Passion Over Profits: The Real Secret to Entrepreneurial Success

Passion Over Profits: The Real Secret to Entrepreneurial Success

As entrepreneurs, we often find ourselves searching for the next big strategy, the perfect branding, or the most eye-catching marketing campaign. But in my latest conversation on The Amanda Kaufman Show, my guest reminded me of something far more important: passion and purpose are what truly drive success.

I had the pleasure of sitting down with Louis Rios, a CEO, life coach, and business leader with over 14 years of experience in home healthcare and entrepreneurship. Louis is the founder of Continuum Home Healthcare and the owner of Hotbox Tacos, a creative culinary venture. But beyond his impressive resume, what stood out to me most about Louis was his authentic commitment to serving others​.

From Caregiver to CEO: A Journey Rooted in Purpose

Louis didn’t set out to be an entrepreneur. In fact, he had a completely different career path in mind. But when his father fell ill in 2015, Louis made the life-changing decision to step away from his job to care for him. This personal experience not only shaped his perspective on compassionate care but also opened the door to a new calling​.

After his father’s passing, Louis was drawn into the home healthcare industry, not because he had planned it, but because he recognized a real need. He started as a caregiver, providing essential support for elderly clients. One of his first clients, a World War II veteran, reminded him so much of his own father that it became a healing journey for Louis, just as much as a career shift​.

This grassroots start in business is something I deeply relate to. Many of us don’t begin our entrepreneurial journeys with a grand vision—we simply answer a call. It’s about recognizing a gap, stepping into it, and leading with service.

The Role of Authenticity in Entrepreneurship

One of the biggest takeaways from my conversation with Louis was his belief that authenticity beats branding every time. In today’s digital world, we see so many people focusing on logos, aesthetics, and flashy marketing, thinking that will bring them success. But Louis made an incredible point:

"If you're confident in what you're doing, and you're passionate about it, people are gonna see that. They're gonna feel that. And that's gonna strive a lot more further than just all the branding and all the prettiness that you want to put around the logo."​

This is something I see all the time in the coaching space. Too many entrepreneurs focus on how they appear rather than how they serve. The truth? Clients and customers aren’t just looking for something visually appealing—they’re looking for someone they can trust.

How Service Creates Success

One of the most powerful stories Louis shared was about how he built his healthcare business. When the agency he worked for went bankrupt, hundreds of caregivers and clients were left without support. Instead of walking away, Louis took it upon himself to find new placements for every single caregiver and client.

His reward? The trust and confidence of the industry. A contract manager at a major agency told him that if he started his own healthcare business, they would waive the three-year certification requirement and give him an immediate contract​.

This is what happens when you lead with integrity and service—opportunities find you.

The Real Work of Entrepreneurship

Louis and I talked about how so many entrepreneurs think that success is about finding the perfect formula. But the truth is, it’s about doing the work. He emphasized that before taking on financial risks, entrepreneurs need to:

✅ Read and research—Don’t jump in blind. Learn about your industry.
✅ Make strategic connections—Success comes from the people you surround yourself with.
✅ Have a plan—Don’t take out a loan or a line of credit without a clear path forward.

As someone who has worked with countless entrepreneurs, I’ve seen this play out over and over again. Those who invest in their knowledge, build strong relationships, and create a solid plan are the ones who succeed​.

Final Thoughts: Passion Over Profits

At the end of the day, Louis reminded us of a crucial truth:

"People will see whether you're real or not. If you love what you're doing, if you truly want to help and be of service, it's going to shine."​

This is why I love having these conversations. It’s not just about how to make more money—it’s about how to build something meaningful. Whether you're a coach, a business owner, or someone thinking about starting your journey, remember: Your passion is your biggest asset.

