Veteran Translated Experience to Start Business

Alex Caudill Marine

In 2007, A Place At Home franchisee, Alex Caudill, felt called to serve in the United States Marine Corps Infantry so he enlisted at age 17. In 2009 to 2010, Alex was selected to serve in the White House Presidential Detail under the Barack Obama Administration.

After finishing his time in Washington D.C. Alex then joined 3rd Battalion 4th Marines, a part of the 7th Marine Division in 2010; Alex was deployed with Kilo Company to Afghanistan.
Upon separation from active duty, Alex joined 2nd Battalion 24th Marines out of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and Madison, Wisconsin as part of the United States Marine Corps. Infantry Reserves. Alex’s responsibilities included serving as a Platoon Sergeant and Platoon Commander for a Platoon of Infantry Marines.

During his Reserve time; Alex said he is most proud of organizing a fundraiser for a fellow Marine. “His home was destroyed in a fire so I helped raise $15,000 to ease the burden of that tragic event,” said Alex. The Marine Corps recognized his efforts and awarded Alex the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal.

Throughout Alex’s military career he received many awards. The highlights include the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal with Combat Valor, Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal x2, and Combat Action Ribbon. He also received the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, National Defense Service Medal, NATO Medal-ISAF Afghanistan, and Sea Service Deployment Ribbon.

After ten fulfilling years in the Marine Corps, Alex saw an opportunity to make a difference in the healthcare sector. His military-taught values of duty, service, and self-sacrifice found new meaning when he became a franchisee of A Place At Home. He now helps the elderly to live a comfortable and independent life at home.

The Veteran turned entrepreneur came face to face with the challenges of this sector and chose to do something about it. As a result, he launched his first A Place At Home location in 2018 in Scottsdale, and then two additional locations in 2020 in Chandler/Gilbert and Sun City West/Surprise. He set about transforming the quality of senior care for residents in the area.

“The reasons why I got into this industry were personal. Being an owner where we provide care to seniors who cannot care for themselves, my service has a new meaning. I am driven by phone calls from clients expressing they can live the life they want thanks to our help,” says Caudill.

Caudill holds a B.S. in Business Management from Milwaukee School of Engineering. Beyond his ten years of service in the Marine Corps, Caudill has held several leadership positions in the health industry. Those positions gave him extensive experience in the management of services in that industry.

Even so, Caudill says A Place At Home is more than just business to him; it’s a way of life. He is excited about being able to employ many senior care providers who believe in our “We are CARE” philosophy. Caudill lives for the difference that he makes in the communities around him and furthermore, being able to serve Veterans. A Place At Home – Scottsdale is one of the largest service providers of Phoenix VA non-skilled care, currently serving 174 seniors in his community. He is also proud to have 60% of his office-staff that are Veteran marines like himself.

“There are days we arrive at the office before the sun is up, and work well into the night. We can rest easy when we leave, due to our understanding of what we accomplish every day. We work to provide compassionate caregivers with the opportunity to care for those who can no longer care for themselves. Every day the team at A Place At Home makes a difference in the lives of so many.”

A Place At Home Sells First Corporate-Owned Location

A Place At Home Omaha Owners

A Place At Home – Omaha Has New Franchisee Owners With Local Roots 

Omaha-based A Place At Home is now owned 100% by franchisees.

The day before the 2nd Annual A Place At Home Franchise Convention, A Place At Home Franchise sold its original Omaha location to Papillion franchisees, Rick and Kris Perkins. 

“I can’t think of a better match for our Omaha-location than Kris and Rick. They won our 2020 Rookie of the Year award at this year’s franchisee convention. They’ve cared about the seniors of our community for a long time. I am completely confident in their ability to take over Omaha operations. The staff loves them, we love them, it was a perfect match,” said Dustin Distefano, CEO and Co-Founder of A Place At Home.

MEET THE NEW OWNERS

Rick is a former counselor and manager who spent 20 years with Child and Adult Protective Services. He also served as Program Coordinator for the Juvenile Assessment Center. Kris is a former 911 dispatcher and EMT. She also worked in sales and deployment roles for Motorola Solutions, Inc. where she deployed public safety software across the United States. This husband-and-wife team have been running the Papillion franchise location for over a year now.

