Aspire for More with Erin
This podcast is designed to mentor, motivate and create momentum to support the Executive Directors in the senior living industry. The Executive Director role is one of the hardest roles to succeed in due to the constant demands of the expectations from residents, families, home (corporate) office and associates. It is the goal of the host, Erin Thompson, to create an interactive environment that allows active support and mentoring in the same place consistently. A safe and neutral space where the silly questions, the hard and emotional questions can be asked without fear.
Episodes
112 episodes
Speak Like a Visionary Leader
Speak Like a Visionary Leader: 5 Communication Shifts That Change EverythingDescription: Communication isn’t just how you talk—it’s how you lead, build trust, and influence every room you walk into. In this solo episo...
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38:40
The Power of Pauses, Potato Chips and Purposeful Words
Most leaders think they have a content problem. In reality, they have a communication problem.In this episode of Aspire for More with Erin, I sit down with Eva Daniel — founder of The Speak Shop, former ...
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43:31
Start Where You Are, Use what You Have, Lead Anyway w/Norman Harris
What do you do when the door doesn’t open—despite your credentials, your connections, and your calling?You build your own.In this powerful episode, Erin sits down with Norman Harris Jr., healthcare leader, podcast ...
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45:36
Creating a Culture that Sticks w/Kate Bertam
Most people talk about culture like it’s a project. But as Kate Bertram, former CEO and author of Creating Stickiness, reminds us, culture isn’t the initiative. It’s the result.In this episode of Aspire For Mor...
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43:31
The CARE Framework: Interview Smarter, Hire Stronger
Episode Summary: Hiring in senior living is more than filling a position—it’s about protecting culture, improving retention, and attracting people who want to stay. In this episode, I sit down with Dana Weaver, CEO of Weaver Solut...
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33:02
Fail Forward: The Freedom Framework
What if failure isn’t something to fear—but something to use?In this episode of Aspire For More with Erin, we unpack one of the hardest truths of leadership: you will fail. But failure doesn’t have to define you. In fac...
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41:21
From Failure to Unstoppable Growth
What if your greatest setback was the seed of your greatest comeback? In this episode, Erin gets real about what failure actually means—and why it's often the doorway to the growth we crave most. From leading a senior living community ...
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Episode 105
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38:44
Be Human not Hollywood with Documentarian Peter Murphy Lewis
Perception can make or break senior living. Filmmaker and storyteller Peter Murphy Lewis is here to flip the script — and put caregivers at the heart of the story.In this episode, we unpack the making of People Worth Caring About
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37:39
11 Truths No One Tells You About Being an ED...with Kent Mulkey
Behind the polished lobby and the corporate metrics is a world of constant pressure, emotional resilience, and the unspoken challenges that senior living leaders face every single day.In this powerful conversation, Erin sits down with
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42:40
Rethinking Dementia Training: Tools, Mindset, and ROI That Actually Work
In this episode of Aspire for More with Erin, we’re diving deep into the future of dementia education and staff training with two powerhouse guests: Dr. Jennifer Stelter, Founder & CEO of the Dementia Connection In...
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42:32
Simple Tools Profound Impact: Reimagining Dementia Education with Allyson Schrier
Episode Summary:What if the key to better dementia care isn’t more complexity—but more simplicity?In this powerful and deeply personal episode, Erin sits down with Allyson Schrier, founder of Zinnia TV, to dis...
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48:10
What Gets You to 100, in Occupancy and in Life
In this milestone episode, Erin reflects on what it really means to show up consistently — as a podcaster, a leader, and a community builder. After 100 episodes, she’s learned that the pursuit of success is rarely about one big moment, it’s abo...
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46:51
Grow the Leader, Save the Community with Blair Quasnitschka
In this episode of Aspire for More with Erin, we dive deep into one of the most urgent challenges facing the senior living industry: the retention crisis among Executive Directors and administrators. Erin is joined by Blair Quasnits...
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45:11
How Do You Know if You are Ready to Quit or Need to Grow?
In this solo episode, Erin breaks down the real reason most senior living leaders quit too soon, and how to tell if you’re facing a Dip, a Cliff, or a Cul-de-Sac (inspired by Seth Godin’s The Dip).She shares the 4 Emoti...
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39:29
R.I.S.E. a Framework for Leadership in the Modern Era
R.I.S.E. a Framework for Leadership in the Modern EraIn this podcast episode designed for leaders seeking mentoring and motivation, the focus is on transitioning from control-based leadership to influence-based leadership. E...
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40:23
Assume Nothing... a conversation with Malinda Shultice
In this episode of the Aspire for More with Erin podcast, Erin and guest Malinda Schulte, professor and founder of Ms. Healthcare Consulting, discuss strategies to help leaders in senior living avoid burnout and empower their teams. The...
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38:39
What is a PACE Program? You want to know...
Championing PACE: Comprehensive Care for the Elderly with Donna WilhelmIn this episode, Erin reconnects with Donna Wilhelm, Vice President for Advocacy and Government Relations for Trinity Health Continuing Care, to discuss the impactfu...
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39:59
Clinton or Letterman, That is the Question with Jeff Bell
Leadership Test: Are you Bill Clinton or David Letterman?When crisis hits your senior living community, there are two ways leaders show up: Deny, deflect, and damage trust (Bill Clinton strategy) Own it,...
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45:42
Perfectionism, Identity, and Comparison...Oh My!
In this episode, we explore the struggles of perfectionism, identity, and comparison, and how they can keep us feeling stuck and inadequate as leaders and in our personal lives. The speaker shares a personal journey of overcoming these chal...
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43:11