From Healthcare Litigation to Compassionate Homecare with Right at Home Franchise in South Bend, Indiana

Jon Lawson spent 18 years as an attorney practicing commercial litigation, including many healthcare-related matters. During this time, Lawson found himself drawn to client contact and solving complex problems in the legal world. However, as his caseload grew, his career moved further away from what drew him to the legal profession. His search for a renewed purpose brought him to the homecare industry, specifically, Right at Home. 

Realizing his client service and problem solving skills that he developed as an attorney translated to the home care industry, Lawson worked to bring Right at Home to his South Bend, Indiana community. 

“There's an obvious need for senior care, especially in a place like South Bend where there's a lot of people who come here to start families. A lot of times, the kids grow up and move to bigger cities, like Chicago, which is too far to be able to come and care for your loved ones on a daily basis,” said Lawson. “We're intent on bridging that gap.”

1851 Franchise spoke to Lawson about his franchise journey with Right at Home and his 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?

Lawson: I was an attorney for 18 years, practicing commercial litigation, and I was representing a lot of healthcare related cases. I really liked the client contact and solving complex problems in the legal world, but I felt like, as I began representing larger companies, I was getting a little more distant from those things that I liked about litigation.  It just wasn't really what I had in mind when I got involved as a lawyer, so I was looking for something where I could take those same client and problem-solving skills and the same experience and help people in a different way. That's when I came across the homecare industry, and in particular, Right at Home, and I realized that I could use those same client services and problem-solving skills to South Bend area seniors.  

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?

Lawson: I think it depends on the franchise — and trying not to paint with a broad brush, but I think there can be a perception of franchising as cookie cutter and not specifically tailored to an industry or client. My perception of that has changed quite a bit as I've gotten into it and I saw the autonomy that we're lucky to have with a franchisor like Right at Home. I think it's necessary in our industry, given that clients all have their own idiosyncrasies and specific needs. And in order to be able to meet those needs, you have to tailor your care in a specific manner. So I've really appreciated the flexibility.

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

Lawson: We picked the brand because of the people. The people were by far the most welcoming and genuine that we met with. They were very much interested in us and our story and why we wanted to do this — not necessarily trying to sell us a territory — so I really felt like they were interviewing us more than we were interviewing them when we started talking to them. That's what really drew us to them.

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

Lawson: We hope to be able to be a positive addition to the South Bend area. There's an obvious need for senior care, especially in a place like South Bend where there's a lot of people who come here to start families. A lot of times, the kids go to bigger cities like Chicago, which isn't too far away, but it's too far to be able to come and care for your loved ones on a daily basis. We're hoping to be able to bridge that gap and allow family members to spend more quality time with their senior loved ones. Instead of taking your parents to get their hair cut, for example, you can let Right at Home do that and then you can spend more quality time doing the things that you would like to do with them. So we're hoping to be able to improve the day-to-day lives of seniors and also improve their relationships with their family members.

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

Lawson: We come from a place of caring; otherwise, there really was no reason to do this. Without that desire to help people, there was no reason to get involved in this. We are a people-centered company. We want to help people through their senior years. We also want to have quality communication. It's very key, especially with people who are living remotely. I think it's key to have communication between the parents, children and caregiving service. We want to involve loved ones in their communication and allow them to take part in their parents’ care. 

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

Lawson: Obviously, talk to the franchises. Listen to what they have to say. But more importantly, talk to the franchise owners and hear what they have to say, what their experiences have been with the franchise and operating the business. I think that's where you get more insight, and definitely more in depth insight about the franchise.

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/.