Kristen Carlson's Franchise Journey
Listen to Kristen's full interview on our YouTube channel.
For Kristen Carlson, the journey toward franchise ownership was a deeply personal one. Kristen has been with Right at Home for nearly 20 years, and now oversees two territories in Galveston, Texas, and the Pearland/Friendswood area near South Houston. The business has been a tremendous success for Kristen, who calls her two decades with Right at Home “a storybook adventure.”
But the story behind Kristen’s decision to invest in a home care franchise is not exactly a fairytale. In fact, she was motivated by some rather discouraging experiences with other home care businesses.
The Search for Qualified Home Care
Kristen’s first real foray into home care came as a prospective customer. Her aunt was 91 years old and had no children. But it was extremely important to her that she be able to remain at home as she aged. Kristen vowed to help her aunt find the right provider. That search proved fruitless.
“She was starting to need help in the shower and that kind of stuff,” said Kristen. “So, I interviewed companies, and I said, 'Can she meet the caregiver beforehand…They were all like, no, no. And then they had these minimums per week. So, I never hired anybody.”
Though the search for a caregiver came up empty, Kristen and her aunt both managed to make something amazing out of the situation. As Kristen explained, without the cost of caregiving, her aunt managed to put aside a fortune.
“When she passed away, she had over a million dollars saved,” said Kristen. “She gave it to her church and to all her nieces and nephews. So, I said, ‘I'm going to take the money that we got and open a business.’ And so, I found Right at Home.”
Today, a portrait of her aunt hangs in Kristen’s Galveston office, and every member of the team knows her story.
Choosing Right at Home
In her search for the right caregiver, Kristen came face-to-face with the very real gaps that exist in the home care market. There is a growing need for in-home caregiving, and Kristen set out to help meet that need. She also recognized the business opportunity in a space where demand only continues to grow.
So when she came across Right at Home, she was enthusiastic but also cautious. Based on some of her less-than-stellar experiences with other home care agencies, she didn’t really know what to expect.
“When I first went to Discovery Day and met [Founder] Allen Hager and the staff that was in place at the time, I kept saying, ‘Where are the warts?’” Kristen recalled. “It was just too good to be true. But every step of the way has just been wonderful.”
Turning Inspiration Into Business Success
Kristen may have been inspired by her aunt and impressed by the greeting she received at Right as Home. But she also carried a wealth of relevant experience into the caregiving space.
Early in her career, Kristen worked in a fertility clinic, where she gained valuable experience working in sensitive, relationship-based care settings. After that, “I was an administrator at a local hospital in the department of the Sealy Center on Aging,” says Kristen. “So I worked with geriatricians, which is very convenient, and I have a good relationship with them.”
That relationship proved incredibly valuable as Kristen began seeking referrals for her fledgling home care business. In addition to her caregiving experience, Kristen already enjoyed an excellent reputation in her community. And with the success of her operation, she eventually extended that reputation into the Pearland/Friendswood territory. When another franchise owner was looking to sell, she seized the chance to grow her business.
Being a Part of Something Bigger
Kristen may be a tenured member of the Right at Home family, but she notes that she still benefits every day from the shared knowledge and experience of her larger network.
“What I love about being part of a franchise system,” she explains, “is that you don't have to make those mistakes that other people have made along the way. There's just so much information out there, and support.”
Even more than the information and the support, though, Kristen highlights the relationships she’s been able to nurture in her 20 years with Right at Home. Kristen explains, “The relationships that corporate builds – they help support us and really build the brand name, and it's truly priceless. I mean, you pay a franchise fee, but it really is worth that cost.”
When she says it’s worth it, Kristen is referencing more than just the success of her business. The people Kristen knows through Right at Home have become much more than just colleagues.
“They have become like family. They've come to my parents' house in northern Wisconsin, and I could say that about probably 20 other offices,” says Kristen. “You can reach out not only to your coaches and the people at corporate, but also to your fellow owners, who are so supportive. I've heard other people say there's not a lot of franchises like that. And I'm really proud to be part of the Right at Home family.”
Joining the Family
For those considering joining this family, Kristen does offer a few words of advice. First and foremost, she says, lean on the 30 years of accumulated knowledge at Right at Home.
“Listen to what has worked in the past,” Kristen advises. And even more importantly, she says, make sure you're guided by a higher purpose than just money.
“People know very clearly if you are in it for the right reasons. Of course, we all want to make money, but the way to do that is to provide the best service, and if you hire the people who can help you do that, then you should be successful,” says Kristen. “So if you're passionate about what you do, let it show.”
