Medical Care Business Flourishes While Advocating for the Underserved

C.A.R.E Agency, LLC of Hillsborough County

Nestled in Hillsborough County, a dedicated medical care business, C.A.R.E Agency, has made significant strides in home care while advocating for disability patients and expanding its services to provide essential care to homeless individuals, with a special focus on homeless veterans. Thalia Shurns, critical care nurse of 10 plus years and owner of C.A.R.E Agency, has made it her mission to create a business that helps the community by offering in-home and hospital advocacy while also providing shelter and care for those in need.

“I’m a critical care nurse. I’m the owner of C.A.R.E Agency, LLC. It was started in 2017, it originally started in Vero Beach with the focus on home care. I worked in the hospital setting and I just saw that patients were not getting the home care that they needed when they left the hospital which was causing them to be re-entered back in the hospital for simple issues that could’ve been taken care of at home,” Shurns said.

Knowing that there were people in need of care and support within her community led Shurns to spring into action and create a business were her passion for helping others would be fulfilled and individuals would have somewhere to turn to when in need of medical care, advocacy, or housing. As the business owner decided to move her business to the Tampa Bay area, she realized that she would need assistance in order to get the word out and grow her business. That’s when she turned to the Florida APEX Accelerator at Pinellas County Economic Development (PCED).

Once there, Shurns was met with the guidance and support of Florida APEX Accelerator at PCED government contracting business consultant, Yolanda Goodloe. With the expertise of her business consultant, Shurns successfully navigated the complex landscape of government contracting. This partnership played a pivotal role in developing growth strategies, expanding networking opportunities, and ultimately securing a government contract that enabled the home care business to expand and enhance its services.

“With the information provided by Florida APEX Accelerator, I’ve used it by using it with the business plan, networking. I was provided just resources in the community that I could connect with to build my homeless shelter, so they’ve been really resourceful for C.A.R.E Agency,” Shurns said.

Since working with the Florida APEX Accelerator at PCED, the business has flourished through expansion in services as well as care facilities. “My business has grown tremendously since working with the Florida APEX Accelerator. We have secured a large government contract, we’ve also secured and acquired a home for our vets that is fully occupied, and our services have expanded. So, now we’re actually in the process of opening another home and acquiring an ALF [Assisted Living Facility] to service veterans and more homeless medical needy people in the community,” Shurns said. This government contract marks a significant milestone for the business, allowing them to increase their capacity to serve more individuals in need. The funding will be instrumental in expanding the number of shelters they operate, providing a safe and supportive environment for homeless veterans and other vulnerable populations.

Looking ahead, the passionate business owner plans to continue leveraging the resources and expertise offered by the Florida APEX Accelerator program to further their mission. “The relationship with my APEX consultant, Ms. Yolanda, has been extremely beneficial. We started out working on projects and business goals. As our relationship evolved, she started coaching and mentoring me, I could just go to her for everything and anything. She’s been a great asset to bounce ideas off of. We’re currently discussing expansion opportunities for C.A.R.E Agency and I will continue to use Ms. Yolanda for future endeavors and the Florida APEX program,” added Shurns.

As for other small business owners looking to follow in her footsteps, Shurns shared the following advice, “If you have the hunger, the passion, and the drive to succeed without a ceiling then you need the right team to complement your business. Florida APEX Accelerator is a great program to have on your team for success.”