One thing I get asked all the time is how did I do it?
How did I grow a home care company from nothing all the way up to serving hundreds of clients every month?
I always answer the same way. And yet, for some reason the person asking me never seems to like my answer. I always say that,
I grew my business by "doing it right one person at a time"
Unpopular answer. Always.
The reason is because what they want me to give them is a short-cut or some kind of magical ingredient that will grow their business 100x.
But that's just not how it works.
Your clients are all real people and the magical ingredient is taking the time to get to know them, caring for them personally, and being better at it than anyone else.
No marketing plan or gimmick will beat that.
Here's an example of one client we helped
We received a call late on a Monday afternoon from a woman, (let's call her Joan). Joan just got the news that her mother, who had been in the hospital for the past 6 weeks, was coming home TOMORROW!
Joan was completely blindsided by this news.
She had no time to plan, and she didn't know how to plan for it anyway.
The only thing the hospital told her was that her mom could not be left alone.
Joan called us because she had to go to work the next day and had no idea what to do!
I quietly and thoughtfully listened as Joan told me the whole story. I also asked lots of questions to make sure I got all the details.
Then I told her what I tell almost everyone who calls in the state of panic that Joan was in. I said,
“Don’t worry, you’ve called the right place. We can definitely help with this. We will make sure your mom has the support she needs”.
Next we talked some more as we built a care plan full of details to help make Betty's transition home smooth. It had all sorts of notes on:
- what Betty liked to eat
- what games she liked to play
- how her mobility was
- what her sleep schedule was like
- what medication she was on
- What Joan's work schedule was
- How the house was setup
I could hear the relief in Joan's voice and she started to see the answers to her problems take shape.
Next came the most important part...the secret ingredient...the part almost everyone else does wrong.
WE DELIVERED WHAT WE PROMISED
First I visited the hospital to meet Betty and Joan in person and also to talk to the nurses and doctors to make sure I had the complete medical picture - filling in the gaps from my discussion with Joan.
Next I worked some scheduling magic to make the right caregiver available for Betty and I made sure that the caregiver had a clear report with all the info she needed before she showed up to meet Betty.
I also scheduled that caregiver to meet Betty at the hospital rather than at home in order to help her get her things organized leaving the hospital.
Lastly, after the first visit I followed up with Betty and Joan to make sure they were really happy with the experience and the caregiver who visited them.
And guess what came of all this hard work?
Joan and Betty have been long-term clients even since that day.
On top of that they speak very highly of my business and my staff.
They also go out of their way to praise my business to anyone else who needs help who will listen...and that word of mouth advertising is better than any other possible referral source.
Go through that whole process every single time you get a new client and in 5-10 years you will have a successful, thriving, happy home health care business.
In Conclusion
The secret to success is caring.
The magical ingredient is delivering what you promise.
Don't worry about all those other people out there taking shortcuts. They'll all come and go and then 5 years from now they'll be pounding on your door to ask you one simple question....
How did you do it?!?
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About the Author
49 comments
Hi Alyssa,
I have been looking to start a homecare business. I hold a Masters in Public Health and I am super intrigued to move forward with this plan.
I have a question:
- Is it possible to start this business with as less as 10,000 CAD?
I want to know the answer to this question before I purchase your starter kit.
Best,
Aaraf
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HomeCare101 replied:
Hi Aaraf,
Thanks for your question. If you plan to build your own website and handle all the business incorporation details yourself, it would be possible to spend less than $10,000 to have the basics to operate. However, a concern I would have with such a low start up investment is the ability to have enough buffer to cover your payroll once you get staff working. There is always a delay to get invoices paid by clients, but paying your staff on schedule is not negotiable. To be honest, I wouldn’t recommend starting out with less than $25,000 unless you plan to provide the services yourself (and you will not be hiring staff initially). That would give you some breathing room. A business loan is always an option as well. I hope that helps! The start up kit does have more detailed worksheets on start up items and finances.
Cheers! Alyssa
I’m a business entrepreneur and would love to partner with an experienced nurse to start a home care business. Where would you suggest that I look?
Also, health care in Canada is provincially regulated. Does your guide address provincial requirements?
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HomeCare101 replied:
Hi Julie,
Great questions! Finding an experienced nurse who wants to operate independently is possible but not easy! If I come across anyone I can certainly offer to connect you. Have you considered posting a job just to cast a wide net?
The start up kit offers lots of information on the start up requirements! The information is not province specific because although health care is provincially funded, private home care is not considered health care (based on the canada health act) and there are minimal regulations. Surprising, I know!You can also check out regulatory requirements on bizpal.ca
Cheers! Alyssa
Am new to Canada. I will like to setup a Supported Living accommodation for people with mental health, Learning disabilities, Autism and Dementia. How can I setup and how to get a client. What process can I follow?
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HomeCare101 replied:
Hi Kay,
That sounds very exciting! You could start by having a look at our HC 101 start up kit <https://homecare101.ca/products/home-care-agency-complete-package>. (It will definitely get you on the fast track to starting your business. If you want to provide an accommodation for people to live in, that would be great, but it may be simpler to start out by providing care services in the homes of your clients. Less start up investment!
Best of luck! Alyssa
I’m so interested to have a home care business. I’m a nurse back home but i studied PSW in Canada and worked in a company for 5 years who opened my mind the idea to have a home care business. Now here I am eager to know how to start.
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HomeCare101 replied:
That’s fantastic, Myles! We need more great people providing support in our communities to help seniors stay safe at home! The best step for you is to download our start up kit <https://homecare101.ca/products/home-care-agency-complete-package> to help you get all the essentials to starting your own agency! Cheers! Alyssa
Hi I just wanted to know I’m a new HCA and would like to start my own home care services non medical, but I have 14 years of experience. What is the most important thing to start my business
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HomeCare101 replied:
Hi Jennifer, that’s really exciting! The experience you have will definitely help you. The most important thing is to name and register your business, but there are a number of essentials in the start up phase. Have a look at the Complete Home Care Start Up Kit <https://homecare101.ca/products/home-care-agency-complete-package>, it will give you all the information you need! Cheers! Alyssa