I had worked in finance, business development and operations for more than fifteen years before I discovered my passion for seniors and health care. I decided I needed to change industries because I no longer wanted to go to work for just going to work, I wanted to build something I could be proud of and to make a difference. After managing one of the most reputable health care companies in Vancouver, both as a private company and part of a big franchise system, I decided to go out on my own to build Just Like Family.
My passion and understanding of the importance of caring for seniors grew even stronger after my mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. I knew then I wanted to be part of the solution and I decided I wanted to build a business that felt like family, where caring people could be hired to go into seniors’ homes to help them with all aspects of their daily lives in the hopes that they too could stay in their homes longer. Keeping seniors in their homes and lessoning the burden on their family members became my mission. This is exactly what me and my team have built at Just Like Family. We have been working hard at coming up with, testing and perfecting how to do things better in the health care field, both for clients in need of care and their family members involved in their care plans.
My other passion is basketball; in my youth I played on a semi-professional level in Romania and today I continue to play on an amateur level in Vancouver and I love attending as many Toronto Raptors’ games as possible.
I know all aspects of building a business and me, along with our Director of Development and Operations Manager, will help you build your business. We look forward to seeing more seniors being taken care of Just Like Family in their own homes. We are not just a business, we are looking for individuals who understand the market, the opportunities and who also have a passion for seniors. Our franchise support can be reached 24/7- we take our franchise partners, clients and employees seriously.
1. BTB: What’s the story behind Just Like Family?
RI: We are trying to help seniors stay in their own homes as long as possible, by providing the in home and health care services needed at an older age, so seniors can stay in their own homes, safe and happy.
2. BTB: What made you decide to franchise?
RI: First we wanted to make sure Vancouver was a success and profitable and now that we have accomplished that, we are looking to grow the company across Canada. We have experienced fast and steady growth and have received many inquiries from across the country to see if we had franchises for sale. We held back, built our franchise systems and are just now ready to start interviewing candidates.
3. BTB: What was your background prior to forming the company?
RI: Prior of forming Just Like Family, I worked for several years in the senior care industry, both for a private company and part of a franchise system. I also worked for 15 years in finance and day to day operations.
4. BTB: Tell us a little about the Senior Care Market?
RI: With baby boomers now retiring, the senior care market is experiencing tremendous growth. Advances in healthcare technology mean that people are living longer than ever before, so there has never been a better time to enter a senior home care business. A recent study, conducted by the Canadian Franchise Association (CFA), found the senior care industry is one of the top emerging industries in franchising. And according to Stats Canada, people born between 1946 and 1955 make up almost 1/3 of our population. By 2022, seniors may outnumber children in every province across this great country of ours. This steady ageing of our society brings with it new challenges for individuals, families, and entire communities. It also creates one of the most exciting business opportunities for those entrepreneurs who truly have a passion to help seniors.
5. BTB: What have some of the challenges been in growing your franchise?
RI: Starting a business is never easy and because I was doing it all with the help of just one other person, I found it was going to need more patience than anything else I had worked on before. The next challenge was how to manage, after just a few years of our company operating, the over 60 clients and over 60 employees in our business. Today we have systems and a scheduling software to help with all of that, as well as smart and fun marketing campaigns to find and bring on more clients.
6. BTB: Who has been your greatest inspiration?
RI: Today my inspiration comes from our employees who go to work every day to help our clients stay in their homes as safely and as comfortably as possible. They truly do treat our clients Just Like Family and it makes me very proud of them and to be a part of the team.
7. BTB: What are some of the advantages in being a Just Like Family Franchisee?
RI: We have the lowest franchise fee in the industry and the reason for that is we do not want to make money off the franchise fee, we want to make our money off the royalties, which means we are in true partnership with our franchise partners. We make money when they do. Also at Just Like family, you have access to the owner and president for all aspects of training and getting your business off the ground. Razvan would not have it any other way. You will also have the help and support of our Operations Manager and Director of Development. We all want to make sure that every single franchise partner gets all the right training, support and guidance so they can grow into a successful business they can be proud of.
8. BTB: What differentiates Just Like Family from its competitors?
RI: Being the only West Coast (Vancouver based) company, who just started franchising; that provides us a big advantage of knowing a very particular (West Coast) seniors market. We are also a small company and plan to keep it that way so we are all part of a family. As members of a family you have access to any of the trainers and support people when you need them. We are always here to help and support you; like we like to say it to our applicants, “you are in business for yourself, but not by yourself !”.
9. BTB: What advice do you have for someone looking to acquire a Franchise?
RI: If you want and need to make a difference in people’s lives and you are willing to work hard and be patient, look no further, you just might be the right partner for us. We have a proven track record on how to get the business up and running, get new clients and hire the right employees. You do not need to come from the healthcare profession, but need to want to help others and specifically want to help seniors stay in their homes longer.
10. BTB: In your opinion, why do you think that Just Like Family would be a great opportunity for someone?
RI: With Just Like Family you don’t need any experience or a large investment to own a rewarding and profitable business. We will help set you up to acquire your clients one by one and build your team of employees with the right mix to pull it all together. Yes, we work hard, but we all love what we do. If you are the right fit, we look forward to welcoming you to our team!