“Helping seniors age in their own homes has become a passion for us. The Omaha team has been wonderful to work with during this transition,” Kris says.

“We understand enlisting the help of professionals to care for loved ones is a tough decision to make,” said Rick. “We want the Omaha community to know we’ll treat your family like we’d treat our own family. And we want to ease the stress of the transition to an assisted living community when the time comes.”

OMAHA’S NEW LOCATIONS

The Papillion franchise office is located at 10791 S. 72nd St., Suite #104, and serves Bellevue, Offutt, Ralston, Chalco, La Vista, Council Bluffs, and Center Lake.

Their new Omaha office location will be at 9829 S 168th Ave, Suite A in 2021. There will be a central satellite office located at Terrace Plaza, 11414 W Center Rd. They will also serve Elkhorn, Fremont, Blair, Wahoo and Gretna. Additionally, Iowa communities of Council Bluffs, Crescent, and Glenwood will also be served.

ABOUT A PLACE AT HOME FRANCHISE

To A Place At Home co-founders, Jerod Evanich and Dustin Distefano, awarding franchises to the right people is an important part of fulfilling their mission: “To be passionate professionals providing the compassionate care solutions you need, when and where you need us.” 

“Reaching this major goal of ours. The sale of our original location, means we can now focus solely on the franchise side of the business. We will continue finding great people to make successful owners,” said Jerod Evanich.

To learn more about A Place At Home – Omaha, visit www.APlaceAtHomeOmaha.com. To learn more about franchising opportunities, visit www.APlaceAtHomeFranchise.com, and schedule a time to speak to the development team.

ABOUT A PLACE AT HOME SERVICES

A Place At Home offers a range of senior-focused in-home care services, care coordination, and assistance in identifying and transitioning to senior living alternatives. In addition, the company also offers staffing solutions to senior communities and health offices. A Place At Home is dedicated to caring for seniors so they remain independent and stay in the safety of their own homes.

A Place At Home Set to Open in Orange Park Florida

A Place At Home - Orange Park

A Place At Home, an award-winning in-home senior care franchise, has awarded a new franchise to Orange Park owners. Chris and Brittany Adams are the new owners set to help APAH fulfill its goals for helping elderly Americans live a vibrant and healthy life in their homes.

A Place At Home – Orange Park will meet the surging demand for in-home senior care services in the area. The Adams completed their training in July. They are set to open their doors the first week of August.

APAH co-founder Dustin Distefano stated, “We are excited to add two highly skilled and passionate individuals to the APAH family. They bring a wealth of business management experience that aligns with our CARE philosophy. They are genuinely committed to transforming lives in Orange Park.”

The franchise’s new location at 155 Blanding Blvd, Unit 10, Orange Park, FL 32073 is strategic in the area. Chris and Brittany plan to serve more than ten surrounding communities. Those communities include Middleburg, Penny Farms, Green Cove Springs, Keystone Heights, Fleming Island, Ashbury Lake, Bellaire- Meadowbrook Terrace, the Argyle Forest, and Oakleaf Plantation area.

Data from the 2010 census shows that 22% of the Orange Park population is seniors. A large percentage of these are living alone, while only 3% of those that need living assistance prefer nursing homes. These statistics explain the growing demand for in-home care services in the area. The Adams are determined to fill that gap. The two entrepreneurs come with broad expertise in the health sector, commerce, and elderly caregiving. CEO Chris Adams has more than 30 years of experience in the senior living profession. Operations Manager Brittany Adams comes with more than 18 years of experience in the retail sector.

Personal reasons attracted them to senior care. Chris spent most of his youthful days volunteering at a hospital. At this hospital, his father worked as a Healthcare Executive and his mother as a Registered Nurse. Moreover, when his parents aged, he became their sole caregiver and developed a passion that he later turned into a career.

“When I serve a senior, I am fulfilling my passion to care for Seniors and preserving the legacy of the Senior to live in dignity and pride,” says Chris.

Brittany had a similar positive influence from Chris. She spent her childhood and early adulthood, volunteering in her dad’s senior care community initiatives. After 18 years of operations management in the retail sector, she logged out of the system. She will join him at APAH’s new location in Orange Park.

