We were lucky to catch up with Dr. Nicole Bradley recently and have shared our conversation below.

Dr. Nicole , appreciate you joining us today. Innovation comes in all shapes, sizes and across all industries, so we’d love to hear about something you’ve done that you feel was particularly innovative.

Starting my own business was the most innovative thing I have done in my career. I went to school for Psychology. I had no idea what I wanted to do as a professional, I knew I needed to get my degrees. Starting my own business has been the most rewarding and fulfilling experience I could have ever imagined. I have encountered so many beautiful people; the people we serve being the most significant. I do this because of them. They become family, that alone makes you want to do everything you can to see them thrive.

Dr. Nicole , love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I say it all the time, “I am just a girl from the south side of Syracuse, NY.” I knew early on the life I wanted and envisioned myself living was not there. Syracuse is the city that raised me however, Long Island is the city that made me. I moved to Long Island, NY when I was 27 years old. I didn’t know what I wanted to do with my professional life, I knew I needed to do something to provide for myself and my son. I knew I loved helping people. I began working for this home care agency as a service coordinator, working with seniors and the disabled population. When I met my first participant, I knew this was a field I would love. Over the next five years I worked for other agencies until I decide to take a leap of faith and open my own agency. I started off in my closet; the closet was about four feet by six feet. I had a laptop desk, a small file cabinet which my printer sat on top of. I remember sitting in there every night until the early morning getting work done. I had one patient who lived in a basement apartment that was killing him literally. I took that personal, it was my job to find him a suitable apartment and that’s what I did. I assisted him with locating a brand new apartment in a building that was accessible for him. He was an amputee who suffered from end stage renal failure. He ignited my passion for the work I do today. If he were here today to witness the growth, he would be so proud of the company he inspired. My job is to ensure my participants have the opportunity to live a full life; to ensure they have a healthy, safe, clean and suitable living environment one that is accessible to their needs.

What sets me apart from other, is my passion for my participants, it is not about money and they are not a number. They are human beings.  They are my “Heavenly’s” and I would do anything to ensure they are safe. When we receive a new participant, they do not wait months for services if I can help. If I have everything I need to get services approved and started expediously, that’s what we do. I do not have a set schedule. I work for the people. My staff have a set schedule but, myself if I am needed I am there. I believe this is what sets me apart from others. I truly love what I do so, it never feels like work for me. My participants see this and they can feel it. They know how passionate I am about the work we do.

I am most proud of my participants, they give me life. They inspire me in so many ways. They have overcome many challenges and obstacles, they do it graciously. I could never complain about things that go wrong in my life or be ungrateful. I count each day I awake as a blessing. I try not take the small things for granted; being able to see my son’s face every morning, being able to walk and run with him, being able to brush my own hair, put my own clothes on; these are the small things the average person may take for granted and my participants have allowed me to see what is really important in life and it’s all the things we get for free.

I am who I am because God chose me. Heavenly Hands was created because God knew there were many who I needed to encounter to be the best version of me; to build this company. Through Heavenly Hands, my life has been touched. Running this company is my god given purpose, I could never forget that. I could not do this without my team, they support me in ways I could never imagine. I want people to know, Heavenly Hands is a family company and we do not work with people for money, if we cannot see ourselves going the extra mile to get things done for you, we will not accept the case. We work for those we feel a connection with.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

Being a woman of integrity has helped me build my reputation in this field. I have never been one to gossip or be confrontational in the professional world. I have always chosen to allow my work to speak for itself even when others would criticize my work. I learned from the mistakes I made. I promised myself I would become a master at my craft which is executing the service plans we have to write for each new applicant. In the beginning of my career it would take me months to get the service plan prepared for submission, with many corrections. To date, I can write and get a plan approved in less then 30 days. I can write a complete plan in 4-6 hours. Working efficiently and expeditiously has also helped build my reputation.

Where do you think you get most of your clients from?

Word out mouth has been the best source for new clients. As previously mentioned, my work speaks for itself. Anyone who has works with Heavenly Hands, knows they will encounter someone is knowledgeable, patient, honest, and dedicated to their field of work. They know they will speak with a human and not a machine. They know they can expect professionalism and a high level of respect. Our clients know their needs will be met.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.heavenlyhandsinc.com
• Email: [email protected]

Image Credits
Isiah Brockington