Caremark Case Study - Abhay Shah
1. Tell us about the Caremark concept.
Caremark offers a market leading management franchise in the Care sector. Individual business owners operate their own home care business under licence to Caremark, from their allocated territory, delivering personalized, high quality care and support to people in their local communities who wish to remain living in their own homes.
2. How did you come across the Franchise Opportunity with Caremark?
My grandfather received care at home a few years ago but as it was for someone close to me, I never saw home care from a commercial point of view. Fast forward a couple of years and I discovered that my friend owned a home care franchise. This really interested me as I was looking for a business opportunity at the time plus I had had personal experience in the industry and therefore understood the importance of it.
3. How and when did you become involved with Caremark?
Having decided to start a home care business, I did my research on the various franchises and Caremark stood head and shoulders above the rest. The first meeting I had with Caremark was far from a sales pitch, as it had felt with other franchises. Caremark’s emphasis was on the quality of the provision of our service and not just on the commercial side of the business. Thus the message seemed to be to ensure the quality of the service was the best and the rest would follow. I had made my mind up that this was the franchisor I wanted to work with and completed my training course with them in August 2013.
4. What was your background prior to joining Caremark?
I studied Economics at City University before joining Ernst & Young as an auditor. This role exposed me to different industries and businesses of all sizes. Of course, it also gave me a great understanding of the financial aspects of business.
5. What are some of the advantages in being a Caremark franchisee?
You are part of a network of similar minded people. Everyone is focused on achieving the same goal i.e. building a successful business based on providing the best quality of care. The head office team, both in the field and in the office are very supportive and have a wide range of skill sets which means franchisees get the best support possible. In addition to that, there are all the franchisees in the network who are available to help each other.
6. What are some of the greatest lessons you’ve learned through growing this franchise in your territory?
Where to begin? It seems like I learn something new every day in this industry. One of the most important though is to consistently network and push oneself out of one’s comfort zone. Also get used to wearing several hats. As a relatively new business I have been fulfilling several roles until the business has grown to a level which warrants employing staff to work in those roles.
7. Do you have a mentor, or is there someone you use for inspiration?
I am a firm believer that you can learn from someone who has achieved the kind of success you would like or is someone you aspire to be. Therefore I draw inspiration from any successful business person, including Bill Gates, Richard Branson, Madonna and Mark Zuckerburg.
8. As someone that has “been there - done that”, what advice do you have for anyone thinking about running a franchise?
Knowledge is key. Know how your business works, know your staff’s roles and duties, know your territory.
We never stop learning, so keep your eyes and ears open and try to absorb as much as you can.
9. In your opinion, why do you think that Caremark would be a great opportunity for someone?
Caremark provides the tools and support that you need to have your own successful business. They have a strong brand reputation and have a tried a tested business model. Equally importantly, the company is headed up by Kevin Lewis, the most experienced business professional in the care sector, who leads his team with passion for his business and inspires others to do the same.
In addition, I believe it is a business that you can be proud of as the work that we do has a huge impact on the quality of people’s lives.