Meet the Family | Albano Mahilaj

Duration: 16m 8s

Albano Mahilaj has been a Right at Home franchisee for just a little over two years now. Bono, as he is known to personal acquaintances, serves Northwest Cuyahoga and Lorain Counties, both in the Greater Cleveland area.

Today, his young franchise is thriving. But it was only a few years ago that Albano found himself at a crossroads. By his own description, Albano is a veteran of corporate America. Ultimately, though, Albano knew that he wanted to run his own business. 

Going Solo

“Out of college, I worked at the Cleveland Clinic, which is a big local hospital,” says Albano. This was his first exposure to the healthcare field, but it was only a brief stopover. Albano would ultimately spend the next decade working in finance and real estate. Still, all along, he aspired to professional independence.

“I was looking to do my own thing. My wife and I looked at a lot of different options,” says Albano. 

At the time, he had no way of knowing that he would soon be returning to the caregiving field with even greater purpose. “Actually,” says Albano, “Right at Home was the only company that I interviewed with in the home care world. And I didn’t have to interview with anybody else.”

Doing Due Diligence

What made Albano so certain that Right at Home was the perfect fit? 

“The big thing,” says Albano, “was the consistent message. It didn’t matter if I talked to the franchise development team on day one. Or if I talked to 20 owners on the phone, or just to the local owners here.”

Everybody Albano spoke to told him the same thing – that Right at Home is a truly unique organization. Right at Home franchisees get the opportunity to do something personally gratifying while working with a proven model and an unparalleled support structure. 

Taking the Leap

It didn’t take long for Albano to experience these unique features firsthand. 

“Not only does Right at Home give you the formula,” says Albano, “but there is someone there with you from the beginning – either your Right Start coach, or the coach that you have moving forward. They’re always there, not only for questions, but also to tell you if you’re not doing something the right way.”

Albano also highlights the value of Performance Groups, where “you get together with other owners around the country or around the world. They’re a part of the same team, and they act as your board of directors.”

Coaches and Performance Groups can both be amazing sources for advice, feedback, and insight from those facing similar challenges as well as franchise owners with years of experience under their belts.

Participation in a Performance Group requires at least one year of franchise ownership, and as Albano tells us, “I took on that opportunity as soon as I could, and I’m in a group right now where you learn so much from other people.”

Growing Into a Team

Joining a Performance Group isn’t the only thing that’s changed for Albano over the last two years. 

“When you first start, you’re wearing all the hats possible,” recalls Albano. “So for the first year in the business, there were two of us working side by side and doing everything from sales to covering shifts.”

But as Albano’s franchise grew, it became possible to hire office and administrative help. Though Albano is still early in his ownership journey, the change is already transforming his day to day.  

“I still spend about 60% of the time working in the business, but it is changing to more working on the business every day,” says Albano.

Nurturing Relationships

At this stage, Albano notes that much of his involvement is on the marketing side of things. He places himself front and center as the face of his franchise. During at least half of his days, says Albano, “I’m out in the field either at a hospital or at an event or having coffee with somebody. I’m out there talking to somebody about what we do and about what Right at Home represents.”

Albano notes that he works especially closely with referral sources like hospitals and rehabilitation facilities. There is an important reason for his determination to remain visible. 

“I want them to know that the owner of the business is invested in the care of the people, and it’s not a simple collection agency,” says Albano. ”I care for everybody that we are serving.”

Albano admits that as the business continues to grow, it becomes increasingly difficult to know every client he serves on a personal level. “But that,” says Albano, “is why you have people there that you trust to take care of them.” 

Putting People Over Profit

“This is a business that gives you such gratification,” says Albano. “When you’re walking into someone’s home for that first consultation or a visit, you will see the relief on their faces. They’re saying, ‘Thank you, because I’ve been doing this all alone, and I cannot do it anymore.’”

“That part of it means so much to most people,” says Albano. 

Albano acknowledges that home care is a profitable business. “If you’re in it for the money, you’re going to make money. But,” he says, “if you’re only in it for the money, you are going to suffer.”

“We’re in the business of caring,” Albano points out, “and money comes second.”

Fortunately, if you do tap the Right at Home network of people and resources, if you do build a team that you can trust, if you do focus on fostering strong personal relationships, success will follow. If you’re on the fence, Albano advises, “Follow the Nike model and ‘just do it’. Invest yourself 100% into it and you will succeed.”