Nurse Next Door Home Care Services celebrated its 5th Anniversary on January 1st this year and what a journey it has been since Founders Amber Biesse and Matt Fitton decided to bring the established Canadian brand to Australia.
Their entrepreneurial tenacity and unwavering commitment to improving the lives of the people Nurse Next Door cares for, sees the bold pink brand thriving in the Australian market and is now in households in almost every state in the country. With a vision to redefine the aged care and disability sector in Australia, under Amber and Matt’s leadership, Nurse Next Door has not only achieved its 10-year goals in this short time but has set a new benchmark for in-home care services in Australia.
Founders Amber Biesse and Matt Fitton moved their family to Vancouver in 2016 so that their daughter could explore a specialised education opportunity. This also served as a 2 year sabbatical for the couple, who had established and operated a variety of successful businesses over the past 30 years.
Once the family was settled, they started to think about what type of business they would like to go into when they returned to Australia. Amber and Matt did not mind what type of business it was, so long as it met two criteria – it was scalable and had a sense of purpose. After spotting a bright and memorable pink car in their local area, their search led them to Nurse Next Door, a franchise brand already making waves in Canada and the United States looking to expand into Australia. The couple began talks with the Canadian Franchisors who did not expect they would be interviewing potential Australian master franchisees a few blocks away from their head office in Vancouver. It was quickly realised that the parties shared an alignment of values and aspirations for the home care sector, it was serendipity! This chance encounter with a bright pink car laid the foundation for a journey that would reshape home health care in Australia.
After 15 months of operating their first Nurse Next Door location in Melbourne and having “Australianised” the brand and made adaptations to some of the processes and workflows to suit the Australian market, Amber and Matt had established a robust foundation for the brand’s subsequent expansion and with the model now “proven” in the Australian market, new Franchise Partners were very attracted to the opportunity. In 2020 Amber Biesse and Matt Fitton awarded their first Franchise Partner on the Gold Coast and they haven’t looked back. The initial success paved the way for 48 Franchise Partners currently launching or operating in 61 territories across Australia. With four additional groups in varying stages of documentation and ongoing discussions with prospective franchisees, the trajectory of growth remains promising.
At the heart of Nurse Next Door’s success lies its core purpose of “Making Lives Better” and it is the commitment of each Franchise Partner to bring this purpose to life in their own local community that is creating a Nurse Next Door culture that very special to be a part of. This philosophy extends beyond clients to encompass Franchise Partners, caregivers, nurses, and the broader community. Home care, as envisioned by Nurse Next Door, represents the future of healthcare. Most of our ageing population have expressed the desire to age gracefully in their own homes, and individuals with special needs continue to want independence even if it means getting a little help. Combined with crowded hospitals and aged care facilities that have been tarnished during the Royal Commission into Aged Care, the demand from those seeking home care for loved ones is enormous. Nurse Next Door is a brand unparalleled in the field of in-home care and with the sector continuing to grow rapidly, Nurse Next Door is poised to be at the forefront of the industry, through continued growth and adoption of more Franchise Partners. Adelaide, Hobart and Darwin
emerge as areas of significant opportunity for potential Franchise Partners, mirroring the escalating demand for in-home services in these regions.
To help people live in their own home, on their own terms, regardless of age or ability is made possible by Nurse Next Door’s team of caregivers and nurses that each Franchise location employs. The requirement to have a Registered Nurse as a key member of staff ensures a high level of clinical oversight and compliance, which often sets Nurse Next Door apart in the local market.
Nurse Next Door’s Franchise Partners come from a diverse mix of backgrounds, with approximately 50% being clinical and the other 50% hailing from various fields such as teaching, accounting, and human resources. Amber and Matt say the common trait or driving force amongst non-clinical Franchise Partners is a strong alignment with Nurse Next Door’s Core Purpose of Making Lives Better and often includes a personal experience of caring for a loved one. This creates a culture within the Brand that filters down to each member of the team including caregivers. The emphasis during the selection process is on aligning values – a 50% passion and 50% profit approach that ensures franchise partners share the brand’s core purpose and values. Caring for people resonates deeply with the Nurse Next Door team, and emotional connections surface during final interviews, where tears are shed as individuals share their heartfelt stories, adding to a culture driven by empathy and shared experiences.
The success of Nurse Next Door is not only measured in financial milestones but also in the profound impact it has had on the lives of Franchise Partners, caregivers, and the clients they serve. Achieving 10-year goals in just five years is a testament to hard work and the effectiveness of the brand’s approach, driven by the incredible people within the network. Nurse Next Door’s support and training extend beyond clinical aspects, focusing on the holistic success of Franchise Partners. With a centralised customer contact centre based in Melbourne, a 12-week Foundations Training program, online coaching sessions, and hands-on observation during Immersions Week in Melbourne, Franchise Partners are equipped with the skills needed to run a successful business. Perhaps the best part of being such a successful franchise is the ability to call on experienced Franchise Partners to
speak to and support the new ones. Through fortnightly group meetings online where experiences, achievements and problems are shared, new Franchise Partners can have the support and guidance they may need to reach their first milestone and subsequent success.
As Amber and Matt reflect on five years of caring and franchise triumphs, the journey is not just about numbers; it’s about the lives touched, the stories shared, and the promise of making someone’s life better. Just keep an eye out for those bright pink cars.