An IT manager, tower crane operator and a support worker: meet some of the Blossom Home Care franchisees
The beauty of Blossom Home Care’s business-in-a-box offering means virtually anyone is able to thrive as a franchise owner.
There is no need to have previously owned a business or to have years of high-level corporate or care industry experience. You simply need to possess the ambition, vision and drive to deliver unbeatable customer service.
Testament to this are three Blossom Home Care franchisees: Paul Hamilton, Brian Hubbard and Amy Shearsmith. They hail from wildly different backgrounds but share the same traits which helped them develop their Blossom Home Care franchises into highly prosperous operations.
Having occupied various roles, Paul’s background is primarily in IT management and business analytics. The entrepreneur, who now runs the Barnard Castle franchise, was also a generalist advisor for Citizens Advice, providing support to people with all aspects of employment, welfare benefits and debt.
An opportunity to do something meaningful
Before joining the Blossom Home Care network, Paul was a professional services manager for a large software developer.
But he managed to transfer some of his previous skills into his new business – like the technical skills required to set up the care planning system and backend office systems “which have been useful to complement Blossom’s support in this area”.
“I have always been a hardworking team member in various roles but I’ve never actually owned my own business before,” said Paul. “Blossom Home Care was my very first step in this regard.
“I really just wanted to do something that has real meaning and purpose and provides a genuinely life-changing service to vulnerable people in our community. When I first came across Blossom Home Care, the opportunity just fit perfectly with what I wanted to achieve.”
From driving a tower crane to running your business
For Brian, on the other hand, moving into the care sector has always been “a personal ambition”.
“I’ve had various roles in the retail management sector, particularly revolving around customer service and support roles,” he explained. “I also held a similar role for a courier company. But my last job before joining Blossom Home Care was very different!”
Right before joining Blossom Home Care as the Canterbury franchisee, Brian was a tower crane operator for six years – “a world away from running a business that cares for people”.
“Driving a tower crane is a very singular occupation, so I think patience and attention to detail are paramount,” said Brian. “I’m sure these skills put me in good stead for running the business.”
Brian came to Blossom Home Care with no business experience at all to fall back on, but this did not prevent him from growing a successful venture.
“I’ve always been a PAYE employee,” he explained. “Moving into care was a personal ambition; I wanted to provide an optimum level of care for clients under my responsibility. The building trade is very impersonal, but in my time within the care industry so far, I can feel the absolute polar opposite atmosphere of care and compassion.”
Putting the caring skills to good use
Amy, who is the Beverley franchisee, realised how rewarding the care sector is from an early age.
“Since leaving school, I have always worked in social care: as a domiciliary carer, senior carer and a care co and deputy manager,” she explained. “I have also worked with people who have learning disabilities and complex needs as a support worker and care officer, as well as in residential care homes.”
Just before joining the Blossom Home Care network, Amy was a deputy manager for a learning disabilities day service.
She added: “Naturally, my caring skills and knowledge have been extremely useful when starting my own care business with Blossom. But everything else has been worked on and developed in tandem with Blossom.”
Having no business background, Amy has “always just been the one caring for people, rather than running the business”. Until now.
“I was sick of moving jobs only to keep finding out that all the care companies were basically just running in the same way,” she said. “I knew there was a better way to deliver quality care for those who need it, and it was then I came across Blossom Home Care. I spoke with the co-founder, John Leggott, and I knew there and then I could make a difference by owning my own care company.”
