Lucas Hamm Brings Compassionate Care to Eagan, Minnesota with Right at Home Franchise

After two decades in corporate America, Lucas Hamm made a life-changing decision to leave his career in health care administration to pursue a more personal and impactful path. With a background working for major organizations like UnitedHealth Group and Optum, Hamm specialized in finance, accounting and business development. However, he realized he wanted something different. “I found myself as 41-year-old Lucas and asked, ‘Do I want to be 61-year-old Lucas and still be doing this?’” he said. “I wanted to do something closer to the actual care delivery itself.”

Hamm spent nearly two years researching franchise opportunities before choosing Right at Home*, a senior care franchise with a strong reputation and a mission that resonated with his values. “Right at Home felt like the best cultural fit,” Hamm said. “The people I talked to were all drawn to the mission of helping their communities and families, and that alignment of values gave me confidence that this was the right move.” Now operating in Eagan, Minnesota, Hamm’s goal is to create meaningful employment for caregivers while serving as a trusted resource for seniors and their families.

Hamm is passionate about building a business that impacts lives in a meaningful way. “I want to serve as many seniors as possible and provide caregivers with strong, meaningful employment at a good wage,” he said. With 10 caregivers already hired and a commitment to being a key resource in his community, Hamm is focused on making a difference, one client at a time.

1851 Franchise spoke with Hamm to learn more about his path to franchising and his plans for the future. Here’s what he had to say.

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

Lucas Hamm: I started off working in corporate America and did that for approximately 20 years. My career was always within a health care setting, working for large organizations like UnitedHealth Group and Optum. Most of my roles were in administration — finance, accounting, mergers and acquisitions, and business development. Then one day, I found myself as 41-year-old Lucas and asked, ‘Do I want to be 61-year-old Lucas and still be doing this?’ I could have stayed — it was a good ride — but I wanted to do something closer to the actual care delivery itself.

So, I made the leap. I wanted to transition from an administrative capacity into something more intimate, something that allowed me to have a direct impact on people's lives.

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?

Hamm: I didn’t have a strong existing perception of franchising; I just worked to learn about it. What I discovered is that the clichés are true — you’re in business for yourself, but not by yourself. That phrase resonates with me. The biggest advantage is the ability to leverage hundreds of other owners to learn from their successes. That was my hope going into it, and so far, that’s been my experience. The collective knowledge you can access is invaluable.

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

Hamm: I looked at senior care franchises for about a year and a half — maybe two years — and narrowed it down to six or seven brands within the space. Right at Home felt like the best cultural fit. Health care was a natural choice for me because of my career background, but senior care stood out due to the immense need. The 'silver tsunami' and the growing elderly population in the U.S. made this industry a compelling opportunity.

Ultimately, what sold me on Right at Home was the people. Before I signed, I talked to a variety of franchise owners, and I saw that they were all drawn to the mission of helping their communities and families. That alignment of values gave me confidence that this was the right move.

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

Hamm: My goal is to serve as many seniors as possible while providing meaningful employment to caregivers at a strong wage. I currently have 10 caregivers hired and I want to continue creating jobs that offer both good pay and purpose. Beyond that, I aim to be a key resource for the senior community — not just for in-home care, but for broader needs, whether that’s connecting them with community services or helping with other aspects like in-home repairs. I want our business to be a trusted partner for seniors and their families.

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

Hamm: I don’t have a compelling personal story tied to a family member in need of care, like some do. My story is about wanting to make a career shift. Corporate America was a good experience, but I wanted to work in a setting that allowed me to impact people’s lives more directly. My focus is on helping seniors in the community, even if it means connecting them to services we don’t provide ourselves. We’re here to serve as a resource.

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

Hamm: My advice is to do your research. Be willing to roll up your sleeves because it’s going to be a ride. You need to put your full heart into it and prepare to work hard. For me, I knew that if it didn’t work out, I could go back to corporate America. I decided to take the chance because it was something I really wanted to do. Sometimes, you just have to ask yourself, “What’s the worst that could happen?”

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 700 franchise locations in the U.S. and four other countries. For more information about Right at Home, visit https://www.rightathome.net/ or read the Right at Home blog at https://www.rightathome.net/blog/.

To learn more about Right at Home of Eagan, Minnesota, please visit https://www.rightathome.net/eagan.