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 host, and founder of CMC Media & Advocacy. Together, they explore what it means to lead without permission, trust your purpose, and stay the course—even when the industry overlooks you.

Norman shares his journey from being a trusted voice in long-term care leadership to launching a nonprofit media platform that centers underrepresented stories in healthcare. This episode is a masterclass in ownership, identity, and the raw, uncomfortable—but necessary—process of becoming.

Whether you're a senior living leader, emerging entrepreneur, or someone who’s been waiting to be chosen, this conversation will remind you:

“If God gave it to you, it will not miss you.”

 What You’ll Learn:

• Why influence starts before the title arrives
• The truth about trust, leadership, and turnover in senior care
• How to reframe rejection and invisibility as invitations to lead
• The power of story-based advocacy—and why your voice matters
• Why Norman believes no cap rate is high enough to cover a lack of trust
• How he started a podcast and media brand, without waiting for permission

 Quotable Moments:

“You have to own the seat before you ever get it.”“I had the credentials, the connections, the experience—but no one was calling. So I created my own opportunity.”“There is no cap rate high enough to compensate for a lack of trust.”“Podcasting wasn’t my plan. But purpose has a way of finding you if you’re listening.”

 Links & Resources:

• Follow Norman Harris Jr. on LinkedIn: here
• Learn more about CMC Media & Advocacy: here
• Subscribe to Aspire for More with Erin on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite app
• 100% Leader Information: Here

Call to Action:

If you’ve ever felt like you were made for more—but the world wasn’t ready to see it—this is your sign to go anyway.

Listen now. Share with a leader you believe in.

And remember: becoming is a process, not a performance.

New ED's Playbook to Creating and IMpactful Community Cultrue

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Join my email list where I will lift you up, and send tactile advice weekly to support you to grow your experience in your senior living career.

Transcript

Erin: 1:05

Some people chase titles and other people build tables. And let me tell you, I'm excited to have this conversation with my friend Norman. In healthcare, we are trained to follow the chart, but what happens when your career path doesn't have the classic blueprint that we want it to today? My guest is Norman Harris Jr. A healthcare professional, turn podcaster consultant and founder of Comfort Measures Consulting, media and advocacy, a platform built to amplify the stories and voices that too often go unheard. Norman didn't wait for permission. He saw a gap in how we tell the story of long-term care and decided to fill it with a microphone, a mission, and a whole lot of grit. And personality. He's now elevating leaders, building media that matters and redefining what entrepreneurship looks like in healthcare. In this episode, we're gonna talk about what it really takes to build something from scratch, because it's a lot harder than it sounds. Why leadership is about listening and not titles, and how storytelling can be a force for trust, advocacy, and industry-wide change. Whether you're launching a side project or leading a team, this story of Norman's journey will challenge and inspire you to lead with intention and say the thing that needs to be said. Because it does need to be said and of course, the right way. Norman, welcome. I'm so happy that you are here today.

Norman: 2:40

Thank you. This is a, it's a major accomplishment for me. we've been talking about this, for some time now, and you and I have been connected for, a while. And, so this is like a. A major accomplishment for me for sure to land on your podcast. So aspiring for more baby.

Erin: 2:58

Just for people to know. Norman reached out to me about a year or so ago, just mm-hmm. A random dude reaching out to a random woman. A random woman. it was, it's been the start of a beautiful friendship, which has been nice.

Norman: 3:13

Very much so. Yeah, very much so. So many people that I reached out to before, I had my website before I had the social media page and before, and you. Responded, you gave me the time. You, I, like, I always say, your consultation fees, I've ran up a pretty lofty bill with you. but I mean, just you taking the time in so much to me, and I told you back then, like, you can't get rid of me anymore now, like, you know, open the door. So I'm in. Yes.

Erin: 3:45

Friends for

Norman: 3:45

life,

Erin: 3:46

friends

Norman: 3:46

for life, for life. And just to see someone that was doing what I was aspiring to do, and then you're in a totally different state and for you to just open your arms to me, like It means the world, honestly. It means so much to me.

Erin: 3:59

Well, thank you. You know, it's fun. It's fun that LinkedIn allows that opportunity. And it really does blur the line between states. the perspective's different, the experience is different, but the journey is the same. And I love this idea that were not about chasing titles. Like titles were never my thing. I think I insulted a lot of people in my career because I couldn't remember titles because really they didn't matter, right? but. It's the table that matters, right? Mm-hmm.

