Right at Home

<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattfieldrah/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=rabbi-becomes-right-at-home-franchisee-continuing-to-provide-care-in-his-community-2724490" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Matt Field</a> is not your typical entrepreneur. The franchisee initially studied to be a veterinarian, then decided he wanted to become a rabbi. A decade later, he fancied a change and unexpectedly found his way into franchising with the home care brand&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/rightathome/info">Right at Home</a>.&nbsp;Now, Field has been a franchisee with the brand for nearly 12 years and is amazed at how organically his experience as a rabbi has fed into his experience as a business owner.<h3>A Winding Career Path</h3>Field studied biology as a college student with the aspiration of becoming a veterinarian. When he failed organic chemistry and was told he should consider a different career path, he realized that he already was quite drawn to Jewish communal work. That became his new pursuit.After graduating, he joined the seminary and became a rabbi while living in Rochester, New York. At that time, technology was also advancing while employees of the brand Kodak were rapidly declining. This increasing unemployment led to Rochester being known as an “aging town.” Those who remained in Field’s congregation included a lot of aging people, often with illnesses. Eventually, after 10 years of pastoral work, Field decided it was time for another transition.“After about a decade, I just needed a change,” he said. “It was a lot more political of a role than a lot of people realize. While I enjoyed what I did and took a lot from what I did, it was time.”But how did he go from rabbi to business owner? Initially, business ownership was something Field deliberately steered clear from."I grew up thinking I didn't want to be in business altogether, not that I knew what that meant to be in business,” he said. “All I knew was that my father was in business. He was in [the] family business for a while, and that was difficult. Family business can be good, but it can also be really stressful.”However, the more he searched for a new career, the more franchising made sense, especially given his very niche experience.“There aren't too many employers out there looking for somebody with experience on their resume as a rabbi, only as a rabbi,” he explained. “I ended up getting connected with a franchise broker, and he kept pointing me in the direction of home care based on my history.”Field gained a great deal of experience working around aging, illness and death within his congregation, which is why his franchise broker thought home care would be a good fit. The broker introduced him to&nbsp;<a href="https://rightathomefranchise.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=rabbi-becomes-right-at-home-franchisee-continuing-to-provide-care-in-his-community-2724490" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Right at Home</a>, which had a territory open in the area Field and his wife were looking to move to, so it all seemed to line up seamlessly from there on out.&nbsp;<h3>Franchising With Right at Home</h3>From the start, Field and his wife “fell in love with the business model and fell in love with the people there,” he explained. “It felt like they were in it for the right reasons. They were really committed to their mission, not just to being the biggest but really to being the best and to serving their clients well.”Field quickly became more involved with the inner workings of the franchise, taking on leadership roles and engaging in conversations about the trajectory of the brand."I served on the Franchise Advisory Council for a couple of years, and then that kind of rolled into a different entity called the Strategic Leadership Council,” said Field. “That has allowed me to be involved in the brand and the franchise system in a different way, which I have really appreciated. It's allowed me to have a voice, to represent other Right at Home owners in my region, and to engage in ongoing dialogue and conversation with the leadership of Right at Home.”After four years on the Strategic Leadership Council, Field will soon be stepping back from this role but is thankful for the perspective it has given him on how the brand is following through with its mission as it continues to face challenges and attempts to grow. This transition has encouraged Field to look back at his experience in its entirety with the brand thus far.<h3>Twelve Years Later and Looking Back</h3>Field has been a franchisee with Right at Home for over a decade now and, although there are difficult days as there are in any profession, he remains passionate and confident that he made the right choice.“I remain really excited about the brand and the industry and where it continues to go,” said Field. “I have conversations occasionally with prospective franchisees, and I think corporate sometimes points them to me, as they point them to other people who maintain that level of enthusiasm and excitement and support for the brand over the years. It hasn't gone away. It's still there, and I'm still excited."Although Fields is happy with his choice to venture into franchising, he does not regret his previous career choices and is thankful for the transferable skills he acquired along the way.&nbsp;Namely, a handful of past clients who know of Field’s background have asked him to perform funerals after they pass. This has also happened with a colleague of Field’s from Right at Home.“Even a former employee … unfortunately, they became sick about a year and a half ago and passed very quickly,” he said. “The family asked me to perform the funeral.”The biggest crossover Fields has seen from one career to the next is that the people and families that are impacted by the care he provides share a lot of the same values and desires for their loved ones, making the evolution from rabbi to franchisee feel quite natural.“The conversations I had with families then and even now about the care needed for their loved ones are very much the same,” explained Fields. “The details differ — I might be discussing care instead of a funeral or a wedding — but the emotion, family dynamics and approach are really the same.”To watch the full interview, click&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kzzFcSD_Qa0&utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=rabbi-becomes-right-at-home-franchisee-continuing-to-provide-care-in-his-community-2724490" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">here.</a>&nbsp;To find out more information on costs to buy this franchise, please visit&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/rightathome/info.">https://1851franchise.com/rightathome/info.</a>&nbsp;

Rabbi Becomes Right at Home Franchisee, Continuing to Provide Care In His Community

1851 Franchise

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After failing organic chemistry, Matt Field had to reevaluate becoming a veterinarian. Originally opposed to business ownership, he ended up being a franchisee. 

