Former Boy Scouts of America Executives Become Right at Home Franchise Owners

Bryan Hensley and Ryan Naegele, coming from business backgrounds and work with Boy Scouts of America, embarked on their franchising journey with Right at Home driven by a personal mission to make a positive impact on their community. 

“We saw this as an opportunity to serve both the client base of vulnerable adults and seniors, as well as a really large employee base that oftentimes is overlooked and taken advantage of,” Hensley said. 

They experienced the absence of such crucial support systems when caring for aging loved ones and their own family members who would have benefited from in-home care. This led them to the realization that, as Right at Home franchisees, they could provide something truly valuable to families in their community. Now, they have been doing so for eight years with three territories across Chattanooga, Cleveland and Maryville, Tennessee. 

1851 Franchise spoke with the entrepreneurial duo about their journey into franchising and their plans for the future. 

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

Ryan Naegele: I come from a business and nonprofit background. I spent most of my career doing that. Bryan and I met a couple of years before opening Right at Home working in nonprofit. We were looking at doing something on our own, so we were searching for the right opportunity. My wife and I wanted to stay in Chattanooga, and we looked at a bunch of different industries. Bryan found an article that talked about home care, using Right at Home as an example. That started the process of us looking into home care. We considered both a stand alone business and franchising at first. 

We were surprised that Chattanooga didn’t have a Right at Home, considering it’s such a desirable place to live and retire. Now, with over 200 employees delivering care in our area, it’s been incredible to see the impact Right at Home has had over the past eight years.

Bryan Hensley: We knew each other for about two years before launching Right at Home. I had a little bit of experience in hospice prior, so the idea of elder care wasn't a completely foreign concept to me. It was important for us to stay service-minded and a home care concept makes a big impact for employees as well as families. 

We saw this as an opportunity to serve both the client base of vulnerable adults and seniors, as well as a really large employee base that oftentimes is overlooked and taken advantage of. We now have an amazing office team that we get to serve as well; the team really does have a heart and passion for the caregivers and clients. 

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?

Naegele: I had been involved in a few other start up businesses that were not related to franchises. My initial perception was that franchising was an industry made for fast food and pest control concepts. I wasn’t aware of the vast array of franchises that were out there.

The opportunities to network and call on and interact with the other owners is by and large the absolute most important part of franchising for me. It would be very difficult to create that network on your own. These people are in the trenches with you and tackling the same challenges you are. You get to learn their recipes for success. 

Hensley: My general perception of franchising was not always positive because there can be some bad players in that space. I also thought of restaurants and pest control, but I also thought that if it was a franchise worth getting into, that the level of entry would be overwhelming. We have since figured out that that is not always true. There are great resources in place and great franchises to be involved with. 

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

Hensley: Besides being a strong business with a great network of owners, we chose Right at Home because we are excited to tell people that home care is an option, and it’s rarely dependent on insurance. We know the incredible impact it can have not only on the individuals we serve but also on their families.

We’ve seen in our own families the impact Right at Home could have made if it had been an option. Helping mothers and fathers get the care they need to maintain safety and dignity also gives sons and daughters the opportunity to remain sons and daughters and not be forced to become family caregivers. When we help create conversations and environments where caregivers with a heart for service can provide that care, we know that Right at Home can be an incredible resource for families, and we welcome the opportunity to help families navigate their care options.

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

Naegele: We want as many people to know about this as possible because we want to help as many people as we can. We will continue to expand within the state of Tennessee and any surrounding areas. We have an office team and field team whose families depend on Right at Home’s success; I myself have a wife and three kids and their well-being is very important.

Honesty, Transparency, a Rage for Mastery and a Willingness to be Inconvenienced are the core values we strive to instill in ourselves and those who work with us. We want to build the business the right way: for quality, not quantity. We are aiming for longevity, and we want to have a lasting impact on our community and give back. 

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

Hensley: We have a deep passion for our work and love the Chattanooga community we call home. Along with our wives, Maddie Hensley and Meghann Naegele, we are actively involved on multiple levels throughout our community. In addition to our local commitments, Ryan was recently elected by fellow Right at Home franchisees to serve on the national Right at Home Strategic Leadership Council, and I serve as the founding president for the Tennessee state chapter of the Home Care Association of America, where we have successfully advocated for legislative changes to expand the services that home care agencies can offer in our state.

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

Naegele: Franchising is a faster way to start — it’s not any less work and it’s not necessarily easier, but it lets you get going faster. What took us a couple of months would have taken us much, much longer and delayed our success. 

Hensley: If you are truly interested and have read everything you can find about it, take the plunge and call the franchise. You’ll never know if it’s a good fit unless you make that initial consultation and go through the steps. The idea of reaching out and starting the process can be daunting because people worry about getting trapped, but the process with Right at Home is very step-by-step. Just make the call.

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 five 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/.