Right at Home*, the more than 700-unit in-home care franchise, has created a pathway for entrepreneurs to build businesses around their passion while making a tangible impact on their communities. Stephanie Humphries, owner of Right at Home of Cedar Rapids, Waterloo, and Des Moines, Iowa, is one of the entrepreneurs who has successfully done this. After time spent as a physical therapist, then a stint as a stay-at-home mom, Humphries found herself looking to reenter the working world, but she knew she wanted to do it in a less traditional way.

“Early in our marriage, both my husband and I wanted to try to figure out how to work for ourselves,” she said. “Some of my earliest employment experiences drove this. I still draw from them today in terms of how I treat my employees, in that I prioritize lifting them up and supporting them. In that phase of my life, I would look at businesses for sale, and I noticed the Cedar Rapids Right at Home office for sale. I started to feel like that was something I could do, and my journey with Right at Home officially began in 2017.”

With her physical therapy background, Humphries had significant experience with home health. This gave her some confidence as she stepped into the business. She recognized that ownership with Right at Home would be another way for her to pursue her passion for helping people. It also empowered her to diversify the business immediately by incorporating skilled nursing and therapeutic services to better serve her clients.

Now, nearly 10 years later, Humphries has grown from one office to three and continues to emphasize the positive impact she’s able to have on both her team members and clients through her position as a franchise owner.

Humphries will join 1851 Franchise Publisher Nick Powills for a webinar on Thursday, May 28, 2026, at 1 p.m. CT. She’ll discuss how she became a Right at Home owner, how she has grown the business and what prospective franchisees should know.

Ready to start your franchise ownership journey? Join us on May 28, 2026, at 1 p.m. CT. Sign up for the webinar here.

When Humphries first discovered the Cedar Rapids office, she was largely influenced by Right at Home’s status as a franchise. Having watched her husband run a franchise business previously, she knew the value of a proven model and was excited about the opportunity to leverage corporate guidance while still operating her own local business.

Right at Home was the perfect balance. Humphries says that she has consistently had the autonomy necessary to run her business as she sees fit in her market with the guardrails and guidance of Right at Home’s infrastructure.

Since taking over the Cedar Rapids office, Humphries has expanded her reach across Iowa, acquiring the Waterloo market in 2022 and the Des Moines territory in 2025.

“I had finally achieved a pretty well-oiled machine in Cedar Rapids, and I felt like I could spread my time to other places,” she said. “If you’re going to have your own business, over time, you should figure out how you, as the owner, can do less and have those key people who you can rely on to do the daily processes for you.”

Today, Humphries remains focused on healthy growth, great client service, and building the expertise of the team to promote the long-term stability of the business as she continues to address the aging population across Iowa.

As the industry continues to grow and demand climbs across Iowa, Right at Home is looking to partner with passionate entrepreneurs to bring four more offices to the state, targeting development in Ames/Marshalltown, Davenport, Dubuque and Sioux City.

Join Humphries and Powills for the upcoming webinar to learn more about Humphries’ journey, her advice for prospective owners and insights on growth opportunities within the Right at Home system.

Sign up for the webinar here.