The American population is aging, with nearly 10,000 people turning 65 daily. Most would prefer to live at home, yet more than 70% of seniors will need assistance with activities of daily living, according to the United States Department of Health and Human Services. That’s why the demand for in-home support services continues to soar. The Right at Home franchise is a leading in-home care system that meets this growing demand and focuses on improving the quality of life for seniors and their families. The Right at Home Strategic Leadership Council (SLC) helps ensure that franchise owners’ feedback and suggestions are heard and that the franchisee network continues to thrive. In this article, we’ll discuss how the SLC advocates for franchise owners’ needs.
The Omaha-based company Right at Home was founded in 1995 by Allen Hager, who spent years working as a hospital administrator. During that time, he saw many older patients discharged to home only to return to the hospital because they had no one to care for them at home. Five years into the business, he began offering franchise opportunities to expand home care services for seniors throughout the U.S. Today, Right at Home includes more than 700 locations in the U.S. and five countries, serves thousands of clients, and employs thousands of caregivers across the United States.
The company formed a Strategic Leadership Council (SLC) comprised of 12 elected and appointed franchise owners. The council represents all franchisees and helps influence Right at Home’s strategy of owner-focused decision-making. As in-home care shifts to meet clients’ needs, Right at Home regularly taps into the expertise of its SLC in reviewing systemwide innovations to improve service delivery. For the first time this year, the SLC elected its first two female co-chairs: Renee Concialdi and Michelle Rankine. The women, who have each spent more than nine years as franchise owners in their territories, are excited to lead the SLC over the next year.
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Michelle Rankine, of Texas, was finishing her doctorate and working as a professor when her brother was paralyzed in a car accident. She was introduced to in-home care more than 11 years ago when she had to get support services for him. After meeting an in-home care franchise owner, she considered franchise ownership as a possible career.
“I literally started my Right at Home business and defended my dissertation a few months after that,” she said. “I don’t recommend it, but it was probably the best thing for me because those research skills allowed me to dive in and get to know the home care industry.”
Today, Rankine owns three Texas locations, covering Collin and Denton Counties and parts of Tarrant and Dallas Counties. Last year, she served on the SLC as a southwest region representative, representing franchise owners from Texas, Louisiana, Kansas, and Missouri. Rankine also serves on the marketing, caregiver recruitment, and operational efficiency task forces. She enjoys both listening to fellow franchise owners and bringing their ideas back to the task force and the corporate office.
“It gives me a good pulse on both sides of what’s coming on the pipeline, what corporate is seeing trend nationally, what’s trending locally—it’s a good marriage,” she said.
As an SLC member, Rankine helps pilot new processes and technology before they’re rolled out to the franchise locations. Recently, her office finished piloting an app that encourages caregiver compliance with clocking in and out and tracks any compliments caregivers receive from clients or their families. Because the recruitment and retention of caregivers are critical to providing quality care, Right at Home is always looking for ways to recognize them for their contributions.
“It was an idea I had gotten from another owner to look at, and we were actually able to say, this works, and it can really help other owners with caregiver recognition and engagement,” she said.
She’s excited to work with co-chair Renee Concialdi to embed a unique servant leadership perspective into Right at Home’s culture.
“We are a female-dominated industry, so how do we support women who are going to be mothers, who are managing their families, and then caring for seniors,” she said. “As female owners, we need to show how we can lead with empathy.”
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Renee Concialdi, of Pasadena, California, helped care for her mother throughout her childhood. When her mother could no longer live independently and moved in with her family, Concialdi hired caregivers from Right at Home to help.
That’s when Concialdi really learned the value of a trusted agency and caregivers. Because Right at Home is insured and bonded and has a tight screening and training process, she felt comfortable entrusting her mother to their caregivers. Even after her mother required medical care and had to move to a skilled nursing facility, Concialdi hired Right at Home caregivers to check in on her regularly.
“As my mom declined and passed away last year, It was a hard time. I don’t know that I would have survived it with any kind of health or sanity without our trusted caregivers from Right at Home,” she said.
Inspired by her positive experience with Right at Home, Concialdi bought her first franchise in Pasadena nine and a half years ago. In 2019, she invested in her San Gabriel location, and most recently, she bought a third location in West Covina. Concialdi represents her region and serves as a member of the SLC innovation task force, where she helps pilot new technologies and processes. She enjoys sharing her knowledge and bringing new ideas from the field to the SLC and the corporate office.
“We have a network within the SLC, and then we have networks in our region and performance groups,” she said. “People at the top and through the different ranks at corporate really want to know how they can help. They are taking a lot of franchisee best practices and putting them in a format where owners across the system can use them.”
