Home care companies once again were frequently listed as top franchise opportunities on Entrepreneur magazine’s Top 500 Franchise list for 2017. This year, a whopping 21 home care franchises made the list, with seven franchises making the top 100 and several seeing their rank jump from 2016.
The list is an annual ranking by Entrepreneur, which is based on system size, growth and financial strength and stability. To be eligible for the list, companies must have had a minimum of 10 units open as of July 31, 2016. Many of the home care companies to crack the top 100, which includes mega corporations such as 7-Eleven and McDonald’s, experienced significant growth in the last few years.
Here are the home care franchises that made Entrepreneur’s Top 100 ranking:
55. Right at Home Inc.—Based in Omaha, Nebraska, Right at Home has been franchising since 2000. The company, which provides home care services and caregiver staffing services, has been rapidly expanding, with 517 locations in eight countries as of September 2016. Its parent company, RiseMark Brands, was recently acquired by private equity company Investors Management Corporation (IMC). Right at Home was also named the “Top Franchise to Buy” within its investment segment by Forbes last year.
59. Home Care Assistance—Nonmedical home care provider Home Care Assistance is based in Palo Alto, California, and has grown to 99 franchise locations in the U.S alone. The company also has locations in Canada, Puerto Rico and Australia. The brand was also named one of the fastest-growing franchises by Inc. in 2016.
60. FirstLight HomeCare LLC—While only in business since 2010, Cincinnati-based FirstLight HomeCare has 134 franchises across the United States. The company provides services to seniors, new mothers, veterans, adults with disabilities and those recovering from illness, injury or surgery, who need help on a short-term or long-term basis. The company jumped 376 spots from 2016, when it was ranked 436th on Entrepreneur’s Top 500 list. The company has added 48 units in the past three years, according to Entrepreneur.
69. BrightStar Care—Gurnee, Illinois-based BrighStar Care is another home care provider seeking rapid growth. The company recently opened its 300th franchise location and has plans to continue growing in 2017.
70. Nurse Next Door Home Care Service—Vancouver-based Nurse Next Door provides a range of services, including companionship care, light housekeeping and skilled nursing services including medication management, dementia care, live-in and end-of-life care. The company, which opened in 2001 and began franchising in 2007, has grown to more than 50 U.S. branches and more than 60 branches outside the U.S., according to Entrepreneur. Last year, it was named one of the most well-liked franchises by Franchise Business Review.
82. Synergy HomeCare—Nonmedical home care provider Synergy HomeCare has boomed to 338 U.S. locations, Entrepreneur reported. The Arizona-based franchise company has been around since 2001 and began franchising in 2005. The company climbed from its 2016 ranking of 150.
83. Visiting Angels—After being in the franchise business for nearly 20 years, Visiting Angels has continued to expand, reaching 548 U.S. locations last year. The Pennsylvania-based provider offers living assistance services, including hygiene assistance, meal preparation, light housekeeping, errands and shopping, and companionship services. The company has been on Entrepreneur’s Top 100 list since 2011. Amid its growth, the company has streamlined its hiring process to prevent losing new caregivers to competitors.
Entrepreneur has adapted its annual list over the last 38 years, including adding factors that weren’t relevant just a few years ago, including social media. The evaluation includes five factors: costs & fees; size & growth; support; brand strength; and financial strength & stability. For the 2017 list, 988 total franchises submitted entries for consideration.
Written by Amy Baxter
Companies featured in this article:
BrightStar Care, Entrepreneur, FirstLight HomeCare, Home Care Assistance, Nurse Next Door, Right at Home, Synergy Home Care, Visiting Angels