“I love serving seniors as they always give me a smile and are happy you are there for them,” says Brittany.

Firstly, Chris and Brittany chose A Place At Home for its commitment to improving the quality of life among the elderly. Secondly, Chris pointed out that APAH’s CARE philosophy, which stands for Compassionate, Accountable, Respectful, and Ethical, accurately reflects his personal beliefs.

About A Place At Home

APAH provides personalized in-home care services attuned to the specific needs of each client. Through the service model dubbed CARE, APAH helps seniors to live at home for longer. They stay in a familiar and comfortable environment with close support and a degree of independence. However, when it’s in the patient’s best interest to move to a nursing home, then we find them the best facilities and facilitate a smoother transition.

We have open territories coast to coast for entrepreneurs looking to grow a business that makes a positive impact on the community.

Jerod Evanich, MBA
A Place At Home
+1 402-281-0738
email us here

First A Place At Home Franchisees Hit CARE Pro Status

A Place At Home CARE Pro

A Place At Home created CARE Track, a 5-step senior-focused development program, to provide franchisees with the education and tools to grow and develop their A Place At Home franchise. The final stage of CARE Track is Step 5: CARE Pro.

New candidates enter CARE Track the minute they inquire about owning a franchise to determine Step 1: Are you CARE? Potential owners begin discussions with Jerod Evanich, President of A Place At Home. They take a free psychographic assessment to discover if they can measure up to A Place At Home’s top performers. 

“We want to find owners that can keep up with the extraordinary franchisees we already have but more importantly, we want to make sure the candidate’s values align with our “We are CARE” philosophy,” said Jerod Evanich, President of A Place At Home.

After a franchise is awarded, Step 2: CARE Launch begins. From there Step 3: CARE Coaching rolls out. After some time, once their business is operating, they begin to shine in Step 4: We are CARE. The final stage of CARE Track is Step 5: CARE Pro.

Becoming a CARE Pro

A Place At Home was established in 2012 and began franchising its successful business model in 2017. After 3 years, A Place At Home is happy to announce its first official CARE Pro’s: Alex Caudill of A Place At Home – Scottsdale, Sun City, and Chandler and George and Grace Bradley of A Place At Home – South Denver.

These franchisees have qualified as CARE Pro’s because they have been in business for a full year offering a continuum of care services. Also, their revenues have exceeded $500,000 annually, they’ve grown to at least three office employees, and have excellent customer and employee satisfaction scores. They even won Best of Home Care Provider of Choice and/or Best of Home Care Employer of Choice by Home Care Pulse. 

Dustin Distefano, CEO of A Place At Home, shared, “Owners that hit the CARE Pro milestone are in this for the long-term. They will become leaders in their market and will be positioned to build momentum over the next year.”

Alex and the Bradley’s will now begin working directly with Dustin on taking their business to the next level. They will have one-on-one access weekly to develop special projects such as developing staffing contracts, increasing additional service lines, and developing new payer sources. Dustin will also be on the ground with them during this time of growth. He will help ensure their infrastructure is strong to support the growth they are after in this next year. The goal is to triple their revenue by the end of their first CARE Pro year.

A Place At Home – Scottsdale, Sun City, and Chandler

After ten years as a sergeant in the Marine Corps, one of A Place At Home’s first CARE Pros, Alex Caudill, saw an opportunity to make a difference in the health sector. His military-taught values of duty, service, and self-sacrifice found new meaning when he became a franchisee of A Place At Home in 2018. 

Alex understood how crucial the first 90-180 days were and how they could define the route his business took. Alex said, “Those first months were the hardest. I was on my own trying to get those first clients. It’s important to have a plan, execute on it, and always push forward. I never got content because being content breeds complacency. If you’re always moving forward and pushing towards your goals you’ll move past any hurdles.”

Alex said he didn’t anticipate owning a multi-million dollar business with over 100 employees within 15 months of being open. He said, “it’s a reflection of my team. This shows me the wheels are turning as they’re supposed to be. Our client and satisfaction scores are good because we’re providing good care. We follow through on what we say we’ll do, and if there’s an issue we fix things in a timely manner.”

