Franchise Owner Interview Questions: Steve Norris

We’re excited to learn more about your journey with ameriCARE! This interview is a chance to share your story — what inspired you to join the homecare industry, how you’re making a difference in your community, and what your day-to-day as a franchise owner really looks like. Your insights will help future franchisees, connect you with potential clients, and highlight the heart behind the ameriCARE brand.

Please answer the questions you feel are most important to know about you.

1. Let’s Start with Your Story

What motivated you to enter the homecare space?

The opportunity and the need. There is a growing number of people who need care and cannot afford to move into a facility. Homecare is an affordable and flexible option that can be adjusted to suit the needs and budget of every client. The Baby Boomer generation is quickly aging and potentially in need of homecare, and it presents a huge opportunity to serve our community with a life-changing service.

How did your personal life experiences (like perhaps caring for a loved one) influence your decision?

A few years ago, my wife’s aunt and uncle moved close to us to be nearer to family because my wife’s uncle had Alzheimer’s. During the pandemic, I worked at their house and kept an eye on him so her aunt could go to work. I stayed the night with him once when her aunt was in the hospital. His needs grew over time, and through the VA, they were able to bring on a wonderful team of caregivers to serve him. I ended up hiring one of those caregivers to be my office manager because the family loved her so much.

What drew you to ameriCARE specifically?

ameriCARE is very careful about the franchisees they bring on. Rather than trying to sell as many franchises as possible each year, they target slow and sustainable growth by bringing on the right people. The support from ameriCARE has been amazing. The founder, Richard Howden, is always willing to take my calls and answer my questions, as is the rest of his team.

2. Before ameriCARE

What kind of work were you doing before owning your franchise?

Before ameriCARE, I was in IT product management and IT consulting for Fortune 500 companies. I had recently been working on building a software process for home health agencies to submit DME claims for insurance billing.

Was there a turning point that convinced you to transition into something new?

My last company did a major restructuring, and I had the chance to start something new. It was not the first time I’d been impacted like this, and I finally wanted to take control of my own destiny, so to speak.

Did you have any experience with caregiving — professionally or personally?

Not professionally, only personally, helping take care of my wife’s uncle with Alzheimer’s. Growing up, I watched my grandmother care for my great-grandmother for many years. She lived with my great-grandmother and took care of her every need with joy in her heart.

Three people smile and play chess around a wooden table; one is a senior man in a cardigan making a move, while the other two watch and interact.

3. The Decision to Join ameriCARE

What was it about ameriCARE that stood out during your research?

It is a dynamic community of owners who consistently support one another.

How did ameriCARE’s support, training, or culture influence your decision?

(Repeated from earlier question) ameriCARE is very careful about the franchisees they bring on. Rather than trying to sell as many franchises each year as possible, they target slow and sustainable growth by bringing on the right people. The support from ameriCARE has been amazing. The founder, Richard Howden, is always willing to take my calls and answer my questions, as well as the rest of his team.

4. Local Roots and Community Focus

Where is your ameriCARE franchise located, and what do you love about the area?

Our franchise office is located in the west end of Richmond, very close to where we live and right next to our church. I love that Richmond feels like a small big city, and once you’ve lived here long enough, you start to see the same people out and about. The west end is full of senior communities, and I’ll often see their buses or vans at the local grocery store.

In what ways are you and your team involved in the community?

Earlier this year, when Richmond had a bit of a water crisis, we volunteered to distribute water in partnership with the city and also delivered water to our clients. Now that we are in network with the VA, we are currently working on ways to serve Veterans in our local community.

CAREgiver from agency smiling and holding hand of senior man in wheelchair

Smiling senior woman hugging husband while standing outside in summer

5. Building the Business

What were your first six to 12 months like as a new franchise owner?

Nothing but easy. Lots of lessons to learn, and even with the support of the larger ameriCARE network, it’s still very different from just going to a job every day. There have definitely been ups and downs that come with signing new business, whether losing business to deaths or clients recovering and no longer requiring services, etc.

What resources or support from ameriCARE helped the most in that start-up phase?

Networking with other franchisees and the consultants made available to us by ameriCARE. It has been great to share stories from the trenches with other new owners and pick the brains of more established and successful owners to find out how they got there. The consultants ameriCARE has brought into our monthly and annual meetings have been super helpful at providing best practices and helping create structure.

How did you find your first clients or caregivers?

We have gotten referrals from friends for new clients and have also been receiving referrals from A Place For Mom. We’ve hired most of our caregivers by posting ads through Hireology.

6. Day-to-Day and Future Vision

What does a typical day look like for you now?

No day looks the same. They can be spent following up with internet or phone leads, visiting senior communities, reaching out to referral partners, interviewing new caregivers, visiting current clients, working on marketing plans, or checking in with our current caregivers.

What are your goals for the business over the next one to three years?

Surely it is to grow, but to grow the right way. We don’t ever want a client to have an experience that makes them say they would not work with us again. We want our mission to be true: to improve every life we touch, whether caregiver or client.

Are you involving family in the business or thinking about legacy building?

My wife plans to get involved this summer, but my kids are a ways out from the working world. I would love to build something they can operate ten years down the road.

Family members engaging in a heartfelt conversation at a table with coffee cups, focusing on elderly CARE.

7. Advice and Insights

What advice would you offer someone considering an ameriCARE franchise?

I’d give them a very realistic picture of what the first six months will likely look like and how much work it takes to build a solid referral network. I’d encourage them to go ALL IN and network with as many ameriCARE people as they can in order to learn from others' mistakes, if possible. Though inevitably they will have to learn from some of your own. Take the time to get to know your caregivers and provide them with the support they need.

What do you wish you had known when you started?

The amount of time it would take to build a solid referral network.

How has this experience changed your life or perspective?

Owning an ameriCARE franchise has been absolutely life-changing. Learning what it takes to start and run a business gives me so much respect for the many entrepreneurs who have come before me.

8. Human Moments

Is there a client story or caregiver moment that has really stuck with you?

I loved something a caregiver said in an interview, that gestures as simple as getting their client a glass of water or tying their shoe are meaningful. It was just her appreciation of her work during those moments she shared with me that I greatly admire and continue to reflect upon.

How has owning an ameriCARE franchise allowed you to make a difference?

It's rewarding knowing that when I ask a new prospective client, “Do you have any experience with homecare?” and they reply, “I have no idea what I’m doing, ” I can help walk them through that unknown. I love being able to provide their family with the help they need — it’s a very fulfilling experience.

Choose the ameriCARE Agency for Compassionate Solutions

Choosing the right in-home CARE agency is an important decision, and at ameriCARE, we understand the significance of compassionate, reliable, and personalized CARE. Our commitment to enhancing the lives of those we serve makes us the ideal partner for your CAREgiving needs.

Contact us today to schedule your no-obligation, free CARE assessment. Let us help you create a home CARE plan that brings peace of mind, comfort, and support to your family.

HL - Footer Form

"*" indicates required fields

First Name*

Last Name*

Email Address*

Phone*

Service of Interest*

How Did You Hear About Us?*

Caregiver Employment

Questions/Comments*

For more information, please visit our Privacy Policy and Terms and Conditions.

CAPTCHA