Norman: 4:38

The table. Yes, for sure.

Erin: 4:41

It's the table. It's, it's coming to the table. It's, it's table is, I think important, which is kind of what we're both doing, isn't it?

Norman: 4:52

Yes, for sure. For sure. Creating that table for, ourselves. But to offer other opportunities for other people that are entrepreneurs, for us to make a, a lane for ourselves, the way we wanna define our purpose and passion and, provide, the advocacy efforts to the community. but also if you, you even take the table for your family, um, you're allowing your family an opportunity to, have growth and legacy, as well. And opportunities. so I always had a, a vision when start a ation consultant to have my daughters a part of it. my family, my wife, a part of it, because, I see it as I make it big. Y'all gonna benefit from this too, so we all gonna work. We That's right.

Erin: 5:40

That's right. Okay. So we know you as CMC, comfort Measures Consulting. CEO, founder. But you didn't start there. You had experiences before. So where did it begin? How did you enter into healthcare?

Norman: 5:58

Well, I was on this quest, I'll take you back over a decade now. Well, I'm getting old, huh? so like 2013, I just wanted more for myself. I was living in Tallahassee, Florida, which encompasses a whole lot of state government agencies and really, university system, but, not many Fortune 500 companies, that allowed different career paths. Right? so I had an aspiration for more. Aspiring for more? Uh, yeah, so I wanted more because I said, you know, I went to school this long and I remember my first job out of, college was with Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, and my salary was$23,482. uh, I remember that number distinctly because I was just like, I was already working part-time for them, but I was like, this what I went to college for. No, this is why I'm in debt, college student loans. I was like, no, I want more than that. Like I, and I always had aspirations to own my own company, my own business. my grandfathers, both of them were entrepreneurs and, own their own businesses as well. So I always looked up to them, for that and. So I moved, made the transition to moving down here to Tampa, Florida. I moved here in 2014. I started with USAA as a auto adjuster, really just trying to get to the city. Then I got into, long term care because I tell you what, people that work in a call center setting. A double salute to you. It is not an easy job. So, and an auto adjuster too. but, I worked in with MetLife in an account management and long-term care division, as a client care consultant as well, and a long-term care consultant there as well. So in those roles, I had an opportunity to understand how. You know, insurances, work and operate, the, the system in which is used in for account management within an organization. But I still was aspiring for more. Um, I still was aspiring for more, but, and my cousin, actually, he w became a nursing home administrator and he said, man, C you know, we was over a Christmas holiday break and he said, man, um, I know you have the skillset, the education, um, and I believe you can do this as well, and I. Based on my research, I found that becoming a nursing home administrator is the only career path in the US in which you can go from. I guess a entry level person or outta college and to running your own organization, being the leader of a hundred plus individuals and, being sort of the CEO. For a particular skilled nursing facility's the, one of the only career paths you could do that. so I pursued it and um, from there I became, I, it took me seven months to find a preceptor because that's one of the requirements. And I went through a administrator in training program for one year, non-paid. and I, I had to get up close to the camera on that one because, at the time I was expecting a daughter. I had a daughter, I had a home. and so that was a big, a big, you know, investment at that time. And then COVID hit during that time as well. So it was, yeah. And I started my a IT program right before COVID, but it was, um, a trying time for me, but I was motivated and, you know, I felt like God had given me that opening and that door to what I desire. Um, and that's really how my journey into becoming a, a skilled nursing administrator, started from there.

Erin: 9:42

You know, it's fun to look back at our life and you can look back even at your leadership career if you're inside of a community and like, where did you start? Where, what turns did we take to get where we are? And then what did we learn from each piece to take us to the next level? Which is really exciting when you think about it because how many really bad negative things, which I'm sure in a IT getting paid no money, it felt like such a burden at that time.

Norman: 10:15

Right? And

Erin: 10:16

yet, look where you are today because you sacrificed.

