Instinct and Empathy: Traits of Success for This Nurse-Turned-Entrepreneur

Some ventures are created around a deep-seated passion while others are born as an answer to a blaring call for a need that isn’t being met. The latter is the case for nurse-turned-entrepreneur Jasmine Bhatti.

Interestingly, what got Jasmine into nursing was also the desire to fill a big need she had become personally familiar with when her grandmother was diagnosed with cancer. Serving as one of her caregivers, she realized how little support and resources there were for continued care and that inspired her to pursue a career as a nurse. Over the course of her decade-long nursing career, Jasmine repeatedly had patients ask if they could hire her to care for them after transitioning out of the hospital — and this turned on a lightbulb. What if she could create a solution?

The idea percolated for several years and in 2019, Jasmine decided to make it a reality. She joined forces with a fellow nurse and together, they launched Navi Nurses, a tech-enabled platform that opens on-demand nurse care to everyone.

Initially, transitioning from a nurse to a tech startup founder didn’t come easy (and there are still many challenges), but there were also many traits Jasmine had developed as a nurse that helped her propel Navi Nurses from idea to growth company. In just over a year’s time, she and her business partner have grown from two nurses to more than 130 and have provided nearly 15,000 hours of care since January 2021. And now, the sky’s the limit for what’s ahead.

Read on for more of Jasmine’s story and what’s next for Navi Nurses.

What is Navi Nurses?

Navi Nurses is the first tech-enabled platform that allows the average ordinary person to hire a nurse on demand for whatever they need.

How did Navi Nurses come to be?

I never thought I’d become a nurse. I actually became a nurse because when my grandmother was diagnosed with cancer, we had to take her home and I learned as a family caregiver, how hard of a job that is and how our current resources aren’t enough for people to be able to take care of themselves and their loved ones. There’s a gap. This whole experience inspired me to become a nurse. That was the point I realized that there are millions of people that experienced this every single year and what I thought and experienced wasn’t unique to myself and my family. We just have a huge opportunity to help people transition home from the hospital and also transition through a new diagnosis or a new way of living or being with a medical condition.

That was really what inspired me. I’d often have patients ask, “Hey, can I hire you? Can I pay for you to come to my home?” People were constantly requesting to have that care at home because they knew what they would have wasn’t enough. Sixty percent of people go home and they don’t have access to home health. Even those who don’t have access to it or qualify for it would like to have care at home.

How long did you spend building it prior to launch?

This is an idea that I’ve had for a long time but it became a reality for me right before COVID hit. I had built the structure for what the model should be and around 2019, my business partner and I, who also worked with me at Mayo Clinic, were ready to do it together. But then our unit became a COVID unit at the hospital so we had to stay and take care of our community. January 2021 is when we really started taking clients. We’ve grown from two to 136 nurses since last January. We’ve provided almost 15,000 hours of care. It’s really exciting work.

What’s been one of the biggest challenges you’ve had to overcome?

Transitioning from being a bedside nurse to an entrepreneur is a massive transformation. I’m skilled at taking care of people and understanding medications and what a patient needs. I had to learn basic business concepts like how to put together a great presentation for investors, financial modeling, and things like that. It’s been a big learning experience for me but a fun one. There are a lot of resources here in the Valley to help support that, which is really great.

How has your background supported the new journey?

I like to think that we lead with empathy. That’s part of who my business partner and I are and how we want to build our company. I also think that as a nurse, one of the biggest things that we begin to rely on is our gut. We just know when something’s right or when it’s not right and that’s been a huge benefit for me coming into the entrepreneurship space. I really feel confident in trusting my gut.

What’s been one of the biggest contributing factors to your growth?

It’s been a lot of little steps to get to where we’re at. I think the most important thing is that we’ve knocked on every door that exists and we get to decide whether we want to walk through it or not. Looking for the opportunities for us to become engaged as well as continuing to grow and connect with people has been really pivotal for us. Having opportunities open up for us to take has been amazing.

What brought you to the StartupAZ Collective?

Number one, it’s the people. I think StartupAZ is made up of incredible individuals who are not only incredibly smart but truly care. StartupAZ is building a culture based on empowering one another and being generous and kind to our community. That resonates a lot with me as a person and as a business owner. Those are the sorts of people and organizations I really want to be aligned with.

It felt so natural for us to join because we’re nurses and we needed more support than probably the average person who has maybe been in the startup world for a while. It’s been wonderful to have that support.

What advice would you give to other startup founders in Arizona?

Arizona is really rich in the most extraordinary people and environments. There are so many things to tap into for support or mentorship. There are so many different opportunities, from the Arizona Commerce Authority to the Tech Council to the Flinn Foundation. There are so many different ways to connect with people and every single person wants to help you build and grow. That’s a beautiful experience. People are genuine and they want to help support you. I think that’s what makes Arizona such a special place. I would just encourage people to step outside, start to meet people and connect, and pretty soon you’ll know everyone. And everyone is so welcoming.