🔥 If this conversation resonated with you, be sure to check out the full episode on:
🎧 Apple Podcasts: Listen here
📺 YouTube: Watch now

And don’t forget to grab my free Thrive & Scale Expert Blueprint to help you grow your business:
📕 Download here: Get your copy

Until next time, keep leading with passion and purpose! 🚀

Chapter

• 00:00 Introduction to Luis Rios

• 02:36 Luis's Journey into Entrepreneurship

• 08:25 Navigating the Home Healthcare Industry

• 11:27 The Importance of Client-Centric Service

• 12:46 Building Trust and Authenticity in Business

• 17:02 Future Aspirations and Closing Thoughts

Transcript
Louis Rios (00:00)

if you're confident in what you're doing and what your product and what you have and what you're doing and you're passionate about it, people are gonna see that. They're gonna feel that. And that's gonna strive a lot more further.

Amanda Kaufman (00:32)

Well, hello and welcome back to the Amanda Kaufman show. I am so excited to introduce our next guest in the Coaches That Don't Suck series, Luis Rios. Sorry, Luis Rios. My goodness, I checked with him before. I'm terrible sometimes when I get started with this and get so fired up. But that's okay. know, Luis Rios is an accomplished entrepreneur.

Louis Rios (00:50)

No worries, no worries.

Amanda Kaufman (00:57)

and he is a CEO and a life coach with over 14 years of experience in home health care and business leadership. He is the founder of Continuum Home Healthcare, a company dedicated to providing high quality personalized care that empowers clients to remain independent at home. Lewis also owns Hotbox Tacos, creative culinary venture fueled by his passion for food and innovation.

and I'm a big foodie too, so I can totally appreciate going that direction with entrepreneurship. Known for his expertise in team building, operational efficiency, and client focused service, Lewis has grown his business into thrive, both of his businesses into thriving organizations. Beyond his entrepreneurial success, he is passionate about mentorship, offering business coaching programs that help other entrepreneurs overcome challenges, scale their operations, and achieve

a balanced and fulfilling life. Lewis is a lifelong learner and visionary committed to making a positive impact in his industries and his community. And on a personal note, we were both enrolled in the same coaching program. And Lewis is one of those proactive people who reached out, made a connection. And I'm just going to let you know, he's really impressed me already with how he approaches.

the connections and the relationships. We've had some rescheduling because of family things. And I mean, like, this is what it's all about. Louis, welcome to the show.

Louis Rios (02:27)

Thank you so much. Thank you so much, Amanda, for having me. I'm so, so excited to be here, so excited to share my story, and so excited to share it with all your viewers.

Amanda Kaufman (02:28)

Good job.

I love it, I love it. So Lewis, mean, you have been in business for some time, you're launching your group coaching program, you have a diversity of businesses, so you're in different industries. I mean, tell us a little bit about this story. What has led you to where you are today?

Louis Rios (02:45)

us.

Well, it starts not really from a traditional entrepreneur mindset. I kind of stumbled into entrepreneurship, I would say. It all started with my father. My father became really ill in 2015 or so and really was sick, needed a lot of help, and my mom needed a lot of help as well. So I decided to just step away from my position that I was at, went to go help my dad, took care of him for two years.

Amanda Kaufman (03:10)

Hmm.

Louis Rios (03:19)

He got really ill, ended up passing. And then I ended up going into this state where I was just going to go back to where I was doing manufacturing. I was actually going to be a quality control manager. And so I wanted my quality engineered certificate, all those good things. I was going to go back to school, get my degree, and that's where I was going to be heading. That's where my mindset was at, at that time. Excuse me.

Amanda Kaufman (03:22)

Hmm.

Louis Rios (03:44)

But basically what ended up happening, I go into this individual's house, I get called actually from the agency that I was taking care of my father from, and they said, we have two individuals who are needing care. And one's Hispanic, one is another individual that's a lot younger, but needs care, wants a male. And so I said to them, I'm really not interested. I just lost my father. I'm just not in that state of mind right now to do something like that. They're like, we totally understand.

Two weeks go by, I need to pay bills, I need to get things figured out. So I called the agency back and I said, look, what I can do is I could provide a week or two of work and I can get you that gap of time to find the right perfect individuals for these clients. And they said, yeah, that'd be great. Just give us two weeks. Anything at this point would be great. So I started off with the one individual who was 89 at the time, World War II vet.

