Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Erna Alfred Liousas. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Erna, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today If you had a defining moment that you feel really changed the trajectory of your career, we’d love to hear the story and details.

When I was 21, I became a family caregiver. It was not a career choice or planned decision. My Mother suffered a massive stroke and I decided her care was more important than anything else.

Caregiving at such a young age was a defining moment in my life. I learned all that one could about health care, fine print, and a host of other skills. The skills that are the most helpful have also played a role in my entrepreneurial endeavors. Empathy, problem-solving, and fortitude aren’t often presented together. But they are the result of balancing a career and caregiving over the course of two decades. My caregiving journey uncovered a deep-seated desire to elevate wellness. I’m privileged to do this work through my caregiver platform and as part of the health equity work I pursue full–time.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I’ve worked across consulting companies, Fortune 500s, and startups. My expertise is that of a strategist with an eye towards customer experience and marketing. I’ve helped organizations tell their story, develop and launch products, and work through process improvement efforts that create valued customer experiences. These skills fuel my deep-seated passion to bring clarity into the health journey as I’ve built CG360.

I am proud of the numerous cycles of validating CG360. Building a product that stands up to the evolving needs of unpaid family caregivers is both difficult and fulfilling. I’ve been able to pivot the CG360 from a web site with search functionality I coded to a suite of tools for caregivers and employers. Caregivers receive access to educational, community, federal, state and wellness resources within CG360. Employers leverage consulting, customized programming, and personalized tools to support the challenges faced by their caregiving employees.

Instead of offering one one-size fits all product, I’ve created a toolbox each caregiver or employer can curate for their specific needs.

Have you ever had to pivot?

Pivots are surprising – whether it be personal or professional. If you don’t make space to be open for a pivot, the opportunity might pass you by.

My personal and professional pivot found me during a time of loss. In June of 2019, my Mother passed away from a long health battle. I spent the majority of my life caring for her. Losing her, though inevitable, was more difficult than I imagined. However, in August of 2019, my friend Sheila suggested I do something out of the ordinary. She mentioned an upcoming event that might stretch my imagination. The event was MIT’s Hacking Medicine Grand Hack taking place in Washington DC. At the time, I was self-employed providing strategy and consulting services. And, I was grieving for my Mother. I wasn’t even sure I could present my best self. But, my friend knew my experience, passion, and support for family caregivers. She watched me care for my Mom, navigate our healthcare system, and maintain a career. In her mind, I had to apply. My husband wholeheartedly supported this opportunity. And so, I applied.

Unlike traditional hackathons, Hacking Medicine welcomed all disciplines and skills. Yet, we all had one thing in common. We wanted to change healthcare for the better. Before I knew it, my application was accepted, and I was on a plane to DC. Friday night was the start of the event. I found myself in a boisterous sea of people ages 12 thorough 60+. The process was fairly organic with individuals self-selecting into teams based on interests. My team coalesced on the theme of access to care through the support of family caregivers. We started Saturday morning bright and early, exchanging potential ideas. Finally, we focused our energies on a caregiver app. Our app would keep caregivers organized, while allowing them to share information with others in their families. The app also provided access to resources that could support care of loved ones. On Sunday morning, all teams presented to a prestigious panel of judges and sponsors. Samsung, the US Department of Veteran Affairs, and Johnson and Johnson’s Innovation Lab, were sponsors of the Hackathon. When the dust settled my team emerged successful, winning first place in the access to care category!

Without supportive friends and family, I would have missed this opportunity to honor my Mother. I would have missed my calling, which has led to a caregiving platform for employers and family caregivers. And, I would have missed the opportunity to forge a path supporting health equity and better health outcomes for everyone.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

The concept of perfectionism is embedded in our psyches from childhood. It’s been hard to shake something that has been present since elementary school. But, life has a way of forcing us to prioritize. If you’ve had to balance caregiving and work like I have, perfection isn’t top of mind. And this change of pace is a good thing.

Removing perfection from my list of attributes is one of the kindest things I could do for myself. Caregiving made this possible. There are so many things outside of your control when caring for a loved one. Sooner or later, it becomes clear what is absolutely necessary and what isn’t. As my caregiving journey continued, it became easier to keep perfectionism on the shelf. Once I dedicated myself to supporting caregivers, there was no place for perfectionism.

Experimentation is a critical step in product and business creation. Building a product or a business gets messy. There is no room for perfectionism. Yet, embracing the mess of ideation allows us to validate and refine. It gives us a reason to focus on real needs versus wants. Perfectionism doesn’t offer the breathing room for this mindset or process.

All perfection ever did was keep me constrained in the shadow of someone else’s vision. Ideation and imagination gave me permission to craft a new vision for my career.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.cg360.info
• Instagram: @cg360cares, @ernaliou
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CG360Cares, https://www.facebook.com/erna.alfred/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ernaalfredliousas
• Other: If you want to hear me chat about caregiving, tune into this funny but supportive podcast: https://www.imnotyelling.co/blog/unveiling-the-complex-landscape-of-caregiving.