Kat Vercruyssen, owner of Comfort Keepers, an in-house senior care facility in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, was recently interviewed and featured in the North Idaho Business Journal to highlight her successful journey as a small business owner and an exemplary leader.
She and her husband started the business together in 2000, but when he passed away in 2004, Vercruyssen was left to run the business herself and learn to handle the financial side that her husband had previously managed.
Vercruyssen reached out to the SBDC of North Idaho College, hoping for guidance to keep the business afloat while navigating the unexpected challenges. There she worked with a coach that helped her manage financials, improve employee retention and plan for strategic growth.
She has come a long way since then and has reached many milestones such as purchasing a building, expanding the service area, seeing a 30% average year over year growth, and becoming a regional business with over 200 employees. Vercruyssen was also recognized as the 2011 Idaho Small Business Person of the Year and a National Finalist.
After a long and prosperous career, Vercruyssen made the decision to exit her business. Her strategies for implementing the transition have been showcased and broken down into specific steps in the Business Journal’s article Comfort Keepers: A leader’s journey to successful exit.
