Entrepreneur Starts Senior Care Service

After graduating from the Women’s Economic Ventures (WEV) self-employment training program this past May, Santa Barbara resident Kasey Madigan is applying her newfound business skills to run a senior care business called In Need SB.

A freelance writer with a background in nursing, Madigan started the company in April after recognizing a need for a more intimately run senior care business in the Santa Barbara area. “I decided to go back to my nursing roots and start a senior care business because I knew there was a need for that in town, and I knew I could get it established,” she said. “There are a few in-home facilities, but they are all franchises. I wanted to keep it small and local, with all local caregivers.”

Having worked for an in-home franchise prior to founding In Need SB, Madigan had first-hand experience seeing the way things were run. “I was unhappy with how the clients were treated,” she said. “I want our patients to get compassionate, reliable care. They should not be treated as a number or an income.”

Over the course of WEV’s 14-week program, Madigan was trained in finance, marketing, and leadership skills. “I didn’t have any business plan,” she said. “Beyond opening the website, I had no idea what to do. The program showed me everything I needed to do legally and with a marketing plan.” The course also gave Madigan the confidence she needed to manage In Need SB on her own. “I can’t stress enough how helpful WEV was,” she explained. “My instructor, Julie Sampson, was the best cheerleader ever.”

Currently run by Madigan herself, In Need SB provides individualized nonmedical care for clients who require varying degrees of assistance. “I have one client who needs someone there to feed her, because she can’t feed herself,” said Madigan. “I also have clients who are not able to be alone at all, so I work much longer shifts with them.”

Madigan believes her work is also important because it gives guidance to families who are struggling to care for their elderly relatives. She plans to start a blog on her website to offer such advice,

“A lot of the time, caregivers are family members, and they can be so stressed and feel a lot of pressure,” she said. “I want to let them know they’re not alone and that there’s help available.”

Overall, In Need SB is about keeping families together. “My care allows seniors to stay in their homes, rather than having to move out of the area or leave their families,” said Madigan.

In Need SB is accepting new clients from Goleta to Montecito. Email InNeedSB@gmail.com or see inneedsb.com.