Erin Thompson
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.
Author
Erin Thompson
Category
Podcast website
Latest episode
Jun 11, 2026
Where to listen?
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Episodes
It’s Not the First Impression, It’s the Lasting One That Builds a Legacy 23.10.2025 41:12
Send me your feedback on this episode! Transitions are where leadership is most visible, and most vulnerable. In this episode, Erin shares her most personal stories and leadership strategies for guiding families, residents, and teams through the emotional, unpredictable, and critical moments of change. You’ll learn: The TRUE framework for leading transitions with compassion Why the last impression...
The Invisible Tornado: How Avoidance and Awareness Shape Leadership 16.10.2025 24:31
Send me your feedback on this episode! In this deeply personal episode of Aspire for More with Erin , Erin shares a raw reflection on her upcoming keynote and the lessons that built it. She unpacks how trauma, avoidance, and over-functioning quietly shape leadership—and how facing our discomfort is the real path to growth. You’ll hear: Why 34% of the senior living workforce carries trauma that imp...
Speak Like a Visionary Leader 09.10.2025 38:40
Send me your feedback on this episode! Speak Like a Visionary Leader: 5 Communication Shifts That Change Everything Description: Communication isn’t just how you talk—it’s how you lead, build trust, and influence every room you walk into. In this solo episode, Erin breaks down 5 powerful communication shifts that will help you speak like a visionary, not just a manager. Whether you're leading...
The Power of Pauses, Potato Chips and Purposeful Words 02.10.2025 43:31
Send me your feedback on this episode! 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 speechwriter for Dave Ramsey, and one of the Top 20 Communication Experts in the U.S. — to unpack the power of words, storytelling, and clarity in leadershi...
Start Where You Are, Use what You Have, Lead Anyway w/Norman Harris 25.09.2025 45:36
Send me your feedback on this episode! 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...
Maverick Operational and Sales Leadership w/Lisa Anderson 18.09.2025 44:00
Send me your feedback on this episode! Learn more about the 100% Leader here New ED's Playbook to Creating and IMpactful Community Cultrue Connect with me on LinkedIn Follow me on Facebook where I educate, equip and empower family members how to proactively care for their elderly loved ones. Follow me on Instagram where I educate, equip and empower family members how to proactively care for...
Creating a Culture that Sticks w/Kate Bertam 11.09.2025 43:31
Send me your feedback on this episode! 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 More with Erin , Kate and I dig deep into the truths leaders often overlook: Why culture shows up most clearly on a Tuesday afternoon in the middle of...
The CARE Framework: Interview Smarter, Hire Stronger 03.09.2025 33:02
Send me your feedback on this episode! 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 Solutions , to unpack the CARE Framework —a practical, people-centered approach to interviewing that reduces turnover and raises the bar...
Fail Forward: The Freedom Framework 28.08.2025 41:21
Send me your feedback on this episode! 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 fact, it can refine you. Erin introduces the FAIL → GAIN Framework and shares personal stories, practical leadership lessons, and the mindset...
From Failure to Unstoppable Growth 21.08.2025 38:44
Send me your feedback on this episode! 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 to 100% occupancy just months after COVID, to being fired to , Erin shares her personal story of transformation, breaking...
Be Human not Hollywood with Documentarian Peter Murphy Lewis 14.08.2025 37:39
Send me your feedback on this episode! 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 , the groundbreaking documentary shining a light on the passion, grit, and humanity of long-term care teams. You’ll hear why authe...
11 Truths No One Tells You About Being an ED...with Kent Mulkey 07.08.2025 42:40
Send me your feedback on this episode! 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 Kent Mulkey , Founder of Elevation Coaching and Membership Sales Executive for One-on-One Sales Academy, whose viral LinkedIn...
Rethinking Dementia Training: Tools, Mindset, and ROI That Actually Work 31.07.2025 42:32
Send me your feedback on this episode! 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 Institute Natalie Kravitz , Director of Engagement Operations at Activity Connection and Dementia Connection Institute Ambassador Together,...
