We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Deidra Kindred. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Deidra below.

Deidra, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Was there a defining moment in your professional career? A moment that changed the trajectory of your career?

Let’s see. I will start with the fact, that I never wanted to be a nurse. I was going to college after graduating from high school to obtain a degree as a CPA. The attached video explains my story much better than me retyping the story.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers

After graduating nursing school, I’ve had the amazing opportunities to accumulate lots of different skills and knowledge in the healthcare industry. I’ve worked in many different intensive care units, legal nurse consulting, home health care and specialty home health care with infusion therapy. In addition, I owned a former residential care home. I was able to fail-forward and learn so much. Each experience was a building block for the company I established and run today. Your Healthcare Nurse Advocates. This is my purpose and I’m extremely passionate about the services provided and it’s growing. We help individuals and families navigate the complex healthcare system. The healthcare system is complex, confusing, and frustrating for many. We love assisting, educating and guiding people to what’s next or the why behind their plans of care.
What sets us apart is that we take the time to ensure people fully understand their plans of care and are involved by not be talked at, but talked to and include in their decision-making when it comes to their healthcare. Many healthcare professionals don’t have the time to do this. As nurses and board-certified advocates, we can attend those doctor’s visits with any and all providers to ensure communication gaps are filed.

Our why: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ALLooC8-UnY&t=93s

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

Great question. Several things help to build and put the pieces of the puzzle together. Number one is Networking and Building relationships. I started networking in 2012. Attending events with other industry professionals, educational events and speaking opportunities. During these networking events the goal was set to meet at least 2-3 professionals and then have coffee or lunch and learn about their business and how we could “collaborate” to help the communities we serve. It was not so much about selling it was about “true relationship building”. These meetings helped me to gather a resource pool for my clients to address their future anticipated needs. All are attended consistently and persistently.

Number two –Obtaining speaking opportunities to share my knowledge and increase my presence in the community. Lots of these are free. Became a Patient Safety Speaker for The Care Partner Project. Volunteering to speak at many of the healthcare related networking events.

Number three-Volunteering with non-profits to learn and grow my business brand. Forming authentic partnerships with many to serve those that are often overlooked. Became an organizer for 1 Million Cups here in Fort Worth for 3 years, which helped me to establish relationships with many local business owners not related to healthcare and organizations such as the BBB, SBDC and a few others.

Number four–Participated in the Fort Worth Startup Weekend pitch competition, Small Business Plan Competition. Any learning opportunity that I had the time to participate in I was there.

Number five–creating workshops and educational events for the community to expand their knowledge when it comes to the healthcare arena. Workshops are hands on and interactive by helping people learn how to be their own advocate in their healthcare journey. 1. Build Your Medical Binder 2. Making Sense of my meds 3. Making Sense of my labs and numbers. All are the core elements that can empower individuals and families on their medical journeys.

Number six—Created a podcast called “Health Chats Among Friends.” Where I chat with other healthcare industry professionals to give them a platform to educate the community on their services. Healthcare is a complicated and often intimidating world. During our chats we bring to you industry leaders in healthcare to come and educate the community on the heart of services that they provide. These talks allow us the opportunity for honest, open dialog to increase awareness of resources available, while adding our personal vantage points on the chosen topic of discussion.

Number seven- reading motivational/ business building books and speaking with my mentors consistently who have gone where I’m wanting to go.
Favorites are John Maxwell, Jack Canfield, Dr. Dharius Daniels, Daymond John, Mike Michalowitz to name a few.

Number eight–I’ve had the great opportunity to continue to expand my knowledge in my field and learn about other growth opportunities.
Joined many of the healthcare advocacy organizations and non-healthcare organizations. Attended monthly or yearly conferences to remain relevant.
1. Greater National Advocates
2. Alliance of Professional Healthcare Advocates
3. HealthadvocateX
4. Local Alzheimer’s Associations
5. Healthcare related Networking events
6. Arlington Women’s Club
7. Continunity of Care
8. Tarrant Area Gerontological Society

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

The story that comes to mind is starting my first residential care home. This is the journey that I was able to fail forward. This business was the first one that I’d put a lot of blood, money, sweat, and tears into. It never fully launched because I didn’t take the time to research and learn about the industry and grow internally. Nor did I listen to God on if this was my true purpose. I could have given up, but I was able to pivot, step back, and learn that I was standing in my own way. I ended up losing this business, 100s of thousands of dollars and ended up in divorce. But GOD helped me step back and realize there was something else he had for me. I did create a motivational speech called “Are You Standing in your Way? then M.O.V.E.” Manage Your Opportunities for Your Vision to Empower. The good part is it taught me so much about networking the right way, planning strategies, finding the right mentors, resource finding and most important of all relationship building.
This was the business that taught me so much and I’ve taken the lessons of what not to do to build the business that is purposeful, and mission driven.

Contact Info:

• Website: yourhealthcarenurseadvocates
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yourhealthcarenurseadvocates
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deidra-kindred-rn-bsn-lnc-ccm-bcpa-ceo-a45435a5/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClZl8GNjGh2RAR0RKFtfNOA
• Other: https://anchor.fm/deidra3