A special advertising section championing our local women in business. In partnership with Cox Communications. Photo by Jessica Whitley.

Carlyle Place, Navicent Health

Director of Resident Life 

5300 Zebulon Road, Macon, GA 31210 

478-405-4531 

bankston.susan@navicenthealth.org 

carlyleplace.org 

What is the mission of your business?

Our mission is simple: We want to keep our residents as independent as possible, for as long as possible. We do this by helping our residents become the very best versions of themselves. By focusing on a comprehensive wellness program, we offer insight and assistance to allow our residents to focus on specific areas of interest and provide them with the platform they need to enjoy experiences at any age. 

Your advice for women wanting to start their own business in Macon?

My advice for women who want to succeed in business is to work hard, never stop learning and choose a career path that you are truly passionate about. Love what you do and do what you love. 

How do you define success?

In my career, I define success by the satisfaction and accomplishments of our residents. When you have a resident tell you how much a specific program or event meant to them or hearing them say they had more fun doing a specific activity than they’ve had in years – to me, those are the moments that define success.  

What are you most excited about right now in our community?

Our community is experiencing growth in various areas, and with that comes additional opportunities for residents and staff to explore new ideas and possibilities. Yes, our residents are retired from the work force, but they are not retired from living. We have recently seen a shift in several areas of interest such as technology use, physical activity/exercise and lifelong learning, which has caused us to look at our offerings and make necessary adjustments in order to remain relevant and appealing to our residents. The only thing that seems to remain constant in life is change; therefore, our team is committed to providing new and exciting experiences in a variety of forms to suit the interests of our entire resident population. It is very exciting to watch our residents try new things! 

You might be surprised to know:

Carlyle Place is a Life Plan Community. We provide four levels of care on our campus: Independent Living, Personal Care, Memory Support and Skilled Nursing. As our residents’ needs change, we are able to assist them throughout the continuum to ensure that they each receive the right level of care at the right time. My team takes pride in getting to know and forming relationships with our residents that last across the continuum. Our residents become our family. In part, this is because our work is done in their home. They welcome us each day, getting to know us and allowing us to know them. The mutual care, trust, respect and affection between residents and staff is easily felt by visitors to our campus. This community is truly special, and I am grateful for the opportunity to be part of it. 

What is the most gratifying part of your job?

When someone shares their results from a doctor’s appointment, in which their gains and improvements were so significant that their doctor stopped and questioned what changed in their lives – very few things are more rewarding in my job. Just knowing that I have shared a role in enhancing and improving someone’s life is so gratifying. 

What has been the most challenging part of being a woman in business?

For me, the most challenging part of being a woman in business has been getting others to take me seriously. For a long time, I felt pigeon-holed into a limited capacity, but I refused to accept those constraints. I worked hard to establish my place in our community, and I am thankful to those who took a chance on me, allowing me to learn and grow into a leadership role. 

I admire women who:

Are well-respected by others. There is a lot of truth to the statement that titles are given, but respect is earned. Throughout my life, I have been blessed by the opportunity to learn from strong, intelligent women who have shown me that genuine compassion and grace go a long way in building relationships, both professional and personal. 

What was the best business advice you ever received?

My favorite and most-used piece of advice came from a resident who will always hold a special place in my heart. This very intuitive woman recognized my frustration over what I perceived to be an injustice and said to me, “Just do your job, and do it well.” At first, I didn’t realize the power behind those words, but over time, those words have come to mean so much to me. It’s not always easy to see the big picture; however, by focusing on what you can control, your own actions in your job and putting everything you have into doing it well, you can work through even the most challenging situations. 

I hope more women will:

Take that leap of faith and follow their dreams – realize that choosing a career path that makes you truly happy is one of the most rewarding things you can do for yourself. 

How could women better support each other?

In my opinion, women could better support one another by putting jealousy aside. Recognize and celebrate the strengths others possess, especially when working as part of a team. After all, you are only as strong as your weakest link. Speaking as someone who is naturally competitive, this has not always been easy for me to do. However, I have learned that my outcomes are much better when I combine my talents with those of my teammates to achieve the greatest possible solution.  

I wish I had recognized:

Those specific “teaching” moments that were shaping me to become the woman I am today. If I had known just how influential those moments would prove to be, I would certainly have appreciated them more and counted them among my many blessings!