Jerome Hanway’s journey to becoming a Right at Home franchise owner in Las Cruces, New Mexico, was not a decision based solely on market analysis and business plans; it was driven by a powerful, deeply personal ‘why.’ His path was shaped by a decade-long experience of securing in-home care for his grandmother, an experience that gave him firsthand insight into the challenges and importance of quality caregiving.
But Jerome’s mission is also fueled by a profound respect for veterans, a value instilled in him by his father, a Vietnam veteran who served three tours as a 101st Airborne Ranger. This commitment to honoring those who have served is a foundational pillar of his business, ensuring that veterans in his community receive the high-standard of care they deserve.
With his business, Jerome aims to set a new standard—not just for clients but for his caregivers, as well. By prioritizing specialized training, compensating his team for their skills, and fostering a culture built on shared values, he is actively working to improve the quality of life on both sides of the care relationship. Choosing Right at Home wasn’t about fitting into a predetermined mold, but about finding a franchise partner that allowed him to infuse his values, compassion, and commitment to his community into every aspect of his business.
1851 Franchise recently spoke with Jerome about his commitment to serving veterans and why Right at Home was the right fit for his mission. Here’s what he had to say.
1851 Franchise: Frame your personal story for us. What do you want us to know?
Jerome: I experienced this industry first as basically my grandmother needing services. She had both of her legs amputated when I was in high school and in college, and we needed the in-home care because my parents were still working. Of course, we were all kids and still going to school.
We actually needed these services as clients, not as the owners. My grandmother needed the services for about 10 years. We used to move her around because she would stay with one of my aunts for a little while, then with another aunt, and then she would come to our house for a little while. She really didn’t like the jumping around and going from place to place.
So, we got her set up at home with an in-home care person and, by the grace of God, we got a really good caregiver who stayed with her for about seven years.
1851: What was your perception of franchising before becoming a franchisee, and what do you want people to know about franchising now that you are in it?
Jerome: My perception of it was McDonald’s, Burger King — the restaurant types of places and cookie-cutter things where you do what they say and follow whatever their format is.
My reality of it was that I worked at my sister’s office for about a year and a half. I realized, especially with this, you can attach your identity to it. You can attach your moral structure and how you want to do business. That was very important to me because everybody’s different, and everybody approaches this industry differently. Ours was about being clients first. We come from that perspective first.
It’s really based on the right company for you — what it is you want to do inside, what your moral compass looks like, what’s near and dear to your heart, and if that company really allows you to express yourself through whatever it is that you’re doing.
1851: What made you pick this brand? What excites you most about this company?
Jerome: I really like the fact that, again, the model of the company is the in-home care. But with Right at Home, they really let us have our own identity of what we find important to us and our moral structure.
My father’s a Vietnam veteran. He did three tours in Vietnam, has been shot three times, and he’s 101st Airborne Ranger. That’s very important to us — taking care of veterans. I would say one of our main focuses is making sure that our veterans are taken care of. We’re veteran first, and then we take care of the others. But we take care of those who took care of us.
1851: What do you hope to achieve with your business? What are your plans for growth?
Jerome: We do have growth plans, but first, we want to really establish a new way of doing caregiving. We want to make sure that not only are we taking care of the individuals and servicing our clients and improving their quality of life, we also want to make sure that our caregivers who are giving the care are improving their quality of life.
To us, the skills training — Alzheimer’s care and other specialties — is important. We want to be able to go to a client and tell them we are certified in this, that we have caregivers who can do this and are certified. That adds value not only to our company but also to the caregiver, and we pay accordingly.
If you come with skills, values, and the same moral structure as giving care, then you’ll do well. But if you come to our company and you just think this is a paycheck and you’re clocking in and clocking out, this is not the place for you because you won’t last.
1851: What advice do you have for other people thinking about becoming franchise owners?
Jerome: I would look at your core beliefs, what you are as a person, and what you want to accomplish. Then make sure that the franchise aligns with that.
If you love what you do — that cliché, “If you love what you do, you’ll never work a day again in your life” — I know that’s very cheesy, but it’s true. It’s absolutely true.
To read the full 1851 Franchise interview with Jerome, click the link.
If you’re interested in learning more about applying for a franchise with Right at Home, visit https://rightathomefranchise.com/. If you would like to hear more from current franchisees, visit our blog at: https://rightathomefranchise.com/forc/.