Lisa Marie Swiatkowski worked her way up in healthcare since she was 16, starting as a nurse. Now the owner of two BrightStar Care franchises in Florida, she is pleased she was able to work alongside her team and help them navigate the pandemic.
“As a team, we pulled our resources together and pivoted swiftly and effectively to ensure clients were safe and standards for quality care were maintained,” she wrote in an email to McKnight’s Home Care Daily Pulse. “Watching my team come together during one of the most difficult times for the healthcare industry was truly amazing to see.”
The International Franchise Association (IFA) recently named Swiatkowski, owner of BrightStar Care Venice and Port Charlotte, Franchisee of the Year. The award recognizes leading franchisees who exemplify at least one of IFA’s “Open for Opportunity” core pillars: community, workforce, diversity, equity, inclusion and veterans. IFA also named Andrew Ray, owner of BrightStar Care Gilber/Mesa in Arizona, Franchisee of the Year.
“Franchisee of the Year Awards are the highest honors presented to individual franchisees,” Matthew Haller, president and CEO of IFA, said in a statement. “These local business owners, like Lisa Marie and Andy, represent some of the best entrepreneurs in the country, and we are proud to recognize their contributions to their communities, employees and all those they serve.”
Swiatkowski, who became a nurse after her brother was in a serious car accident, believes her experience as a nurse and director of nursing have positioned her to be a “thoughtful and effective owner.” She applies that understanding to her work managing the workforce crisis, which she sees as her biggest challenge.
“If you treat your employees well, they will hold their heads a little higher and feel a sense of loyalty to the brand and their work,” explained Swiatkowski, who has been an owner for seven years. “As a business owner, I can think back to when I was a caregiver and what it was like for me on the other side of it. So as an employer, I try really hard to always value and appreciate them and make sure they know how much we really appreciate everything they do.”
BrightStar, a national home care and medical staffing franchise headquartered in Chicago with more than 365 locations nationwide, appreciates Swiatkowski.
“We are absolutely thrilled that two of our incredible franchisees were named IFA’s Franchisee of the Year,” Shelly Sun, CEO and founder of BrightStar Care, said in a statement. “Lisa Marie and Andy Ray are more than deserving of this honor as they have worked incredibly hard to successfully grow and maintain their BrightStar Care agencies. Andy Ray is a true leader in his community and Lisa Marie’s transition from nurse to franchise owner is beyond inspiring.“
Editor’s note: Home Sweet Home is a feature appearing Mondays in McKnight’s Home Care Daily Pulse. The story focuses on a heartwarming, entertaining or quirky happening affecting the world of home care. If you have a topic that might be worthy of the spotlight in Home Sweet Home, please email Liza Berger at [email protected].
