Jay Kenney and his wife, Rosaleen Doherty, have been part of the in-home care franchise Right at Home since 2002, when they left corporate careers to build something closer to home. Over the past 23 years, they’ve grown from one small territory north of Boston to one of the largest Right at Home operations in the country. Now, they’re opening their fifth location — this time in Boston — alongside their daughter, Gabrielle Kenney, who was just six months old when they launched their first office.
The couple has dedicated their careers to helping seniors stay independent and connected to their communities. Today, they employ over 725 people and serve around 1,300 clients each week across New England.
Their new Boston office also marks the next chapter for their family. Gabrielle, who joined the business two years ago after graduating from Bentley University, is helping carry on the same mission of care and integrity her parents started.
1851 Franchise spoke to Jay, Rosaleen, and Gabrielle about their franchising journey with Right at Home and their plans for the future. Here’s what they had to say:
1851 Franchise: Frame your personal story for us. What did you do before franchising, and how did you decide franchising made sense for you?
Rosaleen Doherty: Jay and I are the original founders of our Right at Home. We started in 2002 which, funny enough, is the same year Gabrielle was born.
Jay and I were both in the high-tech field, mostly in sales and marketing. At that time, it was right after 9/11 and the dot-com boom — a lot was happening, and we were very close to all of it. I’m a native New Yorker, and we decided we wanted to start a business that was connected to our community.
We had these high-tech jobs that were fun and successful, but in the end, it was business-to-business. We wanted to create a company and provide a service where, on a day-to-day basis, we were working with our neighbors.
Jay Kenney: To echo what Rosaleen said, it was about not living on planes. Rosaleen flew a lot back then. We wanted something community-based. We were also experiencing some elder care needs in our own lives. 9/11 was a huge factor in our decision to stay grounded and focus on local impact and community.
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?
Jay: We didn’t know much about franchising or franchise systems back then, but we liked the model. We liked the leadership aspect, having people to go to for Q&A and guidance as we got started. The franchise directed us early on about protecting ourselves, protecting our clients, and doing things the right way.
Home care in Massachusetts was a bit of a Wild West, since it’s a non-licensed state. Having those guardrails was critical to staying in our lane, and the franchise helped us with that setup. October 1 marked 23 years for us, and much of what we put in place early on is still working for us today.
1851: What made you pick this brand? What excites you most about this company?
Rosaleen: We chose them in 2002 because all the brands were pretty young in home care at that time. Right at Home stood out on the marketing side; they were professional and knew how to invest in those areas. They also came from an original home care business. The people who started Right at Home were real people of integrity who truly cared about their clients. If we were going to partner with someone in a caring business, dollars and cents mattered, but what we do touches so many lives. We needed to act with true integrity to stay true to that.
1851: What do you hope to achieve with your business? What are your plans for growth?
Gabrielle Kenney: As my parents said, they started this business when I was six months old. Growing up, I always saw Right at Home as their third child. I saw the impact we made in our community. Some of my earliest memories are visiting clients in assisted living facilities and seeing our staff. I fell in love with the idea of helping people and realized you could actually do that as a job.
When I was about 12, I told my parents I wanted to take over Right at Home. They probably thought I’d change my mind and want to be a doctor or something, but I stuck with it. I graduated early from Bentley University and started working full-time two years ago. So, I guess the plan for the future is me.
Rosaleen: We started with one small territory north of Boston and eventually expanded into nearby areas. About two and a half years ago, we purchased the Portland, Maine, area because it’s a major destination for retirees. We know how to work with the VA there and handle private care, so it was a natural fit.
When it came to expanding again, we looked at the City of Boston. Jay grew up right outside the city, and I’m an urban girl. We had always avoided Boston, because the model is a bit different, and so had every other franchisee, so it remained an open territory. As a family, we decided to open a Right at Home there to better serve residents. We could already reach parts of Boston from our other offices, but this will be a full, all-in effort. We believe our brand, and the integrity with which we provide home care, makes us a great option for Boston families.