Amanda Kaufman (04:33)

Mm.

Louis Rios (04:38)

and was Latino, and I connected with him. He ended up kind of giving me this healing that I didn't know I really needed after losing my dad, but truly reminded me of my dad, reminded me of the things he loved, his coffee, the way he liked his eggs, just all these different things that reminded me of my dad. And so I knew I was in the right place and I began my journey there. So I started there. I ended up taking care of another other...

Amanda Kaufman (04:42)

Hmm.

Louis Rios (05:05)

couple of gentlemen, and then this opportunity opened up in the office. And so what I did was I applied for the job. It was an office full of 13 women. No men had been in that office for 20 years of operation. So I definitely didn't think I had a good chance, but I still applied and I got the job. And so what I ended up doing when I landed at this position, I was determined to learn the business from the back end and not only from that.

Amanda Kaufman (05:19)

you

Mm-hmm.

Louis Rios (05:32)

perspective, but I also wanted to be a help, a beacon of light. I really wanted to be a resource for the individuals that I was going to go and help all these families. I knew it was something that was inside of me that I was meant to do. And so I started off at that position. I learned everything that I could possibly be and do to be a help and a resource to all these families, because I knew it was a dark time. I knew it was a scary time. I knew that it was time that they didn't really know what they were about to embark in.

And so I wanted to kind of be someone who led more of an example, explaining the role, what was going to happen, how this was going to be from start to finish, and how we were going to carry your loved one, and that you could trust me from start to finish.

Amanda Kaufman (06:13)

That's incredible. I, I, yeah.

Louis Rios (06:13)

And so then I basically

kind of.

Amanda Kaufman (06:17)

Continue.

Louis Rios (06:17)

No, and so, so basically from there, I, I learned a lot about the position. I end up going on to become the manager there, lead two offices, just learn a lot more about the business side, I wasn't really planning on doing, but I was put into this position to say, Hey, we need you as a leader and you're really showing this leadership skills that you can bring a team together that.

typically doesn't really gel well. And I was very good at learning people's personalities and making people work well together to know and understand that we had a job to accomplish. And so I got really well at that. And then years went by, the business goes bankrupt. Takes a little bit of time for me to kind of figure out my next steps. I go to another agency and then that company ends up selling to us out of state.

Amanda Kaufman (07:00)

Mmm.

Louis Rios (07:09)

And then I asked my wife, said, hey, I have this passion, this drive, and I have a lot of this understanding of this business side. I really want to take a chance and open up Continuum Home Healthcare. And so I took a line of credit on the house and it didn't really go as easy as I wanted it to go, but I started it. And that's all I knew I had to do. I had to get to that starting point.

Amanda Kaufman (07:32)

That's amazing, that's amazing. I love your story, Louis, because it starts so grassroots. You're right there on the ground doing the work, and it's reminding me a lot of actually how I got into coaching in the first place. I would characterize it was accidental, and there was this necessity, and I had to step into...

Louis Rios (07:54)

Mm-hmm.

Right.

Amanda Kaufman (07:57)

this role and it was like uncertain and not terribly well paved or well-worn path, but it was very needed and people were responding. And I really love too like how you didn't just jump right in to, okay, I'm gonna take over this space, which is what a lot of people will try to do as an entrepreneur. They'll just try to like move in and be disruptive, but it's like.

Louis Rios (08:05)

for that.

Amanda Kaufman (08:25)

to really be able to disrupt and to do things really differently, it helps a lot to understand what it is that you're disrupting. Because I have to imagine that, you know, the long-term care and the late in life care, there's so many complexities around the insurance and the expense management and the regulations and all of those kinds of things, right?

Louis Rios (08:35)

Right.

yes.

Yes. I mean, I think in, in, what we do, we play a lot of roles. It's like I tell my team, you know, sometimes you're to be a firefighter. Sometimes you're going to be a, a coach that day. Sometimes you're mentoring. Sometimes you're just a listener. You're just an ear for somebody. And a lot of times that's what we're looking to do is to be that resource, that comfort for these families that come to us because they're in need. They're in a place of where.

