North Philadelphia native Shermill Whiting demonstrates that where you are, is not who you are. The home care business owner became a father at the age of 16, but despite being a teenage dad in a tough North Philly neighborhood, he went on to attend Lincoln University, an HBCU institution.
His mother and maternal grandparents, who were also business owners, strongly influenced Whiting and were his role models to becoming a successful entrepreneur in his own right.
Whiting is now the owner of Whiting Real Estate holdings and has established a multimillionaire residential and commercial portfolio. Using real estate from his portfolio, Whiting partnered with Jamie Whiting to create Holland Home Care, a licensed home care agency that houses individuals with disabilities and provides safe personal housing options for disabled veterans.
Due to his efforts, Whiting has received recognition from the city of Philadelphia as a preferred provider, which has opened the door to partnerships with veterans hospitals and agencies.
Rolling out spent some time with Whiting discussing his accomplishments, goal setting, and leadership skills required to succeed.
What inspires you to show up for work every day?
My kids and family inspire me daily. I strive to make every day better than the last. Growing up without a father, I had to look for positive examples to set the bar for me. As I got older and had my kids, I wanted to instill in them that anything is possible with hard work and the ability to see the bigger picture.
How did you decide on your career path?
My grandparent[s] owned a personal care home that I grew up in. I watched them give support and empathy to their residents that needed it most. Many times we became their family because no close family existed … The home became more of a family than anything. I wanted to replicate that and provide support and resources for people when they need it most.
Describe the skill set that you think will be essential to future business leaders and innovators.
Empathy, listening to understand, and the ability to be teachable is critical. Always be confident, but remain open to learning and feedback.
Describe the goal-setting methods and metrics that you use to evaluate your success.
I evaluate my successes throughout my businesses by focusing on the client. I ask myself, does this idea fill the need, and does this idea make sense for the company? My success has been due to knowing when to solve a need. In the home care business, [the issue] presented as unreliable transportation for clients. That need birthed the addition of my transportation business.
