Matt Blocker’s journey into franchising with Right at Home began with a simple goal: to help people. What started as a meaningful friendship with his now business partner has turned into a thriving multi-unit operation focused on compassionate, high-quality in-home care. Today, with 14 offices across nine territories in Texas, Blocker is using that experience to bring Right at Home’s services to Texarkana — a region with high demand but few providers.
From building a nurse-integrated care model to assembling specialized teams for veterans and long-term care insurance support, Blocker and his team are setting a new standard in care delivery. His passion, faith-driven leadership, and commitment to excellence are now making an impact in one of the state’s most underserved areas.
1851 Franchise spoke to Blocker about what sparked his journey into franchising with Right at Home and how he plans to bring high-quality home care to underserved markets like Texarkana. Here’s what he 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?
Matt Blocker: I was an executive at a major retailer for about four years, and I was also working at a nonprofit that helps at-risk kids get the care and attention they need. That’s where I met Randy Price, my partner and franchisee of Right at Home in Tyler, at the time. We became friends, and he was looking to expand and help more people. That was my first interaction with a health care setting.
It was great. I think this is one of the best industries because you're not just working with a product or moving a box — you're helping people. That really caught my heart. I’ve now been in the business for the last eight and a half years.
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?
Blocker: The beautiful thing about a franchise is that you get a recipe or business model that’s already working, along with brand recognition, so you don’t have to penetrate the whole market on your own. You’re able to grow at a faster rate than if you were a mom-and-pop business without that kind of support.
Over the years, there have been several key moments where someone from Right at Home corporate really helped us through hard times — whether it was navigating a payer source issue, staying on the cutting edge of the market, or just asking the right questions and providing guidance when something changed.
Overall, it’s been great to have a business model you can make your own while still having a strong template to build and grow from.
1851: What made you pick this brand? What excites you most about this company?
Blocker: The biggest thing I liked about Right at Home is that they’re operationally focused. They looked inward first to make sure what they were selling and advertising was authentic. That really comes through in the corporate culture, and that’s what drew me to the brand.
What excites me most about the company is the future. The industry is growing, and Right at Home has a strong focus on innovation, quality, and care. As we navigate changes in payer sources, new technology, and new ways to serve clients, I believe Right at Home’s guidance will help us move forward. I’m excited to face those challenges and come out ahead. I think the next 10 years in home care are going to bring a lot of change, and I believe Right at Home will be at the forefront of that.
1851: What do you hope to achieve with your business? What are your plans for growth?
Blocker: We’re very growth-focused. We’ve put a lot of investment into building a strong structure and a great team, and we’re excited to continue growing by adding two to four locations a year. We’re also reinvesting heavily into what makes care delivery the best it can be.
We have both a caregiving PAS license and a skilled license, which allow us to run a hybrid model and better serve our clients. We're also expanding into specialized resources like our VA benefits team and long-term care insurance team. These teams help clients and their families make informed decisions and access funding options for home care when available.
There are constant changes in payer sources, and we’re focused on navigating those effectively. We’re excited about the growth ahead and feel well-positioned to take it on.
1851: Is there anything else about your story you want us to know?
Blocker: When it comes to certain markets, I think we’re typically the best in VA and long-term care insurance because we have a dedicated benefits team that helps families from start to finish. No one wants to get on the phone with insurance companies, and our team helps them understand their policies and how to best utilize them — whether they should act now or wait — and also holds the insurance companies accountable. A lot of times, these companies prey on people who don’t understand the system. We often advocate for families, even reporting insurance companies to the Insurance Bureau if necessary, or just giving families the tools they need to stand up for themselves.
On the VA side, things continue to change, so we stay closely connected to the organization to better help veterans through the process. We walk them through the entire process from start to finish.
Another big part of our business is our faith. We want to honor God in how we operate, and that influences how we serve each veteran, each client, and each family — with high standards, excellence, and integrity.
In terms of what makes us different, having both skilled and unskilled care sets us apart. Only about 2% of providers in Texas have both a caregiving license and a skilled nursing license. I don’t know of any other provider with a benefits team like ours.
