ourselves from a scarcity mindset and mentality? And is that as productive as it could be or needs to be? Or should we pivot and start to see ourselves from an abundance perspective and and mentality? There are caregivers. There are individuals who are care-minded. There are those that are seeking second and third careers. There are those that um are seeking first careers in the health care space. And um and then there are those that are already involved and engaged. I think there's an opportunity for us to also create an environment where uh individuals want to come together in a compelling way to solve the problems of today and you know it's you hear about the the the staffing crisis uh across the country and we are not you know immune to that. We we see those challenges. We experience those challenges in our operations every day. But there also are bright spots where we really try to focus our attention and make and tell the story of what's happening in facilities. There's one that's just 15 minutes from me where I was hearing kind of through the grapevine that that they had a waiting list of CNAs and of RNs, nurses,

[22:46]  individuals who wanted to work so badly in this facility of ours that they were placing and creating a weight list so that when there was attrition or when there was some turnover, which in this particular building there's not a ton of turnover, but when that did happen that they would be first up for an opportunity to work in that setting. This is something that that I'd heard about and I'd kind of been come curious about and I had to get there in person myself to see it. And I went to the building and I met with the administrator who's an incredible guy, very very much uh committed to senior care and to to wellness and and I asked him, I said, you know, is this true? Do you have a a waiting list of CNAs and nurses that want to work here? And he said, "Yeah, we do. It It's an incredible blessing that we have. We don't take it for granted, but we do." And and I just said to him, "What do you think that it takes? What What is it that's different about your building?" And and we see this not only in his, but there there are others that where we see this phenomenon happening. And I think that it really drives home the point that leadership matters, right? that coming together for a common cause that's higher than ourselves and being aligned in that uh pursuit of of of our highest selves and and and in delivering our highest quality of of life and wellness and care. Uh there's something that's very attractive about that to people and and I think that there's a lot to say about having and creating and c uh fostering a culture where where people that that are skillful and that are mindful and that want to be involved in solving the problems of today from a healthcare standpoint. they will come and they will find that common, you know, thread and and also will seek out that experience, right, that we and and a lot of our leaders really uh hold true to, which is uh, you know, to carry forward and and be the most excellent five-star care provider that we possibly can.

[24:58]  Just I keep smiling because you're so good at this, okay? You're so good at this. I'm like, he he's just giving us all we need. What I also loved about your leadership, as you said, you were not afraid to go into somebody else's establishment and figure it out, ask questions. So many people, they want to grow, they want to pivot, they want to scale, but are too afraid to go and ask questions, too afraid to go to their competitors because of the pride or the ego, whatever that may look like. Just said, "No, I love this. I'm so passionate about it that I just need to figure it out

[25:28]  for for us." Right? I I listen and I I feel really strongly about this. You mentioned the word competitor and boy, if there is an arena or a sector or an industry where we actually do not need to compete with each other, it's in senior care, right? We we have 11,000 individuals that are Medicare eligible every single day in this country. We have a tsunami of boomers that will enter into this uh post-accute care continuum that will need each and every one of us at our highest ability and at our brightest moment. Right? And uh we see in markets and in communities where the complexity that the and and the the highly regulator regulated nature of our industry gets the best of them and and they're closing their doors. A and and yes, we do see some growth happening which is exciting and actually we need all the growth that we can get

[26:31]  but I'm not sure that we need necessarily to have or ascribe subscribe to this idea that we're competing with each other. This is an industry that doesn't hold and carry a lot of secrets, right? We're highly regulated. All of our survey documentation, all of the findings uh from each of these surveys, all of our regulatory compliance measures and metrics and accountability to the public is readily accessible. There are no secrets and and I do think that there are uh opportunities for us to dispel this idea of compet competition drives things, right? It drives high quality. It drives star ratings. It drives us to be our best, right? So there's something really really positive about a competitive environment. But when competition becomes divisive or when we begin fighting for uh our piece of the pie and yet fail to recognize that the pie is actually growing exponentially. That is I think where we can get into trouble. That's where I think some lack of transparency can creep in. That's where maybe some lack of collegiality or collaboration can happen. And I will say this, you know, uh I'm I'm with the Larry H. Miller organization now in senior health, but I haven't always been. But I have in my past lives and with other organizations, I've seen an opportunity where where I was standing and where I was operating there. there was a need for me to to drive uh to to serve a greater community to to to increase uh my ability to share an experience of wellness with others that that they just weren't gaining access to and and and I would often times go and seek out my competitor and say how can we work together our our model may be slightly different but I think there's some complimentary ele elements here