1851: Is there anything else about your story you want us to know?
Jay: Our current census is around 1,300 patients a week, and we employ over 725 people. In terms of home care, especially within the franchise world, we’re definitely one of the largest in the country. We’re experts at what we do. We know where the line is — what type of care fits within an at-home environment and what belongs elsewhere. Staying within that scope is what helps keep our seniors independent.
Rosaleen: That’s really the goal and mission of what we do. If we have a senior in Massachusetts whose son and daughter live in California, and the senior doesn’t want to move, we give them options to stay in their home as long as possible — unless their condition becomes too medically complex and beyond home care. We help them remain at home because, honestly, who wants to leave? If I asked you, “Do you want to leave your house?” the answer would probably be no. We give seniors that same option for as long as it’s right for them. And that’s a very worthy mission.
1851: What advice do you have for other people thinking about becoming franchise owners?
Rosaleen: I’d say, like Jay mentioned, we didn’t know much about franchising at first. Really look at the systems and the opportunity. The Right at Home opportunity turned out to be a billion times better than what we expected, and we already thought it was great going in.
Also, be mindful of your money. A franchise is a financial investment, so make sure you have enough capital to get it done. If the model works — and with Right at Home, it absolutely does — you just need enough funding to reach that point. Many people in this system have done so well serving seniors, and that’s proof the model works.
Jay: The other thing I’d add is that this is a people business. If you’re coming from corporate America, like we did, it’s an adjustment. There are a million moving pieces in home care — from patients and families to caregivers and office staff, each with their own dynamics.
If you’re thinking about joining a franchise system, you need flexibility to move with the flow of the work. I came from a corporate environment of suits and ties to working with social workers and case managers who went to school to change lives. That was a big shift for me. You can’t rule with an iron fist here, it’s not corporate. Flexibility is key.
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/.
Right at Home
SPONSORED
After more than two decades in home care, Jay Kenney and Rosaleen Doherty are bringing their family-run Right at Home business — now joined by their daughter, Gabrielle — to the heart of Boston.
Jay Kenney and his wife, Rosaleen Doherty, have been part of the in-home care franchise Right at Home since 2002, when they left corporate careers to build something closer to home. Over the past 23 years, they’ve grown from one small territory north of Boston to one of the largest Right at Home operations in the country. Now, they’re opening their fifth location — this time in Boston — alongside their daughter, Gabrielle Kenney, who was just six months old when they launched their first office.
The couple has dedicated their careers to helping seniors stay independent and connected to their communities. Today, they employ over 725 people and serve around 1,300 clients each week across New England.
Their new Boston office also marks the next chapter for their family. Gabrielle, who joined the business two years ago after graduating from Bentley University, is helping carry on the same mission of care and integrity her parents started.
1851 Franchise spoke to Jay, Rosaleen, and Gabrielle about their franchising journey with Right at Home and their plans for the future. Here’s what they had to say:
1851 Franchise: Frame your personal story for us. What did you do before franchising, and how did you decide franchising made sense for you?
Rosaleen Doherty: Jay and I are the original founders of our Right at Home. We started in 2002 which, funny enough, is the same year Gabrielle was born.
Jay and I were both in the high-tech field, mostly in sales and marketing. At that time, it was right after 9/11 and the dot-com boom — a lot was happening, and we were very close to all of it. I’m a native New Yorker, and we decided we wanted to start a business that was connected to our community.
We had these high-tech jobs that were fun and successful, but in the end, it was business-to-business. We wanted to create a company and provide a service where, on a day-to-day basis, we were working with our neighbors.
Jay Kenney: To echo what Rosaleen said, it was about not living on planes. Rosaleen flew a lot back then. We wanted something community-based. We were also experiencing some elder care needs in our own lives. 9/11 was a huge factor in our decision to stay grounded and focus on local impact and community.
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?
