{"id":441,"date":"2021-12-23T18:49:42","date_gmt":"2021-12-23T18:49:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/synergyhomecare.com\/sc-hilton-head-29928\/?p=441"},"modified":"2021-12-23T18:49:42","modified_gmt":"2021-12-23T18:49:42","slug":"mark-piegza-of-synergy-homecare-5-things-you-should-do-to-become-a-thought-leader-in-your-industry","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/synergyhomecare.com\/sc-hilton-head-29928\/knowledge-center\/mark-piegza-of-synergy-homecare-5-things-you-should-do-to-become-a-thought-leader-in-your-industry\/","title":{"rendered":"Mark Piegza of SYNERGY HomeCare: 5 Things You Should Do to Become a Thought Leader in Your Industry"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
\n
\n

“Be decisive.\u00a0Trust your gut instincts. <\/em>We did this when implementing compensation arrangements for our best employees, <\/em>and it has set us apart from the competition in terms of being a place where the best <\/em>of the best want to work. Once you make a decision, implement it without delay!”\u00a0\u00a0 \u2014<\/em>Mark Piegza<\/strong><\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n
<\/div>\n
\n
\n
\n

As part of <\/em>our series about how to become known as a thought leader<\/em><\/a>\u00a0in your industry, I had the pleasure of interviewing Mark Piegza.<\/em><\/p>\n

Mark Piegza is co-owner of SYNERGY HomeCare of the Lowcountry in Hilton Head, South Carolina, a provider of high-quality in-home care.<\/em><\/p>\n

He started the company with his wife Lisa and Bob and Melissa Risk, with a mission<\/em> to provide outstanding care to fellow residents of the Lowcountry while creating a collegial and rewarding work environment for their team.<\/em><\/p>\n

Additionally, Mark is experienced executive and entrepreneur with a history of building, growing, and operating businesses and also providing strategic advice to clients with expertise in corporate finance, venture capital, acquisitions, investment banking and strategic partnerships.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n

\n
\n
\n

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Our readers would love to \u201cget to know you\u201d a bit better. Can you share your \u201cbackstory\u201d with us?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Prior to to getting into the home care industry, I spent 25 years in investment banking working for companies like Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette, Bank of America Securities, UBS and many more. I then co-founded U.S. Space LLC, a business that provided satellite communication services to the U.S. government and spent 10 years as the Chief Financial Officer. After witnessing my own parents\u2019 aging process, as well as my in-laws, my wife and I saw the need for quality in-home care for seniors who wished to live out their lives safely and to their fullest. Alongside our friends and partners, Bob and Melissa Risk, my wife and I decided to open SYNERGY HomeCare of Lowcountry, located in Hilton Head, SC., where we could provide proper care to those in need, including family caregivers who required respite. Although this was a big second-career change for all of us, we felt a personal connection to the in-home care industry, and we knew it was the right time to switch gears.<\/p>\n

Can you briefly share with our readers why you are an authority about the topic of thought leadership?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

I have a long career in business and working in fast-paced environments where you have to become a thought leader in order to excel and differentiate yourself with unique and creative ideas that set you apart from the competition. That\u2019s how I learned how to think outside the box and come up with new strategies to become an influential leader in my field. Transitioning over to home and health care, I was able to take that business approach and manage SYNERGY HomeCare of Lowcountry effectively.<\/p>\n

Our team is constantly coming up with new ways to market ourselves, maintain positive client relationships, and recruit and retain caregivers, which is our bread and butter in the business. We strive to make our office an attractive place to work, with a beneficial compensation plan that makes our caregivers and staff members want to stay with us.<\/p>\n

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you started your career?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

At the height of the pandemic, we had an incredible client come to us after she had injured her foot from a fall in her home and required professional care.<\/p>\n

Since 1990, Jeanette Cram, also known as the \u201cCookie Lady,\u201d has been sending homemade cookies to troops overseas with her nationwide nonprofit organization, Treat The Troops, alongside her hundreds of volunteers called the \u201cCrumbs.\u201d Jeanette has received national acclaim for her charitable work, including meeting with President George H.W. Bush and First Lady Barbara Bush, as well as appearing on The Montel Williams Show and alongside Martha Stewart.<\/p>\n

When Jeanette came to us, she was mentally and physically distraught from her challenging recovery and fell into a deep depression. Right away, we began 24\/7 service to improve her condition and we were pleased to find that Jeanette got along exceptionally well with her primary caregiver, Julia Marshall.<\/p>\n

Julia challenged her and was able to get her to a point where she could move around the house again. Their bond grew so strong that they view each other as family now, with Julia even spending Thanksgiving with Jeanette and her adult children.<\/p>\n

Seeing the effect that Julia had on Jeanette\u2019s life is a reminder as to why I got into the in-home industry in the first place. Jeanette has gone from having no will to live to living a fulfilling and independent life, all thanks to the considerate care given by Julia, someone who was once a stranger to her. After talking with Jeanette, she let us know how grateful she was not only for the care, but also because we reminded her that she was not a burden and she did not have to live out the rest of her days in isolation.<\/p>\n

Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

When we started SYNERGY HomeCare of Lowcountry, our office space wasn\u2019t ready to move in just yet, so we had our first opening day running out of our partners, Bob and Melissa\u2019s home. As we were getting through the first-day jitters, we were startled by a tree falling across their porch outside. Talk about bad timing!<\/p>\n

Although the damage wasn\u2019t too bad, it had added some stress onto an already nerve-wracking situation. Looking back, we\u2019re able to laugh about the situation, however we learned how important it is to have a quiet back-up \u201coffice\u201d just in case something unpredictable happens.<\/p>\n

Ok, thank you for that. Let\u2019s now jump to the main focus of our interview. In a nutshell, how would you define what a \u2018Thought Leader\u2019 is? How is a thought leader different from a typical leader? How is a thought leader different from an influencer?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

A thought leader is someone who has the ability to drive industry discussions and inspire others by thinking of new ideas and being able to turn their thoughts into successes. Not only do they offer value to their company and their peers, but they also provide strategic guidance to help pave a way for growth in their field. While they share many similar qualities with typical leaders, thought leaders have gained a certain credibility that comes from exceeding expectations in order to gain masterful expertise and knowledge to succeed.<\/p>\n

Today\u2019s depiction of an influencer is portrayed as an individual who has gained influential power by being well-known in their field. However, popularity, or the ability to capture an audience, does not equate to reliability. In order to be reliable, you have to be an authoritative figure who possesses both experience and knowledge.<\/p>\n

Can you talk to our readers a bit about the benefits of becoming a thought leader? Why do you think it is worthwhile to invest resources and energy into this?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

One of the biggest benefits of being a thought leader is that people want to work for, and do business with, companies and those who are perceived as thought leaders. Creating an energizing workplace for individuals who appreciate a challenge and being able to share their own innovative ideas attracts valuable talent. Meanwhile, clients and consumers want to work with leaders who know how to run a business that is ahead of the curve.<\/p>\n

When it comes to brand awareness, it\u2019s incredibly beneficial to become a thought leader, because consumers are more likely to value knowledge over a product or service \u2014 especially one that can be accessed from multiple sources. Those who trust your expertise will be those who turn to you for business.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s talk about business opportunities specifically. Can you share a few examples of how thought leadership can help a business grow or create lucrative opportunities?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n