After a Tech Career Collapse and Personal Loss, Spartanburg Woman Opens Right at Home to Help Families Walking a Similar Path

When COVID wiped out her 30-year tech career, and the loss of her husband soon after reshaped her life entirely, Spartanburg resident Jennifer Sall found herself seeking a path that aligned with both her resilience and her deepest values. That path led her back to home care, an industry she fell in love with after taking what she believed would be a temporary job.

But Sall’s connection to caregiving began decades earlier. She grew up watching her mother care for her grandmother with Alzheimer’s, often navigating confusing, disconnected systems with little guidance. That experience left a lasting imprint, one that resurfaced when Sall realized just how many families today are walking that same overwhelming road without a trusted ally to help them through it.

Now, after helping open two other Right at Home* locations and witnessing how meaningful expert support can be, Sall has launched her own Right at Home in Spartanburg to offer families the clarity, compassion, and ethical guidance her own family once needed.

Her focus is twofold: delivering high-standard care for clients and creating a supportive, burnout-aware environment for caregivers and admin staff. She’s also leveraging emerging tools like AI to streamline operations so her team can stay focused on what matters most — people.

In a moment when the “sandwich generation” is growing and aging care feels more complex than ever, Sall aims to be the steady, knowledgeable resource Spartanburg families can turn to when they don’t know where to begin.

1851 spoke with Sall to learn more about her background and her journey to franchising. 

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

Jennifer Sall: I was a software developer in secondary market ticketing for about 30 years, but COVID destroyed my industry. I took a temporary software implementation job in home care and realized, "I absolutely love this industry," seeing a great need for experts to guide families. After successfully spending a year opening two franchises for another Right at Home owner, I thought, "If I'm going to work this hard for somebody else, I should probably do it for myself."

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?

Jennifer Sall: Prior to becoming an owner, my perception was that it "felt very sterile, cookie cutter." Now that I'm in it, I want people to know that franchising is local, personal, and "owner equity-facing." The biggest difference between going it alone and doing it with a franchise entity is that you have a built-in network of support, resources, and vendors—you're not trying to determine everything on your own.

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

Jennifer Sall: Their mission really speaks to me because it encapsulates the ability to improve the lives of both clients and caregivers. Right at Home is deeply personally invested in this industry; they have a very strong ethical compass and high standards for their franchises. I also utilized my existing industry knowledge and connections to rapidly research the brand and found them to be the best fit due to their "brand, heart, soul, and support."

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

Jennifer Sall: My primary goal is to achieve scaled growth by applying lessons learned and leveraging resources developed at the franchise level. I am focused on leveraging AI to alleviate repetitive administrative tasks, hoping it can be a tool that reduces burnout for administrative staff in this industry. I’ve also received approval to provide veterans’ care and am participating in GUIDE, a Medicare program designed to provide support to families navigating the challenges of dementia. I do not intend to expand beyond Spartanburg, I want to be able to focus on the community I call home. 

1851: Is there anything else about your story you want us to know?

Jennifer Sall: My mother was a caregiver for my grandmother, who had Alzheimer’s, and watching her navigate disconnected care systems made a huge impression on me. I'm a solo parent in the “sandwich generation” after my husband passed away in 2022, which makes the caregiving process especially complex. I appreciate that Right at Home is highly invested in its franchise owners, providing tailored support and genuinely wanting to understand both your personal and professional story

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

Jennifer Sall: Trust the process and believe in the system that has been refined across many offices. Don't view the system as a "cookie cutter" because innovation actually happens at the local level and should be shared. You also need to stress the importance of choosing a franchise system that matches your ethical and professional boundaries. The greatest benefit is the supportive, non-competitive network where resources and solutions can be shared among owners.

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 750 franchise locations in the U.S. and four other countries.

If you're interested in taking the next step in making a difference in your community as a Right at Home franchisee, visit http://rightathomefranchise.com or to read more about franchise ownership, visit our blog at: https://rightathomefranchise.com/forc/.