FBR Issue 4 - 2019

FBR SPECIAL REPORT
FEATURED
Franchisee
Mike Kearney
Senior Care Authority
Rochester, NY
Owner Since 2017
What was it about the franchise model and/or
leadership that led you to purchase it? I wanted
a business model that would allow me to utilize
the skills and experience of a lifelong career in
sales in a role that was not about selling, but
instead about helping people and solving
problems. Senior placement fit perfectly. At the
same time, I believe that choosing a franchisor is
like choosing a partner. These seemed like
people I wanted to be in business with.
What type of business experience, education,
and/or skills did you have prior to becoming a
franchisee that you have found particularly
helpful? Having experience in sales and
marketing was a big plus. I was comfortable
meeting new people, networking and putting
myself out there. Being comfortable making
presentations and selling yourself makes the job
a lot easier.
What do you like most about owning your
franchise? With this franchise, the experience of
helping a family in crisis is extremely rewarding.
A common response from customers I work with
is “Oh my gosh, I don’t know how we would have
done this without you!” There is a feel good
aspect to this job that I have not found in any
other role.
How did you fund your franchise? Did you
receive any discounts/incentives? I funded this
(along with my best friend and business partner)
through a Rollover for Business startup transaction.
We were able to negotiate a package with the
franchisor that we felt was a great opportunity.
What advice do you have for prospective
franchise buyers? I feel fortunate to have a
partner who really aided me in doing our due
diligence prior to start up. My advice would be to
do your homework and ask a lot of questions.
Talk to as many franchisees as you can. The time
you put in before you buy is crucial.
Senior Advocacy and Living Source
For more information on Senior Care Authority
opportunities, call (888) 809-1231 x2,
or visit seniorcareauthority.com/seniorfranchise-opportunities.html.
TM
of 10 franchisees said that they would do it all
over again.
Mishkin enjoys running his Home Instead
Senior Care franchise so much he says he
wishes he knew about it sooner.
But, that’s not to say owning a senior care
franchise is easy. Mishkin explains that it can
be stressful keeping up with the growth and
staffing demands of their business.
90%
ENJOY THEIR
FRANCHISE SYSTEM
According to more than 1,600
franchisees surveyed
Also, the industry requires franchisees to
be on call 24/7. This can be challenging for
business owners.
“The best part of owning a senior care
franchise is serving all the families and
providing job opportunities within the community.
The worst part is it’s a 24/7 business,”
said Michael. “We care for people every hour
of every day. There is never a day off in senior
care. We take calls in the middle of the night,
on Christmas and Thanksgiving. The business
is never shut off.”
Vijayan and Kunnath agree. “The best
thing about our business is that we get to
do what we love doing. It is a 24/7 business
and yet it provides immense satisfaction. The
ownership provides opportunity not only to
help seniors but also help many caregivers
with employment and a source of income. We
currently have over 200 caregivers between
two offices. The worst part about owning
our business is that you have to be available
24 hours, seven days a week, initially. Over a
few years, you build capacity to hire people on
call,” they remarked.
Due to the nature of the business, providing
a caregiving service for seniors, the work
can also be emotionally draining. Preston said
the best part of owning his franchise is changing
people’s lives. “I love our mission and what
we do.” But, he says, the hardest part is that
it’s tiring, emotional work. “But even with the
difficult things, it’s always worth it,” he said.
EXPLORING TOP SENIOR CARE
FRANCHISE BRANDS
In an exploding field and competitive market,
there are many senior care franchise brands to
choose from. As you begin your research and
vet your options, the FBR Top Senior Care
Franchises list is a great place to start. All the
brands on this list have been rated highly by
the franchisees who own them—and many of
them have shared their satisfaction reports
openly on www.FranchiseBusinessReview.com.
So, if you are curious to dig deeper and learn
about a certain brand, please visit our website
to see their scores and to request additional
information.
As you review different franchise opportunities,
keep in mind what matters most to you.
Roy Wu, a Home Instead franchisee put
values first. “The Home Instead brand is the
only one we looked at due to their number one
stated value, honor God in all we do, and the
values they believe in for doing good by doing
well,” he said.
Vijayan & Kunnath decided on Home
Care Assistance because they liked their
science-based approach. “We felt a science
and evidence-based approach to senior care
made sense having come from pharmaceutical
and financial industries respectively. The
Cognitive Therapeutics Method specifically
designed for people living with dementia and
Balanced Care Method, anchored in holistic
caregiving completely made sense.”
Preston, on the other hand, was looking
for strong corporate leadership, which Home
Instead Senior Care was able to provide “Home
Instead was by far the most professional organization
that we vetted. They are supportive
of their owners, work hard to support the
brand, are innovative and push to maintain
their quality,” he said. “They self-manage and
protect their brand through high franchise
standards and maintain their positive culture
through thoughtful hiring of the Home Office
Staff, as well as diligent vetting of new owners.”
If you decide that a senior care franchise is
the best option for you, be sure to talk to as
many franchisees as possible. They can give
you unbiased and straightforward feedback
on what it’s really like to own the franchise
you are considering. And you can visit
www.FranchiseBusinessReview.com to read
reviews, peruse satisfaction data and inquire
to the brands you are most interested in.
24 | For more information on the companies in this report, visit www.FranchiseBusinessReview.com