Another distinction is our nurse-integrated care. Even though some of our services are considered non-medical, it’s extremely helpful to have someone in the home who understands what’s happening clinically. For example, it’s common for someone to think their mom is just declining mentally, when really she has a UTI. Our nurses or nurse-supported staff can catch those issues before they become major problems. Often, the adult children are overwhelmed, and without support. It becomes a last-straw moment that leads to moving their loved one into a facility. We try to stand in that gap and offer a solution that allows the client to thrive at home.
Regarding Texarkana, it's an underserved market, especially for caregiving and VA services. There’s really only one competitor in the area. We’re excited to come into that community to help and serve. The demand is there, but the providers are not. We’re looking forward to expanding more into Arkansas as well — we already have an office on the Arkansas side — and building out our presence there to meet the need.
One more thing: we often work with adult children who don’t know where to start. The average adult child lives 250 miles away from their aging parent. They’ll visit and notice small things — a nearly empty fridge, bruises — and get concerned, but their parent insists they don’t need help. That’s usually when they reach out to us. We’re able to create a care plan that works for everyone and gives peace of mind. Through a mix of technology, caregivers, and nurses, we can build a custom plan that meets the client’s needs and gives the adult child confidence that their loved one is safe and well cared for. Most people want to age at home if possible, and we want to help make that happen.
1851: What advice do you have for other people thinking about becoming franchise owners?
Blocker: My biggest advice is to jump in with both feet. Meet people, join a performance group, work with your peers and neighbors, and be open to asking questions. Take full advantage of all the resources the franchisor — in this case, Right at Home — provides.
A lot of successful people have a “do it yourself” mentality, but in franchising, you’re paying for support, and that support is there for a reason. Use it to its fullest potential.
Also, focus on taking care of people, both internally and externally. If you take care of your team and your clients, and you're proactive in using the available resources and getting the word out about your services, things will fall into place. Don’t isolate yourself — lean into the support that’s offered.
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
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With 14 offices across nine territories, Blocker is bringing Right at Home’s high-quality in-home care to Texarkana, a deeply underserved market for senior services and veterans’ benefits support.
Matt Blocker’s journey into franchising with Right at Home began with a simple goal: to help people. What started as a meaningful friendship with his now business partner has turned into a thriving multi-unit operation focused on compassionate, high-quality in-home care. Today, with 14 offices across nine territories in Texas, Blocker is using that experience to bring Right at Home’s services to Texarkana — a region with high demand but few providers.
From building a nurse-integrated care model to assembling specialized teams for veterans and long-term care insurance support, Blocker and his team are setting a new standard in care delivery. His passion, faith-driven leadership, and commitment to excellence are now making an impact in one of the state’s most underserved areas.
1851 Franchise spoke to Blocker about what sparked his journey into franchising with Right at Home and how he plans to bring high-quality home care to underserved markets like Texarkana. Here’s what he 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?
Matt Blocker: I was an executive at a major retailer for about four years, and I was also working at a nonprofit that helps at-risk kids get the care and attention they need. That’s where I met Randy Price, my partner and franchisee of Right at Home in Tyler, at the time. We became friends, and he was looking to expand and help more people. That was my first interaction with a health care setting.
It was great. I think this is one of the best industries because you're not just working with a product or moving a box — you're helping people. That really caught my heart. I’ve now been in the business for the last eight and a half years.
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?
Blocker: The beautiful thing about a franchise is that you get a recipe or business model that’s already working, along with brand recognition, so you don’t have to penetrate the whole market on your own. You’re able to grow at a faster rate than if you were a mom-and-pop business without that kind of support.
Over the years, there have been several key moments where someone from Right at Home corporate really helped us through hard times — whether it was navigating a payer source issue, staying on the cutting edge of the market, or just asking the right questions and providing guidance when something changed.
Overall, it’s been great to have a business model you can make your own while still having a strong template to build and grow from.
1851: What made you pick this brand? What excites you most about this company?
Blocker: The biggest thing I liked about Right at Home is that they’re operationally focused. They looked inward first to make sure what they were selling and advertising was authentic. That really comes through in the corporate culture, and that’s what drew me to the brand.
