Coffee with a Founder Podcast: Shauna Sweeney of tendercare

08- Jul-2025

This week, Beck Bamberger sits down with Shauna Sweeney, Founder and CEO of tendercare, an AI-powered platform that’s changing the way we care for aging loved ones. tendercare uses AI to simplify everything from managing doctor appointments to handling passwords and paying bills, empowering families to support their aging family members confidently.

Shauna opens up about how the pain of losing her dad’s recognition has reshaped her, and oddly enough, it’s this struggle that makes the challenges of startup life seem manageable by comparison. If you’ve ever tried juggling the demands of a startup while managing complex family responsibilities (or wondered how anyone could do both), this episode is for you.

show notes:

01:26 – Introducing tendercare

02:32 – The reality of becoming a caregiver

05:40 – The growing care crisis and the “Sandwich Generation”

07:10 – Eye-opening lessons from loss

10:21 – Building a mission-driven team

20:34 – The team’s favorite emotion

Read More About The Episode:

01:26 Introducing tendercare

Shauna Sweeney, CEO and founder of tendercare, introduces how she created the AI-powered platform to help people care for their aging loved ones. Shauna shares how her personal experience as a caregiver inspired her to build a solution that supports families navigating elder care.

02:32 The reality of becoming a caregiver

Shauna and Beck discuss how millions of Americans are juggling jobs, young children, and the intensive responsibility of caring for aging parents, many of whom are battling Alzheimer's.

05:40 The growing care crisis and the “Sandwich Generation”

Shauna and Beck discuss how millions of Americans are juggling jobs, young children, and the intensive responsibility of caring for aging parents.

07:10 Eye-opening lessons from loss

Shauna reflects on the emotional weight of watching her father’s memory fade and what the experience has taught her about resilience, love, and the importance of perspective.

10:21 Building a mission-driven team

Shauna explains how employing team members who have a personal experience with elder care creates a company with empathy and tenacity.

20:34 The team’s favorite emotion

They discuss why humor is her favorite emotion, especially when working on heavy topics. Shauna explains how a culture of laughter and creative play at tendercare helps the team stay resilient and why, even in grave circumstances, finding moments to laugh matters.

BAM TEAM

10- Jul-2025