Mike Nugent and Denise Bateman-Nugent
HomeWell Care Services is on a mission to connect with like-minded individuals that align with our core principles to achieve mutual success. If it were not for the unique talents of each of our franchise owners, our organization would not be able to make an impact at the scale we desire. The best part of a franchise relationship is being able to leverage your strengths with the strengths of others in order to have faster breakthroughs and shared success. A fantastic example of this sort of partnership is with our owners in Towson, MD.
Mike and Denise’s Background
Prior to joining HomeWell Mike had been in the medical diagnostics industry for most of his 30-year career. Denise works with a local hospital system in revenue cycle management. Denise has always had a passion for senior care primarily from her personal experience as caretaker for her mother who suffered a stroke 15 years ago. Denise quickly learned what it was like to need additional support for her mother who has lived in assisted living homes since her stroke. Over the years, Denise has taken this passion and applied it working in the industry as a care giver and coordinator for other home health care businesses and working in a similar capacity in the hospital environment. In addition to her medical and senior care background, Denise spent several years in the travel and tourism industry managing corporate and personal travel for key clients.
Mike initially began his career as a microbiologist in a clinical laboratory in New York. In 1995, Mike successfully built and ran a startup industrial microbiology laboratory called Millennium Microbiology, Inc., where he utilized his background in microbiology and developed his business acumen. In 1999, Mike joined Becton, Dickinson and Company where he had a 16-year track record of establishing and leading exceptional global marketing and sales teams across the clinical diagnostics space. Most recently, Mike was Vice President of Infection and Immune Diagnostics at QIAGEN, NV a diagnostic testing manufacturer and managed a global portfolio worth $500M. Today, Mike has taken a step away from the corporate environment managing real estate investments and continuing to consult with startup diagnostics companies and private equity on potential acquisitions in the space.
Why Franchise?
Both Mike and Denise have an array of experience. Their choice to start a franchise business stemmed from the opportunity to learn from the existing franchisee system and being able to learn quickly to get their business up and running. Opening a franchise is a big decision and one that they did not take lightly. Mike and Denise researched other industries such as quick service restaurants but ultimately decided that being able to bring value to customers in a healthcare environment made the most sense. Especially given Denise’s experience with seniors and caregivers.
Why HomeWell?
There are many home care companies that offer franchises. Mike and Denise’s research didn’t stop at the industry level. They looked at several other home care franchises and one of their key criteria was the availability of territories that made the most strategic business sense. They also felt the HomeWell team was incredibly supportive through the process and connected them to other franchisees to talk through concerns and questions. Those conversations with franchisees helped solidify the decision to join HomeWell.
How is Business Ownership?
Mike and Denise have embraced business ownership. They love wearing multiple hats from operation to HR, sales, and marketing. Denise has been expanding her experience in the sales area and has enjoyed building relationships with key referral sources. Their business has already grown by acquiring new clients. And the best part for the couple has been receiving positive feedback from clients and their families.
Advice from Mike and Denise
The couple has seen challenges in maintaining a balance of acquisition of clients and caregivers available to work. There are also a lot of competing priorities so staying on top of it all requires flexibility. Using your resources to hire the staff you need will help kickstart business.
At HomeWell our franchise owners are motivated for life changing success. They leave behind the monotony of corporate America with conviction and passion to build an impactful business that empowers their employees to make a difference in the lives of others. For more information about becoming a HomeWell Franchise Owner, or to see if your territory is available, please visit www.homewellfranchising.com or give us a call (817) 916-8904.