Mark James’ first year as a Right at Home franchisee has exceeded his expectations

Mark James’ first year as a Right at Home franchisee has exceeded his expectations

Right at Home franchisee Mark James has had “an amazing first year”. With annual turnover already heading past £500,000, his business, which delivers home care in south Liverpool, has exceeded its financial forecasts. He’s worked his socks off, but says he couldn’t have done it without the support of the network.

Speaking on Right at Home’s new podcast series, Focused on Franchising, Mark looked back on his first 12 months of trading and his journey into franchising with Kate Dilworth, the company’s franchise recruitment manager

Now or never

He explained: “I’d always had that desire, like a lot of people, to go into business for myself. I reached the point where the timing felt right in my career and home life and thought: ‘It’s now or never’. It was very scary - no matter how much research you do, it’s still a huge leap of faith.

“I was fortunate to be within travelling distance of Right at Home’s national office. So one of the first things I did was arrange to call in for a chat. I wanted to get a feel for the office, the people and the type of operation it was. From that point, I felt reassured.

“For me, one of the best parts of the process was completing the due diligence. I spent time visiting different Right at Home offices with different levels of success and at different stages of their journey. This enabled me to build a rounded picture and make an informed decision.”

Someone with you

Like many people, Mark thought carefully about whether to invest in a franchise or go it alone.

“I had what I thought were some brilliantly entrepreneurial ideas,” he says. “But then, looking at the number of businesses that go to the wall in their first year, the more I got into the detail the more I thought: ‘You’d be daft to take that journey on your own’. It’s just too big a risk. If you can have someone with you, with a tried and tested model, it’s worth its weight in gold.”

In the podcast, Mark discusses how important peer support and Right at Home’s national office support team has been to him, as he got to grips with delivering person centred care.

He added: “I feel fortunate to have had the right people behind me, supporting me on every step of my journey. I’ve made some mistakes, but I’m convinced they would have been tenfold if it was just me.”

Standout moments

Asked about standout moments from his first year, Mark says: “There have been so many. Signing our first clients was really exciting, but the best times are when my team gives positive feedback and hearing client reviews, which are my absolute favourite. “You realise all the work you’ve put in has been worthwhile because you actually are making a difference - that’s when I find myself skipping home.”

Hear Mark for yourself on Right at Home’s Focused on Franchising podcast, which aims to help anyone thinking about franchising make informed decisions. Search Focused on Franchising on iTunes, Google Podcasts, Spotify or SoundCloud.

At a glance Right at Home UK

Established: 2010
Number of franchised outlets: 64
Location of units: England and Wales
Investment range: up to £130,000
Minimum required capital: £40,000
Contact: Kate Dilworth. kate.dilworth@rightathome.co.uk. 07825 047344 rightathomefranchising.co.uk