It started in June 2013 when we began researching the market to find lowest barrier to enter. We studied about the industry, began writing the application for Private Home Care Provider. Despite the State advice to hire a consultant, we self learned from information available on Internet. We read every line of Rules and Regulations from Healthcare Facility Regulations Department at least twice. Some sections over five times. When we finished 80 pages long of application, we had lawyers from Nelson Mullins review it only to be disappointed by State disapproving the application and lawyers cleverly not taking responsibility with their cunning logic. During this process we learned that we want to serve Medicare patients and lowest barrier with feasible capital investment was obtaining a license for Home Health agency. This wasn't no ordinary license where you fill out an application and just get it. We had to prove to the state that there is a need of our service in particular area of Georgia. State announces twice year whether they would be open to hear proof of need depending on population projection against current available providers. Many big names apply and they all argue why they are better and why others are not, usually ending up in court battles through appeal processes or a rich company locking other in litigation process. Startup companies have no businesses being in this fight including Joynus Care. On top of that this window of opportunity has not opened for last three years. This time it opened just in time when we said we are going to disrupt Healthcare industry, Exception to Need where big players don't enter. It's usually for startups. It's a gateway. It was surrendipitous, the universe is calling us, we felt right to go for it. We hired an experienced consulatant who spends all year long working on Certificate of Need in multi states. Their fee is enough to buy a new luxury car. We had great numbers to prove the need of service for Asian community, growth rate of this demographic was outrageous and nobody had any clue why understanding their culture and speaking their language will yield gargantuan value as a healthcare provider. Then there came someone who understood this as our competition. Then we both had one of the big players in the South opposing us and eventually succeeding. It was clever, working every angle, political maneuver with scaring reviewers with possible appeal that State was already losing in Court battle with another case.
We withdrew the application as a proof to the state that we will not appeal their decision. In return we got to hear the reason for rejection. Our consultant struggled to control his lividness and Eunsook mesmerized the room with her charisma and tearful story of a speech therapist forcing Korean elder to say "Apple" even though she doesn't know a word of English. Later that day, state lawyer told our consultant how glad she is not to do paperwork state rejected CON application, not knowing she was talking about our application. For her it was one night of paperwork, but for us it was many months of running around the city gathering 1,500 supporters' letters.
We were disappointed and bitter, with promise of never giving up on this, we returned home and immediately focused on next project. In the mean time, we submitted the application for the third time, this time we didn't seek Nelson Mullin's help. Only lesson we got out working with them was never trust people who use cunning tongue of fake confidence and two rejections from the state reviewer. This time we went back to basics, Rules and Regulations. Third attempt is all you get. It was Do it Die and we made it.
Although we cheered when we got the preliminary license, we didn't celebrate. The cut from CON denial still hasn't scarred yet. We built a headhunter department in Joynus staffing that generates consistent and enough cash flow to afloat Joynus Care. Then we hired a nurse, an intern, a marketing director and a 30 years veteran administrator. We officially started Joynus Care's Private Home Care Provider. We moved into a new office. We advertised, hired caregivers, visited doctor's offices and hospitals. Our phones are ringing everyday, orientation is conducted every two weeks, word of mouth is spreading at a smaller scale, a day is rapid, Friday comes too fast, we share common vision and we definitely see the momentum. We are thinking big right now, we are acting on it, we can persevere in our low days with passion, this boat is well its way toward the deep ocean and now it's up to us to turn this boat into a ship. We will continue to remind us that Universe has tested was with CON so that we can be humble and build a strong foundation.
