1851 Webinar: Jennifer Selden’s Right at Home Journey

Jennifer Selden was planning to become a franchise owner. After spending 19 years at home raising her children, she wasn’t looking for a career shift. “I had never thought about it. It wasn’t on my radar,” said Selden, who has owned Right at Home Wilmington in North Carolina for nine years. “That was never the plan, but once I had kids, I didn’t care about anything else.”

Selden’s franchising journey began when her grandparents in Colorado suddenly needed 24-hour care, a situation her family had never navigated before. As Selden was considering her “what’s next” moment, her mother — who lived near her grandparents — was arranging services with agencies like Right at Home. During that time, her mother suggested she speak to a friend who owned a Right at Home in Missouri. 

“I had spent so many years taking care of people — my kids, their friends — and had all these intimate relationships as part of that,” Selden said. “I wanted my next chapter to feel meaningful and fill my heart.”

The conversation inspired Selden to explore business ownership for the first time. “I thought, ‘Maybe I can open a business and be my own boss,’” she said. “‘Then I only have to prove myself to me.’” After looking into the opportunity, Selden signed on with Right at Home. “We looked into it, and now here I am.” 

Since opening, Selden has embraced both the challenges and the rewards of leading a team in the senior care industry. “I did reinvent myself. Mission accomplished,” she said. “Raising my children was the best thing I’ve ever done, but this is pretty great too.”

Selden recently joined 1851 Franchise Publisher Nick Powills on an episode of “Meet the Zee” to discuss her journey. A transcript of Selden’s interview with Powills has been provided below. It has been edited for brevity, clarity and style.

Nick Powills: How did you accidentally fall into franchising? What’s your franchise backstory?

Jennifer Selden: It’s probably a little different than ones you’ve heard before. I had never thought about it. It wasn’t on my radar. I stayed home with my kids for 19 years. That was never the plan, but once I had kids, I didn’t care about anything else. Eventually, they grew up and didn’t need me as much — they wanted me out of their business — and I started trying to decide what the next phase of my life would look like.

Coincidentally, my grandparents in Colorado suddenly needed 24-hour care. My grandmother needed it specifically, and my family had never navigated that before … So we didn’t have much experience managing in-home care.

My mom and her two sisters lived near my grandparents, so it fell on them to figure out 24-hour care. As I was going through my midlife “What’s next?” moment, I was watching my mom go through that with her parents. They called agencies like Right at Home to provide care, so home care became part of the family conversation.

My mom was friends with a Right at Home franchisee in Missouri and suggested I talk to her. I had spent so many years taking care of people — my kids, their friends — and had all these intimate relationships as part of that. I wanted my next chapter to feel meaningful and fill my heart.

I spoke with the franchise owner, and when she explained what the business was and what it had meant to her, it felt like a good direction. We looked into it, and now here I am. Today is my nine-year anniversary.

Powills: So you take this call because your mom’s friend owns a Right at Home. Were you thinking about it from the emotional connection of navigating aging grandparents, as a sort of life coach call, or as a possible business opportunity?

Selden: I took that call because I was trying to figure out how to reinvent myself. I wasn’t sure how to do that after being home for 18 or 19 years. If someone hasn’t done that, it’s hard for them to see the value you can bring once you go back into the workforce.

I struggled with how I’d present myself to an employer. My husband — in the nicest possible way — suggested I might be a little bit of a control freak, maybe a little bossy. He said, “We could open a business.” That left every possibility in the world. The connection to my mom’s friend was just a first step toward exploring that. I thought, “Maybe I can open a business and be my own boss. Then I only have to prove myself to me.” It wasn’t some dramatic, emotional origin story. It was about reinventing myself and finding work that felt meaningful.

Powills: I’d argue your story is emotional. I love a reinvention story. Caregiving for children is one of the hardest jobs there is, even if it’s not always recognized as a “career.” You were debating your own self-worth, discounting what you’d done for years, while also dealing with your grandparents’ situation. That’s powerful. Now you’re at nine years. Has it gone by quickly?

Selden: Yes. Honestly, I didn’t even realize it was my anniversary until one of my employees came in with balloons and flowers. It’s gone by so fast. I don’t even know who I was before I started — the version of me who didn’t know how to do home care or live and breathe it. I did reinvent myself. Mission accomplished. Raising my children was the best thing I’ve ever done, but this is pretty great too.

Powills: How do your kids look at what you’ve accomplished?

Selden: They haven’t used the word “entrepreneur,” but they’ve told me they’re proud of me. They were old enough at the beginning to see me navigate it. There were nights when my husband brought them to the office after school and we’d have an assembly line putting interview packets together. They supported me and were excited.

I hope I’ve set an example for them, especially as women, that you can have it all. I stayed home with them and then went back to have another meaningful career. I think that’s important for young women to know: There’s time, and you should go for it. They’ve even called me a badass, which I’ll take.

Powills: When did you give yourself permission to say, “I did this. I am a great business leader”?

Selden: It wasn’t one moment. It’s lots of little ones. They usually happen when we have a big impact on someone’s life, especially during difficult times like end-of-life care. When a family tells me what it meant to have our support, I think, “That wouldn’t have happened without me and what I’ve built.”

Powills: The emotional side of your work is huge. How do you balance it?

Selden: I don’t take emotion out of it. Compassion is part of good care and good business. Of course, you can’t let emotions dictate every decision or you’d give everything away for free. From the employee side, there’s a reason there’s a caregiver shortage; most people can’t do it well. Those who can are often in it for the emotional paycheck. It’s okay to be sad when a client is unwell or to cry with their family.

Powills:  Has caregiving as a career improved since you started?

Selden: Yes, but there’s still work to do. It’s a great career for people who want flexibility, like parents coordinating schedules. Early on, most calls were for companionship. Now, people wait longer to seek help, so clients have more acute needs.

We have to train caregivers beyond companionship, give them skills, support, and continuing education. That opens more opportunities, builds confidence, and increases income.

Powills:  How is reinvention going for you now, and what’s the next step for your business?

Selden:  Every day I wake up a little scared. The great thing about being part of the Right at Home system is they’re always finding ways to help us pivot — new opportunities, new vendor partnerships, better caregiver and client experiences.

When I opened, I thought I’d just be caring for older adults. I didn’t realize how important it would be to give people jobs. I want to keep building our culture. I’d love to create a scholarship fund for employees, offer financial education, and support their kids starting careers. Taking care of our team is good business, and the right thing to do.

Powills: That’s the magic. Taking care of people leads to good results. You’ve gone from watching your grandparents get care, to reinventing yourself, to building something spectacular in nine years.

Selden: When you get the chance to do meaningful work, you can’t help but be emotional about it. I’m grateful to have the opportunity, my employees are grateful for their jobs, and our clients and families are grateful for our care.

Powills: I remember when I first worked with Right at Home in 2005 or 2006, few people knew home care existed. The industry’s come a long way in 20 years.

Selden: That’s part of why I chose Right at Home. When I went to Discovery Days in Omaha, everyone cared about my experience. That’s never changed. Some might debate fees, but I don’t mind because the corporate team uses that money to build systems and support us. They treat us like they work for us. The support is incredible, from corporate to franchisees.

Powills:  That’s a perfect close. Congratulations on nine years, and thank you for sharing your story.

Selden:  Thank you. I’ve enjoyed it.

Watch the full interview above or on YouTube. 

If you’re interested in taking the next step in making a difference in your community as a Right at Home franchisee, visit https://rightathomefranchise.com/. 

If you are interested in franchise opportunities, visit our available territories map. 

If you want to read about other Right at Home franchise owners, visit us at Franchisee Interviews.

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