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Long before she became a&nbsp;<a href="https://rightathomefranchise.com/">Right at Home</a> franchisee in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.rightathome.net/janesville">Janesville, Wisconsin</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/katie-villa/">Katie Villa</a> had spent much of her adult life as a caregiver. She started in the field during college and continued in patient care after becoming a nurse. This past year, she took care of her grandfather during his end-of-life hospice care.&nbsp;“That was very eye-opening and really showed me the importance of having seniors age in their home and providing them that dignity,” she said. “And also having caregivers in the home who are compassionate and provide quality care.”Katie began looking into in-home care, including hospice nursing, as a possible next step. Around that time, she came across a newspaper article about&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/rightathome/info">Right at Home</a> and sent it to her mom,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/maryjovilla/">Mary Jo Villa</a>. Mary Jo encouraged her to learn more, and before long, she was interested in the opportunity, too.Mary Jo spent her career in human resources and operations for a group of newspapers and radio stations, where she held almost every seat except the newsroom. Now, she works for a large holding company, where she supports 20 different companies with benefits work.&nbsp;“When Katie saw this article and sent it to me, my first piece of pride was, ‘Yes, she's still reading the newspaper.’ But I told her we should absolutely explore it,” Mary Jo said. “I have been so impressed with Right at Home. They were clearly selecting us, and we were selecting them.”From the early discovery process through onboarding, the Villas were impressed with how much structure and support the brand provided. The training programs and ongoing business coaching gave them confidence in the business.&nbsp;“Katie's only 30 years old, and so yes, she has me, but you need someone other than your mom validating what your mom says,” Mary Jo said. “So I’ve been extremely impressed with the expertise coming out of Right at Home corporate&nbsp;and how they bring new owners on.”<h2>What It’s Like Working as a Family</h2>Working with your mom, or any family member, isn’t for everyone. It can often be polarizing, with some people not recommending it at all, and some not being able to recommend it enough. Katie and Mary Jo see their different strengths, and the time they spend together, as part of what makes the partnership work.“I never could have imagined doing this without my mom,” Katie said. “Obviously, her knowledge and her expertise, but also her support. I think that we're so fortunate to have a close relationship. I've watched her my entire life. She's been a boss my entire life and this really embodies that and being able to continue that legacy in our family.”For Mary Jo, one of the most rewarding parts has been watching Katie step into her own expertise. Katie oversees the caregiving and client side of the business, while Mary Jo handles operations and strategy, giving the two a natural division of responsibilities.“I'm here and highly involved and working, but Katie is the principal operator,” she said. “I've worked in family offices my whole life. You just draw those boundaries. There are the things that you're going to make a mutual decision on and there are the things that you say, ‘No, this is your decision’ or 'This is my decision.’ And then you don't second-guess each other.”Because their skill sets are so different, the partnership has been easier to navigate. Katie leads decisions around care plans and client relationships, while Mary Jo takes the lead on business systems and financial structure.“We enjoy being together and we laugh a lot. We believe in hard work, but we have fun. There's nothing that is so profound that it would affect our mother-daughter relationship,” Mary Jo said.&nbsp;<h2>How They Are Building a Presence in Janesville</h2>The Villas are building their business with a strong focus on their community. Having lived and worked in the area for decades, Mary Jo sees that as a major advantage.“I've been established in the community for almost 40 years,” she said. “We consider our entire family a part of this, even if they won't be employed, so to speak. Our whole family is going to be in T-shirts at events. We'll be out as a public face in the community.”As a young owner, Katie plans to stay involved and continue building both the client base and the caregiver network. She sees Right at Home as an opportunity to serve seniors and create opportunities for people in the community who want to step into caregiving roles.“I want to be able to be the go-to person in this community for both our clients, for the seniors, but also for our caregivers,” she said. “Whether you're a student, whether you've been a caregiver for your family, whether you're retired and looking to help out somebody in the community, I really want to encourage people and empower the caregivers to do those things and come up with creative ideas to help grow the business.”If you're interested in taking the next step in making a difference in your community as a Right at Home franchisee, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://rightathomefranchise.com/">https://rightathomefranchise.com/</a>.&nbsp;