Norman: 10:21

Oh yes. Oh yes. The sacrifice was, I remember at the time. My preceptor, Reginald Eldridge. I always give him honor and, praise.'cause again, I went seven months on my lunch break, breaks at work, calling preceptors, emailing them. I had a system in place where I would follow up trying to land a preceptor. It's very hard to do that, to find one. And, he said, man, if you're willing to do it, I'm willing to give you a chance. And so, That took some honesty to my wife, right? You think about, Hey, you're making this money and now you're going to not make any money, so I had to work, you know, at the time, two part-time jobs, to provide for my family. But when you, pursue a mission and God has a plan for you, he opened up doors that you didn't even expect. In the end, before I even finished my a IT program, I had a a job offer. So, and I actually started, at Dolphins View Health and Rehab. But that was my first, building and I was able to, get that building before I actually became licensed as an administrator. So you just think about just the risk, like you said, and just jumping out of a leaf of faith and God just had everything, you know, right there for me.

Erin: 11:35

Yeah. So what made you, what was like the turning point? Like the, the moment that you said, it's time to create something of my own. what was that for you?

Norman: 11:46

my 35th birthday, like I was 35 years old, I woke up. I can't remember what I was doing, but it just hit me. Like my life, I had always been chasing money. I also had so many goals of, owning my own and building a legacy for my family. And it is like, you don't take any risk. I'm not a risk taker. I'm not a person that believes in just losing money, but I also realized you gonna be a shoulda, woulda, coulda. You gonna, if you never take step out on faith, what real trust do you have in God? and at that point in time, I said, you know what? I'm gonna do it. So I started a cohort, which I found on YouTube. And it was event space. So I started a cohort program to start my own event space business. and I went through that program. I found a, a venue. Which was sort of like a partnership situation, and that was like my first entrepreneur, experience and sort of getting my feet wet in the industry. But it really was just, my birthday came, I was 35 years old, still talking about dreams, still just, speaking things and had been doing that for so many years. So you gonna keep on talking or you gonna put work to it? That's so, I, I had to face the music and that's what I did.

Erin: 13:05

Yeah, taking those risks.

Norman: 13:07

Yeah.

Erin: 13:08

It's not, it's not easy. I mean, we think it's risk because you think about money as being a risk, right? Mm-hmm. But like, there's so many things that, that you don't realize that are the real risks that keep you from, from trying that, which is the, the fear of judgment, the fear of failure, the fear of rejection. All of these are the real reasons why. People don't take risks

Norman: 13:32

100% I tried to operate that business behind the camera. Like I tried to just do post and that that wasn't the way to go. Like, you have to really, when you're going to step out on faith, you have to be all in. Be all in. And, uh, Steve Harvey said something, I, I was listening to him one day. He said, in to, in order to accomplish something you've never accomplished before, sometimes you have to become. Someone that you've never been before. And so that really stuck with me and I said, you know what? Yeah, get out your element. You know, if you're trying to expand and grow, you can't just remain the same person, in every aspect, I should say.

Erin: 14:11

And become is like the key word there, because it's not, it becoming is a process. Yes. It is not like a destination like one morning. I'm Norman and then the next morning I am becoming Norman. You know what I mean? It's is a process. It's a process of becoming,

Norman: 14:34

it's becoming that. You hit that right on the head and I, that's the biggest, probably the biggest issue I have with probably entrepreneurship is patient. Things happen in phases. Yeah, it happens in phases. it is gonna happen. You want it to happen in God's timing. But I always pray'cause I have a personal relationship with God. I fuss at him, all of that, get mad at with him. But, uh, you have to have the understanding and just knowing that like God's timing is the best timing for you. and I'll, my prayer sometimes is, you know, God, can your timing be my timing sometime, you know? Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. But, you know, you want it in his timing,

Erin: 15:14

Yeah. I, you know, I, we can bring this home. If you're listening and you are like in a community. What he's talking about from an entrepreneur standpoint, which is becoming, and then like wanting some, knowing that in order to get better, you have to be better. Mm-hmm. Like that is a leadership principle that is not a, an entrepreneurship principle. That is, and he sought mentorship. Yes. Yes. he just didn't. Make these things happen by himself. You can listen to his story. And when he was becoming an A IT, he very was very intentional about his lunch break, sending emails. He was intentional about finding a mentor. That's how he found me. he reached out to other people as well. And it's a process, it's an intent. It is seeking out people to get you there faster than you would by yourself. That's what success is.