[28:25]  and how can you feed feed me and how can I feed you and how can we create an experience that's highly coordinated that's lock step with with uh the goal and the mindset of of extending wellness life and and and uh doing doing the best that we can for these people that we're entrusted with and I think that's really critical

[28:48]  yeah know I love it from a leader perspective it is um realizing that I used to always get this question when I give knowledge like man you just always willing to give the knowledge and I'm like yeah because there's plenty you know as you mentioned the pie there's plenty of pie for all of us and we can actually conquer more together you know we don't have to sit here and feel like we got to hold everything when we can't really support everybody but what happens when we come back to united we come stronger we can help more people um better you know you talk about the experience and doing it better if we could just come together so yes we're in a space right now the country feels it where we're very divided But I love just that you're not letting that get to you, man. You're working with others, those around you. You're making yourself um comfortable in Salt Lake, you know, in just months. So, that's actually cool as well. And um what's one mind shift, one mindset shift you hope every healthcare leader actually makes after hearing this? I feel like you got so much insight in this space.

[29:48]  That's a that's a good question. Um you know, I I I think I think there's an an opportunity that we have as as leaders within post-accute healthcare and in healthcare in general. I think that there's a call to action that that we probably if we listen closely, we're we're beginning to hear and and for some of us, we might need to tune up our our our hearing aids a little bit or or tune in a little bit more intentionally. But I think that at the heart of this right is the the the opportunity that we have to create um something really different uh really special for our seniors. Um I I find that there can oftentimes be a real strong appetite to come into this sector to invest heavily into the sector with the idea and the intention to have a really short-term quick payday. And and sometimes I find that that in my opinion can erode the very nature of the humanness of the work that we're doing. And and what I would what I would say is is that we be a little bit more tempered in our appetites uh and look at long-term care with a long-term view and with a desire. Yes. to achieve long-term results, but but to never sacrifice what is needed for the longer arc of of wellness and time for that which can be so fleeting in the moment, right? And so that that's I think where I would say as an industry, I think we can do better. I I'm grateful to be part of an organization that has

[31:51]  a 100year plan. This is a long-term mindset in a long-term care setting with long-term care goals and outcomes. And that's tied into a virtuous cycle, right? where we believe that the way that we can enrich lives, the ways that we can enrich lives matters and and and the results and even the financial results of that can still matter even even more greatly and more deeply if we funnel those funds into philanthropic endeavors that again continue to give back into our communities and and invest in people. uh and and I I would say that that's probably what what drives me and what drives us uh as an organization and senior health is to take things into perspective and say hey what is the long what is what does the long arc of time require from us you know

[32:51]  so we spoke to those leaders and I loved it let's speak to the everyday people most of us we either age or help someone who was aging

[32:59]  what do you want families and communities to do differently starting now.

[33:04]  Oh wow. Um,

[33:06]  you got the words. I know because listen, you're a story teller.

[33:10]  It's hard to know where to start. Um, listen, I think I think becoming really well informed is important. There's been a lot of effort to create transparency and to create an opportunity for individuals to learn and know where quality care resides and where it doesn't. There's also an opportunity to engage very directly with uh those in our communities that may be marginalized, that may be vulnerable, that may have limitations and barriers to accessing accessing care that we can really help and facilitate. I think that there's also an opportunity for us to pivot toward a mindset of caring and caregiving. And uh I wish uh in our society at large that there were more of a multi-generational view, of caring, of living, of communing, and of and of being, you know, in this together. I think that there are pockets and places where this is so strong. And if we could just tap in to those aspects and elements in a in a world that increasingly motivates and incentivizes us to be siloed and individualistic and self-motivated and even egoic. If we can set those societal pressures to the side and say, "No, no, no. What matters most is community. What matters most is communion. What matters most is caring." I I think that that is where we should be looking to center our lives. Uh it it'll biggest divid dividends I think in the future.

[34:52]  Do you have a spiritual background?