What excites me most about the company is the future. The industry is growing, and Right at Home has a strong focus on innovation, quality, and care. As we navigate changes in payer sources, new technology, and new ways to serve clients, I believe Right at Home’s guidance will help us move forward. I’m excited to face those challenges and come out ahead. I think the next 10 years in home care are going to bring a lot of change, and I believe Right at Home will be at the forefront of that.
1851: What do you hope to achieve with your business? What are your plans for growth?
Blocker: We’re very growth-focused. We’ve put a lot of investment into building a strong structure and a great team, and we’re excited to continue growing by adding two to four locations a year. We’re also reinvesting heavily into what makes care delivery the best it can be.
We have both a caregiving PAS license and a skilled license, which allow us to run a hybrid model and better serve our clients. We're also expanding into specialized resources like our VA benefits team and long-term care insurance team. These teams help clients and their families make informed decisions and access funding options for home care when available.
There are constant changes in payer sources, and we’re focused on navigating those effectively. We’re excited about the growth ahead and feel well-positioned to take it on.
1851: Is there anything else about your story you want us to know?
Blocker: When it comes to certain markets, I think we’re typically the best in VA and long-term care insurance because we have a dedicated benefits team that helps families from start to finish. No one wants to get on the phone with insurance companies, and our team helps them understand their policies and how to best utilize them — whether they should act now or wait — and also holds the insurance companies accountable. A lot of times, these companies prey on people who don’t understand the system. We often advocate for families, even reporting insurance companies to the Insurance Bureau if necessary, or just giving families the tools they need to stand up for themselves.
On the VA side, things continue to change, so we stay closely connected to the organization to better help veterans through the process. We walk them through the entire process from start to finish.
Another big part of our business is our faith. We want to honor God in how we operate, and that influences how we serve each veteran, each client, and each family — with high standards, excellence, and integrity.
In terms of what makes us different, having both skilled and unskilled care sets us apart. Only about 2% of providers in Texas have both a caregiving license and a skilled nursing license. I don’t know of any other provider with a benefits team like ours.
Another distinction is our nurse-integrated care. Even though some of our services are considered non-medical, it’s extremely helpful to have someone in the home who understands what’s happening clinically. For example, it’s common for someone to think their mom is just declining mentally, when really she has a UTI. Our nurses or nurse-supported staff can catch those issues before they become major problems. Often, the adult children are overwhelmed, and without support. It becomes a last-straw moment that leads to moving their loved one into a facility. We try to stand in that gap and offer a solution that allows the client to thrive at home.
Regarding Texarkana, it's an underserved market, especially for caregiving and VA services. There’s really only one competitor in the area. We’re excited to come into that community to help and serve. The demand is there, but the providers are not. We’re looking forward to expanding more into Arkansas as well — we already have an office on the Arkansas side — and building out our presence there to meet the need.
One more thing: we often work with adult children who don’t know where to start. The average adult child lives 250 miles away from their aging parent. They’ll visit and notice small things — a nearly empty fridge, bruises — and get concerned, but their parent insists they don’t need help. That’s usually when they reach out to us. We’re able to create a care plan that works for everyone and gives peace of mind. Through a mix of technology, caregivers, and nurses, we can build a custom plan that meets the client’s needs and gives the adult child confidence that their loved one is safe and well cared for. Most people want to age at home if possible, and we want to help make that happen.
1851: What advice do you have for other people thinking about becoming franchise owners?
Blocker: My biggest advice is to jump in with both feet. Meet people, join a performance group, work with your peers and neighbors, and be open to asking questions. Take full advantage of all the resources the franchisor — in this case, Right at Home — provides.
A lot of successful people have a “do it yourself” mentality, but in franchising, you’re paying for support, and that support is there for a reason. Use it to its fullest potential.
Also, focus on taking care of people, both internally and externally. If you take care of your team and your clients, and you're proactive in using the available resources and getting the word out about your services, things will fall into place. Don’t isolate yourself — lean into the support that’s offered.
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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