Right at Home

After more than 30 years in the automotive industry, <a href="https://www.rightathome.net/genesee/difference/our-care-staff?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=the-great-franchisee-scott-hill-right-at-home-grand-blanc-mi-2715373" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Scott Hill</a> has changed gears. Now one of the newest franchise owners with <a href="https://rightathomefranchise.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=the-great-franchisee-scott-hill-right-at-home-grand-blanc-mi-2715373" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Right at Home</a>, the 500-plus-unit in-home senior care franchise, Hill is refocusing his career on making a positive impact in the lives of seniors and adults with disabilities in the Grand Blanc and Genesee County areas of Michigan.The University of Michigan graduate says developing products in the auto industry was fun, but he wanted to find a way to do more for people. After seeing his father struggle in hospitals and rehab facilities, Hill decided he wanted to find a position that would benefit the older population.&nbsp;<h4>1851 Franchise: Tell us your story – what did you do before franchising?</h4>Scott Hill: I have a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering and a master’s degree in management, both from the University of Michigan, and I received leadership training from the Owen Graduate School of Management at Vanderbilt University. I have senior management experience in the automotive industry, where I worked for over 30 years. I have served as a Junior Achievement volunteer education consultant, where I taught “High School Applied Economics.” I have served for many years on the Christian Services Commission at my church, where I also serve as a lector and a co-leader of a men’s group. I served as a volunteer at the Michigan Abilities Center, providing equine-assisted therapy dedicated to improving the physical and emotional well-being of children, adolescents and adults who have physical, mental, emotional or learning challenges.I have been married for over 25 years to my wife Claudia, and together we’ve raised three beautiful children – our daughter Amelia, who is 22 years old and recently graduated from Grand Valley State University, and our twin sons Elliott and Harrison, who are now 20 years old and attending college.I am a volunteer leader for The Hope Clinic organization, which is a medical, food and care provider at no cost to those in need. I have also enjoyed being a Special Olympics volunteer coach.&nbsp;<h4>1851: How did you initially find out about franchising, and what was your perception of franchising before becoming a franchise owner?</h4>Hill: When I was working in the automotive industry, I worked closely on airbag systems. It was one of my favorite roles I had because I knew the work I was doing was making an impact on people’s lives. With engineering, most of the time you are dealing with things and not people. I knew I wanted to have more of a direct impact on people.&nbsp;Thinking about that goal and my father’s medical situation - that was when I started looking into the franchising industry with a focus on in-home care. I watched my father go into rehab facilities and noticed how uncomfortable he was there, and all he wanted to do was get back home. He couldn’t focus on anything else, as he was not communicating well with the caregivers and wasn’t following directions, and I could tell his mental state was deteriorating. When he was finally able to come home, he got a lot better - not just mentally, but also physically.&nbsp;<h4>1851: How did you decide you wanted to be a franchisee?</h4>Hill: Going into business ownership has always been a goal of mine. It really just came down to the right opportunity coming up at the right time. I know senior in-home care is something I am passionate about, which led me to look into franchising opportunities.&nbsp;<h4>1851: How did you perform your research?</h4>Hill: I found Right at Home on the internet. I was searching for senior care franchise brands and read about them and their processes. I gave them a call, and the rest is history. The corporate team was easy to work with, and I felt supported the entire time. That meant a lot to me because obviously this is a new role and to have a leadership team there for guidance made for a smooth transition.&nbsp;<h4>1851: Why did you pick Right at Home? What excited you most about the potential?</h4>Hill: I really like their philosophy. The founder of Right at Home had a background in the hospital industry where he noticed people discharged from the hospital were not finding the right care after they left and would wind up back in the hospital. The more I read about Right at Home and talked to the corporate team, the more I could really see myself in this type of role. Everyone in the organization is extremely genuine, and being part of a highly regarded organization is important to me.<h4>1851: What are your dreams with the business? What does the future look like?</h4>Hill: We hope to serve as many people as we can. We think the baby boomer wave is just beginning, and there is a greater need out there for elderly people to get this kind of care, and we are here ready to provide it.&nbsp;<h4>1851: What do you do in your personal time?</h4>Hill: My hobbies include playing, writing and recording music.&nbsp;<h4>ABOUT RIGHT AT HOME:</h4>Founded in 1995, Right at Home offers in-home companionship and personal care and assistance to seniors and adults with a disability who want to continue to live independently. Local Right at Home offices are independently owned and operated and directly employ and supervise all caregiving staff, each of whom is thoroughly screened, trained, and bonded/insured prior to entering a client’s home. Right at Home’s global office is based in Omaha, Nebraska, with more than 500 franchise locations in the U.S. and seven other countries. For more information on Right at Home, visit About Right at Home at <a href="http://www.rightathome.net/about-us.?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=the-great-franchisee-scott-hill-right-at-home-grand-blanc-mi-2715373" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://www.rightathome.net/about-us.</a> For more information on the local Right at Home office, visit <a href="https://www.rightathome.net/genesee/area-served/home-care-grand-blanc-mi?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=the-great-franchisee-scott-hill-right-at-home-grand-blanc-mi-2715373" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">https://www.rightathome.net/genesee/area-served/home-care-grand-blanc-mi</a>

The Great Franchisee: Scott Hill, Right at Home, Grand Blanc, MI

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The former automotive engineer has started a new career as one of the newest franchise owners with the in-home senior care brand.

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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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The Great Franchisee: Scott Hill, Right at Home, Grand Blanc, MI

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