We are Amada

Today's episode continues the conversation with Kimberly Akers, Owner and CEO of Amada Senior Care in Mesa, Arizona.

Kimberly and her business partner Kris were among the first women to own an Amada Senior Care franchise - which is a challenge in its own right. Kimberly notes that many women-owned businesses struggle to survive their first year or reach significant revenue goals. Despite these odds, Kimberly and Chris have run a successful Amada franchise for nearly a decade.

When asked about their secret to success, Kimberly speaks of the fact that you can’t have a plan B. In their case, both partners invested everything they had into the business, even taking out loans to make it work. Taking risks and being 100% committed ultimately led them to success.

Moving from corporate America to entrepreneurship is no easy task. Kimberly highlights the need to become knowledgeable in every aspect of the business, from tech issues to managing staff. Their resilience gets tested frequently, as being a leader in an industry where laws change quickly means you can’t catch a break for too long. The biggest test - COVID-19 - is luckily behind them. (and the rest of us!)

Tune in to the full episode to hear more from Kimberly Akers on the entrepreneurial journey and the rewards of going all in!

Key Insights: 
00:25 Women in Business and why it’s difficult 
04:40 Entrepreneurship is NOT easy
08:44 The true benefits of being your own boss 
12:03 Growing from Amada’s foundation

Today’s episode continues the conversation with Jonathan and Cherie Burrough, owners of Amada Senior Care San Diego North.

In the previous part of this interview, Jonathan mentioned that 98% of their referral sources happen to be women, which is due to the fact that most of those who have a network of elders are current or ex social workers, case managers and nurses. This makes selling home care a very difficult task for those who have an “executive presence” and are used to selling ROI-driven solutions to businesspeople, as the sales process is completely different when you’re trying to build and nurture relationships where caring is the number 1 KPI.

The sales process doesn’t end there. Even when you’ve convinced a nurse that your home care service is up to par, your actual client is the family of the elder. Jonathan says that when you get to the family, you can’t treat it like a regular sales process. Your main goal is to show that you genuinely care about the elders in your care and that you’re not just pushing your agenda. The best way to do it is by becoming an impartial source of information, detaching yourself from the outcome and advising others on the best next step - even if that step is not entering into a business agreement with you. 

In a world where everyone is out for themselves - your best bet to stand out in the sales process and show that you truly care is to become an unbiased source of information for your potential client. Cherie recalls a recent scenario where they went up against a couple of competing agencies, and the way they stood out is by treating their prospect like family, which boils down to putting their interests above your own - even if it doesn’t directly lead to gaining revenue.

Tune into the full episode to learn more on Jonathan and Cherie’s approach to growing their franchise!

Key Insights:
00:00 Why most of your referrals will be women
01:47 Do corporate sales translate over to home care?
03:54 What it takes to become the number one choice
05:12 The recruiting part of the home care business
08:14 Will the kids join the family business?
09:36 Should you acquire an Amada franchise?
11:45 Why go with Amada?
14:36 How Jonathan and Cherie help other Amada owners

Today’s episode welcomes Kimberly Akers, Owner and CEO of Amada Senior Care in Mesa, Arizona. 

In 2015, Kimberly opened up the 38th Amada Senior Care franchise with her business partner and longtime friend Kris Patmos. When asked about her thoughts back when she began her Amada journey, Kimberly recalls feeling like a maverick - taking on a new challenge that hasn’t been established to the point where success is a guarantee. While the idea of franchising into a newer business model is scary to some, Kimberly saw the potential in the business model and welcomed the challenge ahead.

Before moving into Healthcare, Kimberly had a long and esteemed career in the education space. She taught math for 18 years before moving on to Pearson to sell math textbooks. During that time she went through an unfortunate and life changing divorce and had to make a ton of sacrifices to make ends meet. She was a single mother of 3, which made shopping for discounts and scrupulous spending a part of everyday life. Kimberly knew that something had to change and opportunities to recover wouldn’t appear out of thin air. She took it upon herself to make a huge life change and regain control of her own destiny.