They really don't know where to go and where to look, and they don't know exactly what are the best options. And so I always tell families that call or wanna get resources from us is that you don't have to choose my agency, but what I wanna do is I wanna educate you. I wanna make sure that you're making the best decision for your loved one. That's important to me. Regardless if you go with my agency or not, it's just that important to me that you know exactly the roadmap that you're gonna go right in this.

Amanda Kaufman (09:36)

Mm-hmm.

Louis Rios (09:45)

in this part of your life right now because it's gonna change. Your role as daughter, wife, grandson, granddaughter, those roles change. You become caregiver. And so it's kind of a uncharted road that you're not gonna really know how to navigate unless you have someone that's kind of steering you along and showing you, hey, be careful, these things might be dangerous, these things are better for you, or this is a better student for you and your loved one.

Amanda Kaufman (10:13)

Yeah, that's that's really, really powerful. And there's a huge principle here, too, where you're putting the the needs of the client and the customer journey like above everything, above whether they hire you or not, you know, regardless of the decisions that they make, leaving the power with that consumer, with the customer is such a competitive move. Like, I really hate to say it in in we're heading into 2025 at the time of this recording.

But I noticed in the expert industry, there's so much, Brendan Burchard calls it selfie culture. And it's all about that, what's my brand? What's my personal brand? How am I appearing to everybody? And of course, branding and marketing is really, important. But if you forget what it's all for, the journey that people are on, and that's...

Louis Rios (10:49)

Mm.

Amanda Kaufman (11:07)

that reminder to the consumer that like, hey, you don't have to buy from me. I just want you to be clear, you know, with because we have this expertise, I want to give that expertise really freely so that you can make an empowered decision that builds so much more trust than picking the right colors or having the right logo.

Louis Rios (11:22)

Right.

I believe so. You I think a lot of people get lost in the brand and I do understand that 100%. I mean, it's all about the business. We're going into 2025. It is a doggy world as they say. But at the same time, I think if you're confident in what you're doing and what your product and what you have and what you're doing and you're passionate about it, people are gonna see that. They're gonna feel that. And that's gonna strive a lot more further.

Amanda Kaufman (11:29)

Mm-hmm.

Louis Rios (11:52)

than just all the branding and all the prettiness that you want to put around the logo or the brochure that you're handing out or whatever you're really doing for the business that you're doing. I think those things get you lost. I think the core where we need to be at is the heart needs to still be behind what you're doing. That's what I go with with the individuals who I coach and I mentor. I really press the fact that I want you to be passionate about what you're doing. I want you to love what you're doing.

You know, I want you to, for the energy to come across to who's listening, who you're pitching your business to and who you're selling. You know, because at the end of the day, people are going to see whether you're real or not. Even though you want to try to make yourself authentic, that can't be faked. That's just real, you know? And if you love what you're doing, if you're a true coach and you truly want to help and you really want to be someone of service, it's going to shine.

Amanda Kaufman (12:27)

Yeah.

Mm-hmm.

Totally. Yeah.

Louis Rios (12:46)

And I'm that confident that you're going to want to learn from me, you know, that I don't have to go and beg for the sale, I guess, if that makes sense.

Amanda Kaufman (12:46)

I love this.

It makes total sense. was actually chatting with a member in our community today over Messenger and they were frustrated as a lot of people can be about their success in their business that, you know, they're they're feeling. I asked them just straight up. was like, you know, they were struggling with paying for just like the technology and the software to be able to keep going and and to, you know, pay for having their business license and stuff.

Louis Rios (13:18)

Gotcha.

Amanda Kaufman (13:20)

And I asked him like, so like, what's going on here? Like, are we paying for it out of our family budget? Are we, you know, is the business paying for it? And really like at the root, this person really needs to get very clear about how to make an offer people wanna buy. But their concern was like, should I be taking out credit cards? And I was like, not without a plan, you know? Like you can have, you

Louis Rios (13:43)

Right.