Norman: 16:13

That's what success is. And I think I was born with like a gift of being able to see others' mistakes and not necessarily having to make their same mistakes.'cause some people can know, but they still have to experience it for themselves. They still have to go through it for themselves. so I believe in having resources. Resources a lot of time can be very, I wouldn't say a lot of times it's very impactful, very powerful. To have people that, well, you don't, you don't necessarily have to recreate the will. if you get, ask God to send you people that are trustworthy, have your best interests like Aaron does. like my preceptor, Reginald Eldridge, like my mentor, Ben Cardo, Gregory James, my cousin, my cousin Pat. I have a lot of people that, and but understanding how to pull information from each one of them to build out your journey and your path. You don't have to listen to everything someone tells you. But, you know, choosing what to apply and understanding where it coming from, it coming from people that has your best interest. So that's, that means a lot. But it took, before I even started, come from Measures Consulting, I was already reaching out to Aaron, reaching out to BJU, who's the CEO of Fowler, Florida Assisted Living Association.

Erin: 17:26

Mm-hmm. Like.

Norman: 17:26

For research. That's what I was doing. I was researching, understanding, okay, where's the need and how can my organization fulfill that need? how can I connect my passion and my purpose to my business and what I'm doing? And providing that resolve for many families, out there in the community. mm-hmm. It really took a lot of research. I didn't jump into this by any means at all, and people like you. You've been through it. You told me Norman, it's going to take time. I can tell you that it's gonna take what you said three to five years. I was like three to five years. I don't wanna wait that long. You know, I told you patient's my key thing that I have a issue with, but uh, but she's didn't lie. She did not lie to me at all. So

Erin: 18:10

yeah, it's the process of becoming. I wanna ask this question. Mm-hmm. When you join that group cohort coming from healthcare and, and the way healthcare is, you know, it feels very siloed. It doesn't feel very, sometimes I will say that it doesn't feel very supportive. It feels very Gotcha. It feels very, slippery sometimes. Mm-hmm. Yeah. What did that group mentoring cohort. What did that teach you? I'm interested to know what that was for you, because for me it was very, I had a very specific experience. But what was that for you? What was it like for you?

Norman: 18:49

and that was with the venue space? yeah, So

Erin: 18:52

group of people, like peers that had the same goals as you did and who could speak about it openly and not be affected in a negative way.

Norman: 19:03

what in some cases, I'm not gonna say, all right, you are who you hang around. Your environment is very impactful. So being in a forum or a group like that with other like-minded individuals, and you guys are knowledge sharing, knowledge sharing resources, uh, sharing. Best processes or practices, who to work with. those things are very impactful, to do that and see other people's growth, and gains. And that use that as motivation. Use that to challenge yourself, use that to set your own goals, to grow. we share books that to read, we share. So it's more than just from a business standpoint, but it's also from a personal, growth. elevation standpoint as well. But, the biggest, so those probably the biggest things about being in that community. But secondly, I would say, the owner, Ms. Tanisha, she, I realized at that point in time that the internet, social media, can allow you to become this expert. And if you're doing something long enough, right? And you've put processes in place, you've built out a plan to do these things, you can show other people how to do it right and turn that into value, right? And what value creates finances. and I, I saw that how she built out, the monetary, how,'cause you had to pay for this cohort. So you are basically creating a curriculum. To how to start your event space business, create that curriculum, and you're now able to sell this curriculum four or five, six times out of the year. So that shows me, that showed me that there's ways to create your own, your own platform. There's ways to create your own income, right? And you can become an expert. One of the most searched things on YouTube and Google is how to videos. Those, it's like one of the top searches. And so, that really from, so going back to your question from that cohort, that really showed me a plan that I can have for the future,

Erin: 21:11

right? It, it shortens, it really does shorten the time. Like, oh yeah, it. For me, it just changed so much. It gave me perspective. And you know what I realized? Perspective is power. It doesn't mean it's right, and it doesn't mean that I'm gonna follow everything that that person said, but it means, it gave me perspective. Love it. It gave me confidence. It gave me, affirmation. It gave me, Some to watch other people go through the same process I wanna go through and who are seven steps ahead. I knew what to expect, which allowed me to have a little bit more courage, you know? Yeah, yeah. So it was something that was pretty powerful. And it kind of sets up the next question, which, what is the hardest part of entrepreneurship? Because for you, because people think. I know I did because I had no idea about entrepreneurship and building a business that I just thought if you build it, they will come.

Norman: 22:07

Yeah.

Erin: 22:08

Okay. That doesn't happen.

Norman: 22:10

No, that

Erin: 22:10

doesn't happen.

Norman: 22:11

Doesn't happen at all. you know that certain industries it probably happens with, um, if you found a, a niche that is just. almost like, well, even though it's very a volatile industry, the food industry, people will buy food if it's good. Like they could be from the lowest bracket of finances as a family income to the highest, they'll spend money on food if it's good.

