Since the start of the year, Home Instead Senior Care has already welcomed new owners in 12 territories to the network – a mix of brand new franchises and a territory resale.
Our new franchisees are all people who have recognised the market opportunity and business potential investing in the senior care market represents with an ageing population.
The nine brand new franchises have given owners the opportunity to launch their own venture but with a proven business model, first-class training and support alongside a genuine culture of peer collaboration.
Our ‘dedicated dozen’ also includes one new owner who has purchased a territory resale – the ideal proposition for people who want to become part of our mission ‘to change the face of ageing’ but with an established team, office and structure in place.
Our franchise model has proven longevity, we’ve been operating in the UK for the last 12 years and we’re proud to have opened over 190 franchises to date. Many of our franchises are turning over in excess of £1 million per year with operating profits of 15-20%.
We have 120 territories available and 6 territory resales, ideal investments for people with passion and determination, business leaders who want to be part of a mission-led franchisor that is proud to hold 5 Star Franchisee Satisfaction from Smith & Henderson for the past 4 years running.
Meet one of our newest franchisees…
Ashley’s franchise sign up story
After graduating from university with a degree in Economics and Languages, Ashley Gray, now 45, worked in the City for almost 12 years. Gaining experience with several companies, it was his final position
running a headhunting company where he developed a strong ability to build successful relationships. It’s this quality that he’s looking to use as he launches his Home Instead franchise in Yeovil, Sherborne and Bridport.
Wanting to do something different, Ashley left his job in the City in 2008, spending time volunteering at an Indian orphanage before starting a Masters in Business Administration (MBA) in 2009.
It was a career change for wife Becky and the arrival of his first son, Seb, that led to a relocation from London to the South West. With a five-week-old baby and Becky starting as a doctor at Musgrove Park Hospital, Ashley needed a new venture that worked for all three of them.
Hotelier – a ‘never forever’ opportunity
With a family friend who was an experienced hotelier and influenced by his experiences, Ashley purchased a 13-bed hotel in East Devon. Becoming the family home, it was close enough to the hospital for Becky and allowed the flexibility in working hours that a corporate role couldn’t.
Ashley said: “I like to think I’m entrepreneurial and there was an innovation and entrepreneurship focus to my MBA. Running a hotel was something completely different from what I’d done, but it was never ‘forever’. As much as seeing it as a business, I was also playing the property game – the building was attractive and I could see potential.”
Turning the hotel from a near-loss making operation into a successful one, Ashley sold the business in July 2016 to begin looking for his next venture. Because the hotel had also been their home, the family relocated again, moving to South Somerset, where his twin boys were born the following month.
New challenges
The next six months are described by Ashley as ‘full on’, adjusting to life as a family of five but also looking for his next business move.
Ashley said: “I’d always been interested in care and running a care home had always been in the back of my mind. I wanted a business that made a positive difference to other people’s lives rather than just focusing on the bottom line.
“The hardest thing about running the hotel was not having someone to share the business with and I knew an independent care home would be the same. It made me realise that a homecare franchise could offer me the opportunity to open my own business, doing something worthwhile, but with the support and peer relationships that franchising brings. The ability to share the business experience is what sold it to me.”
Ashley researched homecare franchisors and found Home Instead Senior Care. He attended a Home Instead Discovery Day in London, meeting with the team from National Office. He said: “Once I’d seen their presentation, it made sense. They’re doing it really well – offering a top service with a focus on value. That was the differentiator. With my background, I knew I could make a really good business and give something back, maybe this sounds like a cliché but it’s so true with this franchise model.”
Open culture, warm and welcoming
It was the open and honest culture of Home Instead that impressed Ashley who asked if he could speak to, and visit, franchisees in neighbouring territories to get to know the business better, before deciding whether to invest in a franchise.
Ashley added: “Having the chance to meet existing franchisees allowed me to hear all about their positive stories and shared experiences, first hand. I visited three offices and spoke to another six franchisees. They were all very warm, welcoming and had a similar outlook to me. I could see how the opportunity to invest in a territory would totally play to my skill set.”
Ashley followed his instincts and completed his New Owner training in May this year.
Support in everything from HR to PR
Drawing on the comprehensive support package Home Instead offers, Ashley is now in the process of recruiting his Care Manager ahead of opening his franchise in September. He said: “The support from National Office gets you in the mind-set to think ‘Home Instead’. It’s given me a really good understanding of how they operate and the support on everything from HR to PR has been really important.”
