For some people, the real appeal of buying a business is one that can positively impact the community, and those are just the individuals that Nurse Next Door Home Care Services are welcoming into their business.
Matt Fitton, who heads up the Australian business, says “We are looking for people who want to make a difference in other people’s lives. We want to know what drives you to do what you do every day.”
“If your ‘why’ matches ours, then we believe you can be resilient through the tough times,” says Matt.
Nurse Next Door Franchisees bring a positive attitude to help their vulnerable clients realise what they can do, rather than focusing on activities they can no longer undertake, so they can continue to live a life filled with Positivity, Possibility and Purpose.
“As you age, people are increasingly trying to work out how to stay at home; and people living with disabilities want choice and independence,” says Matt.
“It’s a 24/7 job, you are dealing with people who might be living with very challenging disabilities, or nearing the end of their lives. Nurse Next Door is about bringing back joy into their lives,” he says.
“It’s an almost recession-proof business, it’s not discretionary spending in the majority of situations. There is more than $150bn committed to NDIS over the next four years, so there will continue to be strong growth and demand for this type of business,” he says.
Nurse Next Door Home Care Services is growing.
The business began franchising in Australia three years ago. Over the last two years, the revenue grew 10 times the previous year’s figures.
“Now we are looking to double again in year four,” says Matt.
So not only is Nurse Next Door making a difference for clients, but it’s also building strong and sustainable futures for its franchisees. It just keeps growing, with two to three franchisees being awarded a new location every two months.
“It’s really pleasing, we are getting enquiries from all over Australia,” says Matt.
The business will launch in Perth in the new year, while on the East Coast the franchise has a presence from Far North Queensland to coastal New South Wales, Sydney and Canberra.
Nurse Next Door is taking a targeted approach to its immediate expansion plans in Perth, Adelaide, and Tasmania.
“Launceston is a very vibrant town, with mostly not-for-profits running home care services. Nurse Next Door would thrive there. In tight-knit communities people get involved in their local neighbourhood,” Matt says.
In Victoria, the business, which is servicing all of greater Melbourne, is now expanding into regional areas like Gippsland and Ballarat.
“Gippsland has only just launched,” reveals Matt. “The franchisee was heavily involved in the public health system there, and part of her role was to get people back in community care. She could see the gap, leapt on the opportunity and is seeing growth in her business.”
Franchisor support is crucial
Increasingly there are more franchisees coming into the business with clinical experience.
“Part of it is the fatigue of hospital work over the last two years,” says Matt. “People want to take control. They are seeing the opportunity to be able to work and give back in the community where they live and grow a sustainable business.”
Nurse Next Door looks at how successful franchisees have built their businesses and shares this with other franchisees on how they manage growth.
The largest franchises manage nearly 100 caregivers. Typically, franchisees recruit five to 10 carers who work on a casual basis and as the volume of business grows, they shift to full-time roles.
Matt says “We’ve grown from zero to over 800 caregivers across Australia, about 50 caregivers join each month. The ability to recruit and retain high-quality caregivers is the single biggest challenge to growth. Franchisees’ ability to do this is what will impact the size of the business.
“Everyone brings something different to the table. Those with a clinical background may need more assistance with the business side, if they have no clinical background, we show them how to recruit the right person.”
Bringing compassion to the business
Matt believes the franchisor’s support is crucial to the growth and success of franchisees’ businesses.
“If we choose the right people with compassion as franchisees, then that’s a core value. They will look for staff and caregivers who exude the same values. People can learn systems, but you can’t learn compassion,” says Matt.
The delivery of a great home care service can have a really positive impact on the community.
“We take a holistic and national perspective, and on a local level, thinking about clients, families, employees, and making a difference in the community generally.
“We’re in a service industry, delivering care, but as Simon Sinek says, ‘what is your why?’ For Nurse Next Door Home Care Services it is about Making Lives Better, providing WOW Customer Experiences, and going above and beyond to empower each client. We just happen to deliver homecare.”