Today we’d like to introduce you to Ben Rao.
Hi Ben, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I grew up in Louisville, Ky surrounded by the world of senior care. My mother spent her entire career working in senior services, so from a young age, I saw firsthand what families go through when a loved one begins to age. I watched the worry, the confusion, the frantic decision-making—and I also saw the heart of the people who serve seniors every day. That upbringing gave me insight that shaped my future life for a genuine desire to help people, and that, matched with a strong entrepreneurial spirit, I was on track to help many families solve big problems creatively.
As an adult, I have always been intrigued by real estate. So I left Corporate America in my early thirties and worked to became a seasoned investor, buying and renovating homes—sometimes to fix and flip, other times to keep as rentals. But real estate wasn’t just a business to me. It became a canvas to solve bigger problems. That drive led me to build national companies like Community Buying Group and Mom’s House, both designed to support real estate investors across the country. I eventually exited both companies, each time realizing that every business I built was really a stepping-stone to the next evolution of my mission.
Along the way, I bought and renovated an old 1962 post office in downtown Lee’s Summit and transformed it into Bridge Space, a coworking and business incubator. For me, it wasn’t just a project—it was a way to invest in entrepreneurs, community, and the next generation of builders. That space still serves as a hub for local business owners and startups today.
But everything truly came together when I recognized a deeper need—one that connected my childhood experiences with my decades of real estate and entrepreneurial work. When a senior transitions from their forever home into assisted living or memory care, families often feel lost. They’re grieving, overwhelmed, and unsure where to begin. The house becomes a major stress point, and many don’t know their options or the resources available. After hearing the same stories again and again, I realized I could help families through those moments in a meaningful way.
That realization led me to write my Amazon best-selling book, Paying for Long-Term Care, to give families an easy-to-understand guide to the complicated world of senior living. And it ultimately led to the creation of Family Shepherd.
At Family Shepherd, everything I’ve built over the last 20 years—technology, real estate, senior-living knowledge, and a lifelong commitment to helping people—comes together in one mission: to support families when they need it most. We buy homes all over the Kansas City market that often haven’t been updated in decades, and we surround families with trusted resources: care advisors, elder-law attorneys, VA benefits specialists, and more. We don’t just purchase the house. We help guide the family through one of the hardest transitions of their lives.
My story has been one long progression—each business, each experience, each lesson building the foundation for the next. And now, through FamilyShepherd.com, I’m using everything I’ve learned to make senior-living transitions easier, clearer, and more compassionate for families in Kansas City and all across the country.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Like most entrepreneurs, my path hasn’t been smooth or perfectly mapped out. I’ve made plenty of mistakes along the way. Early in my career, I avoided building systems and processes because they weren’t as exciting as marketing or getting out into the community to help people. I invested time and resources into initiatives I should have pivoted from sooner. And while hiring has never been my favorite process, I’ve always loved people—and the truth is, I could never have built any of my companies alone. Every success I’ve had came from working alongside great people who brought their own strengths, perspectives, and heart to the mission. Even today, at Family Shepherd, my partner Jessica is the glue that holds our company together. The challenges, the missteps, and the lessons learned have shaped who I am as a leader and made our work stronger, more resilient, and more grounded in purpose.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
One of the things I’m most proud of in my journey is resilience—sticking with the work even when it’s hard. Running a business requires constant decision-making, but working with families adds an entirely different layer of complexity. Every situation brings unique challenges: siblings who love each other, or don’t; relatives who disagree, distrust, or struggle to communicate; and families trying to make enormous life decisions under stress. Yet that’s also what I find most rewarding. I love being able to customize solutions that fit each family’s needs. About half the work follows a predictable pattern, but the other half is where the creative magic lives—those small, thoughtful touches that show families they’re seen, supported, and genuinely cared for.
If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?
When I think about the qualities that have mattered most to my success, resiliency certainly stands out, but the real key has been perspective. I’ve learned to pause and reflect on the bad days instead of reacting to them. Attitude truly is everything. A problem that feels huge in the moment usually fades within a day or two—almost like it dissolves into thin air. So I ask myself: what’s really going on here? How important is this compared to my wife, my kids, my dog, and the people I love? When I put things in that context, most of the stressors become small stuff. That perspective not only keeps me grounded but helps me lead with clarity and calm, even when everything around me feels chaotic.
Pricing:
- we don’t charge for our services, we make money when we rehab the house
Contact Info:
- Website: https://familyshepherd.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/familyshepherdkc
- Other: https://payingforlongtermcare.com
