Family-Focused Leadership And Strong Support Win Franchisee Confidence
The culture at ameriCARE headquarters propelled Steve Levy’s decision to invest in the in-home senior care franchise. “After researching over 15 companies in the U.S. and really looking at the differentiation they each offered, I was able to narrow it down to three companies, one of which was ameriCARE,” he says. “My decision was based on their go-to-market approach, back-office vision to support the agencies, and most importantly, the team in Atlanta. Culture proves key for ameriCARE fanchisee. The culture is really simple. They treat every employee and franchise owner like members of their own family. We know that a phone conversation matters and a handshake gets things done.”
Caring Culture
Levy carefully nurtures a similar culture at ameriCARE Silicon Valley in Morgan Hill, Calif., about 30 minutes south of San Jose; his franchise serves Santa Clara County clients and is an in-network provider for Veterans Affairs for all of Northern California. “Over five years ago, we decided to come up with a three-word tagline for the franchise. We took a full day to get to one that made sense and has a lasting impact. ‘Here To Care’ is now trademarked in the U.S., and it is all about our culture from hiring to managing the clients’ unique needs,” says Levy, whose career experience includes positions with technology and renewable energy companies.
As the boss, Levy walks the talk of that tagline through the salaries and bonuses he pays to his 65 full- and part-time W-2 employees. “Compensation is critical in Silicon Valley because the cost of living is very challenging. We decided to endorse unique bonus pools for instant monetary rewards when someone goes above and beyond like our Spot Bonus, and Caregiver of the Month awards.” In addition, ameriCARE corporate offers national quarterly awards to outstanding caregivers. “All in, we have seven bonus pools for our team members, including the back office. Anyone who suggests money is not an issue is missing an opportunity because the bonuses are designed to drive the business and are easily expensed by the very nature of the recognition.”
A Team Effort
His franchise grows and thrives because of his talented, motivated staff. “We are getting ready for a very large expansion with the help of headquarters. Having the right team is key. Our team is led by a wonderful former caregiver, Torri Stewart, who over the years has risen to director of operations and will oversee this next level of growth. She is truly a great example of how someone who started as a caregiver rose to a very high level with hard work, great people skills and a deep understanding of ‘Here To Care.’”
Levy’s staff also helped the fledgling franchise survive the pandemic. “We opened in February of 2020, and COVID was something we were clearly not prepared for,” he says. “The pandemic hardened the team and the way we look at all aspects of the business.” Levy himself actually created another early obstacle, he admits. “I made some early mistakes on infrastructure. I initially went after what I thought were the best solutions without paying attention to integration of the technology stack. After two years, I made the decision to start over. I build everything today around our core platform Wellsky. All other applications must have an API [application programming interface] or direct integration. Without that, I move on.” Founded in 2004, ameriCARE offers opportunities in the U.S. and Canada.
Why Choose ameriCARE?
The ameriCARE franchise appeals to entrepreneurs because of these factors:
- Multiple dependable revenue streams from a suite of nonmedical services such as companionship, transportation, light housekeeping, meal preparation, bathing and grooming.
- Assistance with site selection, lease negotiation and staff recruiting.
- State-of-the-art technology that boosts franchises’ operational efficiency.
- Comprehensive training followed by ongoing education, mentoring and webinars.
- Franchisees share information with each other for refining strategies and operations.
- Cooperative advertising that boosts marketing.
- An established network of premium vendor partners.
- A discounted franchise fee for military veterans.
Learn more about the ameriCARE franchise.
