Michelle Baumgarten did not set out to become an entrepreneur.In 2024, the former nurse had moved to Cape Town to work for a home-care company. Five months into the job, the owner decided to close the business. The closure left clients without carers and carers without jobs.Baumgarten saw an opportunity in the disruption. She brought the two together, registered a new company and began building LifeEase, a home-care business that today employs 75 people.Her journey illustrates one of the more accessible truths about entrepreneurship. A business opportunity does not always begin with capital, a detailed business plan or an ambition to build a company. Sometimes it begins with recognising a gap and understanding that there is a demand for a solution.‘Bank on it’ host Koshiek Karan and LifeEase founder Michelle Baumgarten. (Capitec) This is one of the central themes explored in episode 5 of Bank on it, the thought-leadership video series brought to you by Capitec in partnership with Business Day, and hosted by Koshiek Karan.The series explores the people, ideas and decisions shaping business and the economy, while unpacking the realities of building and growing an enterprise.Bridging a growing care gapFor Baumgarten, the opportunity she identified sits within one of South Africa’s pressing social and economic challenges: access to care. LifeEase provides professional support to people who require assistance with everyday activities, allowing them to remain in their homes rather than moving into a residential facility. The business also works extensively with clients experiencing dementia and cognitive decline. But Baumgarten argues that care cannot be reduced to the clinical. “It’s a relationship,” she says. That relationship extends from the client to the family and the carer. LifeEase considers personalities, family circumstances and individual needs when matching carers with clients.The model also speaks to a wider question around inclusion in healthcare. As people live longer and families remain economically active, more households will have to navigate the demands of caring for ageing or vulnerable relatives. Yet not everyone who requires assistance needs hospitalisation. For some, professional home-based care can provide a more appropriate solution while allowing families to remain connected.The challenge is ensuring that these services are accessible and affordable to more people. Baumgarten wants to expand LifeEase into other parts of the country, particularly areas where this form of care is less readily available. For her, growth is therefore not simply about expanding a company. It is about taking a service to communities where she believes there is a clear need. Scaling that opportunity has brought its own lessons.The value of the right financial partnerBaumgarten has banked personally with Capitec since 2009 and began banking with the group for LifeEase in 2024. She says the relationship has provided valuable support as she navigates the demands of building a scalable business, particularly the cash-flow pressures associated with employing 75 people.For Baumgarten, the value of a financial relationship extends beyond transactions. Understanding the entrepreneur and the business behind the account can become an important part of navigating growth.Her story ultimately demonstrates that opportunity can emerge from unexpected places. What began with the loss of a job became a business built around an existing demand, creating employment while addressing a need for more personalised care. The lesson is perhaps as relevant to aspiring entrepreneurs as it is to established businesses: sometimes the first step towards building a company is simply paying attention to the problem in front of you.For more insights, watch Karan’s full conversation with Baumgarten in the video above.About ‘Bank on it’Bank on it brings together senior Capitec leadership, leading voices across the financial ecosystem, and inspiring entrepreneurs in honest, insightful conversations.Each episode delivers expert perspectives and practical, actionable insights to help viewers better understand and navigate today’s evolving financial landscape.Many episodes also offer a closer look at Capitec’s inner workings and how its client-centric approach to innovation is making banking simpler, more accessible, and more affordable for all.New episodes premiere on Business Day TV (DStv Channel 412). Episodes are also available on the dedicated Bank on it hub on the Business Day website, as well as on the Capitec website and YouTube channel.This article was sponsored by Capitec.