Meet the Family | Chrisy Heiss
Duration: 15m 50s
Description
Chrisy Heiss purchased her Right at Home franchise, located in southern Ohio, just about one year ago in 2022. She is joined by Chuck Prentner talking about why she joined the Right at Home franchise system and what she likes about Right at Home. Chrisy owns Right at Home Mid-Ohio Valley, located in Marietta, Ohio. She had a therapy background and a professional license as a physical therapist assistant, primarily working in post-acute care, and eventually as a regional director of operations overseeing therapy practices and skilled nursing, home health, and doing some outpatient and home care. Chuck Prentner is the Director of Franchise Development at Right at Home Corporate.
Choosing Right at Home
With previous experience as a regional director of operations, Chrisy learned how to look at an operation financially, and she used that knowledge to start looking into purchasing her own territory at Right at Home.
Why Right at Home
With Chrisy’s experience and knowledge, she has been asked by many people why not open a business on her own. She was leaving a financially good position and didn’t feel she had the time to recreate the wheel. The best option for her was to have a franchisor like Right at Home to lean on and receive their support. When Chrisy started pursuing her territory, there was another prospective franchisee pursuing an adjacent territory. It was great to go through the Right at Home onboarding process with another owner and open at the same time. She said they have leaned on one another and can discuss aspects of our business with each other as well.
A Typical Day
This morning Chrisy had planned to come into the office to work on financials, and catch up on some other items. However, she ended up going to a client’s house to help one of her new caregivers get started on their shift, make sure the client was comfortable, and train the caregiver. At the same time, she was working with her office assistant in putting out staffing fires such as call-ins, sickness, and normal recruiting issues.
Since this was a new territory, Chrisy had to work and build it up from the ground level, wearing many hats. For example, recruiting, HR, financial payroll, and client care. She had also had to go out and work shifts with clients many times as being a new business owner you just have to push through. Chrisy noted the biggest piece of advice as a new territory owner is to make sure you have someone in your office to support you and that you trust.
Caregivers
Right at Home Mid-Ohio Valley currently has about 40 plus caregivers available to take care of her clients.
Partnering with a Franchise
Probably the most valuable reason to partner with a franchise is having a network of people to lean on. Christy notes that it’s much more than just opening up doors and providing care to your clients and families. There is help if you have to go through licensure, and Right at Home corporate was able to help her get her office contracted with the VA. There is also a team of support. If you need a question answered, corporate has an assigned business performance coach whom you can contact to seek out the answer. It is also very beneficial to have your own Online Media Specialists who assist with all your online needs. Right at Home also has preferred partners who I can work with to help me get up and running, and start paying the bills, so I can take care of my clients and grow the business.
Advice to Prospective Owners
Be prepared to put in the hours if you want your location to be successful. Pay attention to quality and have a passion for taking care of another person.
If you would like to listen to other franchise owners’ stories, click the links below:
Meet the Family | Scott and Chaudine Dein
Meet the Family | Sandra Bullock
Meet the Family | Karen Alquier
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