Business Spotlight--Brightstar Healthcare

Name of business: Brightstar Healthcare

Type of business: Home healthcare staffing

Owners: Ed Navales

Founded: 2008

Address: 5079 Lone Tree Way, Antioch

Phone number: 779-9000

Hours: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday; Saturday by appointment; phones are answered 24/7.

Number of employees: 40 to 50

Products and services: Full service healthcare staffing agency available for medical and non-medical home care. Brightstar works with private and corporate clients, hospitals, nursing homes and home assistants.

"Senior make up a large part of our business, but we do work with pediatrics, workers comp cases, veterans and long term health care issue," Navales said.

Navales also said that they are active in the public schools and retail health clinics.

Presently Brightstar is not licensed by the state, but is working on getting all the paper work complete.

How did you get into the business? Navales said he used to work in management consultant and fell in love with health care. "I used to travel four to five days a week nationally and didn't have a lot of time with my family," he said. "When my family experienced its own healthcare issues, it brought me to this journey, to this job. I love what I did, but now I have a passion for my work."

Best part about the business: "Going out and opening cases with the nurses. I like seeing that we give piece of mind and security that loved ones are safe. It's very rewarding," Navales said.

Worst part about the business: Navales said that there really isn't a worst thing, but he does know how hard it is for small businesses in health care industry. He also said that he sees how hard it is for families to can't afford healthcare for their family and trying to come up with alternatives because they can't really afford the care that is needed.

Key to success: "Being available 24/7. That means I answer the phone 95 percent of the time myself," he said. "Also earning the trust of the clients is very important."

Biggest misperception about the business: Navales said that Medicare covers some of the services need for in home care, but not everything. "Brightstar appeals to those who want more for their loved ones," he said.

He explained that Medicare give clients a window of time that they will come and check out the patients. He said that he makes sure that he provides an exact time, is punctual and he provides inexpensive home care.

Future plans: Currently Brightstar has offices that cover the East Contra Costa area, as well as, Central Valley including Lodi, Manteca and Tracy. Soon he would like to open a Stockton office so that he will have two separate teams to cover the large area. Next he would like to move in Solano and Napa counties while continuing to provide the same quality service.