Erin: 22:36

Mm-hmm.

Norman: 22:37

Um, but our particular niche is we're introducing something, um, to the industry that everyone isn't doing that. There's not a whole lot of, I don't know, investment right into personal entrepreneurs, right? Mm-hmm. in this space that we're in, so, mm-hmm. I mean, it's, it's, it was very hard. It's very hard to be consistent mm-hmm. And persistent. But one thing, it's research. Like I said, stated before, before I started this, I targeted my research. To focus on the failures. I know that's probably sound bad, but I, when I Google or YouTube, I would watch people that talk about the things that they didn't do, the things that they wish they would've done. And that's what I kinda incorporated and said. And one of the key things that. Everyone that was consistent. Everybody said, I wish I would've never stopped. I wish I would've not taken that six month break. I had a kid and I had to take a year off. I wish I wouldn't have took that year off because I could have done this, and this. So I said, at the bare minimum, the one thing that I'm gonna do is be consistent.

Erin: 23:49

Yeah, it's true. And again, that's leadership inside of a community too. That's leadership as a regional director, it's not just entrepreneurship, but it is like consistency is going to set you apart from everybody else because everybody else will get defeated and discouraged and will give up.

Norman: 24:08

100%. scaling, I learned the impact of scaling. it is very important with that where you always, like, you're elevated. And my cousin, he's in an entirely different industry than me. he's a chef and he has his own restaurant, but I used, I would monitor him on social media and he would post like four times a day. You know, of course I, I niche, you can't really post that many times per day. But he told me this. He said, man, always stay in their face. He said, even if they get tired of you. Even they get tired of you. It's gonna be people, it's gonna, majority of people will continue to follow you. Mm-hmm. When they see that you're consistent.'cause you earn their respect. Yes. Right. You become that trusted resource. So, and that entertainment, their purpose and that they see all the time. so I say, you know what? And I took that value and I just applied it and he was right. He was right.

Erin: 25:01

He was right. I will tell you the greatest compliment I ever received is when people say to me, for the first time that they meet me, I feel like I already know you.

Norman: 25:10

And I'm like, yeah,

Erin: 25:12

it's because you do. It's because you do. Yeah, man, that's,

Norman: 25:18

that's a big compliment too. It really is. It really is. But you also have that personality, you know, I think, the difference between you and I is. Your per you, you have, you integrated more of like your real true day-to-day encounters, you know?

Erin: 25:36

Mm-hmm. Um,

Norman: 25:36

and with your, so that's one area that I don't think I have a strong suit in. Like I'm not the type that just want to be in front of the camera all the time. Yeah. It's hard. It's hard to do that. And

Erin: 25:47

you know, some days the hair's curled. Some days it's straight, some days it's up in a ponytail.

Norman: 25:53

But that's what people like though. People like that raw realness. They don't wanna see you don up every single time, can your Sunday dance, as they used to say. Mm-hmm. You know? But so, um, and that's why I watch you. Like, you show me all facets of you. The college football era, the, you know, professional errand, the conference era, the errand with her kid, like, and so mm-hmm. That really builds your coat following, you know? Mm-hmm. And I think that's probably my issue or my problem. Like I don't do that.

Erin: 26:24

I saw that picture with your little girl, and I knew she was your little girl because she has a smile just like yours.

Norman: 26:30

yeah. So they love doing this. Like, they complain about everything except podcasting. Mm-hmm. Like, they like coming and watching me.

Erin: 26:37

Yeah. I will tell you this, when we talk about kids, and I think it's really important because from like a leadership standpoint, and, and this is professional, this is personal and it's professional. My daughter has more confidence going on a stage and speaking to the cafeteria, or now she's in a play, because she sees me do it. And even though she came to the community and she knew that I was, you know, running that community and that was a big part of her life, what she sees now, she's emulating. Hmm. And if nothing else happens, I know that I have done my job because she has seen me be successful inside of a community. She has seen me separate from that community and be really sad about it. And then she has seen me do this. Wow. And she is now on the stage doing things that she's scared of. Which is fascinating. And you're gonna have the same, you're gonna have the same experience with your daughters.

