After a career as a military chaplain spanning three decades, Shalom Plotkin made a transition to entrepreneurship. While he was driven to the home care industry by a personal need within his own family, he ended up building a 10-plus-year career with Right at Home and a thriving business that impacts his Cleveland community.

Plotkin will join 1851 Franchise Publisher Nick Powills to share his journey in in-home care, reflect on his growth over the past decade, and offer insights for prospective franchisees in an upcoming webinar on Wednesday, May 21, 2025, at 10 am ET.

Ready to start your franchise ownership journey? Join us on Wednesday, May 21, 2025, at 10 am ET, for our upcoming webinar: Sign up for the webinar here.

Plotkin’s journey to Right at Home began while seeking solutions for his in-laws, particularly his father-in-law who suffered from Parkinson’s disease and Lewy body dementia.

“We were looking for ways to help keep mom and dad out of the hospital,” Plotkin said. “And it was like a revolving door. He would fall, he would go back to the hospital, and they would stick him in the nursing home. And none of this was what he wanted. What dad wanted was to live at home with mom — with his independence and his freedom.”

After working to manage care on their own and experiencing the pitfalls of hiring underqualified help (despite their best efforts), Plotkin realized they needed a more structured approach. It also opened his eyes to the sheer amount of demand that existed in the community.

“I specifically chose Right at Home because it’s the franchise with the most education,” he said. “I looked at all the franchises, but it was the one that was going to offer us the most support and training.”

Working with Right at Home allowed Plotkin’s father-in-law to get what he wanted — an opportunity to age in place with dignity — and ultimately opened the door for a win-win situation for everyone.

“If we can offer dignified aging to our clients by hiring good caregivers who actually care, then we win, they win — everybody wins,” Plotkin said. “The caregivers get a job which is rewarding, and they know they’re making a difference. The clients know that it’s not a stranger in their house; it’s someone they can trust.”

As Plotkin looks to the future, he sees continued growth for his business and the industry as a whole.

"For ourselves, we're going to continue to build up our business to continue to serve more families and to continue to hire more good caregivers and to have their backs," he said. "We're starting to work more on the business versus in the business."

What began as a personal mission has also become a sound business investment.

"I would also say to the franchisees that it's been very lucrative," Plotkin said. "We don't have to work anymore if we don't want to. We choose to, but we're financially independent after 10 years of running the franchise."

For those considering entering the industry or joining Right at Home, Plotkin believes the business model is accessible to many people transitioning from corporate careers, especially those who have personal experience with caregiving, and offers an incredibly fulfilling path forward.

With potential for another 13 units in the Ohio market, Right at Home is looking to grow with similarly driven, compassionate franchisees, targeting expansion in multiple areas, including Cleveland, Dayton, Youngstown, and Akron.

Join Plotkin and Powills for the upcoming webinar to hear more about Plotkin's journey, his advice for other owners, and the opportunities that exist for entrepreneurs in the Right at Home franchise system.

Sign up for the webinar here.

If you're interested in taking the next step in making a difference in your community as a Right at Home franchisee, visit https://rightathomefranchise.com/.