Simple Tools Profound Impact: Reimagining Dementia Education with Allyson Schrier 24.07.2025 48:10
Send me your feedback on this episode! 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 discuss how personal experience, curiosity, and innovation led to a tool that's transforming dementia education. From caregiving for her husband w...
What Gets You to 100, in Occupancy and in Life 17.07.2025 46:51
Send me your feedback on this episode! 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 about the quiet, steady rhythm of doing the right things over and over again. In this episode, you’ll learn: Why 100%...
The Hidden Power of Hard Talks with Jeannie Frazier 10.07.2025 41:20
Send me your feedback on this episode! Learn more about the 100% Leader here New ED's Playbook to Creating and IMpactful Community Cultrue Connect with me on LinkedIn Follow me on Facebook where I educate, equip and empower family members how to proactively care for their elderly loved ones. Follow me on Instagram where I educate, equip and empower family members how to proactively care for...
Grow the Leader, Save the Community with Blair Quasnitschka 26.06.2025 45:11
Send me your feedback on this episode! 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 Quasnitschka , a seasoned senior living leader and board member of the American College of Health Care Administrators (ACHCA), for a rea...
How Do You Know if You are Ready to Quit or Need to Grow? 19.06.2025 39:29
Send me your feedback on this episode! 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 Emotional Phases every Executive Director goes through, the mindset traps that keep you stuck, and 3 powerful questions to ask before you hand in...
R.I.S.E. a Framework for Leadership in the Modern Era 12.06.2025 40:23
Send me your feedback on this episode! R.I.S.E. a Framework for Leadership in the Modern Era In this podcast episode designed for leaders seeking mentoring and motivation, the focus is on transitioning from control-based leadership to influence-based leadership. Erin introduces the RISE framework, which stands for Relationships, Inspiration, Strategy, and Empowerment. The episode covers how contr...
Assume Nothing... a conversation with Malinda Shultice 05.06.2025 38:39
Send me your feedback on this episode! 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. They explore the importance of not assuming others share the same knowledge, categorizing tasks to avoid feeling overwhelmed, an...
How to Spot Influence in an Interview, Before the Resume Says a Word 22.05.2025 32:52
Send me your feedback on this episode! Learn more about the 100% Leader here New ED's Playbook to Creating and IMpactful Community Cultrue Connect with me on LinkedIn Follow me on Facebook where I educate, equip and empower family members how to proactively care for their elderly loved ones. Follow me on Instagram where I educate, equip and empower family members how to proactively care for...
Stop Answering and Start Asking: The Power of Questions 15.05.2025 33:09
Send me your feedback on this episode! Learn more about the 100% Leader here New ED's Playbook to Creating and IMpactful Community Cultrue Connect with me on LinkedIn Follow me on Facebook where I educate, equip and empower family members how to proactively care for their elderly loved ones. Follow me on Instagram where I educate, equip and empower family members how to proactively care for...
What is a PACE Program? You want to know... 08.05.2025 39:59
Send me your feedback on this episode! Championing PACE: Comprehensive Care for the Elderly with Donna Wilhelm In this episode, Erin reconnects with Donna Wilhelm, Vice President for Advocacy and Government Relations for Trinity Health Continuing Care, to discuss the impactful PACE (Programs of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly) program. Donna shares insights about her career shift into senior li...
Clinton or Letterman, That is the Question with Jeff Bell 01.05.2025 45:42
Send me your feedback on this episode! 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, address it, and build stronger relationships (David Letterman strategy) The truth? You can't lead through crisis by pretending it’s not happening...
Freedom isn't free: How Real Leaders Let Go and Scale Up 24.04.2025 37:57
Send me your feedback on this episode! Learn more about the 100% Leader here New ED's Playbook to Creating and IMpactful Community Cultrue Connect with me on LinkedIn Follow me on Facebook where I educate, equip and empower family members how to proactively care for their elderly loved ones. Follow me on Instagram where I educate, equip and empower family members how to proactively care for...
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