A Place At Home – South Denver

About thirteen hours northeast of Alex’s location is the first A Place At Home franchise in South Denver. Owners, George and Grace Bradley were the first franchisees taking the leap with A Place At Home in 2017, and it’s paid off as they’ve now hit CARE Pro status.

The Bradleys started looking for different franchises that serve the senior population. They reviewed 5 or 6 different FDD’s and were ready to schedule a discovery day with another franchise but spoke with Jerod at A Place At Home. “Jerod chatted away with me about what A Place At Home had to offer. There were several things that I really liked but thought the different sources of income were a great idea. There are 4 other ways to make money not just in-home care.”

George said, “It’s an honor to hit CARE Pro status. We pride ourselves in the quality of care we provide AND the quality of caregivers we provide. Our customer and client satisfaction scores are extremely important to us and we work hard to keep communication open. Becoming a CARE Pro is validation that everything we’ve been doing is working.”

Do you measure up to our top performers?

Ideal franchise owners are tenacious business builders, goal-oriented, and have a deep commitment to success. Our unique, scalable, and proven senior-focused development program allows owners to hit the ground running. Do you think you have what it takes to be a CARE Pro? See how you measure up and take our psychographic assessment online.

A Place At Home is Recognized as a 2020 FRAN-TASTIC 500

A Place At Home Franchisees

FranServe, Inc., the largest franchise consulting and expansion organization in the world, honored A Place At Home as one of their FRAN-TASTIC 500 brands. 

FranServe, Inc. connects entrepreneurs to franchise opportunities and introduces franchisors to qualified people. They wanted to recognize 500 brands that are going above and beyond the norm and helping people change their lives through franchise ownership so held their first annual FRAN-TASTIC 500.

Alesia Visconti, CEO of FranServe Inc. says, “Franchising is a doorway for many people looking to be their own boss. A brand that makes our annual “FRAN-TASTIC 500” list demonstrates that it goes above and beyond the norm. They help people fulfill their dreams of business ownership through franchising! It’s a brand that sets itself apart!”

A Place At Home’s Story

In 2012, A Place At Home began offering a range of Senior-Focused Care services. These services including In-Home Care, Care Coordination, and Senior Living Alternatives (SLA). SLA Advisors assist in identifying and transitioning clients to senior living communities at no cost. Staffing solutions to senior communities and other health care organizations is also a service line. 

This senior-focused model proved to be successful. As a result, co-founders, Dustin Distefano and Jerod Evanich began franchising in 2017. Since then 14 locations have either opened or are in the process of opening across the country. Their first franchise location in South Denver celebrated the second anniversary of their grand opening in April 2020.

“I’m incredibly humbled that we are making an impact in communities across this nation – not only because we are helping seniors through the aging process, but also because we are helping entrepreneurs live out their dreams of business ownership,” said Jerod Evanich, President of A Place At Home.

A Place At Home is dedicated to preserving the quality of life for seniors by giving them the support they need to stay as independent as possible and couldn’t be more thrilled with receiving this prestigious recognition for their brand.

A Place At Home Scottsdale Owner Expands To Two New Territories

Alex Caudill

A Place At Home Owner, Alex Caudill, Targets New Franchise Territories in Chandler/Gilbert and Sun City West/Surprise

After ten years as a sergeant in the Marine Corps, Alex Caudill saw an opportunity to make a difference in the health sector.  His military-taught values of duty, service, and self-sacrifice found new meaning when he became a franchisee of A Place At Home. This innovative Senior-Focused Care company helps the elderly to live a comfortable and independent life at home. From Scottsdale, Caudill is now expanding to new franchise territories in Chandler/Gilbert and Sun City West/Surprise.

The former marine turned entrepreneur was driven into senior-caregiving services by a personal experience. He came face to face with the challenges of this sector and chose to do something about it. As a result, he launched his first A Place At Home location in 2018 and set about transforming the quality of senior care for residents in Scottsdale.

“The reasons why I got into this industry were personal. Being an owner where we provide care to seniors who cannot care for themselves, my service has a new meaning. I am driven by the phone calls from clients telling me they can live the life they want thanks to the help A Place At Home Provides,” says Caudill.

Caudill holds a B.S. in Business Management from Milwaukee School of Engineering. Beyond his ten years of service in the Marine Corps, Caudill has held several leadership positions in the health industry. Therefore, those positions gave him extensive experience in the management of services in that industry. 

