Right at Home has been franchising over the last 12 years, and what we have found is that there isn’t just one specific mold for our franchisees. Our franchisees come from a variety of backgrounds: some with business management backgrounds, others with experience in the health and wellness field, and others with a strong desire to make a difference in this industry. But something we have seen recently is the shift in the motivation for entering the field.
When we first began franchising in 2000, we saw many new franchisees walking through our doors as a result of their innate, deep down desire to help other people. While that strong desire to positively affect others’ lives is still there, with the baby boomers crossing over the threshold of turning 65 for the first time in 2011, prospective franchisees have taken notice of the lucrative business opportunity that lies within this industry. Baby boomers have defined the economy at every stage of their lives, and this 78 million strong demographic will continue to do so as they reach retirement. The baby boomers are now presenting a booming business opportunity to our franchisees.
The franchising industry has also started to see a strong growth of women becoming franchisees, with approximately 25% of franchises owned by women. Right at Home is way ahead of the curve, with nearly half of our franchises owned and operated by women. Right at Home has always enjoyed a strong female presence in our system – from our franchisees, to caregivers, to even our clients, because the decision to hire us often lies with the oldest daughter in the family.
So what makes a great franchisee?
There’s no magic formula or personality test that will identify, without question, who the perfect candidate is for a particular business. There’s also no perfect age, gender or marital status that will guarantee success. But there are some common themes.
Passion. For some, it’s a passion for making a difference in the lives of families in their local community. For others, it’s a passion for building a successful business and for creating independence for their own family through business ownership. Whatever your motivation is, you must have a passion for what you’re doing in order to be successful. Life is too short to do something that doesn’t fulfill you, so finding your passion is extremely important.
Willingness to follow a proven system. After 12 years of franchising, Right at Home has developed a system that is being utilized in over 200 offices across 41 states, and in multiple countries. A successful franchisee not only can follow the system, but wants to follow the system. There are some people who would prefer to create the operations manual themselves through trial and error. In a franchise system, you’ll often find people who are much more comfortable following established checklists and procedures that have already been battle tested. A great franchisee is someone who doesn’t want to reinvent the wheel and finds comfort and peace of mind in being able to utilize the checklists and ops manuals.
Long-term purpose. When making the jump to owning your own business, you need to have long term goals in mind. In the short term, it’s often easier and more comfortable to stay in the job you have, so why open your own business? By having a long term plan and understanding why you are doing what you’re doing, whether it is to provide something more for your family or build a successful business of your own, you must have a full understanding of what you’re trying to accomplish for yourself and your family over the long term.
I mentioned before that we have franchisees from all walks of life. Here are three examples of franchisees who have become successful Right at Home franchisees.
Jim Hutchinson, Eastern Pennsylvania.
Jim opened his Right at Home franchise in January of 2010, after 28 years working in sales and marketing. Jim originally opened his Right at Home franchise because he saw it as a great business opportunity. But after meeting his first client, he discovered a real passion for working with people in the home care industry. After developing a strong connection with his very first client, Jim saw firsthand the true value in the service Right at Home provides its clients and realized this was an industry he could not only excel in, but be extraordinarily passionate about it. In fact, Jim was soon after awarded the Right at Home Rookie of the Year award in 2010.
To learn more about Jim, check out his testimonial here.
Sandy and Phil Quarrtuccio, Long Island, New York.
Sandy and Phil were leading a happy life with a great family, when Sandy was laid off from her job in the marketing research field after 28 years. Sandy began looking for another job in the corporate world, when she decided that she wanted to build a business of her own. In 2009, Sandy found Right at Home and knew it was just what she had been looking for. After just one year, the business had become so successful that Phil left his job to join the family business, which the couple still runs together to this day.
To learn more about Sandy and Phil, check out their testimonial here.
Brooke Fredericks, Medford, OR
After serving in the U.S. Air Force for three years, Brooke decided to take some time off to raise her first two children. Later, she became a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), working as an auditor for an accounting firm. She then decided to take a closer look at her career path. During this reflection, she realized that the true purpose of majoring in accounting was to open her own business one day. Her initial inclination was to start a business from scratch, but soon realized she didn’t want to reinvent the wheel every step of the way. She also knew that she wanted to choose a business that she truly believed in, which led her to Right at Home. Due to her personal experience caring for her grandmother when she was a teen, Brooke saw the ability for this business to impact its clients and their families in a very positive way, and help provide the independence they desired. Brooke opened her Right at Home the summer of 2011, and her passion for the service she provides the Medford community has continued to grow ever since.
When making the decision to open a Right at Home franchise, or any franchise for that matter, it’s important to remember that there is no perfect mold that every successful franchisee must fit into. What is important is for you to fully understand what you hope to accomplish with business ownership over the long term. Whether it’s more flexibility, more time with family, or something else – decide what you want, and then let your passion drive you to formulate a plan to get there.