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When Extra Help announced its Franchisee of the Year at this year’s Franchisee Conference and Awards, one name was already familiar. Sam Bee, who runs Extra Help North West Leicestershire, has now taken the title for the second year running, sharing it this year with Sam Kimber-Halford, owner of Extra Help North & Mid Devon. Her franchise is the largest in the network, supporting more than 130 clients and billing around 1000 hours per month. We caught up with Sam to find out about her journey.
Recognition for a thriving franchise
Sam was quick to say how proud she was to retain the award.
“It was so nice to be recognised for the work I do,” she told us. Her first thought was for her team. She immediately posted the news in her home-helpers’ WhatsApp group with a simple message, saying she couldn’t have done it without them.
You can read more about this year’s winners in our Conference and Awards blog.
Finding her niche in home-help for the elderly
Sam’s franchise focuses entirely on home-help for the elderly and vulnerable, and most of her referrals come through Adult Social Care. How that began is an inspiring story. In her first few months of trading, Sam found most of her leads through Facebook groups and an online lead generation platform. One day, she replied to a post by someone who was looking for a gardener, who turned out to be a local area coordinator for Public Health. They got chatting, had a meeting and he was impressed by what she offered, so he passed her details to Adult Social Care. Word quickly spread to care coordinators, doctors’ surgeries and community groups. Today, NHS discharge nurses also call her when a patient is heading home from hospital and needs support.
Her partners value the relationship they have with Extra Help North West Leicestershire. As one integrated care coordinator at Leicestershire County Council put it:
“Sam has been reliable, consistent and has built up a franchise that we are happy and proud to refer to.”
Respite that makes a real difference
Many of Sam’s visits are “sitting” services, which give family carers a well-earned break.
“If one half of a couple has Alzheimer’s, for example, a home-helper can stay with them while their husband or wife goes out shopping or attends an art or fitness class. Without us, they’d be stuck in the house 24/7,” Sam explained.
Families feel the difference. One reviewer on Trustpilot wrote that the service “has been a life saver with my mum who has Dementia.”
For more information on dementia care, see the Alzheimer’s Society or Dementia Friends.
The personal touch, even at scale
With so many clients, how does Sam keep things personal and ensure her clients feel looked-after? By sticking to the process she learned during her training. She visits every new client herself, then returns with the home-helper to introduce them. Her phone is always on, and she remembers details most people would forget, right down to her clients’ dogs’ names!
Technology and a brilliant right-hand woman
Sam credits the Birdie care management software with keeping her organised. It helps her manage rotas, track visits and invoice council-funded clients accurately.
“I don’t know how I could ever have done it without something like Birdie,” she said.
Last July, Sam recruited one of her home-helpers, Caroline, as her admin and PA.
“It’s made a huge difference now I’m not doing it completely on my own,” Sam said.
It’s a team that clearly values her in return. As one of Sam’s home-helper’s said:
“I’ve never had a job before where I feel so appreciated and supported.”
The honest reality
Working with elderly clients means a natural cycle of clients moving into care or passing away, with new referrals coming in all the time. Sam says it’s a role that needs compassion and resilience.
Sam’s advice for anyone considering a home-help franchise
“It gives you a chance to have your own business, be your own boss and create your own work-life balance,” Sam said. “However, you’ve still got the backing of a national company, which gives you credibility and inspires trust.”
She’s clear on the difference that backing made.
“If I’d started a home-help company on my own, I wouldn’t have known what I was doing. But because I had that proven business model and stuck with it, it was a lot easier.”
In the early days, fellow franchisees Cath and Carol from Extra Help Wirral were Sam’s role models, and she also appreciated the support she received through Extra Help’s Power Hour, a weekly Zoom call where franchisees are able to ask questions and gain advice from Head Office and other franchisees.
Could a home-help franchise be right for you?
Sam’s story shows what’s possible with the right support, a clear business model and a real passion for helping people stay independent in their own homes.
If you’d like to build a rewarding business that makes a real difference to your local community, we’d love to hear from you! Call us on 01752 905790 or visit our website to find out how you can run your own Extra Help home-help franchise.