Tune into the full episode to learn more on how Kimberly Akers took control of her own destiny!

Key Insights:
00:31 The 38th Amada Senior Care Franchise
02:23 From Corporate America to Entrepreneurship
04:43 Taking Control of Your Destiny
06:53 Self Awareness is a Superpower
08:34 Finding Your True Self
11:13 How Kimberly and Kris Found Amada

Today’s episode welcomes Jonathan and Cherie Burrough, owners of Amada Senior Care San Diego North.

Jonathan and Cherie have been in the senior care space since 2008 - 4 years before Amada Senior Care franchises even existed. Jonathan had met the founders Tafa Jefferson and Chad Fotheringham through coaching football years ago. When Jonathan was making a career transition he met up with them and they proposed the idea of joining Amada Home Care - to which he said yes.

Back then Tafa and Chad wanted to open up a facility in San Diego, but the logistics wouldn’t allow them to tackle it singlehanded. The chance meeting with Jonathan allowed him to take a new career step, and for the founders to open the San Diego office with someone at the helm. Even though Jonathan's only home care experience stemmed from his mothers job as a nurse, this initial lack of experience didn’t stop him from taking the leap. 

Tune into the full episode to learn more on Jonathan and Cherie’s journey with Amada!

Key Insights:
01:09 How the Burroughs began their home care journey 
02:52 Jonathan’s previous career
04:32 Cherie’s initial thoughts about joining Amada
05:13 The challenge of being a one man show
07:15 Jonathan’s road back to Amada
09:48 What did it take to succeed in San Diego?
12:02 Building a self sustaining referral network 

Welcome back to We are Amada!

After a short break, we have returned to bring you more interviews with We are Amada franchisees, partners and team members.

Back in 2012 when we had just started franchising, there were two franchise partners that were 
crazy enough to take our business model and create their own version of Amada Senior Care.

Fast forward, we’ve grown to over 200 locations across the United States - and we are incredibly proud of all the entrepreneurs that have created the Amada Senior Care ecosystem. 

It’s time for us to get them on the show and hear their stories. We’ll be interviewing our partners on how they found Amada, why they decided to take the chance and how it changed their lives - as well as internal team members that run the Amada HQ.

Each episode will get to the bottom of what makes a successful franchisee, so if you’re looking at either starting an Amada franchise or hearing the stories and strategies of your peers - this show is for you.

I am incredibly thankful to have you along for the ride!

Breaking barriers and blazing a trail in senior care! Join us as we sit down with the phenomenal Jennifer Novy, a former geriatric care manager turned Amada entrepreneur who now runs one of the largest home care companies in all of Illinois. Discover firsthand why Amada stands out from the crowd in the industry!

Amada's latest podcast episode features none other than Ken Jenson, the powerhouse behind our second franchise partnership. Join us as we delve into the story of how it all began, his amazing discovery of Amada Senior Care, and where his business stands today. 

On this gripping episode of "We Are Amada", we chat with Jeff Pell, a Navy veteran who found his passion in senior care. From serving our nation to serving our seniors, Jeff's story is one for the books! Join us as we sit down with this incredible individual who found his true calling and discover the unbeatable satisfaction of making a real difference in the lives of seniors while building a successful business. Get ready to be inspired!

From Sales Rep to Entrepreneur: In this episode, we sit down with Greg Getchell to explore his remarkable path from being a Johnson & Johnson sales rep to building his own thriving senior care business. Tune in as we discuss with Greg what it takes to make bold career moves and the incredible support he found with Amada Senior Care!

Interview with Daryl Beckles, Amada's Director of Talent Acquisition. Daryl spent the last 15 years helping large companies hire thousands of employees. Now, as the Director of Talent Acquisition at Amada, Daryl explains why it was so hard to get folks back to work after COVID-19, why it's finally improving, and what the future holds.