From Nurse to $80M CEO: Joel Theisen’s Bold Bet to Fix Healthcare
I’m thrilled to share the latest episode of our podcast with you. This time, I had the pleasure of chatting with Joel Theisen, the founder and CEO of Life Spark. Joel’s journey from being a trained nurse to becoming a healthcare entrepreneur is nothing short of inspiring. Here’s a sneak peek into our conversation:
Key Takeaways from Joel Thiessen’s Journey:
From Nurse to Entrepreneur:
Joel started his career as a nurse, but his passion for improving senior care led him to entrepreneurship.
He realized the need for better care coordination and founded Life Spark to address these gaps.
The Birth of Life Spark:
Life Spark isn’t just a home care company; it’s a comprehensive healthcare delivery system for seniors.
Joel’s mission is to provide holistic care that focuses on the overall well-being of seniors, not just treating illnesses.
Innovative Healthcare Solutions:
Life Spark employs a population health model, ensuring seniors receive coordinated care throughout their lives.
The company’s services include skilled home health, hospice, private home care, and housing management.
Core Values and Company Culture:
Joel believes that a strong organizational culture is essential for delivering high-quality care.
Life Spark’s core values guide their mission and decision-making processes, fostering a positive work environment.
Leadership and Vision:
Joel’s leadership style emphasizes listening, empathy, and creating an environment where everyone feels valued.
He shares equity with his team, creating a sense of shared purpose and commitment.
Challenges and Opportunities:
Joel discusses the fragmented nature of the current healthcare system and the need for a more integrated approach.
He highlights the importance of addressing social determinants of health to provide comprehensive care.
Personal Reflections:
Joel’s definition of success centers around being a good father, husband, and human being.
He encourages leaders to focus on outcomes and maintain a balance between profitability and ethical responsibility.
Why You Should Listen:
Inspiration: Joel’s journey is a testament to the power of passion and dedication in making a positive impact.
Insights: Gain valuable insights into the healthcare industry and the innovative approaches Life Spark is taking.
Leadership Lessons: Learn about the importance of culture, core values, and empathy in leadership.
I hope this episode sparks your curiosity and inspires you as much as it did me. Tune in to hear Joel’s full story and discover how Life Spark is transforming senior care.
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Joel Theisen, BSN, RN
CEO
Joel has over 30 years of experience in the health care industry with specific expertise in home- and community-based elder care.
His entrepreneurial story began as a front-line nurse where he witnessed seniors in and out of what he felt was a ‘sick care,’ not a ‘health care,’ system. Deep in his soul, he felt socially responsible for changing the ‘roller coaster’ experience seniors faced which depleted their financial resources, decreased their wellbeing, and increased healthcare costs overall.
He started Lifespark, a complete senior health company, with a mission to spark lives, connecting seniors to whole person senior services that help them age magnificently. Under Joel’s leadership, Lifespark has seen year-over-year double-digit growth, closing 2023 with a revenue of over $70 million, and more than 2,800 employees.
Joel has perfectly positioned Lifespark, the first complete payor-, disease-, and environment-agnostic, fully integrated, holistic home- and community-based delivery system, for the current market convergence. He is accelerating in-home/telehealth capabilities, surging senior population, rising health care costs, increasing global risk, rebuilding senior living, and engaging seniors to take action in their own health outcomes.
Joel’s vision for disrupting the ‘sick care’ system of health and senior care has grown in momentum over the past several years starting with a major step forward in 2017 as he forged a partnership with Utah-based Intermountain Healthcare, and again in 2019 with a value-based payment arrangement … Read More