My guest for Episode #290 of the My Favorite Mistake podcast is Michelle Rankine, Ph.D., a trailblazing entrepreneur in the health space who built a multimillion-dollar home care franchise business to address disparities in Black and Brown communities.

Episode page with video, transcript, and more

A former sports executive with roles at major organizations like the U.S. Olympic Committee, Michelle found her calling in senior home care after her brother’s tragic car accident left him paralyzed. Driven by a strong sense of purpose and community, she now owns three Right at Home franchises in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, prioritizing quality care and bridging critical gaps for aging adults.

In this episode, Michelle and host Mark Graban explore her biggest lessons learned: why trust is essential when building a business, how data-driven KPIs can spark growth, and where home care fits into the spectrum of healthcare services.

Michelle shares her personal story of shifting from the security of collegiate sports administration to the uncertainty of entrepreneurship, revealing how she discovered resilience, the importance of coaching, and the power of focusing on the right goals.

Key themes include fostering health equity, measuring what matters, and creating supportive networks—whether for Olympic athletes or for families needing respite care.

• Could you share your “favorite mistake,” and how did you learn from it?
• Was your realization about needing to trust others gradual, or was there a clear wake-up call?
• Which key KPIs helped you decide to step away from handling sales yourself?
• How did your team respond when you began delegating more, and did you get any feedback about micromanaging?
• What led you from a career in sports management to launching a home care business?
• How do the resilience and focus you gained in athletics translate to entrepreneurship?
• What are the biggest health disparities you aim to address, and how do your franchises help bridge those gaps?
• Could you clarify the difference between ‘home care’ and ‘home health,’ and why does that distinction matter?
• Why do some families wait too long to seek help, and how can people avoid that mistake?
• What advice would you offer to adult children who find themselves caring for aging parents, especially when roles reverse?

I’m taking the next two weeks off, but I’ll be back with new episodes on January 6th.

Please check out the back catalog of episodes!

If you’re looking for something to read over the holidays, my book The Mistakes That Make Us: Cultivating a Culture of Learning and Innovation (that contains many stories and lessons learned from my guests… and my own career) is available for a special price — the Kindle format is just $2.99 (and equivalent prices around the world).

Visit Amazon in your country, or go to mistakesbook.com to learn more and to get a free preview.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

My guest for Episode #289 of the My Favorite Mistake podcast is Jonathan Bailey, founder of PlagiarismToday.com. He’s also a Copyright and Plagiarism Consultant at CopyByte, with background and education in Journalism.

Episode page with video, transcript, and more

He’s spoken at conferences worldwide, including four of the International Plagiarism Conferences, three SXSWi Conferences, and much more. He’s also been featured in countless publications, including The Boston Globe, The Guardian, PBS MediaShift, The New York Times, and the BBC, to name a few.

In today's episode, Jonathan discusses his journey as a leading voice in copyright and plagiarism consulting. He shares insights into the challenges of protecting intellectual property in the digital age, offering practical advice on addressing online plagiarism, copyright infringement, and related issues.

Jonathan reflects on a career-defining mistake where he made a fear-driven decision to take an exclusive job, which ultimately led him to realize the importance of betting on himself.

The conversation also spans topics such as effective ways to handle plagiarism, the role of proper attribution, and the differences between copyright and plagiarism, offering valuable lessons for content creators and businesses navigating intellectual property challenges.

• What is your favorite mistake?
• What is your best definition of plagiarism in both academic and business contexts?
• How do you handle gray areas in plagiarism, such as overly close paraphrasing or using someone’s ideas without credit?
• What inspired you to start Plagiarism Today?
• What advice would you give to content creators dealing with websites that copy their work without permission?
• How does the DMCA process work for addressing online copyright infringement?
• What mistakes do people make in assuming online content (like photos or videos) is free to use?
• Can you explain the difference between “free” and “royalty-free” content?
• How can podcasters or creators avoid legal pitfalls when using music or other media?
• Are there connections between your haunted house work and intellectual property issues, such as using copyrighted characters?
• Why is copying and pasting content on platforms like LinkedIn or Threads a problem, even when attribution is provided?
• What steps can platforms like LinkedIn take to address copyright infringement?
• How should creators respond to claims that unauthorized use of their work is "helping give it exposure"?