Right at Home

After spending nearly 30 years as an occupational therapist in post-acute care,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/holly-holton-7575251aa/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=right-at-home-columbus-franchise-holly-holton-2729510" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Holly Holton&nbsp;</a>found herself at a crossroads during the pandemic — burnt out, reevaluating her path, and searching for a way to make an even deeper impact. That moment led her to launch a&nbsp;<a href="https://rightathomefranchise.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=right-at-home-columbus-franchise-holly-holton-2729510" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Right at Home</a> franchise in Columbus, Ohio, in 2022 — a decision she says has been life-changing for both her and the families she serves.“My clients are very personal to me," Holton told 1851 Franchise’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/powills/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=right-at-home-columbus-franchise-holly-holton-2729510" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Nick Powills</a> in a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TEJb5SDPUws&utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=right-at-home-columbus-franchise-holly-holton-2729510" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">recent “Meet the Franchisee” interview</a>. “They chose my company for a reason. That’s when frustration hits — not with payroll issues or paperwork, but when I feel I’ve failed someone we care for.”&nbsp;With no resale and no existing client base, Holton started her business from the ground up — and it quickly grew. Her&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/rightathome/info">Right at Home</a> office has been named Employer and Provider of Choice every year since its opening, and in 2025, it was also recognized as a Leader in Experience.“People sometimes ask, ‘Why didn’t you just do this on your own?’ Yes, there are royalties and brand fund fees, but even now that things are running smoothly, I would not have done it differently,” Holton said. “The support Right at Home provides — the resources, my corporate coach — has been invaluable.”For Holton, success isn’t just about revenue or recognition — it’s about meaningful impact. Whether she’s helping a caregiver teach a 94-year-old how to text his great-grandkids or giving a family member the relief to attend their child’s football game, it all goes back to the same mission: improving lives.Her motivation? It’s not a single goal or outcome — it’s a constant drive to do more, serve more, and lead with heart.&nbsp;A transcript of Holton’s interview with Powills has been provided below. It has been edited for brevity, clarity, and style.Nick Powills: Holly, we're going to start off with what I call the easiest question — the only scripted one — and we’ll see where it goes. What’s your franchise's backstory? How did you accidentally fall into franchising?Holly Holton: My background is in therapy. I graduated as an occupational therapist and worked in therapy for 28 or 29 years, primarily in post-acute care with seniors — they've always been my passion. My first job was at the VA hospital in Chillicothe, Ohio, so veterans are close to my heart, too.I moved from staff therapist to rehab manager, regional manager, then VP of operations for a large therapy company. During COVID, everything changed. Outpatient therapy clinics shut down, and seniors were hesitant to go out. The company I worked for started developing an in-home Part B therapy program, and I helped lead that.As we began marketing the program, I targeted home care companies because their mission aligned with ours — keeping clients at home. Around that time, I was feeling burnt out. I had experience with private-duty care through my grandparents, and I saw firsthand how valuable that kind of in-home support was.I talked to my husband and said, "What do you think about me doing this?" Both of our kids were out of college, and he said, "Give it a go." A coworker and I started looking into different companies, including one we used for my grandparents, but Right at Home felt like the best fit. Their values aligned with mine, and I felt like they were genuinely interested in me, not just trying to sell a franchise.Ironically, a territory opened up near a good friend of mine. It felt like a sign. We purchased the territory in December 2021, and I opened my office in March 2022.Because of my background, it felt natural to connect with senior centers, nursing homes, and therapy providers. I understand the post-acute process and can be a resource not just for seniors, but for their families too. One of the things I love most is helping families — giving them a break so they can go to their kids’ football games or just breathe.I think of one client in particular. He took care of his wife with severe Alzheimer’s by himself for four years. After our first visit, he broke down and said it was the first time he got to see one of his kids play high school sports. That’s why I know I made the right decision.Powills: Thank you for sharing