Norman: 27:42

Oh yeah. They already want their own shows. They practice, like we have videos of them. But, the biggest compliment and I, and accomplishment I've probably had during this journey is one day, my daughter,'cause they have aftercare, so they do like, things on the computer. She said, daddy, what's your YouTube channel again? I wanna show my friends at school. Your YouTube page, your channel and everything, your videos. And that probably, that almost brought me to tears.'cause the fact that my daughter is proud of me, enough to share it with her friends at school, and, brag about it. Like that's, that's been my biggest accomplishment and moment honestly.

Erin: 28:22

Absolutely it is. my daughter tells me that I'm an influencer and that I'm famous, and I say to her, I say to her, I'm not an influencer. I am, I like to be a person of influence, but I'm, I am your principal famous. You know what I mean? Like I, I'm like, you're principal famous. Here are certain people who know who I'm, I'm not famous. Do you know what I mean?

Norman: 28:45

no. That is so funny. It feels good to be recognized and the fact that we understand, and, and my cousin Chris, always mention him, he helped me understand that and own who you are. Yes. Own who you are. Yes. And much of my life, and my, and my dad kinda raised me this way. I always used to, he always raised me to like be prepared for the worst, right? And so that in turn, always, I don't know if it, this is the cause of this, but I always looked at fixing myself. I always looked at how do I improve me. Mm-hmm. But that made me not focus on my strengths. Yes. Now focus on what Norman have to bring to the table. What I offer. Yes. And once I really own that, like that year of when, when I was 35 or two years ago, almost a year and a half. When I own who I am, I embraced it. I start showcasing, oh, I work for hospice. I became the hospice guy. oh. I work for, in business development now and people see me and I just start taking pride in who I am and what my strengths are and just start showcasing it. And God just really just elevated it from there, to be honest.

Erin: 29:57

Oh my gosh, that is so good. Because when we try to fix everything that we're not. The only thing we can become is average. Yep. Yep. Nobody wants average. Nope. Well, when you stop comparing yourself to everybody else, and you start owning who you are, and you start sharpening those areas that are your God-given strengths, right? Your innate abilities, all of a sudden you stand out and you remove yourself from the people who never wanted your strengths and who didn't appreciate them.

Norman: 30:27

Oh yeah. So I heard a wise man say, Dr. Miles Monroe actually. He said, you want riches, you want finances, you want opportunities, whether it's jobs or deals. He said, make yourself valuable.

Erin: 30:42

Mm-hmm.

Norman: 30:42

Make yourself valuable. And those things were attracted to you. And so I said that I have to make creative. I want my company to. Be valuable, right? I want people, I want to build it out to the point where people are, we are being approached as we like to say, a business hot leads, right? Mm-hmm. Hot leads when someone is calling you, right? That's a, you have more opportunity to convert on that, right? And that's been my goal is just to make myself valuable.

Erin: 31:14

God, I feel like I'm in

Norman: 31:15

church.

Erin: 31:17

so here, here's, it's, it's funny, it's. This is two entrepreneurs talking and Norman still has a job, right? Yeah. He still has job, his W2

Norman: 31:27

job, I said, my job, job that pay my bills. Bills. Yes.

Erin: 31:31

Yes. Yeah. And, and I, I want to say is that this is how entrepreneurs talk because this is how entrepreneurs are trained. This is not how healthcare leaders are trained. And this is why I started this podcast for conversations like these. This is why I started the mentoringship programs because why do entrepreneur entrepreneurs get trained like this and healthcare leaders do not? Mm. Why? Why is it so important to be an entrepreneur? And it's not quote unquote important to be. A healthcare leader, like healthcare leaders should be hearing this type of information because if I had, if I had understood that my strengths are what I need to work on, if I could have understood the fear of rejection, the fear of failure, the fear of judgment was what was holding me back. If I would've understood that I need to understand my own value. Ooh. So my team could understand their value and worth in a way, and for me not to wait for somebody to look at me and deem that I was valuable by giving me a title up the ladder or whatever it is, right?

Norman: 32:37

chasing titles,

Erin: 32:39

chasing affirmations from people who don't have the time to give it to you, right? like all of a sudden retention shifts in a positive way instead of a negative way. Norman, you have just proved my point.

Norman: 32:56

Yes. Thank you. Thank you.

Erin: 32:58

That is amazing. and I think it's a, when we talk about it from this, from this standpoint. Because you and I are both visible and vocal and are showing up for ourselves and for others. Why do you think it's so important, knowing what you know now, the training and the investment that you've made in yourself for leaders inside of the community, the pro, the senior living profession, the hospice profession, you know, the healthcare profession in general. Why do they need to be visible and vocal?

