Andy Gillen is one of our amazing multi-location owners. Currently, Andy owns and operates 5 Caring Senior Service franchise locations: San Antonio, Corpus Christi, McAllen, Amarillo, and Austin. As the owner of multiple home care companies, Andy knows how important it is to delegate responsibilities and trust your team. Learn more about Andy’s journey to become a franchise owner and get some tips on managing locations across state lines.
Why did you choose Caring? What made you choose this field?
I contacted several home care companies while performing my due diligence. I first spoke with Mike Walls, who handed me off to Jeff Salter when he realized my first location choice was San Antonio. Jeff made it clear he owned San Antonio and had no interest in selling the agency. Jeff made himself available for several more meeting and allowed me to pick his brain.
Luckily for me, the growth of Caring Senior Service was taking more and more of Jeff’s time, and we began to discuss how I might be involved. Finally, Jeff decided he needed help operating his original three locations to include McAllen, Corpus Christi, and San Antonio. We became equal partners at that time. I act as the owner/operator and Jeff has stepped back from the day-to-day operations.
What was the driving force to become an owner of multiple locations?
Again, Jeff needed to find a solution to grow the business, focus on finding new franchisees, and step away from the day-to-day of operating the offices.
How do you successfully manage multiple locations across different states?
It’s challenging, and I often feel like I’m not providing enough support to one office or the other. It’s all about finding the right people. The agency director must be a good leader and manager. They must be able to wear multiple hats, multitask, and motivate the team. They must be able to supervise and support where needed; it’s a team effort.
In addition to a strong Agency Director, a smart and competent Care Manager is a must. They can’t allow the day-to-day challenges distract them from the job at hand, taking care of our clients.
Finally, you need a good Home Care Consultant. Someone who can work efficiently by themselves and not need to be micromanaged. In addition to scheduling a weekly call with each AD and speaking with them all throughout the week, I attempt to visit each at least once per month.
If you had one piece of advice to someone just starting out in the franchise world, what would it be?
Be ready to work. If you’re looking to purchase a paycheck, you won’t make it.
If you’re ready to work at a job you love, we would love to talk with you about becoming a Caring franchise owner. As a franchise owner, you have the ability to expand your business, just like Andy did. We offer franchise owners the opportunity to utilize a proven business model and custom software to help seniors age safely at home. Reach out to us today!