Jay: We didn’t know much about franchising or franchise systems back then, but we liked the model. We liked the leadership aspect, having people to go to for Q&A and guidance as we got started. The franchise directed us early on about protecting ourselves, protecting our clients, and doing things the right way.
Home care in Massachusetts was a bit of a Wild West, since it’s a non-licensed state. Having those guardrails was critical to staying in our lane, and the franchise helped us with that setup. October 1 marked 23 years for us, and much of what we put in place early on is still working for us today.
1851: What made you pick this brand? What excites you most about this company?
Rosaleen: We chose them in 2002 because all the brands were pretty young in home care at that time. Right at Home stood out on the marketing side; they were professional and knew how to invest in those areas. They also came from an original home care business. The people who started Right at Home were real people of integrity who truly cared about their clients. If we were going to partner with someone in a caring business, dollars and cents mattered, but what we do touches so many lives. We needed to act with true integrity to stay true to that.
1851: What do you hope to achieve with your business? What are your plans for growth?
Gabrielle Kenney: As my parents said, they started this business when I was six months old. Growing up, I always saw Right at Home as their third child. I saw the impact we made in our community. Some of my earliest memories are visiting clients in assisted living facilities and seeing our staff. I fell in love with the idea of helping people and realized you could actually do that as a job.
When I was about 12, I told my parents I wanted to take over Right at Home. They probably thought I’d change my mind and want to be a doctor or something, but I stuck with it. I graduated early from Bentley University and started working full-time two years ago. So, I guess the plan for the future is me.
Rosaleen: We started with one small territory north of Boston and eventually expanded into nearby areas. About two and a half years ago, we purchased the Portland, Maine, area because it’s a major destination for retirees. We know how to work with the VA there and handle private care, so it was a natural fit.
When it came to expanding again, we looked at the City of Boston. Jay grew up right outside the city, and I’m an urban girl. We had always avoided Boston, because the model is a bit different, and so had every other franchisee, so it remained an open territory. As a family, we decided to open a Right at Home there to better serve residents. We could already reach parts of Boston from our other offices, but this will be a full, all-in effort. We believe our brand, and the integrity with which we provide home care, makes us a great option for Boston families.
1851: Is there anything else about your story you want us to know?
Jay: Our current census is around 1,300 patients a week, and we employ over 725 people. In terms of home care, especially within the franchise world, we’re definitely one of the largest in the country. We’re experts at what we do. We know where the line is — what type of care fits within an at-home environment and what belongs elsewhere. Staying within that scope is what helps keep our seniors independent.
Rosaleen: That’s really the goal and mission of what we do. If we have a senior in Massachusetts whose son and daughter live in California, and the senior doesn’t want to move, we give them options to stay in their home as long as possible — unless their condition becomes too medically complex and beyond home care. We help them remain at home because, honestly, who wants to leave? If I asked you, “Do you want to leave your house?” the answer would probably be no. We give seniors that same option for as long as it’s right for them. And that’s a very worthy mission.
1851: What advice do you have for other people thinking about becoming franchise owners?
Rosaleen: I’d say, like Jay mentioned, we didn’t know much about franchising at first. Really look at the systems and the opportunity. The Right at Home opportunity turned out to be a billion times better than what we expected, and we already thought it was great going in.
Also, be mindful of your money. A franchise is a financial investment, so make sure you have enough capital to get it done. If the model works — and with Right at Home, it absolutely does — you just need enough funding to reach that point. Many people in this system have done so well serving seniors, and that’s proof the model works.
Jay: The other thing I’d add is that this is a people business. If you’re coming from corporate America, like we did, it’s an adjustment. There are a million moving pieces in home care — from patients and families to caregivers and office staff, each with their own dynamics.
If you’re thinking about joining a franchise system, you need flexibility to move with the flow of the work. I came from a corporate environment of suits and ties to working with social workers and case managers who went to school to change lives. That was a big shift for me. You can’t rule with an iron fist here, it’s not corporate. Flexibility is key.
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/.
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