Michelle Rankine, Ph.D. did not plan to build a career in personal caregiving, but she was introduced to the industry after her brother was in a life-changing car accident. It was soon after this that Right at Home, the 700-plus-unit in-home care franchise, caught her eye. Now, after building successful Right at Home franchises in Southern Denton County, Western Collin County and Mid-Cities in Texas, she is celebrating her 10th anniversary as an owner. On Tuesday, April 16th at 9:30 a.m. CT, Rankine will join 1851 Franchise Publisher Nick Powills to discuss her pathway to success.

Ready to start your franchise ownership journey? Join us for our 9:30 am CST, April 16 Webinar: Sign up for the webinar here.

“Before Right at Home, I was finishing my Ph.D., and I was working for the United States Olympic Committee. There is not a direct correlation to home care at all, but a life event happened to my brother, and we needed home care,” explained Rankine. “I became friends with the owner of the home care business we hired in Indiana, and his background wasn’t in health care, either. That assured me that it was something I could get into, and I was literally leaving Indiana to fly back home when I saw a Right at Home advertisement. That started the process.”

Rankine said that she explored several in-home care franchise models, but Right at Home quickly rose to the top of the list thanks to its “intense” training period. As opposed to the two or three-day sessions some concepts were offering, Rankine felt confident that spending a week and a half with experienced Right at Home teams would leave her fully prepared to launch and successfully run her business.

After meeting with the team and exploring investment opportunities in her area, Rankine purchased a transfer territory in September 2013. At just 29, and having recently earned her Ph.D., Rankine says her family thought her choice was “crazy.” However, following her passions has allowed her to build an incredibly successful business over the past decade.

“The opportunity to have a franchise and care for others was a responsibility I took very seriously. I didn’t think I would ever change my trajectory, but when you have a calling, you just have to follow what your heart says,” she explained. “The growth I’ve seen in the past 10 years has been an amazing journey. As a business owner, you learn through mastership and learning. When you’re in ‘learning,’ you’re figuring out, ‘Do I do this? Do I do that?’ I’ve gone through ups and downs, as with any business, but I’ve learned so much to feel that I can scale my business and get it to the next level now.”

Now, Rankine recognizes the growing need for in-home care and the value that passionate business owners can bring to their communities.

“The need for in-home care is significant, especially with Baby Boomers aging. However, the price for in-home care has also increased significantly, so we’re seeing a trend in the business where persons are using us as respite providers when someone needs a break or for shorter hours,” said Rankine. “You’re going to see more involvement of technology and monitoring in the home just to make it more accessible for the masses because the masses are going to need it.”

Rankine is one of 36 franchisees in the state of Texas. The Lone Star State continues to be a strong market for Right at Home’s franchise growth. Roughly 3.8 million Baby Boomers are expected to turn 65 each year through 2029, and the vast majority of adults will need some level of long-term care support once they reach that age. With over 4 million people aged 65 and up in Texas alone, Right at Home is looking to add 18 units in the state to address ongoing need. Targeting development in Abilene, Amarillo, Brownsville, Corpus Christi, El Paso, Houston, Laredo, Lubbock, McAllen, Midland, San Angelo, San Antonio, Victoria, and Wichita Falls, Right at Home will bring in-demand services to communities in need.

For more information on her story and the opportunity for Right at Home franchise ownership in Texas, join Rankine and Powills on April 16th at 9:30 a.m. CT for a live webinar discussion. Rankine and Powills will dive further into her personal experience as a franchise owner, the current state of business in Texas, and how other entrepreneurs can begin to make a difference in their own communities.

Sign up for the webinar here.

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 700 franchise locations in the U.S. and five 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/.