The growth of care fra nchising
Right at Home
Julie Houston is the fra nchisee for Right at Home Nort h Cheshire & Leigh and previously worked as a regional manager for a bank. She has been tra ding since May 2017.
Why franchising and why with Right at Home? I came across franchising whilst working at the bank, although I didn’t fully realise the benefi ts of taking on a proven business model – one that is going to work, providing you stick to the model. I’d always wanted to run my own business and I knew I had the skillset to do it, but I hadn’t found the right opportunity. When I decided on this industry, the franchise route was the obvious one as, in care, there’s a lot of compliance involved. Right at Home’s values were exactly what
I would want for my family, so the franchise model immediately felt right, like a perfect fi t; it was exactly the kind of care model that I wanted to deliver. Then, when I met with everyone at head
offi ce, I immediately felt comfortable with them as they shared their passion and vision for the future of the brand, and I especially appreciated how rigorous they were on the recruitment process.
What job satisfaction does it provide? You’re changing people’s lives – every day. I think the passion and drive for what Right at Home offers comes out at all levels. We all want to make a difference, which drives us on, so we can help more people. As a franchisee, I really feel a part of what’s happening within the network nationally, because of what I am doing locally.
How is business so far? The success we’ve seen so far has surpassed my expectations – we reached break even after fi ve months, and I’m building up a brilliant team who now really help share the responsibility. I expected it to be very hard work, but the support and guidance from Right at Home has really enabled me to drive the business forward. A high point for me was achieving an 'outstanding' rating from the Care Quality Commission on our fi rst full inspection – that was a huge boost to the whole team, and testament to their focus on quality. Right at Home also encouraged me
How have you found the training and support from your franchisor ? We’ve had a lot of support from Right at Home. I’m quite a self-starter – I’d rather work things out for myself if I can – but that’s just me, everyone’s different. And that’s what’s great about Right at Home. Of course, there was lots of initial training, and you need a lot of support at that initial stage, but since we’ve been up and running we’ve been able to tailor that support to where it’s needed. There’s been lots of good training courses, and whenever I’ve needed support it’s been there.
“I start ed my Right at Home business because I felt very passionately about providing fa ntastic care, and I absolutely love it”
to enter the EWIF awards and I was delighted to win the New Woman Franchisee of the Year 2018, as well as the Right at Home RightStart Award. The awards provide our business with credibility and visibility in the local community – it’s really helped our brand.
How has your life changed since you launched your franchise? I started this business because I felt very passionately about providing fantastic care, and I absolutely love it. Yes, it can be very sad and it can be hard, but the upside is you're changing people's lives and helping them at a point in their lives when they need the support. It's so important to do it well, with respect and with dignity. I’ve experienced real fulfi lment from being able to give older people a better quality of life.
Would you recommend it to others? Any advice for those considering a franchise? Absolutely – it’s the best thing that I’ve ever done. My advice would be to do your homework – in this industry especially, you’ve got to have a passion for the role and what you’re doing. You’ve also got to be prepared to listen to the franchisor and follow the model. Yes, it’s your business and you make your own decisions, but the model is proven and it’s there to guide you – I say, why wouldn’t you follow it?
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