Valerie and Rob had been planning to open their own home health care agency since 2019. After filing their paperwork and planning to launch their business, COVID-19 hit and Kerian Home Health Care Agency delayed opening until 2021. In the meantime, Val and Robert worked with CTSBDC to refine their business plan and focus on their marketing to ensure the success of the business when they did open.
Business Start
January 2021
Capital Accessed
Line of Credit & Owner Investment
Jobs Created
10
Kerian Home Health Care Agency and CTSBDC: A Success Story
What does your business do?
We provide on-demand in home support for Personal Care, Elder Care and Childcare. For seniors and older adults, we provide help with activities of daily living. We provide support to people recovering from surgery, medical treatment / procedures, and illness. We help Moms who have just given birth. We help busy households with routine childcare activities.
What inspired you to start your business
The challenges Val and I faced managing our families and careers made us wish there was a service available. Since there wasn’t, we created one.
Before coming to the SBDC, what were your primary challenges and/or needs?
We knew we had an idea worth pursuing, but didn’t know where to start. We also weren’t familiar with CT laws on how to start a business.
What 2-3 things have you learned or changed since working with the CTSBDC?
1) No matter the problem, there’s someone who’s faced the same (or similar) issue.
2) The CTSBDC Advisors have a ton of contacts that can help resolve whatever issue you’re facing.
3) The workshops are really helpful in understanding how to solve problems faced by Small Business Owners.
How has the services/counseling you’ve received helped you overcome your challenges?
SBDC was invaluable to us by helping us prioritize tasks and providing contacts to assist.
How is your business doing now?
We filed our paperwork with the state in March 2019, and had plans to open our doors officially in late January/early February 2020. However due to COVID and Connecticut shutting down for several months, we had to postpone our “official” opening until January 2021. Taking our time and resisting the urge to open before we were ready has given us time to refine our Marketing Strategy, and help insure we make a positive first impression on our customers.
What does your future look like?
Bright! We believe we have a service that’s desired by the marketplace, and a strategy in place to help us reach them.
Describe your experience with your advisor
I can’t say enough positive things about Mary Kay and Sade. They were able to break down problems I faced into smaller, achievable tasks which gave me the confidence to continue this venture. They were also a great help in flushing out ideas and concepts, always with encouragement. They were always accessible, and were able to answer all my questions thoroughly.
Did you work with CTSBDC for COVID-19 advising?
Yes, CTSBDC assisted in securing funding.
What would you say to other small business owners thinking of working with SBDC
What are you waiting for? If you have an idea you think could be turned into a business opportunity, speak with someone at SBDC. It is unbelievable to me that a service this valuable is provided at no charge.
Robert and Val have established an innovative and holistic home health care agency with their total home management approach to care which takes into account the whole family. They have had the opportunity to work with the CTSBDC in multiple capacities as they developed their unique business model. It has been exciting to see them plan for the launch of Kerian Home Health Care Agency, hire and secure funding. We enjoy working with them, and look forward to being a part of their entrepreneurial journey as they continue to grow their agency and expand their presence across the state. - Mary Kay Della Camera & Sade Owoye, CTSBDC Business Advisors
Learn more about FinTron: