When it comes to establishing an entrepreneurial future, some have always dreamed of it. Others ended up down this path via outside circumstances, sometimes beyond their control. But when you truly know what you want to achieve in life, it can make the journey that much easier. One such example is Cathy Trlica, owner of a Caring Senior Service franchise in New Braunfels, Texas, since 2004. As a top-performing franchise owner for multiple years, Trlica was recently nominated as a Rock Star by her franchisor. Prior to owning her own business, she was certain she wanted to start a home care-based business but was unsure whether franchising was the right choice. As you’ll see in this one-on-one interview, it didn’t take long to convince her otherwise…
When Paths Cross for All the Right Reasons
Following a successful career of her own in the healthcare industry, both in practice management and insurance, Cathy Trlica was set on opening a home care agency of her own as a tribute to her beloved grandmother’s memory. Seeing firsthand how some individuals respond to being removed from their home environment was more than she could bear to see another person go through. It was this experience that set her on the path that would become the second act of her career. And that began when Trlica crossed paths with Caring Senior Service CEO Jeff Salter. While working together on a nonprofit advisory council for seniors, she witnessed Salter’s care and commitment to seniors and bought into the idea of helping them find care through franchise ownership. “I had been preparing to open a home care agency for many years and was unsure about whether it should be a for-profit, non-profit private entity, or perhaps a franchise. After working with Jeff, following his successes, and realizing that his values and mission were extremely close to mine, it made it easy to consider his franchise opportunity.”
Following the Path to Caring Senior Service Franchise Ownership
As far as franchise brands go, Cathy Trlica was a perfect candidate. Having known Salter for four years, she didn’t need much more in the way of convincing when it came to the proven business model, comprehensive training, and ongoing support provided by Caring Senior Service. One validation session was the only convincing she needed to sign on the dotted line, becoming the brand’s fourth overall franchisee in the system. The run-up to her business launch was a breeze. “I joined Caring Senior Service in its early beginnings as a franchise. Even so, I received training, support, and technology to allow the launch of a successful business. In my former career, I was very process-oriented and felt confident that I would be able to use the tools offered by the franchise to implement the processes required. The policy and procedure manual and operations manual and other information provided, as well as in-person training, all included what was needed to meet state regulations, techniques for marketing the business, and the technical platform needed to perform business-critical operations.”
Making Franchise Ownership a Family Affair
Three years in, Cathy Trlica enlisted the help of her daughter, Lara Harris, who ended up being quite instrumental in handling the operational side of the business. All of the back-end duties were handled professionally, allowing Cathy to be the face of the organization and scale her new business accordingly. According to Cathy, it was an ideal setup – one that allowed her to do what she does best, provide superior care in the home. “It’s truly a blessing to be able to serve seniors in their homes. Allowing them to age in place gives them a better quality of life. We also enjoy assisting individuals after a hospital stay or surgery, allowing them to recover comfortably at home, which often quickens the recovery period. It’s incredibly rewarding to see the smiles of those remaining in or returning to their most comfortable place.” Cathy officially named Lara as a co-owner of the business in 2021.
The Benefit of Being Your Own Boss
Cathy Trlica is quick to point out the primary benefit of owning a business of your own, beginning with the opportunity to work with her daughter each and every day. The implicit trust and passion that both women have for helping seniors get in-home care shows through in the work that they perform, which goes far above and beyond the brand’s expectations. Not only are Cathy and Lara among the brand’s top performers for several of the last consecutive years, but they’ve also contributed generously to Caring Senior Service’s nonprofit partner organization, ‘Close the Gap in Senior Care,’ raising nearly $20,0000 on their own. “Having a spiritually aligned value system also allows us to operate our company and remain on track in providing loving and compassionate care.”
For more information on the Caring Senior Service franchise opportunity, visit caringfranchise.com, email [email protected], or call 937-545-6278.