Norman: 33:31

that's a great question. I'll say this. Finding your purpose. I sought God for weeks praying the same prayer. God give me direction. After the event, space thing fizzled out. It didn't work. I said, God, I'm not about losing money now. You know that. You know, you doing it. So, I said, but I want you to give me the discernment. build out the plan and the path that you have for me, Lord, and show, show it to me. And I just would pray that every day, and it start just coming to me over time. I would meditate about it as well. I, the goal for me was to take what I had accomplished.'cause again, like I said, I'm 35, 36 years old. Like, it's still kinda in my mind. It's never too late in my mind. You know, I'm not a, like, I know people say lifelong learners and everything, but I believe in learning what interests me. I know that sound bad, okay? But that's the truth. but so I said I wanted to take my credentials. What I've learned, my experiences, how do I maximize those things and create something for myself, right? And then I want it to be something that has not worked for me. That's something that I could be 70 years old and still have an interest in doing, and it's not a job. I feel good about doing it.

Erin: 34:48

Mm-hmm. Right.

Norman: 34:49

So, and that's what I created with my own company. I, IUI utilize my skillset that's natural. I utilize my education, my experiences, and I said I'm going to do that for myself. I'm gonna provide the care that I feel like I'm able to provide to the community the way I wanted to provide it. and that really what, that's really what happened. So it is important to vocalize what you do. I said my, my thought process is simple. Everybody show everything else. You go on social media, you see everything else, but why does healthcare has to be hidden or mm-hmm. Not as important or I don't know. So cring, right? Mm-hmm. It's, it is a lot of great stores and great people. funny aspects, enjoyment, laughter that happens in healthcare. It is, that's, those are facts. Right. there's a lot of drama, spicy, conversations and everything that happens in healthcare. but so I, I challenge, leaders and not only in healthcare, but in general, own who you are. and first of all, most importantly, connect with your passion and purpose.

Erin: 36:00

Yeah. and allow that to shine through your leadership. To be visible and to be vocal in the areas in your strength zone, so your confidence and your authenticity can shine. Okay? You have enlightened us and you have motivated and inspired us. I, again, feel like I am talking to John Maxwell or Steve Harvey, or faster somebody, you know what I mean? But tell us about comfort measures, consulting, media, and advocacy. I wanna make sure I give you time. you have a podcast. Yeah. yours are in person, which are fun, and you're hosting and, and now you are a, a platform for other voices. You are creating the table. So I wanna make sure that you have time to talk about that.

Norman: 36:48

Thank you so much. comfort Measures Consulting was just originally started out with. Me learning, working in hospice at the time, I saw that families needed opportunities to connect with the best facilities for care for their loved ones. Mm-hmm. Right. I didn't realize that there were senior living, agents out there that helped. Families out in the community actually find placement. I didn't even know that was the industry. I just saw it as an area of need. And then based on my research, I was like, oh man, people already doing this. You have a place for mom, you have care, you have all of these entities that's doing this already. so that's really started confirmation consulting from there. and then I always watch podcasts. Podcasts is like, I watch those more than television and. I would dream about a podcast for healthcare. to give a, to give people that are, I guess not as celebrated as they should be. but have so much knowledge and they really do the groundwork out here. and COVID showed us that, COVID showed us the industries that we could not live without. And one of those industries was the care industry, the healthcare industry. So I said, well, I'm gonna turn those people into celebrities. The movie stars, they couldn't work at the time, right? Mm-hmm. Nobody was shooting. I mean, you would find movies here and there, but, but we saw that healthcares, if they didn't show up to those nursing homes, to the hospitals, to these clinics, to do those testings, to gown up every single day, what would've happened? And, so I said, those are the true heroes and those are the people I'm gonna shine a light on. because they had so many, it's, it's so much knowledge and it really just expanded from there. Mm-hmm. and then that's when I saw an opportunity to consult. I said, okay, well, I've given out advice to, and I al that's my personal care advocacy. That's where that came in

Erin: 38:46

from. Mm-hmm.

