Black Americans make up 9% of the U.S. population over 65. Yet they are severely underrepresented in residential care, at just 4.9%, and overrepresented in nursing homes.
Dr. Michelle Rankine wants to change this.
She is the owner of three successful Right at Home home care franchises that have generated over $15 million in gross profits. She says she is dedicated to prioritizing minority communities and bridging the access gaps to quality care with home health aides and other vital resources. But it wasn’t always that way in the beginning.
Before purchasing her first site, Rankine had planned to complete her PhD and pursue a career in sports research. However, a life-changing event completely changed that trajectory and led her down a path she never imagined.
“I had nothing to do with it at all,” she tells ESSENCE. “But I think what ends up happening to most people who get into this field and are passionate about it is that there’s a story behind it.”
While she was in college, Rankine’s younger brother was paralyzed in a car accident and required round-the-clock care. During this time, her brother was paralyzed, so her family banded together to accommodate his physical needs by installing ramps and other ADA-compliant equipment in their home.
“All in all, my brother has regained his mobility, just four months after being told he had a 1% chance of ever walking again,” she explains. “Now he’s not only walking, he’s back to being active. But imagine what his life would have been like if he hadn’t gotten better? He was only 22 at the time and was facing a life in a wheelchair. It changed me forever.”
After witnessing the miracle, Rankine felt a responsibility to help others get the home care they needed and decided to set out to make it happen. A few years later, she bought into a nursing facility franchise.
“For me, it’s great to have the support of a franchise, especially given the challenges that come with the business and what entrepreneurs have to go through on their own. I don’t think I would go down that path with all the stress that I know as a solo entrepreneur.”
Rankine never planned to be an entrepreneur, but she received advice from her local Small Business Association office through SCORE. The initiative offers business mentoring classes for a small fee, usually around $5. Rankine said she then learned enough to take out a business loan and purchase her first franchise.
“Taking these courses boosted my confidence and gave me the opportunity to understand my financing options, because I think most people, and even myself, I thought to myself, I don’t have that much money to start with. How am I going to do this? And how can I even build the startup to the point where it’s completely profitable?”
She says the program provided her with a mentor who guided her through the financing process of the new business and ultimately gave her the fundamental knowledge she needed to open two more locations in less than five years.
Now she encourages others to join her journey and support the mission of providing culturally competent care to those in need.
“Anyone can do this if their heart is in the right place – it’s so necessary. We’re all getting older. We’re all going to need care. Why don’t we make sure we have the institutions to do this for us when it matters most?”