Amanda Kaufman (13:45)

I've used business financing, I've used credit cards, credit lines, you you mentioned taking the risk with your house. It's one thing to do that to push off the pain of having to make a payment today. It's another thing to take out a line of credit or take out a credit card or to borrow money with a plan for how you're going to turn that into an authentic investment.

Louis Rios (14:07)

Right, right.

Amanda Kaufman (14:11)

And so like I was telling this person they can't afford to work with me, obviously, because they're in this position. I was like, you need to read a book on how to make an offer and you need to be able to do that. And stop telling yourself that it's just magically gonna come.

Louis Rios (14:22)

Right.

Yeah, and I think that's where some entrepreneurs can get lost and think that it's a road or the path that they're taking that they feel is gonna bring success. And a lot of those times it's just that they're lost on the path. They're not necessarily being guided. And like you said, there's times where you can't provide that coaching or whatnot because they need a little bit more, read a couple books.

go in, do some more research. Let's dive a little bit deeper into the reasons of why you are where you are. If you're not strategically planning and getting yourself put into places and knowing individuals who are gonna get you into rooms or get you to land deals and things of that nature, you're really putting a lot of risk on your personal finances or whatever you're gonna take a line of credit or whatever the situation might be. With my situation, I had it,

at the end of the rope of when that company was gonna go out of state, I had talked with the individual agencies that were there and I knew that there was over 175 girls that were gonna lose work. There was 275 clients that were gonna go without care and that just did not sit well with me. So I went to all of those agencies and I conducted all of the transfers. So I made sure.

Amanda Kaufman (15:39)

Mm.

Louis Rios (15:48)

that each and every one of those individuals had a job and still had care. And all the agency had to do was just take the client from me and literally just apply them to their agency. So they were like, all day, let's go. But the contract manager that worked at that agency said to me, if you get your own agency, you have a contract here with us. I'm gonna waive the three year.

Amanda Kaufman (16:14)

Hmm.

Louis Rios (16:16)

certification that most agencies have to go through. What you just did, you showed me that you will go above and beyond no matter what the circumstances are. I know you, right, this is the pre-planning to where I was gonna go. And not only was that, but the caregiving, the side of being the family and the caregiver himself, that led me to see.

Amanda Kaufman (16:25)

See, this is the real work of entrepreneurship is like seeing here's the gap.

Louis Rios (16:43)

all of the circle of how this business runs and how I could be successful at running a business on my own. You know, and, but those were steps and plans before I just said, I'm going to go take out a line of credit. No, you have to have pre-planned steps. You have to plan or you plan to fail.

Amanda Kaufman (16:47)

Yeah.

Yeah, I love this.

Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.

love this so much. Louis, we need to do like a deeper session, I think, sometimes because you because we just touched on a lot of things and I'd love to have the opportunity to interview you in a longer session someday because you you went you went into a female dominated field, you know, so I'm like super curious about what that experience was like for you. You're building this group coaching business. You got like all this stuff going but

Louis Rios (17:03)

You know.

Absolutely.

Amanda Kaufman (17:29)

In the meantime, what's the best way for people to follow you?

Louis Rios (17:31)

The best way for you to follow me is on Instagram. It's Lewis underscore Rios underscore 23. You'll be able to find my Elevate Mindset group coaching, which I'll be launching in January. I'm super excited about that. You can also follow me on LinkedIn. I'm Lewis Rios there. Follow me. Shoot me a DM. I'll love to give you my worksheet, free worksheet that I do, and also to my courses. I have a lot of courses that I would love to showcase. So definitely give me a follow.

Amanda Kaufman (17:57)

I love it. Listener, don't forget to hit the subscribe button and leave a review. know, Lewis is, he did a great job. You know, I'm giving him five stars. He was awesome. So, but seriously, those reviews help others to find the episode and to make time for it. And go ahead and share this episode with three of your friends. You can just grab the link and send it to them on text, on DM, however you like to watch this. And we'll make sure to have all of Lewis's links in the show notes.

Louis Rios (18:07)

Thank you for that.

Amanda Kaufman (18:24)

Until next time, we'll see you later. Bye bye.