Meet an Owner: Chrisy Heiss

Chrisy Heiss may have just hit the one-year mark for her Right at Home franchise in the mid-Ohio Valley, but she’s got her sights set on continued growth for her territory.

“I opened the doors in 2022, and have been growing the business successfully,” said Chrisy. “There have been some ups and downs, but overall it was a great first year.”

Chrisy first researched franchise opportunities in the home health care space with a friend that she was considering going into business with. When they came across Right at Home and realized there were two available territories to purchase in their area, they decided to each buy their own franchise.

“It was so nice to go through the onboarding process together, and eventually open the doors to our businesses at the same time. Purchasing my own franchise gave me the freedom and flexibility to take my own approach when it comes to operations,” she said. “We remain great supporters for one another and are very aligned in helping each other move our businesses forward.”

Setting Up A Structure for Success

Taking control of business operations was important to Chrisy given that she served as a Regional Director of Operations for a physical therapy organization prior to purchasing her Right at Home. Chrisy started out as a physical therapy assistant, working her way up the corporate ladder over the course of her 15-year career. As a result, she was able to gain valuable insights about both financial operations and the home health care industry along the way.

Although Chrisy knew she had what it takes to run her own business, she was most nervous about how she would adjust to entrepreneurial life after becoming a franchisee.

“I came from a job where there was a lot of structure, and I wasn’t sure what my typical day as a Right at Home owner would look like,” Chrisy admits. “It wasn’t a turnkey experience I was buying into; this territory had to be built from the ground up, and I’ve been working hard to do that.”

For Chrisy, the added value of joining the Right at Home family was all the systems and support she would receive as a new business owner.

“All the systems allow me to focus on my clients and families and growing business,” said Chrisy. “I didn’t have to spend any time doing research or vetting vendors because all the systems are in place already to make it easier for you to run your business. All I had to do was be trained in how to use everything.”

Grow At The Right Pace

Chrisy knew that buying a new territory would require time, attention, and patience in order to build her business. It hasn’t been easy, but for Chrisy, it’s been well worth it.

“You have to have the ability to wear all these hats–recruiting, HR, financial/payroll, client care–so there are many times when I’m required to show up and do that work. The biggest piece of advice I can give to others is to make sure you have someone in your office who is able to support you, someone you can trust, someone that’s just as invested as you are in pushing your business forward.”

For Chrisy, that person has been her assistant, who remains in the office even when situations require Chrisy to step out into the field.

“This morning I had planned to come into the office and do some administrative work, but the field had other plans for me today. I ended up going to a client’s house to help one of my newer caregivers and make sure the client felt comfortable. I was able to train the caregiver while also working with my assistant here in the office to put out any fires that popped up with staffing.”

Eventually, Chrisy aims to get more organized and be able to support a larger administrative staff in her office, but for now she’s chosen the right person to help her keep growing the business.

“My assistant brings ideas and strategies to the table in addition to fielding calls for me when I can’t be in the office,” Chrisy said. “Some days are chaotic, and we are always prepared.”

Added Support With Right at Home

Chrisy has found that without a doubt the most valuable benefit to joining the Right at Home franchise family has been having a network of people to lean on.

“There’s so much more to it than just opening up your doors and providing care to your clients,” she said. “Having a network of people at your disposal who have been through it all is extremely helpful.”

Right at Home provides all franchise owners with a team of support, including a Right Start Coach and access to other franchise owners in your region.  Additionally, they also help support franchisees with online marketing help.

“The online marketing specialist has been extremely helpful; she is amazing,” Chrisy said. “She is very detailed and is always available to help you or to troubleshoot issues for the technologically challenged. Having access to her has saved me lots of money on consultants.”

When asked if she has any advice for potential Right at Home franchisees, Chrisy’s answer is simple: “Pay attention to the quality of your work and have a passion for taking care of others, and you will be successful.”

ABOUT RIGHT AT HOME

Founded in 1995, Right at Home offers in-home care to seniors and adults with disabilities who want to live independently. Most Right at Home offices are independently owned and operated and directly employ and supervise all caregiving staff. Each caregiver is thoroughly screened, trained, and bonded/insured before entering a client’s home. Right at Home’s global office is based in Omaha, Nebraska, with more than 700 franchise locations in the U.S. and six other countries. 

If you're interested in taking the next step in making a difference in your community as a Right at Home franchisee, visit rightathomefranchise.com.

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