Minorities and Women In Business

Women Who Make A Difference

February/March 2006

SHELLY SUN
Shelly Sun is founder, president and chief executive officer of BrightStar Healthcare and BrightStar Franchising. The company is a fullservice healthcare staffing agency that provides the medical and non-medical care to corporate and private clients. As the senior population continues to grow, a group with greater than average healthcare needs, the demand for health services, especially for home healthcare and nursing and personal care will increase. By 2012, there will be more than 40 million people over the age of 65.

As one of the few companies in the industry that provides both medical and non-medical care, BrightStar is in a unique position to become a leading company in the industry.

Inspired by first-hand experience with the difficulties of finding quality caregivers for her husband’s grandmother, Sun founded BrightStar Healthcare in 2002 to help people find reliable and trustworthy caregivers for their loved ones. Since then, BrightStar has been providing medical and non-medical care to private clients within their homes and supplemental healthcare staff to corporate clients such as hospitals.

Strategic leadership, early steps to strengthen and streamline the business along with a commitment to create strong relationships with BrightStar’s clients, provide quality care and compassion has resulted in significant improvements in all key business metrics, including revenue growth, profitability, cash flow and client satisfaction. For example, realizing that the healthcare industry is paperwork and regulation intensive, Sun created proprietary software that allows BrightStar to ascertain a consistent level of service, revenue, profitability and care. In less than three years company revenues have increased from $0 to $3 million.

While Sun’s business savvy is an obvious contributor to the early success of BrightStar, it’s the commitment to providing a world-class service that really speaks for itself. She firmly believes that in order for a company to become a great business, there has to be absolute client satisfaction and great employees. One of their first private duty clients wouldn’t relocate out of the state unless BrightStar was able to continue to provide him with his in-home care that speaks volumes for the service and relationships BrightStar cultivates with its clients.

BrightStar Healthcare’s early success and growing need prompted Sun to establish BrightStar Franchising in January 2005, making BrightStar the only women- owned franchisor in the healthcare industry. As the primary driver of BrightStar, Sun’s mission is to become the most exceptional healthcare staffing service in the industry, and is committed to making sure the BrightStar culture is one where integrity and relationships are valued above everything else.

 

In addition to growing BrightStar’s reputation in the healthcare industry and among clients, Sun is also dedicated to furthering women in business and helping others to experience the same success that she has been able to achieve. Most recently, she received the Entrepreneur of the Month award from the Chicago Chamber of Commerce in March 2005 and was an ATHENAPowerLink Honoree in May 2005 for a woman who has served as a tremendous professional role model as well as a committed advisor/mentor throughout her professional careers. She is also a National Partner of Women Impacting Public Policy (WIPP); a Health Care Committee appointee; a WIPP Strategic Alliances Council member; and a WIPP National Partner Advisory Board member.

Recognized for her commitment to public policy, small businesses and women’s initiatives, Sun was invited to attend a Democratic Congressional Roundtable with Congresswoman Melissa Bean (IL), Eddie Bernice Johnson (TX), Lois Capps (CA) and others where they discussed SBA loan programs and the Seed Act of 2005 - access to capital for women; small business contracting and the need to ensure that women and minorities have a seat at the table to rebuild New Orleans; and Research and Development initiatives to utilize technology. She also met with key leaders to discuss Association Health Plans, under funding of the Veterans’ Administration and its impact on veteran benefits and the Small Business bill.

She has over 14 years of business experience and most recently served as Vice President and Controller of Avolar in Arlington Heights, Illinois. She is a Certified Public Accountant and holds a Masters of Science in accounting from the University of Colorado and a Bachelors of Science from the University of Tennessee.

Shelly Sun and her husband, J.D., have twin boys and reside in Lake Forest, Illinois.

REPRINTED FROM MINORITIES AND WOMEN IN BUSINESS MAGAZINE — FEBRUARY/MARCH 2006 -Visit www.mwib.com