Even so, Caudill says A Place At Home is more than just business to him; it’s a way of life. He is excited about being able to employ many senior care providers who believe in our “We are CARE” philosophy. Caudill lives for the difference that he makes every day in the communities around him. The new locations will serve Sun City, Sun City West, Surprise, and parts of Peoria, Chandler, Gilbert, and Sun Lakes.

“There are days we arrive at the office before the sun is up, and work well into the night. We can rest easy when we leave, due to our understanding of what we accomplish every day. Every day we work to provide compassionate caregivers with the opportunity to care for those who can no longer care for themselves. Every day the team at A Place At Home makes a difference in the lives of so many.”

A Place At Home provides Senior-Focused in-home care services. The services include licensed companion and personal care, medication administration, and care coordination. Senior living alternative services are also available at no cost to guide seniors when it’s time to find a community to call home. The Senior-Focused Care Company’s philosophy is “We Are CARE”—indicating the values of compassion, accountability, respect, and ethics in their day-to-day lives.

The company that launched in 2012 in Omaha has seen explosive growth. As a result, they launched the first franchise location in 2018 and now have 13 territories across the country.  A Place At Home is famed for its franchisee support and training. They have seen many senior care entrepreneurs successfully navigate the business landscape.

A Place At Home co-founder’s Dustin Distefano and Jerod Evanich are impressed with Caudill’s business growth. “Caudill’s expansion to new franchise territories is evidence of his commitment to providing better quality care to the elderly.  His experience, unique leadership traits, and positive energy will be good for the 168,000 plus seniors that live in Sun City West/Surprise and Chandler. We will support him in every way.”

About A Place At Home

At A Place At Home, we help seniors live a safe and comfortable life with a degree of independence they want. A Place At Home franchisees specialize in personalized in-home caregiving and no-cost senior placement services, for those making a senior community their next home.

Visit www.aplaceathome.com to learn more about our services.

Inquire now to learn about our franchising opportunities.

First A Place At Home Franchise Location Celebrates 2nd Anniversary

South Denver Franchise

A Place At Home Now Consists of 14 Franchise Locations Across the Country

 A Place At Home, an award-winning senior-focused in-home care franchise, is celebrating the 2nd Anniversary of its first franchise location. In April 2018, Grace and George Bradley opened their doors of A Place At Home – South Denver at 19039 E. Plaza Dr. #230, Parker, Colorado, and impacted the lives of 100 seniors in their community since that day.

The Bradley’s were first awarded the franchise on October 20, 2017. “We’re impressed by A Place At Home’s core values,” notes Grace Bradley. “The fact that in a short time they had created a powerful culture of compassion and respect that drives everything they do.”

Since opening their doors, A Place At Home – South Denver has been awarded Best of Home Care Employer of Choice and Provider of Choice in 2019 by Home Care Pulse. Top-ranking home care providers receive these awards based on client and caregiver satisfaction.

“For a new business startup, the first year is challenging. To surpass that milestone is outstanding. George and Grace have achieved their second-year with glowing reviews and awards to back up their hard work and commitment. I look forward to celebrating their next milestone,” shared William Ogden, Director of Business Performance.

At A Place At Home’s First Annual Franchise Convention, the Bradley’s were awarded the 2019 Rookie of the Year award in recognition of being a top-performing franchisee in their first full year with A Place At Home. They also received the 2019 Top Caregiver Satisfaction and Retention of the Year award. Finally, they were honored with the highly prestigious Founders Cup award. This recognizes the franchise location that made major contributions and played a significant role in the organization’s success.

“It’s extremely rewarding watching their growth,” shared CEO and Co-Founder, Dustin Distefano. “When I first met Grace and George I knew that they had tremendous potential. They put our CARE values into action and it shows with the success they’ve seen.”

ABOUT A PLACE AT HOME

A Place At Home awarded 13 franchise locations across the country since Grace and George took that first leap. Candidates must first be a shining example of A Place At Home’s CARE model. This means they must demonstrate “Compassionate, Accountable, Respectful, and Ethical” values. If your situation has shifted due to Coronavirus and you’re looking for new opportunities during this uncertain time, in-home senior care is a recession and pandemic resilient option. Interested candidates should fill out an inquiry form or contact Jerod Evanich at 888-502-6310 or jerod.evanich@aplaceathome.com.