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<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremystarkel/">Jeremy</a> and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristin-starkel-941880112/">Kristen Starkel</a> built their careers in Omaha, but both came from smaller communities in rural Nebraska. Over time, they began thinking about what it would look like to return and build something in the places where they grew up, close to family, friends, and the people they knew best.“We were really drawn back to home,” Jeremy said. “This is where we were born and raised, where our friends and family are. We wanted to do something that would give back to the community and align with our skills and our passion, whether that was healthcare from a staffing standpoint or more hands-on patient care.”That decision led them to&nbsp;<a href="https://rightathomefranchise.com/">Right at Home</a>, where they now operate five locations across northeast and central Nebraska, serving a wide range of rural and farm-based communities.<h2>Meeting a Real Need in Rural Markets</h2>Many residents in rural areas live miles from the nearest hospital or clinic, with limited options in some cases. This creates a real challenge for older adults who want to remain at home.“We serve a lot of the farm communities, the gravel roads, the cornfield areas of Nebraska where people don’t have access to care as much,” Jeremy said. “We don’t have a lot of nursing homes or hospitals in some of these areas, so people have to drive a long distance. It’s nice to be able to go to them and help them in their homes.”In many of these communities, home care is one of the only consistent options available, especially for seniors who are not ready or willing to relocate. That creates a steady, often urgent demand for&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/rightathome/info">Right at Home</a>. It also allows providers to step in as a reliable solution where other parts of the healthcare system may be harder to reach.“So it’s really rewarding to be able to give people that option,” Jeremy said. “There just aren’t a lot of choices out here, and if someone wants to stay home, we can help make that possible.”<h2>Overcoming Logistics and Building Scale</h2>Operating in rural markets comes with its own unique challenges. Travel distances are longer, hiring can take more time and scheduling requires flexibility across a wide geographic area.“It’s not unusual for someone to drive 45 minutes to an hour to get to a client,” Jeremy said. “We have to set that expectation upfront with our care staff. The clients are there and they need the care, but you might not have someone right next door, so you have to be willing to drive.”Having coverage in more remote areas can also be a challenge, especially when caregivers are not available nearby right away. But the team works to coordinate care as soon as possible, sometimes even collaboratively with other providers.&nbsp;“You might not have a caregiver in those areas already, so it can take a little bit of time to get care lined up,” Kristen said. “At the end of the day, we want to make sure the client gets taken care of one way or another.”<h2>The Advantage of Small-Town Trust</h2>Though it can be more logistically challenging in rural areas, these areas offer trust that’s usually difficult to replicate in larger markets. Reputation spreads quickly in small towns and relationships carry even more weight.&nbsp;“A lot of it is word of mouth,” Jeremy said. “If you have a good reputation in a small community, people talk. We’ve built trust over time by providing quality care, and people share their experiences with neighbors, friends, and family. That’s been a big driver of our business.”That has allowed the Starkels’ locations to expand without relying heavily on traditional advertising. New clients often come in having already heard about the brand from someone they trust.<h2>A Business That Feels Personal</h2>In rural markets, the work often feels more personal because of how closely connected communities are. Many clients are not strangers but people the Starkels and their team already know.“I’ve taken care of school teachers of mine, and we’ve worked with friends’ parents and grandparents,” Jeremy said. “When people need help, they already know we’re here and they know they can call us. That’s a really neat part of being in a small community.”The team also actively participates in local events, partners with organizations and volunteers their time to support the people they serve. That involvement helps strengthen relationships and keeps the business closely connected to the communities it serves.“We do a lot of volunteering and community involvement, whether it’s working with senior centers, partnering with the VA or helping with local fundraisers,” Kristen said. “We’ve been fortunate to be where we are, so we want to give back and be part of the community, not just operate a business in it.”<h2>Why Rural Markets Are Worth the Investment</h2>Rural markets may not always be the obvious choice for starting a franchise. Population size and geography can raise questions about scalability, but the Starkels’ experience shows that those concerns are often outweighed by opportunity.“When we were first looking at it, people might say a market like Norfolk, Nebraska isn’t big enough or doesn’t have the population to support it,” Jeremy said. “But I think we’re a testament that that’s not necessarily true. It’s really what you make of it.”In rural areas, where options can be limited, Right at Home provides a path for individuals to remain in their homes and communities. For many families, that option would not otherwise exist.“For a lot of people here, especially farmers, they don’t want to leave their homes,” Kristen said. “Being able to provide that option, to help them stay where they’re comfortable for as long as possible, is incredibly rewarding.”If you're interested in taking the next step in making a difference in your community as a Right at Home franchisee, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://rightathomefranchise.com/">https://rightathomefranchise.com/</a>.&nbsp;

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