Duration: 20m 12s
Eduardo Penalosa has a lot to celebrate these days. His San Antonio, Texas franchise just marked a major milestone.
“It was our first anniversary a week ago,” says Eduardo.
But that’s not all Eduardo is celebrating. Just one week before this anniversary, he and his wife welcomed their baby daughter Sophia into the world. If parenting a newborn is cutting into Eduardo’s sleep, it doesn’t show.
“We’re energized,” says Eduardo. “We’re excited and very happy. Our family is growing and at the same time, we’re very invested in this venture.”
Indeed, his venture has grown quite a bit this year as well.
“Today, we have around 28 employees,” Eduardo points out. “And we have served around 13,000 hours of care by now. So it has been a very exciting journey.”
As it happens, that journey began quite a long distance away from the field of caregiving.
Leaving the Ladder Behind
“I spent around 15 years climbing the corporate ladder in Mexico City,” says Eduardo. “My last roles were as a head of growth for Grupo Modela, which is a beer company, and as part of Walmart’s marketing team.”
Ultimately though, Eduardo wanted to apply his master’s degree in management to something more meaningful.
“I wanted to create something with more purpose,” says Eduardo. It wasn’t easy leaving behind a stable and well-paying corporate role, let alone leaving behind his home country.
“But I believe it was the right choice,” says Eduardo. “We’re growing every month, and we face challenges and learning opportunities every week.”
Making the Right Choice
For Eduardo, investing in a Right at Home franchise was truly a leap of faith. So what gave him the courage to jump? There were a few factors. First and foremost, says Eduardo, he was impressed by the brand support coming from Corporate.
“I was in marketing, so I know the strength of a brand is important when you’re doing pretty much everything from traditional marketing to online marketing,” says Eduardo. “If you have a brand that supports you, it is easier to climb the ladder.”
Eduardo also acknowledges the key role the Right Start program played in helping him get off the ground. “I’m very used to structure and a project plan and deadlines and that kind of thing,” says Eduardo, “so having those guidelines – it was like 400-and-something tasks that I was eager to complete.”
But Eduardo says that the real clincher for him was the Right at Home culture. “The people will create your company,” observes Eduardo, “and all the people I have met through Right at Home are amazing – not only the corporate staff, but also the franchisees.”
Building a New Life
Launching a new business is challenging under any circumstances. But Eduardo faced these challenges while adjusting to a whole new life. Starting a new franchise meant leaving Mexico and making a new home for his family in San Antonio.
Naturally, this type of transition required some cultural adjustment. It also required Eduardo to familiarize himself with America’s uniquely complex healthcare system. Not only that, but as Eduardo recalls now, launching his own franchise took a bit longer because of the complexities involved in the investor’s visa process.
It was nearly 11 months between the time Eduardo invested in his franchise and the time he opened his doors. Fortunately, throughout that trying time, Eduardo enjoyed incredible support from corporate, from his coaches, and from his fellow franchisees.
“Most of them are very kind people,” says Eduardo, “They know what it takes to do this and they want to share. And the purpose of this job is taking care of people. So you need to be kind.”
That kindness played a major part in helping Eduardo adjust to his new surroundings as well as his new role as a business owner.
Adjusting to Change
Even in the midst of all this adjustment, Eduardo and his wife recently welcomed their third child. So it really has been a year of change for the Penalosa family. For Eduardo, Right at Home’s consistency and stability provided a much-needed sense of structure.
For instance, says Eduardo, “I really like the Tuesday Meetings where we discuss pretty much everything from vendors and the experiences of other franchisees to types of funding. These meetings really line up with my corporate background.”
The weekly Tuesday Meetings, and really all the support resources available through Right at Home, have helped Eduardo grow as a leader. From this vantage, Eduardo highlights the importance of taking these support resources and running with them.
“You will find a ton of support materials from Right at Home but you need to do it yourself. You need to be 100% in and 100% there,” says Eduardo. “It’s not an easy investment. There are moments where you may even second guess yourself, so you need to be very patient, very resilient and very structured.”
Finding Purpose
Eduardo offers a few more words of wisdom for others who might be embarking on the same journey of franchise ownership. First and foremost, always remember why we do what we do.
“Every moment,” says Eduardo, “we are reminded of the why. It’s about creating jobs, promoting care and extending the lifespan of our clients. That’s what we value the most.”
And on a personal level, the father of three tells us what really drives him.
“I wanted to show my kids that you can do whatever you put your mind to,” says Eduardo. “I wanted to show them that whatever you want to achieve, you need to try, and you need to do your best, and it will happen.”
Interested in starting your own business? Right at Home provides vital support to franchisees along every step of the way. To learn more about available territories, visit https://rightathomefranchise.com/available-territories/. To hear from other franchisees on their ownership experience, visit the resource center to read interviews with owners.