Meet the Family: Rob & Susan Brown

Susan and Rob Brown both personally understand the powerful impact home care can have on a family, so it felt natural for them to purchase a Right at Home in Alpharetta, Georgia in 2010.

“My mom had gotten sick, my dad had passed away, and she was in West Virginia,” recalled Susan. “I was a single mom at the time with two kids; I was really struggling with what to do to help her, and that’s when I started learning about home care agencies.”

Similarly, Rob was exposed to home care when his father was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.

“My family was trying our best to care for him in his waning days, but we found that it’s a lot harder than people think it is,” he said. “We ended up finding an agency to help us and sit with him overnight. It made a huge difference to our family.”

So when Rob and Susan ultimately decided to open a business together, looking into opportunities in the home care space felt right to both of them.

Building a Business Based on Values

“I did most of the research when we were first starting out on this journey,” said Susan. “We were looking for something here in Atlanta in an industry that would help people and where people could actually afford our services.”

They had narrowed their options down to two companies, but when they visited Omaha for their Discovery Day, they knew that Right at Home was the right business partner.

“Everyone was a class act, everyone had a big heart for what they do and really wanted to make a difference in people’s lives,” said Susan. “You could tell there was a lot of integrity, honesty, and a shared commitment to the work.”

Running A Family Business

After becoming proud owners of a Right at Home franchise, Rob and Susan decided to divide and conquer according to their strengths.

“I had served as an Operations Manager for a distributor, which is my real strength in business now,” said Rob. “Susan handles the marketing and the customer-facing aspects of the business, and I handle the operations.”

Although they each manage different aspects of the business, both Susan and Rob agree that there’s no such thing as a typical day.

“If you’re looking for a normal workday, this is not the right experience for you,” agreed Rob. “Every day is different, there’s such a variety of things that happen, and you are required to wear a lot of hats. This is a 24/7 business, and it never stops.”

“As you grow your business, something new requires your attention every day,” said Susan. “From a daughter calling in a panic because her father is getting released from the hospital and needs help immediately, to caregivers calling about hoarding happening in a client’s home and feeling unsafe - there’s a real spectrum to what we have to deal with on a daily basis.”

Added Value from the Right at Home Network

?With a focus on growth from the outset, Susan and Rob have found that access to Right at Home’s Performance Group has provided the most valuable support for their business.

“They take owners from about 10 offices who volunteer their time to become part of a Performance Group,” explained Rob. “All the owners are amazing and run amazing businesses. They’re people we can reach out to with anything we’re facing in the industry, and we know we’ll get 5, 6, 7 good answers to our questions along with suggestions for how to deal with the situation.”

“It’s the best thing we’ve ever done for our business, ever,” added Susan. “We look at them as being our Board of Directors, and they help us see problems from a fresh perspective. They hold us accountable and help us prioritize what’s important.”

“Beyond that,” said Rob. “What’s really cool is that these people have become our friends. We see them at national meetings and other events and really enjoy spending time together outside of working hours.”

Finding Success with Right at Home

In addition to the added benefit provided by the Performance Group, Rob and Susan give credit where credit is due in terms of their rise to success: Right at Home corporate’s framework for each franchise.?

“Right at Home provides you with the framework of what you need to do to be successful,” Susan said. “It’s on you to follow those steps to achieve success. You can do it, but not without hard work.”

The added support is a big reason why Susan was drawn towards the franchise business model in the first place.

“People always asked us why we wouldn't just start our own business without making that franchise investment up front, and I tell them that it’s because there’s no way we would have become as successful as quickly without that framework from the corporate office,” said Susan.

It’s not enough, however, to just put in the hard work and be driven to succeed. According to both Susan and Rob, you also have to be committed to the mission behind the work you’re doing.

“I always tell people that their heart has to be in this,” Susan said. “If you’re just looking for an industry to go into or a business to buy to make money, this is not the place for you. People will see through that. You have to have a heart and a passion for what you do. You have to be genuine and committed to the work.”

It’s clear that their shared sense of purpose has propelled Rob and Susan to great success with their franchise.

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 over 700 franchise locations in the U.S. and five other countries.

To learn more about Right at Home and why it can boast of unmatched support not found anywhere else in the senior care industry, visit: https://rightathomefranchise.com.

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