Right at Home Strategic Leadership Council Helps Shape Franchise’s Future
Ryan Naegle, of Chattanooga, Tennessee, owns three Right at Home locations in Tennessee with business partner Bryan Hensley. He opened his first location in 2016 without health care or franchise experience. A former nonprofit and start-up professional with expertise in fundraising and recruitment, Naegle was anxious to move up the corporate career ladder—but he didn’t want to move. Hensley approached him about investing in a home care business in their community. Naegle said Right at Home’s culture and business model appealed to him.
“We felt we could make a really big impact and differentiate ourselves by focusing on two vulnerable populations – seniors receiving care and our workforce,” he said.
The co-owners purchased their second and third locations in 2021 and May 2024. Naegle was elected to represent his territory on the SLC this year and was voted in to serve as vice co-chair with Brian Maroney, franchise owner from New Jersey. Naegle also serves on the technology and innovation task force, where he’s interested in looking at operational efficiency.
The best part of serving on the SLC is hearing about what’s working for owners in every region of the country.
“I’m very quickly reminded the everyone has good ideas and watching them execute those things is invigorating and pumps you full of adrenaline,” he said. “It makes you stop and look at what you’re doing.”
The industry has changed a lot over the past eight years. The Right at Home Strategic Leadership Council and its task forces have moved from educating the public about home care to looking at ways to provide it and helping clients use caregiver hours where they have the greatest impact.
“There are offices all over the country that are looking at any number of ways that help families who can’t afford it,” he said. “There are tools we can use to figure out what those impact hours are without having to be there all the time. That builds trust and creates the opportunity to stay healthy and more independent in their homes longer.”
Brian Maroney once owned two retail franchises and served on a leadership committee for that company. After reading an article focused on the aging population and demographics, Maroney considered investing in an in-home care franchise. He and his wife, Christina, decided to invest in their first Right at Home location in Linwood, New Jersey, after visiting their headquarters in 2008. They added a second territory a little more than three years after that.
Being a part of the Right at Home Strategic Leadership Council for the past year and stepping into the co-chair role earlier this year reinvigorated his passion for the franchise. As an at-large member, Maroney helps regional representatives with their regions. He serves on the innovation task force and is excited about technology that can help families with “pre-care.” Wearable technology can help families understand when their loved ones are sleeping or determine if they are walking in a labored way, for example.
“You can see in real-time if they aren’t getting out of bed until noon. We can decide to get a caregiver in there to help them get out of bed in the morning,” Maroney said. “It’s great for our nursing director to look at the data as opposed to just going into a house every 60 days for an assessment.”
The SLC plays a big role in charting the franchise’s future. The corporate office encourages the council to share its ideas, and Maroney is excited to be a part of it.
“Michelle and Renee are taking that and running with it. It’s one of the better committees I’ve been on,” he said. “Everyone is trying to make Right at Home better, and they’re doing it to provide better care for people in our communities.”
How the Right at Home Strategic Leadership Council Empowers Franchisee Satisfaction
Keenly focused on franchisee satisfaction, Right at Home has won several awards from Franchise Business Review (FBR) and in-home healthcare organizations. This year alone, it has earned a spot on FBR’s Top 200 Franchises, Most Profitable, Top Recession-Proof, and Top Culture lists. Right at Home has been a Franchisee Satisfaction Award winner for the past 15 years, securely claiming a spot in the Franchise Business Review Hall of Fame.
A November 2023 Franchise Business Review survey of active Right at Home franchisees found that:
- 94% said they were likely to recommend the Right at Home brand
- 90% said that the company acted with honesty and integrity
- 88% said they enjoyed being part of the Right at Home Family
Are You Interested in Making a Difference in Your Community as a Right at Home Franchise Owner?
Right at Home provides an in-home care solution for seniors and their loved ones who need assistance in providing and coordinating at-home care. At the same time, the franchise provides a proven business model for owners looking to develop and grow a meaningful and rewarding career helping clients in their care.
Individual franchise owners are reaping the rewards of the company’s commitment to innovation. The average annual net billing per office is nearly $1.55 million, with a 42.61% profit margin.
However, according to the company’s 2024 Financial Disclosure Document, individuals interested in investing in a Right at Home franchise must meet some financial requirements.
- Total startup investment: $88,700 to $160,725, including franchise fee
- Franchise fee: $50,625 or $52,125 for honorably discharged veterans
- Minimum Liquid Assets to be considered for a franchise: $150,000
- Royalties: 5% of revenue
Right at Home franchise owners benefit from protected territories and do not compete with one another. Each owner’s territory is defined by zip codes, including 15,000 to 30,000 people aged 65 and older.
It’s important to research potential franchise opportunities carefully. You should weigh your options, examine the costs involved, and talk to current franchise owners to ensure you’re a good fit for the business. You must also be honest about the time and money you are willing to invest.
Owning an in-home care franchise allows you to fulfill your passion for giving back to your community while building wealth now and for future generations. To learn more about the Right at Home franchise opportunity and receive a free Right at Home franchise kit, call 866-350-9770 or visit rightathomefranchise.com.
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