He added: “I’m so excited to get started, to emulate the Home Instead mission in my territory and become a thought leader in my locality. I want to create a business that is respectful to CAREGivers and empowers them to be the best they can be. I want my clients and their families to say, ‘I want my care there because it’s the best!!!’”.
Meet the rest of our ‘dedicated dozen’ franchisees joining our network in 2017 from all walks of professional life:
Charlotte Johnson & Hayley James, Loughborough – opened in April
Charlotte and Hayley became business partners after working together at Ever Direct, a footwear and accessories supplier.
Charlotte was Company Director at Ever Direct, after working her way up from Assistant Account Manager. She managed a team of 35 and was responsible for the design and sales of products alongside managing the technical aspects of the business.
Hayley also received several promotions at Ever Direct before she took on the role of Senior Technical Manager. She was responsible for compliance and standards across the business, auditing, budget allocations and ensuring that all products were assessed for suitability.
Elia Takkos, Warminster – opened in April
From 2005 to 2012 Elia had his own SPAR franchise in South Africa. In 2012 Elia took on a management position within Sudwala Caves. He was responsible for staff recruitment, establishing strategic goals by identifying and evaluating trends, defining department objectives and evaluating outcomes. Elia was the principal carer for his wife from 2012 during a period of illness, she is now recovered.
Guy Kirk, Morpeth – opened in April
Since 2009 Guy has been a Senior Lecturer for Northumbria University. He is involved in planning and delivering taught social work programmes, as well as undertaking research and writing academic papers. Guy is also an experienced social work practitioner and a former senior manager within Local Authority Children’s Services. Guy was aware of Home Instead as his brother is an existing franchisee and owns the Swindon franchise.
Jagdeep Yogarajah, Shoreham – opened in April
Jagdeep has been a financial analyst within equity research for 11 years, specifically covering banking stocks.
Not only is Jagdeep commercially and financially astute, she also has a personal interest in the welfare of the elderly. She has had her own personal experience of bad care and recognises that there is a gap in the care sector for quality, person-centred, relationship-led care.
Mike Keig, Weston-Super-Mare – territory resale completed in April
Mike’s background is sales management, working in engineering and manufacturing for over 20 years. Mike owned a cost management franchise, with his wife Luisa, since 2010.
Mike’s franchise decision was driven by his ambition to do something that felt worthwhile, using his experience to help an organisation that was about more than just profit.
A territory resale offered him the opportunity to buy an established and successful business, but with a real potential for growth.
Kishore Sapkota, Folkestone – opened in May
Up until 2003 Kishore worked within the finance sector for a multimedia agency. In 2004, he acquired a restaurant with his wife, which they turned into an award-winning business. They opened a second restaurant in 2010.
Alongside his business interests, Kishore is heavily involved in community fundraising and is a member of several organisations which help people in need.
Paul Sahota, Slough – opened in May
Paul has held a number of senior leadership roles within large, complex groups in the insurance, banking and asset management sectors. His most recent role was as Interim Head of Audit at Legal and General. Paul is also currently a non-executive director of two charities. He is a Fellow of the Chartered Management Institute and a member of the Institute of Risk Management.
Andrew Goode, West Exeter & Teignbridge – opened in June
Andrew has over 20 years’ experience in the IT sector. His most recent position was with Aviva as their Information Security consultant providing authoritative advice and guidance through utilising his broad knowledge of business, together with working knowledge of security threats and mitigating security controls.
Jason Tomlinson, Wakefield – opened in July
After qualifying as a pharmacist, Jason worked as a Pharmacy Manager in Sheffield. With a shared expectation of quality to Home Instead where care that passes the ‘Mum Test’ is paramount, he told his team daily to dispense like they are dispensing for their own mum.
Jason is focused on motivating and developing others and was proud to welcome his new Care Manager to his Home Instead franchise which opened in July.
Karen and Laura Clatworthy, Newport, Caerleon and Cwmbran – opened in August
With over 20 years’ experience of owning her own business, Karen joins the Home Instead network alongside daughter Laura. Laura’s background is in compliance and customer communications and she is currently completing her MBA in finance management.
Karen is very well known in her community and has done a lot of fundraising for local charities.
Stewart Grenyer, Tiverton – opened in August
Stewart spent 17 years as a manufacturing and systems engineer and in 2007, began teaching BTEC National – Manufacturing engineering at Aylesbury college.
In 2009 Stewart became a youth worker for a community youth project in Buckinghamshire and then became Community Development Manager for the YMCA, delivering youth and community programmes and activities.