It's been nearly 16 years since I bought into the Bee Hive concept. I gathered every penny I had, took a deep breath, dreamed a big dream loaded my car and went on the road to sale an idea of caring for a aging population.
That idea of being at home, needing help while not wanting to be a burden to family, yet being provided a quality of life is the Bee Hive model. Assisted Living in a residential setting with the mantra, "Bee Hive homes the next best place to home". We even had a tune to sing as we meet the challenges of developing a brand as the rejections, disappointments as will occur in business was the daily routine.
This was not my first rodeo, I was determined supported by Bee Hive corporate, knowing of the need to provide for the Greatest Generation, to be followed by the Baby Bommers, success of the first home evolved then the second, third and to the present the Empire has grown to 20 of my own homes, 26 Franchised homes with 4 new homes of mine under construction.
The question then is why? Why keep building new homes, taking on the debt, the risk, and the responsibility of caring for those beloved people known as the Elderly. How much money does one man need? The need to support my family is big given that I and my wife Kari have 9 children, yet we surpassed those needs long ago.
This is a ministry which is the answer of why. It is a ministry in the way we care for those wonderful people we call residents and the support we are for their families as they pass through the experience of growing old by those that they love and refer to as Mom and Dad.
It is also a ministry towards those great people whom labor to care for our residents. It takes a special individual to come to work each day in the attitude of love and service. To all 250 employees that carry the banner each day I express my gratitude of thankfulness for your service.
We are in the people business, we are mortal beings and as such if I learn to serve you, you will learn to love me and I will learn to love you. He who was the greatest of all men even Jesus Christ once said, "if ye have done it unto the least of these my brethren ye have done it unto me." For this cause we build on till we reach every one who would be Elderly and would need us to lift up the hands that hang down and cheer up their life each day that they have reason to smile.
Build baby build.
Jay Manning
No comments:
Post a Comment