PROFILE OF THE MONTH
By Dr Dhanpaul Narine
Navin Shivpal is a young man with a purpose. He is an entrepreneur, a humanitarian, a caregiver, and a responsible family man, all rolled into one. Navin was born at Parika on the East Bank of Essequibo, in Guyana. His mom is Devi Dhanpaul and his dad is Krishna Shivpal. He also has an elder brother Arvin Shivpaul.
The family moved from Parika to Georgetown and Navin attended St. Winifred’s School. His best subjects were Math and Science. He remembers teacher Ms. Samaroo who was very caring. His next school was North Georgetown Secondary in 1994. In the following year, he moved to New York to join his family. He was thirteen years old and the family lived in Ozone Park. He arrived in time to face a snowstorm that winter!
Navin found a totally different lifestyle in New York. He attended Elizabeth Blackwell School for a year, after which he went to John Adams High School. He says that Guyana prepared him well for schooling in New York. He finished High School math as a sophomore. He did not feel the pressure new immigrant students faced in the school system. In 2000, the family moved to Florida. Navin continued with his studies. He enrolled at the University of Tampa and graduated with a degree in Health Care Administration. But business was not far from his mind. The family invested in restaurants, and other projects, and was doing well, and then came the recession in 2008. Everything was gone but Navin did not lose heart. The family returned to New York and had to start all over again.
Navin put his knowledge to work. He went into health care. He said, ‘I started to study, to learn about health care, the policies and procedures. I got my director’s license from the Department of Education.’ Navin is among the few that knows the different aspects of the care industry. He studied and memorized the laws to get a better understanding of care practices and protocols. He was so good that he began to consult for other agencies. He worked with Christine Agency for four years and is grateful for the experience. In 2019, Navin opened the Brooklyn Institute of Vocational Training. There were initial challenges but he worked hard to overcome them.
In January 2020, the opportunity came to purchase Cottage Home Care. ‘It was a beautiful opportunity,’ Navin says. At that time, Cottage Home Care had only twenty-five patients but he and his staff have been able to build on it. In the middle of the pandemic, Navin was on the road talking care of the patients and his staff. He thanks his teachers, and workers, for their dedication, professionalism and hard work, especially during Covid-19. His school, the Brooklyn Institute of Vocational Training, trains Home Help Aides. Graduates get jobs and most of them prefer to stay with Cottage Home Care, because Navin cares for his staff. He is a people’s person.
Navin did so well that he opened up an office in Richmond Hill in Queens. The office is at 126-01 in Liberty Avenue. There is also an office in Hicksville, New York. He pays tribute to the women of the Caribbean for their hard work and efficiency and for their selflessness. He says that he has over a thousand workers and without them he is nowhere. His goal in the next five years is to have five thousand workers.
Navin explains that the CDPAP program is designed to help family members. They can take care of their loved ones at home and get paid for it, but they should be legally able to work in the United States. The wages are attractive and the hours are reasonable. Navin understands the intricacies of the health care system and is a wealth of knowledge. What is his vision for Cottage Home Care?
‘I want to be in different countries. We want to grow our business. We want to help as many people as possible,’ he said. He prizes hard work and efficiency and appreciates staff that go the extra mile. He would like to open an office in Guyana to do pay roll processing. He has just opened an office in Dhaka, in Bangladesh. He thanks Sherry Williams for encouraging him to expand the business. Navin also thanks his parents Devi and Krishna for their love and support. His daughter Shania is bright and studious and grandmother Devi dotes on her. Navin is grateful to his wife Shova who provides great strength and support. As a hobby, he likes farming and cars.
Navin says that if you want to be secure in life the best way is to get an RN degree. It brings job satisfaction and security. There is no doubt that Navin is a young and brilliant entrepreneur. He is making positive changes in the community and he has a great team. We wish him and his business all the best in the future.
The address of Cottage Home Care Services is 126-01 Liberty Avenue, South Richmond Hill, New York 11419.
The Hicksville office is located at 25 Newbridge Road, Hicksville, NY 11801. Tel 516 367 2266.