For more than two decades, Lance Austin built his career around service. He joined the military straight out of high school and spent the next 26 years working in IT communications, networking and cyber operations around the world. When retirement approached in 2020, however, Austin was thinking about an entirely different kind of service.
“I had a calling to go to seminary school. I was going to get into ministry,” Austin said. “I have a background in faith, and that is very important to me. I felt like I really needed to go out and do something, whether it was being a pastor or some other role in ministry.”
Then COVID-19 changed those plans when the seminary Austin planned to attend shut down. Shortly afterward, his mother-in-law suffered a major stroke. Austin and his family suddenly found themselves providing around-the-clock care.
That experience started Austin on the path of that eventually led him to Right at Home, the nationwide in-home care franchise. He and his wife, Cynthia, officially opened their Right at Home office in El Dorado Hills, California, earlier this year, beginning a new chapter centered on helping other families navigate those same challenges.
After his mother-in-law's stroke, Austin's family transformed part of their home into what was essentially a hospital room. For the first year, caring for her became a 24/7 responsibility, Austin said, with family members coordinating shifts and balancing caregiving with their jobs and other obligations.
“That is when I discovered how valuable caregiving services are because they have such a high impact on daily life, especially when you are working around the clock,” he said. “It can be very tough on families, trying to support your work, your job, and your family. That is when we discovered the caregiving world. I decided this was where I could serve the community best and could bring that light to them. I felt like God really pointed me in that direction.”
In-home care offered Austin a way to fulfill the sense of purpose that had initially drawn him toward ministry. The setting was different, but the underlying mission remained centered on service.
Once Austin decided to pursue business ownership in the caregiving industry, his military background became an asset in evaluating different opportunities. “I am a very systems-oriented person, and I had the heart and the passion side of it, as well as that motivation,” Austin said. “When it came to the different franchises I interviewed, I went through them, and Right at Home really stood out.”
More than any single element of the model, Austin said he connected with the people behind Right at Home and their reasons for being in the industry.
“A lot of them had the same kind of stories and passion and motivation for doing it, and I really aligned with them,” he said.
There was just one problem: The territory Austin wanted wasn't initially available. At the time, his two children were heading off to college, and Austin was motivated to begin the next chapter of his career. Still, rather than choosing another opportunity simply to get started sooner, he remained patient. Eventually, the Right at Home team contacted him to let him know the territory had become available.
“The people, the reputation, the branding — all of that stood out,” he said. “It was more about the reputation of the brand and the people. I knew based on all of that that they had the systems in place for me to succeed.”
Austin and his wife officially opened their Right at Home office in El Dorado Hills in July 2026.
“It's been very busy,” he said. “I've been hustling, trying to train caregivers and onboard clients. I think it's going pretty well so far. It's been a couple weeks now, and we already have 11 caregivers, and we have more prospects that we haven't scheduled yet.”
After a career built around military service, Austin is now applying the discipline, systems mindset, and leadership experience he developed over 26 years to a very different mission. At the same time, his family's caregiving experience keeps the human impact of the work at the center of the business.
“I have some ideas of long-term goals,” Austin said. “As I go along, whatever ways that I can find that will help me grow the business, I'll take it. Really, the goal is to try our best to serve the community and connect with caregivers.”
For Austin, Right at Home continues a life built around service. The uniform and setting may have changed, but the sense of mission has not.
For more information on franchising with Right at Home, visit: https://1851franchise.com/rightathome.
Right at Home
SPONSORED
Caring for his mother-in-law after a major stroke showed Lance Austin firsthand how much families depend on reliable support and ultimately led him to senior care.
For more than two decades, Lance Austin built his career around service. He joined the military straight out of high school and spent the next 26 years working in IT communications, networking and cyber operations around the world. When retirement approached in 2020, however, Austin was thinking about an entirely different kind of service.
“I had a calling to go to seminary school. I was going to get into ministry,” Austin said. “I have a background in faith, and that is very important to me. I felt like I really needed to go out and do something, whether it was being a pastor or some other role in ministry.”
Then COVID-19 changed those plans when the seminary Austin planned to attend shut down. Shortly afterward, his mother-in-law suffered a major stroke. Austin and his family suddenly found themselves providing around-the-clock care.
That experience started Austin on the path of that eventually led him to Right at Home, the nationwide in-home care franchise. He and his wife, Cynthia, officially opened their Right at Home office in El Dorado Hills, California, earlier this year, beginning a new chapter centered on helping other families navigate those same challenges.
After his mother-in-law's stroke, Austin's family transformed part of their home into what was essentially a hospital room. For the first year, caring for her became a 24/7 responsibility, Austin said, with family members coordinating shifts and balancing caregiving with their jobs and other obligations.
“That is when I discovered how valuable caregiving services are because they have such a high impact on daily life, especially when you are working around the clock,” he said. “It can be very tough on families, trying to support your work, your job, and your family. That is when we discovered the caregiving world. I decided this was where I could serve the community best and could bring that light to them. I felt like God really pointed me in that direction.”
In-home care offered Austin a way to fulfill the sense of purpose that had initially drawn him toward ministry. The setting was different, but the underlying mission remained centered on service.
Once Austin decided to pursue business ownership in the caregiving industry, his military background became an asset in evaluating different opportunities. “I am a very systems-oriented person, and I had the heart and the passion side of it, as well as that motivation,” Austin said. “When it came to the different franchises I interviewed, I went through them, and Right at Home really stood out.”
More than any single element of the model, Austin said he connected with the people behind Right at Home and their reasons for being in the industry.
“A lot of them had the same kind of stories and passion and motivation for doing it, and I really aligned with them,” he said.
There was just one problem: The territory Austin wanted wasn't initially available. At the time, his two children were heading off to college, and Austin was motivated to begin the next chapter of his career. Still, rather than choosing another opportunity simply to get started sooner, he remained patient. Eventually, the Right at Home team contacted him to let him know the territory had become available.
“The people, the reputation, the branding — all of that stood out,” he said. “It was more about the reputation of the brand and the people. I knew based on all of that that they had the systems in place for me to succeed.”
Austin and his wife officially opened their Right at Home office in El Dorado Hills in July 2026.
“It's been very busy,” he said. “I've been hustling, trying to train caregivers and onboard clients. I think it's going pretty well so far. It's been a couple weeks now, and we already have 11 caregivers, and we have more prospects that we haven't scheduled yet.”
After a career built around military service, Austin is now applying the discipline, systems mindset, and leadership experience he developed over 26 years to a very different mission. At the same time, his family's caregiving experience keeps the human impact of the work at the center of the business.
“I have some ideas of long-term goals,” Austin said. “As I go along, whatever ways that I can find that will help me grow the business, I'll take it. Really, the goal is to try our best to serve the community and connect with caregivers.”
For Austin, Right at Home continues a life built around service. The uniform and setting may have changed, but the sense of mission has not.
For more information on franchising with Right at Home, visit: https://1851franchise.com/rightathome.
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