Learn why Arif, VP of Global Franchise Development, loves helping people start franchises
In this installment of A Home Care Franchise Heart-to-Heart, our VP of Global Franchise Development Arif Abdulla shares his modus operandi.
How long have you been at Nurse Next Door?
Almost 10 years but it feels like it’s gone by in the blink of an eye.
What’s your favorite thing about your job?
We’re impacting people every day. Whether it’s our clients who are at a vulnerable time in their lives or helping someone build their own business – I love this part of my job.
I also would say, it feels great doing something sexy and disruptive in a typically stale or boring industry. Healthcare isn’t generally thought of as an exciting or fun space to be in but we’re breathing life into it – we’re celebrating aging.
Is there one Nurse Next Door story that stands out for you?
We talk a lot about helping our clients celebrate aging. One story that really stands out for me is from a home care Franchise Partner just a few hours east of Vancouver. A family there had called Nurse Next Door to help take their mother out for a walk, once a week, but when our team met with the client they started to dig into what she really wanted to do. It turned out, the lady was an avid swimmer when she was younger but she hadn’t been in 20 years. Her dream was to get back into her local lake. So, instead of taking her for walks, our caregiver worked with her family to take her to the local pool to try and build up her stamina. She did this for the entire summer and by the end of it finally had her client in the local lake. That’s what home care was for this particular client. That’s what our care is all about – finding the one or two things that bring a client happiness, and figuring out how to make those come to life.
What’s one interesting thing you do at Nurse Next Door that outsiders may not know?
New employees go on a few home visits as part of the on-boarding process. It’s important that everyone gets to see the clients, the caregivers in action, the front lines–what this is all about. I don’t think people can really appreciate the impact we have on people until they witness our service first hand.
Which territories are you focusing on right now?
We’re really expanding in the US. Atlanta and Dallas are some of the open markets where we think there’s a need, and the east coast as well. We know the market exists in virtually every community across the US – for us it’s about finding the right Franchise Partner.
What makes Nurse Next Door different?
I would say there are two things that really separate Nurse Next Door as a home care franchise system.
The first is our Care Services Center. The private duty home care market certainly is attractive, but it’s a challenging segment to build a business in. As the business grows, the scheduling component, specifically the 24/7 nature of it, becomes overwhelming. It’s why so many home care businesses owners either plateau or fail entirely – they cannot manage the scheduling demands of a growing business. At Nurse Next Door, we’ve centralized this element and take on the vast majority of scheduling for our Franchise Partners. It allows them to grow and scale the business and not worry about having to build out a scheduling team or be on 24/7. We’re the only home care franchise organization that offers this type of support and it’s a big reason why we’re growing so quickly.
The second major difference I would say is our brand and our philosophy of care. We’ve taken a very bold approach to our brand. It’s loud, it’s vibrant and we celebrate aging. You’ll notice most brands in our space our quiet, boring and muted – we take a tremendously different approach and it works.
How do you decide who gets awarded a home care franchise?
The ideal candidate is tenacious, and willing to start from zero. Leadership ability and experience can go a long way in our industry. Franchise Partners educate potential clients about a concept they believe in; we aren’t looking for ‘used car salespeople’. They spend more time in the community than behind a desk. They have a genuine connection to the purpose, where they really want to make lives better. For many Franchise Partners, they choose a home care franchise because it’s close to their heart–maybe they’ve cared for an aging parent, or have a background in the industry. However, you don’t need to come from a medical or healthcare background–we provide all the training you’ll need.
Our Franchise Partners can build equity and manage their schedule so you can still take your kids to ballet or soccer practice. Balance is possible, but it comes from hard work and following a proven home care franchise system. It’s equal parts passion and profit–you’ll go the distance to scale your business because it’s close to your heart.
Nurse Next Door’s Richmond and White Rock Franchise Partners, Kim & Brett Kendrick.
If you could give a potential Franchise Partner any advice, what would you tell them?
Find a home care business that leverages your strengths and gives you the opportunity to love what you’re doing. You’re not just buying a business, you’re buying a lifestyle.