[34:55]  You know, I do. It's it's pretty uh I I would I could never tell.

[35:00]  I would say that it's uh it's a it's a matter of wander lust. You know, there are those that wander the earth barefoot uh with long hair and braids. I've done that in my past.

[35:09]  That's too funny. I need I need to see that to get that.

[35:13]  There's a side of me that's super hippie- dippy. So, you have to bear with me uh when you hear me say things that are a little bit more cosmically oriented. But, but yeah, like I think that that has to do with with what motivates me and what what really is important to me and that is alignment with with what we what I feel to be or see to be of a higher stature, of a higher nature. Right? this this thing this this effort this this calling that's uh bigger than ourselves right

[35:46]  I agree I agree

[35:48]  that's really important

[35:49]  what is your as we start to wrap this up what is your vision for senior care in the next let's say 5 to 10 years and what is it going to really take to get there

[35:57]  yeah I I I do see uh a pretty clear clear pathway forward I I see a pathway where quality providers come together to grow uh and to serve communities collectively. Uh I see an opportunity for us to really leverage the strength of our acute care systems to to really funnel uh and flow uh individuals through a highly coordinated system of care. There are so many complexities that that people may say, well, that's just never going to happen. It's not going to be possible. But but I see for us I see us uh being very intentional about growth. I see us being very intentional about the way in which we uh design and grow and evolve our clinical practices to meet the needs of tomorrow. We're seeing greater and greater chronicity, greater acuity and complexity. Uh I think that there's a need as we all know for preventive care and health. But in the face of of that not necessarily being true for all of us, we also need to have, you know, the the way and the the means to catch and to to cradle people uh in their moments of greatest need. um for for uh the foreseeable future, I see there being kind of a a an opportunity to differentiate, right? uh to to support the mom and pop operations that are doing absolutely their best to care for individuals in their communities, but to provide maybe a backbone of support and of service that will allow for us to be connected. Allow for us to to kind of take down the walls of competition and look at ownership not necessarily from the lens of assets, but look at ownership from the lens of of communities and and of and of of experiences. You know, how well are we owning the experience of our seniors today?

[38:02]  Is their experience as rich and full an experience as we would hope that they would be having or are there ways that we can come together to do better and do more? Um, that takes something that I think is really unique and really really important uh from from a Miller family and from a Lar H. company standpoint and that is this this this patient missiondriven capital, right? The ability to say, "Hey, we we are can be a bit more patient than other investment entities or approaches within this space. We can absolutely be centered in our mission and and we can bring forth, you know, a product line that that is not only successful from a business lens, but that then continues to feed through this virtuous cycle, the philanthropic efforts and endeavors that at the end of the day will create the structures and the foundations of communities that will right build um a better future.

[39:07]  So, I would say you're definitely the right pick. Okay. To to run this organization, um I ask you this blind question as we start to end this up, man. So, it's hot seat time. What's one thing you use to believe about aging or elder care that really turned out to be completely wrong? And what did that what did learning the truth cost you?

[39:26]  Oo, that's a good one. I I think that uh here's one.

[39:34]  I'm ready. And I'm and I might so you have to forgive me because I also wear my heart on my sleeve and and anybody who knows me knows that that I become kind of emotional and and maybe

[39:47]  No worries. That's two of us. That's both of us. So please don't make me cry here. Okay, Jess, I cry with you.

[39:52]  Uh listen, it was in the early days. I was a brand new executive director as a newly licensed nursing home administrator in my first building in Arizona. And there was a particular resident and she was just that kind of warm, loving, care, caring individual who you just wanted to be around and and and who was just living this life of fullness even though her body and her mind were starting to fail her. And and you could see it in her eyes. You could see it in her demeanor. You could see it in her smile. you just couldn't see it represented in the way in which she could stand or carry herself or even sometimes, you know, walk and and ambulate or do things on her own. And I became kind of weirdly, you know, kind of interested, not weirdly, but like interested in, as any caregiver would, in in her well-being. And I I knew that her time was coming to an end. And I I said to myself, I also knew that she didn't have any family. She was never visited. Uh she never had or spoke of people in her life who loved her. She spoke about people that she loved,