5 Ways to Market Your In-Home Senior Care Services During the Holidays

Marketing During the Holidays

It’s that time of the year again! The shopping spirit is in the air, and small businesses are dreaming of big sales, of willing buyers with open wallets. However, none of that is a guarantee. Strategic marketing is needed to leverage the festivities for improved sales during the Holidays.

Remember, too, that at this time of the year, consumers are crushing under a barrage of marketing messages. If you provide in-home senior care services, your strategy should, therefore, cut through the clutter and reach the right people where they are.

Here are some excellent holiday marketing techniques for home care services:

1. Find a holiday angle to your services

The holiday feeling is about sharing and caring, and that ties in well with the nature of your senior care business. Currently, friends and family gather to share the love, and there is no better time to deliver an infomercial on your top care services.

Create a thoughtful, inspiring, and heartfelt video on the beauty of in-home senior care and how it enhances the quality of life for the elderly and their families. For example, do a video directed at family caregivers that could use a break to be “just family members” this holiday season. You offer to supplement in a few days to a couple of weeks of service and while you assist with ADL’s and medication reminders, they can focus on their family.

Be sure to share this on your social media pages, promote it on YouTube and email to local community reps. Be prepared to answer questions especially if families are bringing loved ones home from long-term care facilities and need extra help. Learn the ‘vacation’ rules for Medicaid and Medicare coverage to provide extra peace of mind.

2. Get your clients involved

The best holiday messaging should tell the story of happiness and overcoming challenges. If you have clients willing to testify for the excellent quality of your care services, ensure to leverage that. Self-proclamation and inflationary claims don’t accomplish as much as user testimonies do.

You can send out these personal client stories through email, publish them as a series of social media posts, on flyer distribution, or online video. Don’t forget to thank your clients, their families, and everyone involved, wishing them happy holidays and include a call to action. For example, they may have family in town for the holidays so offer additional hours of care so they can enjoy their company and not put them to work or worry about things that need to get done.

3. Give away something meaningful

Let your business reflect the giving that embodies this holiday season. Your current and potential clients expect to be treated this time of year. Promotions can help you break through the market even when you are just starting out.

Your holiday promotion this year can be informed of surprise gifts for the families of your existing clients, discounts to past clients or prospects, or a community senior fun event. You can also partner with other non-competitor brands, health services providers, churches, and other organizations in spreading seniors love this holiday season. Just ensure that there is an awareness value for your business in that arrangement.

Holiday gifting helps to:

  • Spread awareness
  • Increase brand love and deepen brand loyalty
  • Increase the number of referrals

4. Add a festive holiday appeal to your website

It’s a new digital age that we are living in. Pew Research reports that 70 % of seniors go online and use digital services. The inventor of the Web, Tim Berners Lee, is himself a baby boomer, and that shows that the elderly don’t live in a faradays cage of sorts. And if the seniors are not that internet savvy, at least their kids and supporters are.

This holiday season your social media pages and website should be extra interactive full of thank you messages and best wishes. Your landing pages should be holiday-themed. Your entire site needs to be current and informative, enjoyable and assuring of the legitimacy and professionalism of your services.

5. Get out, be part of the community and build a dependable referral program

Unlike most other businesses, an in-home senior care business mostly thrives on referrals. You will find that more than half of your quality client introductions come from health service providers. Introductions from community leaders and local organizations can also give you the leap you desire.

Ensure, therefore, to engage with these people often, more so this holiday season, and offer them incentives/gifts as an appreciation for their leads. Remember to also keep in touch with clients and caregivers through postcards or greetings cards this holiday season.

Don’t let your senior care business miss out on the growth potential of the holiday cheer. Follow the above simple marketing during the holiday strategies and watch your business grow.

Considering a Senior Care Franchise?

When you join our group of dynamic business owners, as franchisees of A Place at Home, you’ll have strong support, thorough training and valuable business resources to help you succeed. Contact us to learn more.

A Place At Home Opens its 10th Location

Innovative senior care company continues to expand.

