Today we’d like to introduce you to Ericka Beeler.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I come from a blue-collar family where we worked for everything we had. I started working full-time at 14. If I wanted something — clothes, gas, anything — I paid for it myself. We were given a lot of autonomy growing up, and I’m beyond grateful to my parents for instilling work ethic early. The value of a dollar was real in our house. From the outside, we looked like a typical Johnson County family, but behind the scenes, we stretched every penny.
I thought I wanted to be a nurse, so I got my CNA license my senior year of high school and started working in inpatient hospice when I was 17. It’s not lost on me that some people never see someone actively die in front of them — I did, regularly, as a teenager. That experience shaped me. It also lit a fire in me when I realized how broken the system was. When we were short-staffed, I couldn’t give patients the basic care they deserved. That never sat right with me.
So I started asking questions. A lot of them. I challenged how things worked. I found ways to make my job more efficient just so I could keep up. I’m sure I drove leadership a little crazy, but I couldn’t unsee what wasn’t working. I worked my way up — CNA, phlebotomist, unit secretary, staffing coordinator — and eventually was coordinating all the CNA staffing for our unit before I left.
In college, the Affordable Care Act passed and I became obsessed with understanding the business side of healthcare. I studied healthcare finance for fun — yes, really — and asked the hospital CEO for an internship. He said yes, and probably regrets it to this day. I wasn’t shy. If something didn’t make sense or didn’t reflect what was happening on the floor, I spoke up. That didn’t always make me popular, but it made me trusted.
That same mindset is what led me to start Beeler Consulting. I didn’t build a firm because I wanted a company. I built it because I kept seeing the same problems over and over — and no one was fixing them. Now, I get to work alongside some of the best people in the industry to help practices, hospitals, and health tech companies build businesses that actually work — for the patients and the people running them.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Not at all. It’s been far from smooth.
We bootstrapped the company and lived off my husband’s salary while I built this from the ground up. Thankfully, his job gave us the breathing room to take some risks — but there were still some hard lessons along the way. I hired the wrong people for the wrong jobs. I held on too long because I didn’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings. I’ve had to learn how to fix cash flow issues, how to build processes from scratch, and how to be a better leader without losing my heart in the process.
There were times I was exhausted and unsure if I was cut out for all of it. But I’m lucky — I have an incredible network of business owners, mentors, and family who have had my back through it all. They reminded me who I was when I started to forget.
A few years ago, we gave our lives to the Lord, and I truly believe that’s when everything started to shift. Things started falling into place in ways I couldn’t explain. I believe His plan is better than mine — and somehow, I know I’m supposed to be doing this work. I really do feel like I’m being used to help bring the right people to the right places.
I still pinch myself when I think about who’s on our team. I get to work alongside some of the best healthcare leaders in the country — and they choose to be here. That’s not lost on me. I’m just incredibly grateful.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Beeler Consulting is a healthcare consulting firm — but honestly, we’re not like most firms. We roll up our sleeves and actually do the work. We support hospitals, medical practices, and healthcare tech founders with the operational and strategic support they need to run better businesses. That includes everything from building out a new practice, fixing revenue cycle issues, restructuring a group, hiring a team, improving cash flow, or helping health tech startups go to market.
We specialize in messy middle moments — when a group is growing fast, falling apart, or figuring out what’s next. That’s where we shine. We bring in fractional CEOs, COOs, CFOs, and other experts who don’t just advise — they execute. We’re known for being the team people call when they need things done right and done fast, without the fluff.
What sets us apart is our people. We’ve built a team of some of the most respected healthcare executives, operators, and problem-solvers out there — all under one roof. What I’m most proud of, brand-wise, is the reputation we’ve built: we’re trusted, we’re real, and we deliver. If we say we’re going to do something, we do it — and we make it better than expected.
At the end of the day, we’re here to serve. We care deeply about the people behind the practices, the providers doing the work, and the patients depending on them. We’re here to make healthcare work better — and we do it with heart.
Any big plans?
We’re in a really exciting season right now. Things are growing fast — but we’re being intentional about how we grow.
We just brought on a COO, Hailey Rashanghtong, who is helping us build the operational foundation we’ve needed for a while. She’s focused on tightening our systems, creating more structure, and making sure we can keep scaling without losing the quality or heart that makes us who we are.
I also have to give credit to Stephen Ivey, our Chief of Staff. He’s been with me since the very beginning — just three months after I opened the doors to Beeler Consulting. I truly wouldn’t be where I am today without his relentless support, loyalty, and willingness to figure things out no matter what. He’s been in the trenches with me, and I’m forever grateful for that.
Long term, I want to continue leaning into our work in rural healthcare and in the payor strategy space. The need is real, and I believe we’re uniquely positioned to help — whether it’s launching new service lines, helping with board development, or helping physicians stay independent.
Personally, I just feel incredibly grateful. The Lord keeps opening doors I couldn’t have imagined. I know I’m doing exactly what I’m supposed to be doing — and in many ways, we’re just getting started.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://beelerconsulting.org
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/104460743/admin/dashboard/
