Duration: 29m 18s
There’s an old saying that you only get one chance to make a first impression. If that’s true, we are very fortunate to have Stacey Brown and Michelle Poppa on our team. Stacey and Michelle are Right Start coaches. So if you’re a new franchisee with Right at Home, they are among the very first people you’ll get to know.
Not only do Stacey and Michelle help brand new franchisees get their feet on the ground, but they also serve as the primary points of contact for all new owners across the network. That’s a pretty big job considering how fast this network is growing and just how much there is to learn for each of our new owners. So what does the job of Right Start coaching actually look like? Stacey joined Sr. VP of Franchise Development Jen Chaney for a recent Tuesday Talk to tell us all about it.
Hitting the Ground Running
We won’t sugarcoat it. It takes a lot of hard work to get a Right at Home franchise off the ground. Fortunately, your coaching and orientation begin on Day 1. The Right Start program begins the day you sign your franchise agreement. Right Start is our name for the intensive period of education, training, guidance, and action that you’ll undergo on the way to launching your business.
As Stacey explains, when new franchisees join the network, “we work with them to get the business up and moving, all the way up until they are open.”
Stacey also explains that this work covers a lot of ground.
“We’re hand-holding new franchisees through every process at this stage,” says Stacey. “So maybe when they first come over to us, we’re talking them through creating an email address so we can communicate with them. Next, we may talk about labor regulations. Then we’ll help them get set up with their payroll company. And then we send them off to Residence Week.”
Getting Real Face Time
Residence Week is an incredibly valuable experience – a week-long orientation, training, and networking program at company headquarters in Omaha. Before arriving at Residence Week, new franchise owners will have already taken part in virtual training sessions. But as Stacey says of Residence Week, “now they really get to experience it. Now, we get face-to-face interaction. We get the kind of training that you cannot do over Zoom.”
For instance, training includes hands-on practice in vital areas like sales, caregiver orientation, and client consultations. And just as importantly, this is a chance for new owners to meet and bond with one another, as well as acquaint themselves with Right at Home’s amazing community of subject matter experts.
“The best part about Residence Week,” says Stacey, “is the other owners and staff members that come there. You get to learn from each other, you get to practice, and you really build strong bonds that also can’t take place over Zoom.”
Following the Roadmap To Opening Day
By the time you leave Residence Week, you’ll have a long list of new contacts, a ton of new knowledge, and a path forward. But don’t worry. We don’t just send you home and leave you to travel that path alone. Your Right Start Coaches remain beside you every step of the way toward opening your doors.
The partnership between new franchisees and startup coaches is vital not just for providing a clear path to opening, but for helping new owners move beyond the initial fear of getting started.
“The thing that new owners get most hung up on is everything they have to do,” says Stacey. “There’s usually a long list of items that need to be done to be able to open your business. With Right Start, we have a nice to-do list that we work through to make sure that the owner has everything set up in their business so that once they open, they can be successful.”
Sticking By Your Side
Your Right Start support resources don’t simply disappear once you’ve opened your doors. You can expect the same level of direct support for roughly three to six months after opening. The exact duration may vary depending on the given owner. For instance, those purchasing existing franchises may require a bit less startup support than those launching a new territory from the ground up.
Either way, the objective is primarily the same. Stacey explains that “I want to make sure that they can keep their lights on – that they are getting new clients; they’re signing caregivers; their system is operating.”
There are a few important KPIs we look for to make that determination.
“The numbers that we really focus on are the number of clients billed and the number of caregivers paid. Because if those two items are growing, your hours are going to grow, and so is your revenue,” says Stacey. “Then we also really want to get them hitting their breakeven number. This is work that’s more individualized for each franchisee, because everybody’s breakeven is obviously a little bit different.”
Personalizing Franchisee Support
The need for additional assistance can also vary by franchise owner. Another big part of Stacey and Michelle’s role is to provide ongoing support as new owners face unexpected challenges. Stacey explains that “we’re usually meeting with our owners multiple times a week, and so we are constantly working with them…making sure that they feel supported during this process.”
While the exact timing may vary, the next step in this process is the same for every owner. Every new franchisee will ultimately move from working with a Right Start Coach to a partnership with a long-term Business Coach. Stacey and Michelle work with individual franchisees to make sure they are fully prepared to make this transition seamlessly.
As Stacey explains, “We want to make sure that everything is set up correctly by the time you move over to that Business Coach. This is because we’re coaching to a weekly schedule, where the business coaches are coaching on a monthly schedule.”
Navigating the Challenges
Stacey acknowledges that some growing pains are natural for new owners.
“I wish everything were perfect and we were always growing our hours,” says Stacey. “But that’s not always the case. So we have to have some heart-to-hearts. Usually, owners are willing to listen, and they’re just excited to hear that maybe there’s a different idea that they’re missing.”
Stacey also points to the valuable role that fellow franchisees play in Right at Home’s powerful support network. Stacey notes that “we have so many franchisees in our system that are willing to support new owners. So a lot of times, if I know someone’s really struggling, maybe you’re going to connect with someone who had a similar situation that they grew past.”
Connecting the Dots
Ultimately, Stacey explains, “we really try to play that connector,” whether that means connecting with external vendors, internal SMEs, or other franchise owners across the network. The main point is, you’ll never be left to figure it all out on your own, no matter your ownership scenario.
As Stacey resolves, “We do have an intensive training program. But we get to know our owners, Michelle and I, very closely. So don’t be nervous. We have a great list of things to help you get your business up and running, and then we’ll support you all along the way.”
To learn more about franchising with Right at Home, visit, www.rightathomefranchise.com.