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Some franchisees spend years chasing a business idea before it clicks. For Candice Que, it took more than two decades in IT consulting and a detour into the food industry before eventually landing in home care with BrightStar Care.
23 Years in Consulting, One Wake-Up Call
Candice spent 23 years climbing the ladder in IT consulting. She liked solving problems and bringing value to her clients, but she got in her own way.
“I have a bad habit of taking on a lot to ensure I take care of my team and my projects go well. This was entirely of my own volition. Through the years, it took a toll on my health. So, I decided to hit pause and consider working for myself.” She said.
From there, she began to explore the possibility of pursuing her dream of starting her own business, ideally focused on her two passions: food and travel.
What Business is the Right Business
Finding her next path began with exploring the idea of setting up her own Chinese bakery in Jersey City, since there wasn’t one locally and she had to go to New York City just to get her favorite fare. She felt like she had found her niche and started planning and baking. Many pork buns later, she realized, “The math just wasn’t going to work. It’s going to be difficult to keep this or any food business afloat,” she said.
She pivoted and explored buying an existing business to leverage its established client base and existing staff. She looked at available businesses in the food, HVAC, and plumbing sectors, but nothing felt right. “I knew that the math would work with a strictly service-based business, but not knowing what really was out there, I turned to a franchise consultant” to gain more information about franchising.
How Candice Found Her New Passion
A few niche business options were presented that didn’t resonate with Candice, but then she was introduced to home care.
"That's when I found what I would call ‘a unicorn’. Owning a business that’s focused on caring for people, what’s better than that?" Candice said. Home care combined everything she had been looking for: a service-heavy model, a simple focus on providing compassionate, high-quality care, and a way to build something meaningful in her community.
She saw that the home healthcare industry was growing, recognized the opportunity, and felt it matched her desire to make a difference.
Why BrightStar Care was the Perfect Fit
Candice was drawn to BrightStar Care's full continuum of care, which meant she wasn't limited to one type of client or one revenue stream, which other home care franchises didn’t have. The brand's national accounts also stood out. "Sales and marketing aren't really my strong suit," she admits, "but national accounts feel like a safety net and a real differentiator."
Being a Filipino herself, she also looks forward to working with fellow Filipinos, who are well-known for their exemplary work in home care and the healthcare industry in general. "I want to give that community the respect and recognition that they deserve."
Now finished with Bootcamp, Candice is moving right along with her START coach and says the quality of training is what she hoped franchising would offer. She also credits the support of the franchise network with her confidence to move forward.
"I can truly say that I am able to lean on my fellow franchisees both locally in the Jersey area and nationally for questions and any type of support." She has already had very helpful and insightful conversations and is looking forward to meeting them in person at upcoming local and national events.
Candice's story is a reminder that the right business doesn't always show up first. Sometimes it takes a wrong turn, or two, to find the one that fits.
FAQ
Q: What support does BrightStar Care provide to franchisees?
A: Our franchisees have access to our comprehensive training and support system, which includes all the tools and resources they need.
New franchisees enter our 27-month onboarding program, which delivers extensive training and support in the start-up and growth phases of their journey. Ongoing support is available in many ways - Annual Conference for owners, regional meetings, performance groups, and more.
Q: Do I need prior industry experience to own a BrightStar Care Franchise?
A: No. You do not need prior healthcare or home care experience to own a BrightStar Care franchise. Nearly 75% of our franchisees do not have healthcare experience.
Q: What are the benefits of owning a franchise?
A: Owning a franchise gives entrepreneurs the advantage of stepping into a proven business model with established brand recognition, reducing the uncertainty that comes with starting from scratch.
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