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Lysa Schulte
The Courage to Care - Pivot to Purpose
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Sometimes it takes burnout to spark a deeper calling. After decades in sales for tech and HR companies (Empath, Phenom and BetterUp), Lysa Schulte found herself questioning whether climbing the corporate ladder was still meaningful. She’d always been a high performer—but now, something else was pulling at her heart: the desire to make a real, personal difference in people's lives, especially seniors.
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Catalyst for Change
The turning point wasn’t a dramatic moment—it was the slow cocooning that happens when you stop forcing forward motion and begin listening to what truly matters. Caring for her mother and mother-in-law during their home care struggles opened Lysa’s eyes to the
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profound gaps in the senior care industry. Simultaneously, coaching support through BetterUp helped her methodically evaluate her values, goals, and what she wanted her next chapter to be.
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She realized she didn’t want to sell solutions anymore—she wanted to be the solution. With the encouragement of her husband and a solid financial safety net, she quietly laid the groundwork for something new: Koda Caregivers.
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The Transformation Process
Lysa didn’t leap blindly. She treated the pivot like building a startup. Initially a side hustle, she invested in learning everything she could about running a home care business—taking courses, consulting experts, and joining a supportive network of agency owners.
But even with preparation, challenges came up:
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Navigating complex compliance regulations and workers’ comp insurance.
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Mastering administrative and operational tasks she’d never faced in sales.
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Dealing with the emotional toll of employee turnover and tough decisions like firing staff.
Through it all, mental fortitude became critical. Lysa leaned on mindfulness tools like Calm, advice from her network, and faith in herself—and in a higher power—to keep moving forward when setbacks tested her resolve.
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Current Role and Reflections
Today, Lysa runs Koda Caregivers, a Southern California-based home care agency focused on helping seniors thrive, not just survive, in their own homes.
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Her approach is deeply personal: pairing clients with caregivers who support not just physical needs but emotional and social well-being. She uses industry-standard software like WellSky for operations and integrates lessons from her sales career to stay sharp, efficient, and client-centered.
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Balancing the demands of business ownership hasn’t been easy. Health, boundaries, and spirituality are now non-negotiable priorities for her. “There will be bad months,” she says, “but you can’t let it take a toll on your health.”
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As a cancer survivor, Lysa knows firsthand that vitality is a gift—and so is the ability to wake up every morning knowing you’re making a difference.
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Advice to Others
If you’re considering following your heart into entrepreneurship, Lysa offers these hard-earned insights:
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Prepare for the ups and downs: Mental fortitude is essential. Expect setbacks and plan for them without letting them damage your health.
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Know what truly drives you: Ask yourself what gets you—or what you wish would get you—out of bed in the morning.
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Protect your health and find balance: Set clear work boundaries. Take time off, even if it’s only half a day at a time.
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Build strong foundations early: Have a trusted attorney, solid compliance processes, and professional systems in place before scaling.
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Anchor yourself spiritually: Whatever your beliefs, faith in something greater can provide strength during uncertain times.
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Don’t let ageism define your future: Reinventing yourself allows you to take ownership of your path—on your terms.
Final Reflection
Lysa’s journey reminds us that pivots aren’t just about doing something different—they’re about becoming more fully ourselves. Success isn’t always measured by titles or income; sometimes, it's found in the quiet, daily acts of care that ripple outward, making the world a little better.