A Place At Home opened its doors in North Texas on Monday, October 14th. It is the tenth APAH location to open its doors nationwide. APAH has launched other franchise locations in Austin, TX, Colorado, Michigan, California, Oregon, Arizona, Arkansas, and Papillion, Nebraska. The corporate headquarters is located in Omaha, Nebraska.

Founders Jerod Evanich and Dustin Distefano opened APAH in 2012. Both men shared a passion for making changes in senior care. They created a continuum of care model to ensure APAH would be a true solution, rather than just another home care agency. This model includes four service lines which are in-home care, care coordination, senior living alternatives, and staffing.

A widely positive response led to exponential growth, ultimately culminating in the decision to open franchising opportunities across the nation. The first new franchise opened its doors in 2017 in South Denver with owners George and Grace Bradley.

This year Evanich and Distefano celebrated their tenth location by launching the First Annual Franchise Convention, where they brought all of their new franchise owners together, giving them an opportunity to socialize and benefit from a number of seminars.

“It’s the first of many milestones for the franchise system,” said Evanich. 

“The growth we’ve seen since 2017, and hosting our first annual franchise convention, is a significant turning point for our brand. We’ve gone nationwide, and are in discussion with a prospect to potentially go international in order to reach more seniors in need of our services,” adds Distefano.

Evanich said they focus on finding the right people to expand their brand. “More and more entrepreneurs are looking for meaningful business opportunities, as well as a quality service model they can stand behind.”

5 Business-Busting Mistakes to Avoid

Launching your own business is a life-changing endeavor. Once you take that leap of faith – you are journeying towards building your own legacy and attaining that highly sought after all-American dream.

Just as with anything rewarding in life, business ownership doesn’t come without challenges – especially during the initial start-up phase. Paying due diligence and proactively preparing for any potential bumps in the road will prevent disastrous, business-ending obstacles and lead you on a path to success.

1. Choosing the Wrong Partners

Value your intuition, do background checks and add the right skills. Before partnering, thorough due diligence, and careful business planning, is always required. Almost automatically, you may plan on going into business with spouse, family or old friends. Stop to consider whether they have what your business needs. If they’re partially funding your new venture, you could consider making them silent partners. Another avenue would be creating an employee relationship, to get the expertise needed, without giving away part of your company. Hire or partner with trusted people, who have skills that complement yours, rather than needlessly duplicating your talents.

When you do begin partnerships (or hire key employees/managers), it is crucial that you create a clear, documented division of responsibilities to prevent misunderstandings that could destroy your company down the road. Remember, you need partners that will commit to their role, share your vision for success and have the positive attitude to help you get there.

2. Going It Alone on Business Decisions

Use a board of directors, business coach or mentor, to help bring balance, objectivity and required expertise to your decision making. If you make crucial decisions alone, or with a like-minded co-founder,  you can become trapped in an echo chamber. You may be “too close” to the business to see the best solution. However, you can certainly be the final word and key decision-maker. Make sure this, along other partner duties/expectations, is documented when starting your company.

3. Ignoring Competitors and Customer Feedback

Monitor competitors closely, so you can clearly differentiate your company and lead the market. Excel at what they lack and promote/advertise your uniqueness to win customers! Furthermore, seek customer feedback and monitor online discussions. This protects your reputation and provides useful Intel to help shape your products/services going forward.

4. Not Establishing Customer Personas

Know your target market(s) well. Create customer personas for each unique market segment that would benefit from your services. Each persona gives you a representative customer/prospect to “speak to” in your advertising, blog posts and social media content. The persona can include demographic information, like age, gender and income level. Flesh out the personas with as much detail as possible, including each persona’s goals, preferences and problems they need to solve.

5. Not Being Financially Prepared

Be sure to have enough money to cover your initial business start-up costs, including capital expenditures like supplies,vehicles and/or equipment. You’ll also need operating funds to keep your business going until initial customers come your way. Additionally, it is crucial that you set aside funds for future, often unforeseen issues that can come up in a new business. This helps ensure that your new business can survive until it begins to thrive.

Considering a Senior Care Franchise?

When you join our group of dynamic business owners, as franchisees of A Place at Home, you’ll have strong support, thorough training and valuable business resources to help you succeed. Contact us to learn more.