Jeanine Gagliano and her husband Tony were both working their way up the ladder in their respective careers before choosing to shift gears and become Right at Home franchise owners. Tony was working on Wall Street, eventually becoming a manager at a big bank, and Jeanine was working in the entertainment industry as a television commercial producer. Although they both felt successful, the draining commute, long hours, and lack of flexibility with their schedules increasingly became a burden for them, especially after having children.
“We loved the work, but our jobs were all-consuming, and it started to feel like our lives weren’t our own,” said Jeanine. “It was a lot of work to make a profit for someone else.”
The two began researching other options and quickly learned the healthcare industry was–and still is–a growing segment of the economy, considering the “silver tsunami” of baby boomers aging into retirement en masse.
“We found a few different competitors in the space but chose Right at Home because it was easy to see how we’d be supported if we ran into problems with the business.”
And since neither of them had any prior experience with entrepreneurship, that added layer of support was essential for them to feel as though they could succeed in this new endeavor.
Raising a Baby-Business
In 2014, the Gaglianos opened their first two Right at Home territories on the South Shore of Long Island and were immediately thrown into the deep end.
“When we first launched, I had my hands in all aspects of the business–every caregiver, every client case. I was hopeful every time the phone rang,” Jeanine said. “I was very wide-eyed and excited at the beginning. It was so fun!”
Jeanine compares the experience of launching a business to raising a baby. In the early stages, you need to be more involved, nurturing and caring for it in order to keep it alive; it can also mean longer hours and taking on more responsibility. But just as a baby grows and becomes more independent, the same is true for growing a business.
“Once it takes off, you still have work to do, but you have a team of people under you to help keep it afloat. Today, I am more of a manager. I have someone handle all the phone calls that come in, and I focus more on the administrative and operations needs for the business that impact our bottom line,” Jeanine said. “Having been able to experience doing more hands-on work at the beginning has been enormously helpful and allows me to understand every position and every role that supports this business.”
Expanding the Business
With their two territories thriving, Jeanine and Tony eventually decided it was time to purchase a third. Strategically, the location made sense for them, and it allowed them to serve a bigger population.
“We ended up buying two more territories that were already established; we bought them from the same owner. It’s started to feel like a Monopoly game!” Janine said with a laugh. “We are definitely going to stop at five, though.”
While the new territories have brought the Gaglianos great success, it’s also been a new challenge for them to overcome for the business.
“We’re spread a little thinner now, and our margins have decreased because we need more people and are expending more resources, but we know that it will pay off in the long run,” Jeanine said. “We’re responsible for keeping so many people satisfied and happy with Right at home, from employees to caregivers, to clients and their families.”
Jeanine is the first to acknowledge it hasn’t always been easy, but their hard work continues to pay off, professionally and personally.
“Our goal was to work for ourselves, and we’ve done it. This opportunity has afforded us the control we were initially seeking in our lives when we first pursued it.”
When the ‘Why’ is Personal
For both Jeanine and Tony, running a successful home care business has been about so much more than just the profits. Their family plays a huge role in all of their decisions, and it was their close relationships with their grandmothers that got them thinking about home healthcare in the first place.
Jeanine has seen the difference between in-home care and living in a nursing home. Her grandmother lived with her family when she was growing up but eventually lived in a nursing home in her later years. Her husband, Tony’s grandmother, lived until 101 thanks to a live-in home health aide.
“I helped to take care of my grandmother for as long as I could, but I was young, and it ultimately wasn’t my decision about what kind of care she received or where she received it. It’s helped me gain a different perspective on how in-home care can help make the experience more meaningful for your loved one in their final years, and it’s such a gift we get to do for others.”
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