Erika Stupiello, owner of Home Helpers® Home Care of Sarasota, Florida, has been a franchisee since March 2019. Before joining Home Helpers, Stupiello moved to the U.S. from Brazil, where she had earned her doctorate in linguistics and worked as a professor. By Cindy Charette
Erika Stupiello, owner of Home Helpers® Home Care of Sarasota, Florida, has been a franchisee since March 2019. Before joining Home Helpers, Stupiello moved to the U.S. from Brazil, where she had earned her doctorate in linguistics and worked as a professor. While she lived in Brazil, Stupiello cared for her grandparents and developed a passion for older adults in need, which inspired her to own a home care business. Living in a new country and knowing no one, Stupiello wanted the support of a robust franchise system; Home Helpers Home Care was her first choice.
Since the licensing process in Florida took eight months, Stupiello used this time wisely by attending new owner training and becoming a certified nursing assistant and certified senior advisor. However, one week after receiving her license, the COVID-19 shutdown took place. Despite so many unknowns, Stupiello remained dedicated to moving forward with building her business. The support from Home Helpers’ National Support Center team and opportunities to network with other franchisees helped her navigate a pandemic. Since then, Stupiello has continued to grow her business, including hiring staff and a full-time nurse who trains caregivers upon hire and refreshes or teaches new skills. Recently, she opened a new training lab and proudly exceeds state requirements.
Failure was never an option for Stupiello, who attributes her success to her persistence, support from the strong leadership team behind her at the National Support Center and the existing franchisees who shared ideas and suggestions. “The Home Helpers National Support Center was really quick in pivoting and changing their strategies for us to be able to go out and be in the community [to] start marketing our services,” she said.
For Stupiello, Home Helpers Home Care provided the stability she needed during a challenging time, and she continues to be grateful for its proven methods and support. “If I were not in a franchise at that moment, I probably would have failed right then because I wouldn’t have had the support from the Home Helpers National Support Center or the networking with other franchisees,” she said.
Cindy Charette