that. I have a lot I want to unpack. That was powerful. You’re clearly making an emotional impact on these families. But I imagine it’s also heavy for you. How do you keep going? How do you stay strong for others?Holton: Sometimes I think showing emotion is okay — it lets people know we care. I had two very different mentors during my therapy career. One was highly emotional and the other more business-minded. Both were excellent leaders, and I learned from watching how they managed tough situations.When things get overwhelming, I call my office manager and say, “Why is this happening? How do we handle it?” Then I step back, break things down, and remind myself why I’m doing this. That helps me reset and stay grounded. I try to keep emotions in check, but sometimes they come through — and I think that’s okay.Powills: It’s real. That emotion, that care — that’s the X factor. I once wrote a column called “Catch the Entrepreneur Before They Catch You,” and it was about how I gave everything to an employer, hoping they'd recognize it, but they never did. You gave so much to others for so long, and they lost you. That passion, that empathy — it’s what separates good businesses from great ones.Holton: When I get frustrated as a business owner, it's usually because I feel like I’ve let a client down — like when a caregiver is a no-call, no-show. I remind myself we're working with people, not machines. We can’t just stop and redo things tomorrow. We have to stay flexible.My clients are very personal to me. They chose my company for a reason. That’s when frustration hits — not with payroll issues or paperwork, but when I feel I’ve failed someone we care for.I still go out and do shifts, and my office staff does too. I'm very blessed with the team I have. We started as a brand-new territory in 2022 — no resale — which was a little scary. But we grew quickly and were recognized with Best of Home Care® awards as Employer of Choice, Provider of Choice in 2023, 2024, and 2025. This year, we were also recognized as a Leader in Excellence. Those recognitions confirm for me that I made the right decision.People sometimes ask, “Why didn’t you just do this on your own?” Yes, there are royalties and brand fund fees, but even now that things are running smoothly, I would not have done it differently. The support Right at Home provides — the resources, my corporate coach — has been invaluable. Even if I’m making the right decision, it’s helpful to have someone to call, to talk it through, to hear a different perspective. Franchising was 100% the better option.Powills: Let’s say you do a million in sales with a 10% royalty. That’s $100,000. For that, you get websites, hiring models, support systems — you couldn’t hire two people to build all that internally. People treat royalties like a negative, but if you're with the right brand, it's really just part of your infrastructure cost.Holton: Oh, absolutely. 100%.Powills: I talked to a franchisee recently who had a restaurant background but bought a flooring franchise. He went to the restaurant’s Discovery Days and just felt like they only cared about the P&amp;L — not about him. That’s why he changed industries. You mentioned culture was a big factor for you. How did you know Right at Home was the right fit? Was there a moment that solidified it?Holton: I grew up not far from where I opened, so that felt right. But when I spoke with other franchise options, I didn’t feel like they cared about me — just what I could produce and how fast I could scale.With Right at Home, I felt aligned. Seniors have always been my passion. It wasn’t just that home care was right — I knew Right at Home was right. I never got the sense that they were pressuring me with revenue targets. From the very first conversations with franchise development, I had no doubts. When the territory I wanted opened up, and I could go through the process with a close friend, it just confirmed it. I knew this was where I belonged.Powills: You gave the example of how emotionally tough it is when you can't deliver for a client — like a no-call, no-show. If I were buying a franchise in this space, that would be one of my biggest fears. The caregiver is such a critical asset, and I don’t think the industry as a whole has fully figured out how to transition them from hourly workers into part of a true culture. That starts with leadership. So, how do you apply guardrails when hiring to avoid those situations?Holton: We have very specific interview questions. Sometimes we get it right, sometimes we don’t. We're always willing to give someone a chance, but we also make sure they know the expectations up front. If they don’t, they won’t align with our goals.We go over our mission statement — Right at Home’s mission to improve the lives of those we serve — in every orientation. We ask specific questions to screen for alignment. One tool we use is a video created by CEO Margaret Haynes called “Welcome to Your New Career.” It’s short, but powerful.My recruiter watches the applicants' reactions during the video. If they smile, get emotional — great. If they’re distracted or on their phones, we don’t move forward. We also ask about comfort with dementia