Meet the Family | Kari Janes
Duration: 15m 36s
Description: Kari Janes, a Right at Home franchise owner from West Palm Beach, FL, talks about her experiences in opening a Right at Home senior care franchise. Kari tells her story about what led her to Right at Home, the training, her likes and dislikes, and provides advice for anyone wanting to be a part of the Right at Home family!
Kari Janes acquired her franchise in February 2020, right before the pandemic. She started her career out in pharmaceutical sales and then worked with a group of interventional radiologists in marketing, but also set up vascular screening programs, educating the public on fibroid embolization and educating referring physicians.
Kari said her husband had been in high tech and was ready for a change. He saw some research on Right at Home and was impressed, and thought she would be a good fit for as an owner, knowing her medical background, personality and attention to detail.
The first part of training was good and focused on the sales aspect and marketing your business. The second part was virtual due to the pandemic and a bit more difficult. Also new owners were to have specific coaches for the first year of business, but because of the pandemic were put with regular coaches. They were great coaches, but everything during the pandemic was very overwhelming. It was challenging to start a business during Covid. It was really beneficial to get to know the other franchisees that were opening new businesses at the same time. We helped each other along, answering each other’s questions, and would divide and conquer if none of us had the answer.
Kari Janes’ business performance coach, Daniel, had an three day onsite visit, covering a lot of material in that time and discussing some of the changes which are going on at Right at Home. The coach looked at the growth of the business, if there were other territories available, and strategy for her location.
As far as a typical day, Janes said that it depends on the day of the week, but it’s never too typical. Mondays are the busiest as a lot happens over the weekend. Caregivers calling in, clients wanting changes to schedules, and billing typically is done on Mondays. Kari helps out with scheduling, especially urgent issues, and performs assessments, following up with clients and prospecting for new business.
Kari Janes favorite part of the business is meeting the clients and people. There are a lot of people that inspire you, and it’s really incredible. The appreciation for the caregivers, seeing the true love and support people have for one another is really amazing. She does get frustrated about caregivers who don’t show for their clients. It can be very stressful and feels like a smudge on your reputation.
Kari tries to create a good office culture by keeping open the communication channels, trying to make a point of seeing new caregivers being boarded. She will introduce herself, put a name with the face, and thank them for coming. Her goal is to create a good, long working relationship, making sure everyone keeps the perspective of what we’re trying to accomplish.
Janes offered these words of advice to prospective franchise owners, “Understand what is required from the state, the licensing, and make sure you know what is involved with getting your business up and running. In the first few years, you are going to be the caregiver, wear every hat in the business, and put in the hours. I was very eager and competitive to get the business up and growing fast. I put in the time and hoping I can now see the light at the end of the tunnel.”
Kari mentions it is important to network, as she has other franchisees who provide words of support and advice to her. She can call them when she is having a bad day, and they can provide a huge sense of support and understanding.
#Franchising #Leadership #SuccessWithSignificance
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