Norman: 38:47

Um, just me working in n in nursing homes is so many family members. Coming into the skilled nursing setting, don't know anything about their mom. Right. And I'll give you an example. Mom have a stroke, is up in the hospital. The kids being that they don't have the conversations about power of attorney, knowing how to evaluate a skilled nursing facility or a LF appropriately, knowing what Mama insurance plans covered, knowing how Medicaid work, knowing any of those things. Um, and I would sit before families. Day after day, week after week, and they just weren't prepared. And I look at my own life, my family, that wasn't a conversation that my parents had, early on. and, and I have a lot of family members that way, and I'm pretty sure the world is right. we only think about healthcare when we need. So I wanted to create a platform that would enable people with resources, right. But also shine a light on, other individuals that are really and truly doing, good things out here in the community. Mm-hmm. and that's what I did. So that's really the origin, the origins of Comfort Measures Consulting.

Erin: 39:56

Yeah. It's definitely a mission driven. Um. Passion project, which is exciting, and if you can support it where there's a YouTube channel.

Norman: 40:05

Yes, yes. So now we're, building, um, and we're expanding, of course, that come from scaling the business, and growth. Uh, we've been blessed to, created the Comfort Measures Media Division. You can find us on YouTube at Comfort Measures Media. definitely subscribe to the channel and hit the notification bell as well. check us out on Facebook at Comfort Measures Consulting and Instagram at CMC Media as well. so we're building out a platform of other podcast hosts that they, so that they have a, a voice. So the pillars of Comfort Measures Media is, empowerment. leadership advocacy, those are the pillars. So I want people to understand that this is going to, this is Florida's number one entertainment station. and it's not only just a healthcare focused platform. it's for other leaders similar that has niche like yours, you know? Mm-hmm. That want to inspire others. And, um, I'm so excited to have Jennifer Eatings, on the platform as our first, podcast, host, and her show will be coming out here, in this fall. Uh, the call, like collective is the na, is the name of her show, and she's advocating for nurses and, and being there for them to share their journey and their passions, um, but also for people that have trauma as well. So, um, I love her initiative and we'll be signing other podcast hosts as well, um, uh, here in the future through conference managers media. so wanna build out the media space and then move into the community. So the ultimate goal with, media and advocacy is to, create community, seminars, webinars. About, different resources that could benefit family members in regards to prevention and awareness in the healthcare area, right? Mm-hmm. Uh, not only healthcare, but in the financial aspect. in marriage. Uh, so the other podcast host that I'm signing, I want them to have some sort of differentiation. from my platform as well, um, because I truly want to empower the community and move it in person, right? Where I have these live workshops and events, that the community can actually, attend. And I have those podcast hosts as the guest speakers, as the person that sort of, um, put together those workshops and, for the community as well. So that's the. That's the goal overall, and that's what we're working towards right now, is to really become more hands-on in the community, and providing them them resources outside of the content space.

Erin: 42:38

I think what you're doing there is a point that I truly believe is that when you give influence, away, influence will come back to you.

Norman: 42:48

Wow. That's a big one. That's good.

Erin: 42:50

give, you'll receive. know

Norman: 42:53

that's true. And, and God will send you the people in your life, that could help you bridge that journey. Your friends. And that's another one Dr. Miles Monroe said. He said, your friend should be people that are dedicated to helping you reach your vision. Those should be your friends. So I pray that prayer, God send me people that have my best interests. No shady people over here. No people that stand on their word and, have morals and values on. That's one thing I do not do. I don't lie myself with someone that doesn't have morals and values.'cause I, I'm, I manage and govern my life off of principles, right? Mm-hmm. My, me giving you my word on something and not being able to live up to that, that crushes me. Like that crushes me. I, I love, I, I cannot, I don't like not keeping my word. I'll just say that, right? Sure. Yeah, it's true.

Erin: 43:45

Well, when consistency is your superpower, we understand, you know what I mean? I, my cup is full. Thank you so much for this conversation. I just love it. I know that it was a lot about entrepreneurship. But what I have learned now more than anything is that leadership inside of a community is a lot like entrepreneurship. There are people that want us. To own or be the CEO of our community. Well, that's gonna require ownership and entrepreneurial thought. So thank you for sharing those thoughts, those pearly wisdom full of nuggets. it had no, it has filled my cup, so thank you. you can find Comfort Measures Consulting on YouTube, so make sure to check him out. Listen to his podcasts. He is Norman Harris, Jr. And, thank you for listening. Thank you for your time today. Have a great day, and as always, aspire for more for you. Yes, ma'am. Alright.

Norman: 44:42

Thank you all. Thank you for having me.