Local Entrepreneur Buys Right At Home in Pittsburgh Metro Area as a Tribute to His Late Parents

Family is a huge part of Sam Gupta’s life. Growing up in India, he was always surrounded by his large family at home, as well as family businesses. Taking care of his elders is something that he was taught. So when an opportunity with Right At Home, the in-home health care concept helping seniors and adults with disabilities live comfortably at home, came along, he saw it as a perfect opportunity to give back and pay tribute to his own parents. 

The entrepreneur previously owned a franchise in the IT management industry for 10 years. After growing that business to a place of success, Gupta decided to look for his next venture. Senior care was something that has always been of interest to him because of his desire to serve the community. This March, he purchased the existing location of Right At Home in Pittsburgh. Now, he is ready to grow the business to its full potential and bring quality in-home care to local seniors. 

1851 Franchise spoke to Gupta about his franchising journey with Right At Home. 

1851 Franchise: Frame your personal story for us. What did you do before franchising, and how did you decide franchising made sense for you?

Gupta: I came to the U.S. about 30 years ago from India. I got my Master of Science degree in Management of Information Technology from the University of Virginia. Now, I’m a locaI entrepreneur and have owned another franchised business for over 10 years. That business was to provide managed IT services for small and mid-sized businesses. Several of my clients were nonprofits and local governments. I always wanted to give back to the community and have done a lot of community involvement work. After 10 years, I achieved a lot in that business so it was time for me to take on a new challenge. I started looking at senior care opportunities, something I had also looked at a few years ago when we first moved here from Virginia.  Right At Home is a great opportunity for me. I’ve got another 15 years or so before I retire, and this business presented a great opportunity for me to give back to the community.

1851: What was your perception of franchising prior to becoming a franchisee, and what do you want people to know about franchising now that you are in it?

Gupta: I owned a franchise before this and was an area developer, so I am quite familiar with the franchising model. I understand why it is better to own a franchise than starting from scratch. The franchised business has the systems already in place. You can jump right in instead of waiting for years to become profitable.

1851: What made you pick this brand? What excites you most about this company?

Gupta: I wanted to give back to the community. Our mission is to improve the quality of life for those we serve. We do that by providing quality in-home care. I love having the opportunity to care for people’s loved ones. One of the things I really like about this business model is that we recognize that everyone's idea of quality of life is different. Right At Home puts together a clear plan to meet the needs of each client. We want the client to be in the driver's seat, regardless of any limitations or challenges they might be facing. I wish I had this type of service for my own parents. I look at this as a tribute to them. 

1851: What do you hope to achieve with your business? What are your plans for growth? 

Gupta: I purchased an existing business from someone who is retiring. For the last couple of years, he has been in retirement mode so the growth hasn't been the focus. I want to get the business to growing again. There is an opportunity in this market for growth. I am making community involvement and marketing spend a top priority to be successful in this business. The biggest challenge is hiring new caregivers, so I’ve been putting a lot of effort into hiring resources.

We’re also providing a free home assessment to the perspective clients. This helps us determine client needs and match them with the best caregiver to address their needs. 

1851: What is the one thing about your story you want us to know?

Gupta: I come from a large family and a family business background. Everyone lived together in the same house. We always cared for our elders. And now, with people having jobs and businesses in different locations makes it challenging for us to be together.  Obviously we want our loved ones to be taken care of.  That's where companies like Right At Home can play a big role. For me, owning Right At Home is a tribute to my late parents. I couldn’t find services like this for them, but we can provide this for the loved ones of others. 

1851: What advice do you have for other people thinking about becoming a franchise owner?

Gupta: In my opinion, franchising is a very good way to start a business especially if you don’t have a long time to become profitable. The systems and guidelines are already in place. I can’t imagine starting my own home care business from scratch. There may be a little more costs involved, but it's worth it. 

ABOUT RIGHT AT HOME:

Founded in 1995, Right at Home* offers in-home care to seniors and adults with disabilities who want to live independently. Most Right at Home offices are independently owned and operated, and directly employ and supervise all caregiving staff. Each caregiver is thoroughly screened, trained and bonded/insured before entering a client’s home. Right at Home’s global office is based in Omaha, Nebraska, with more than 650 franchise locations in the U.S. and six other countries. For more information on Right at Home, visit rightathome.net or read the Right at Home blog at rightathome.net/blog.