[41:08]  but it wasn't necessarily I felt like she was fairly alone in her journey. And I I always said to myself, listen, I'm never going to let her leave and transition into the next phase of her life and living alone. Well, one day I I I had this sense and I got in my car and I was driving as fast as I could to the facility and I went into the building not knowing what I would find or why I was feeling this angst and I ended up right in her room and saw an empty room. And

[41:46]  and it was a moment

[41:49]  of just it it was a moment of like reality, right? Where it's like, wow, she was alone. H how could I have let this happen? Right? I'd always said that I wouldn't let her transition or leave this life alone. And and yet she did. And uh at the same time that I had that thought and was thinking those things, I had a second thought which was no one dies alone. Right? there are unseen forces and there are ways uh where where absolute grace comes into the picture and and that's one thing that I've gained a knowledge of is that we uh as we live this life and we work through kind of the realities of life and living that we're never alone, right? there's there's there's always going to be um uh an opportunity to connect and to be connected with others. And and I think, you know, through that story of of you just being there, right, those those few times of just pouring into her, she wasn't alone, right? Like she had that person. And I think just that's why people that get into this this field, they don't do it for the paycheck. They truly do it out of the passion, the purpose, and and knowing that they're helping others. You've helped her along that journey. you helped her feel just a little bit more at ease every time you stepped into the room because she knew somebody was there to see her,

[43:28]  right? And sometimes we just have this calling to do what we do because of those reasons. Sometimes we overextend ourselves and we don't know why.

[43:36]  You know, I'm pretty sure it just seems like you're that guy that just overextends and it probably says yes to more things you should be saying no to. But it's truly out of the love, you know, and it because you care and you cared enough, right, to to show up at that day. Um, but she didn't die alone like you mentioned. But what a story, man. What a story to really end up on, man. And and I I'm just like you. I don't know why sometimes I'm so emotional. Um, I'm glad that you called it because you prepared me for it. I was trying to hold it together over here, Jess. But there's always something to learn from every experience that we have, man. I'm pretty sure that there was an, you know, there was something to learn from that moment as you mentioned. So, I truly do appreciate you. Where can people more people find you? Cuz if you're not doing content around this, you should. Your voice is one of those like Zach didn't tell me you were a storyteller. I'm sitting here like no, Jess is a storyteller. Like I you're just I'm so into what you're saying. It's so funny. Where can people find more of you

[44:29]  right here? I mean, you're at uh Listen, I I don't do a lot.

[44:33]  You don't do lot content?

[44:34]  No, no, no, not at all. Oh, I I just have found that if I can if I can touch the lives around me, uh if I can expand my circle of of connectedness and influence and and if you know anybody that knows me well, you you you will hear them say, right, I I live kind of this theory, this philosophy that that uh every single person that I have an opportunity to encounter, whether it be a casual passing in the street or riding an elevator or making eye contact as we pass on on a sidewalk. I I feel that that every single interaction that we have is is purposeful. I I feel that those individuals have crossed our paths for a reason. And there's some eastern thought around this which would be, you know, that every individual has had a part in one of our thousand past lives or one of our future thousand lives, right? And I kind of try to live in that way. So I don't do anything to get out there. I just try to do more to to kind of dive in.

[45:35]  You live in the moment pretty much

[45:36]  inside myself and inside other people so that I can get to know.

[45:40]  Okay. So, what is the organization? If someone wants to know about more about the organization, what is the website?

[45:45]  Oh, well, uh we are Larry H. Miller Senior Care or Senior Health, I'm sorry. Uh and, uh lhm senioralth.com. Uh okay. that will be a great way to get to know who we are as an organization and of course uh our our organization, our parent organization, Larry H. Miller Company. Um it's a well-known name and and and and family here in Utah. And as we uh extend our our operations nationwide, we hope that more and more of the the virtuous cycle and of the enrichment of lives that we really are focused on will will touch a greater expanse of people and and communities and and that's our goal.

[46:28]  Well, thank you Jess for your time, man. Really do appreciate it. I definitely see that you'll continue to grow not only within this organization but just an as an individual just speaking to you just having a heart to to help to give um you know so thank you so much if you guys are watching make sure you guys do like subscribe and comment these are the conversations that we really really love with leaders that are authentically them wearing their heart on their sleeves um we couldn't thank you enough yeah this is Jess I'll catch you on the next one Jess later.