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A passion for helping vulnerable people lead more dignified lives inspired Tim King to buy a Home Caring business.
Tim has taken his lifelong desire to help others from a 20-year nursing career to business ownership. Now as a Home Caring franchisee he’s making a real difference to people in the local community, with a brand that shares his passion.
“I had a traumatic motorbike accident at a young age and that lived experience helped me empathise with people a lot more. It led me into a career in nursing,” he says. “I’m a Bowral local, I’ve lived here all my life, and worked at the hospital.”
Tim specialised in acute care, working in the ICU and the emergency department.
“I enjoyed the day-to-day connections with people. When you see someone critically injured or unwell and because of your caring and skills, they recover, that’s hugely rewarding,” he says.
When Tim was seconded to a mental health team he could see gaps in the health system that failed patients.
“I saw a lot of clients were medicated and had no back-up support or advocacy but I couldn’t see a way out,” he says.
Home Caring business model
Tim had just finished a post-grad in mental health recovery and came across Home Caring. The research he read on the brand’s website aligned with what he had been learning in his studies.
“I thought Home Caring might be a good way to broaden my experience in the community and help people at a different level.
“It was daunting, deciding to buy my own business, but I felt closely aligned with Home Caring’s philosophy, policies, and care. I was able to overcome that and I wanted to give it a go.”
Tim also loved the security of the joint venture business model which provides a salary to the franchisee.
“That was one thing that piqued my interest; the ability to join a business and still get paid a salary. That was amazing. It’s certainly innovative.
“When you become a franchisee Home Caring provides you with working capital, which you pay back through the business, and you get paid a salary to tide you over.”
Establishing a regional business
Tim bought his business five years ago, and slowly but surely established the Home Caring service in the Southern Highlands.
He says networking within the community is fundamental to building up business in a regional area.
“It is about getting out in the community and connecting, meeting face-to-face, chatting in coffee shops, working out who best to align with. You want to work with people who share your business ethos. Once you get to that stage, it’s easier.
“Now we’re well established in the community, we get personal referrals, and we are aligned with the discharge planner at the hospital. Everyone in the network helps one another,” he says.
Home Caring support helps franchisee passion to thrive
“Home Caring has a good system and a lot of support, which was inspirational to a new franchisee. They have assisted me to become registered as an NDIS provider and that has helped build my company profile.
“Home Caring has RN clinical support, a governance team and a quality assurance body. We can get specialist help for any queries really easily,” Tim says.
Tim’s company specialises in aged care, NDIS government-funded clients, and private clients, and receives referrals from hospital pathways for clients who need recovery work.
“I also help those who are eligible to get access to the funding,” he says.
This enables Tim to deliver just the right kind of care he saw lacking in the hospital system.
“When we get clients now, I can advocate for them. I ensure sure they get the right treatment and are on the right treatment pathway.”
Right now Tim’s focus is on growing the company in a tough economic climate.
“It’s a slow burn, there’s more competition for clients, and it is challenging,” he says.
Tim manages nearly 30 staff, including one team leader, while his wife Qin also plays a crucial role behind the scenes.
Achieving goals with Home Caring
The next step is to bolster the internal structure of the business and grow the office support team, he says.
Tim says providing accommodation support attracts more clients while delivering a real impact on individual lives.
“I am now more interested in SIL (supported independent living). I have seen people who were destitute and homeless now have dignity and self-respect, they are managing their affairs, and have reconnected with family.
“And I’ve helped to create that. I’ve achieved what I set out to do through Home Caring, using their programs to help people live a more dignified way of life, helping break the cycle.
“I want to continue to achieve to help more people in that predicament,” Tim says.