From hospice to entrepreneurship | Lacey Hayes is paving her own way
After implementing EOS, Caris Healthcare increased revenue by 55 percent.
After spending nearly a decade of leadership in the Hospice space, Lacey Hayes is stepping out on a new venture. One, that couldn’t be more different – but couldn’t be a better fit.
She joined the network of Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS) implementers and has purchased one of the first few franchises in East Tennessee.
EOS is a holistic system with simple tools that essentially helps leadership teams get on the same page and make well-informed business decisions.
More than 250,000 companies run on EOS worldwide, and Hayes is determined to increase that footprint in East Tennessee.
First, for her, this is a personal matter. Hayes spent years teaching this system to her employees at Caris Healthcare, which she described as an entrepreneurial healthcare venture. It was founded by Norman McRae in 2003, with a vision to provide mission-driven, high-quality end-of-life care to patients.
The company provides hospice to more than 1,200 patients per day in locations across Georgia, Missouri, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia.
“Norman’s approach to running a business taught me a lot, not just professionally, but also personally. I learned the importance of always striving for excellence and how to care for people deeply,” Hayes said.
During her time at Caris, Hayes became very familiar with EOS and even cited drastic improvements after implementation. For example, in the first year after implementing EOS, Caris saw a 10 percent growth in business. After several years of adopting the systems, she cited a 55 percent increase in yearly revenue.
“I helped deploy EOS throughout the organization. I quickly discovered a knack and passion for guiding leaders through chaos. It’s incredibly rewarding to see leaders feel empowered and confident as they move forward with their decisions,” she said.
So, when Hayes decided to start an entrepreneurial venture, EOS seemed like the natural fit.
“I especially look forward to supporting women entrepreneurs in overcoming obstacles and achieving their fullest potential,” she said.
Hayes is one of the few female EOS Implementers in East Tennessee. She hopes her presence in the market will help connect female entrepreneurs to the support and resources they need to make meaningful strides toward their professional goals
It has been about two and a half months since she resigned from her full-time role with Caris to pursue her own business.
“I had a great job, so at first this felt like a scary decision. Many people that I worked with at Caris believed in me and that made it easier for me to believe in myself,” Hayes said.
Right now, she is looking for mid-size companies that are dedicated to improvement – and currently struggling with efficiency, revenue, productivity, and culture.
Her first step with these businesses is a 90-minute meeting. During this initial meeting, Hayes meets with the leadership team of a company to introduce them to EOS and explain how the system works. The goal of the 90-minute meeting is to ensure the leadership team fully understands the EOS Process, the tools involved, and what to expect as they move forward. This meeting helps the team determine whether EOS is the right fit for their organization and whether they are ready to commit to the process.
“I take complicated issues and turn them into simple, actionable steps towards a solution,” she said.
To learn more about Hayes and EOS worldwide, visit the website.
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