After hosting the APAH Franchise Convention virtually last year, it was an amazing experience to bring everyone back together. The Third Annual Franchise Convention was held on September 15-17, 2021 in Omaha, Nebraska. With so many businesses facing hiring and retention challenges, this year’s theme and topics surrounded – “Elevate Your Team.” The speakers and roundtable discussions fostered an environment of learning, ideas, and discussion for how A Place At Home can best serve our caregivers as we move toward 2022.
This year’s keynote speaker and Recruiter.com’s “Top 10 Company Culture Experts to Watch”, was Cara Silletto. Silletto brought her expertise as a retention expert. She closed out the first day of the franchise convention with an engaging and inspiring presentation. She discussed the evolution of the workforce, and how leaders can evolve with their employees.
A Time to Connect
The franchise convention provided a wealth of knowledge and resources for franchisees. It also provided time for owners to connect with each other, some for the first time. Dina Jenney of A Place At Home – Philadelphia West, spotted Gary Lafreniere of A Place At Home – Merrimack Valley, across the room of Beacon Hills the first evening. The two opened around the same time during the pandemic and communicated virtually in their first months open. They met in person for the first time, as everyone gathered at the Welcome Reception. Home Care Pulse and KreativElement sponsored the reception.
The next night the team enjoyed a cocktail hour at Spirit World. There were two custom, APAH-branded drinks created for the event. The evening, sponsored by Bookkeeping Express, CareAcademy, Commercial Interior Solutions, Franchise Resources, LLC, HR Systems, and Paradigm Senior Services, was another opportunity for everyone to discuss their ideas and bond further as business owners. The guests enjoyed a live jam session after dinner. Platinum Sponsor and long-time vendor, Bob Volpe, joined our own Franchise Development Coordinator, Mitch Benson, for a guitar duo.
Franchisee Awards Ceremony
Our headquarters had an extra surprise for those attending. We flew Molina Schebell, National Caregiver of the Year, in from Florida. She spent the day at the spa before her surprise arrival at the awards ceremony. There she accepted her plaque and check for her outstanding care and devotion to her clients. Orange Park franchisees said, “Molina makes you feel like home.” It was obvious upon meeting her why she was such a strong candidate for the award.
Franchisees grew together through two days of meetings. They had fun together at the social events. Then it all concluded with a team event and awards ceremony at TopGolf. Volpe Consulting, Ideal Payroll Service, ClearCare, AgingCare, and INSPRO sponsored the ceremony.
In our short 4 years as a franchise family, we have navigated major historical moments with determination and fortitude. The obstacles over the last year inspired us to innovate, adapt, and grow. Witnessing the franchisees continue to protect our nation’s seniors is a source of pride for us and them. The franchisor team was honored to recognize them with the following awards:
And the Winner is…
Rookie of the Year: A Place At Home – Orange Park: In recognition of the top-performing franchisee in their first full year with A Place at Home.
Most Improved of the Year: A Place At Home – Little Rock: In recognition of the highest YTD growth rate from the previous year.
Top Caregiver Satisfaction Retention of the Year: A Place At Home – South Portland: In recognition of the franchisee with the top caregiver satisfaction scores and retention.
Top Client Satisfaction of the Year: A Place At Home – South Portland: In recognition of the franchisee with the top client satisfaction scores in Home Care Pulse.
Brand Ambassador of the Year: A Place At Home – Little Rock: In recognition of the franchisee who consistently represents the A Place at Home brand, generating positive social reviews and engagement and fields validation calls.
Innovator of the Year: A Place At Home – Orlando: Recognizing excellence in proven creative strategies to collaborate with partners in order to support the overall A Place at Home strategic business objectives.
Top Performer of the Year: A Place At Home – Omaha: In recognition of the franchisee with the highest revenue in the past year.
Top Producer of the Year: Alex Caudill: In recognition of the owner with the highest revenue in the system.
Founders Cup Award: A Place At Home – Little Rock: One distinguished franchisee who has made major contributions to the brand. They play a significant role in the organization’s success receives this highly prestigious award.
Thank You to Our Sponsors
We want to recognize the many great sponsors who continue to partner with us to support our convention. Your attendance was a testament to your commitment to our APAH Franchise system. We all worked together through this challenging time. We’ll continue to use it as an opportunity to build an even stronger brand. We look forward to seeing you all in 2022. Not only for the our 4th Annual Franchise Convention, but also for the 10-year anniversary of A Place At Home.