care or hospice care — we won’t place someone in a situation they’re not prepared for. It’s about setting expectations from the start and staying within our scope. If we can’t meet a need, we refer clients elsewhere.That mindset applies to both caregivers and clients. Not every client is easy, and we’re upfront with caregivers about what to expect in each case. Our goal is to get the best outcome for everyone involved.Powills: I think winning in business comes down to expectation setting more than anything. And I also think this industry has evolved significantly. I remember my grandparents being placed in facilities when their families could no longer care for them. That’s shifting — maybe not fully — but more caregivers are turning jobs into careers. As the industry matures, people are starting to return to real community care.Holton: Absolutely. The elderly population is living longer, and there’s a bigger push for services in the home. I saw this even during my therapy days. Some European countries are piloting hospital-at-home models. In the U.S., we now have in-home Part B therapy, home health therapy — all part of that trend toward staying at home.Our caregivers often become part of the family. That happened when we had caregivers for my grandparents. Some came and went — my grandma wasn’t always easy — but there were a few who stayed the full three years. One of them is still in contact with us, ten years after my grandmother passed.I had one caregiver teach a 94-year-old client how to text so he could connect with his great-grandkids. She even helped him build a memory book. One day she said, “I made a mistake — I gave him my personal number.” Now he texts her at 2:30 a.m. with ideas for the book!Just last week, I got a photo from one of my veterans in his late 90s. He was a chaplain and wanted to wear his uniform to a service. His caregiver helped him put it on. He was so proud.Every week, something like that happens — a text, a thank-you call. No matter how bad the day is, those moments remind me I’m exactly where I need to be.We try to bring that same culture to our staff. We’ve done bowling nights and family-friendly picnics. It’s about creating a family feel — not just in clients’ homes, but throughout the whole franchise.Powills: Weird question, but everything you’re doing — building a culture, creating impact — feels like it’s driven by something deeper. Is your North Star the fact that in your past career, something was missing? Is that what’s pushing you now?Holton: I don’t know if there’s one single North Star. I’m pretty competitive and never satisfied. I’m always asking, “What can I do better?”Maybe it’s not one star, but a whole galaxy — all the ways we can grow and make an impact. And I don’t mean growth as in more clients or more territories. I mean growing our communities and the lives we touch.My territory spans everything from rural farmland to inner-city metro areas. So we get to work with a wide range of people and needs. That’s what motivates me — not just one goal, but an ongoing effort to evolve and do more.Powills:&nbsp;Last question — when you first told your husband you wanted to do this, what does he say now?Holton: He knows seniors have always been my passion. He’s very supportive and happy for me. Sure, there are days I come home frustrated — we all have those — but he sees how much happier and more fulfilled I am. I’m passionate about this work, and I’ve been very blessed.Watch the full interview above or on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TEJb5SDPUws&utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=right-at-home-columbus-franchise-holly-holton-2729510" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">YouTube</a>.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/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=right-at-home-columbus-franchise-holly-holton-2729510" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">https://rightathomefranchise.com/</a>.

How Holly Holton Built a Purpose-Driven Right at Home Franchise

1851 Franchise

https://www.youtube.com/embed/TEJb5SDPUws

After nearly three decades in occupational therapy, Holton launched Right at Home in Columbus, Ohio, where her passion for seniors and a culture-first approach have led to growth and fulfillment.

From Therapy to Thriving Franchise: How Holly Holton Found Purpose in Senior Care

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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;

Why This Mother and Daughter Team are Opening a Right at Home Franchise Together in Janesville

Katie Villa’s experience caring for her grandfather during hospice showed her the value of dignified in-home care and inspired a new chapter with her mother, Mary Jo.

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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;

From word-of-mouth referrals to gaps in care access, rural markets offer both purpose and long-term opportunity for home care providers.

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From Therapy to Thriving Franchise: How Holly Holton Found Purpose in Senior Care

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