Established Territories: How Marian and Cristin Accelerated Growth from Day One

Running an established Home Instead territory offers a unique opportunity to step into an existing business with strong foundations, immediate revenue and clear growth potential. For brothers Marian and Cristin, owners of Home Instead West Exeter & Teignbridge and Home Instead South Devon, it has meant accelerating growth, strengthening culture and building on an already successful platform.

Since taking on their territories, the pair have delivered 40% year-on-year revenue growth in South Devon, while increasing overall profitability through operational efficiencies, technology and a clear focus people. Their experience offers valuable insight into what it really looks like to run and grow an established home care franchise.

From business experience to purpose led-care

Marian and Cristin are no strangers to business ownership. Having previously run ventures together in other industries, they brought complementary skillsets into their franchise opportunity. Marian’s background in logistics and retail distribution saw him leading large operational teams for major UK retailers, while Cristin built experience in finance and construction.

Their decision to enter the care sector, however, was driven by something more personal. Their mother had worked in the NHS and had experienced first-hand what care should not look like. When the brothers began exploring their next venture, they were clear that they wanted to build something that made a meaningful difference. The franchise model offered the right balance of structure and independence. After researching the sector, Home Instead stood out as a model aligned with their values, addressing the very challenges their mother had witnessed. They identified their two territories, West Exeter and Teignbridge and South Devon, while on holiday in Japan, moving quickly to secure the opportunity.

Discover how a care franchise provides opportunities for endless growth.

Stepping into an established business with confidence

One of the key advantages of established territories is the ability to build on existing infrastructure, teams and client bases from day one. During the due diligence process, Marian and Cristin found the support from National Office instrumental. Access to training, operational guidance and detailed owner manuals meant they were able to prepare thoroughly ahead of the handover.

Like many franchise owners who bring fresh perspectives to the care sector, the early weeks presented valuable learning opportunities, and the strength of the Home Instead network played a critical role.

By leaning on other franchise owners and key players across the network, Marian and Cristin were able to navigate unfamiliar situations with confidence. They were given peer support which provided real-world solutions to operational challenges, National Office guidance to ensure compliance and consistency, and shared experience from across the network, helping to reduce risk during the transition. For Marian and Cristin, this network support was invaluable and not just helpful, but essential.

Find out more about National Office franchise support services.

Listening: the foundation for growth

Rather than making immediate changes, the brothers took a deliberate approach in their first few months to listen and observe. This became the foundation of their growth strategy. Every week, they made time to visit clients and Care Professionals, gaining direct insight into service quality, satisfaction levels and areas for improvement.

Alongside this, they introduced structured feedback channels, including:

Monthly listening groups with key team members
Dedicated sessions with Care Professionals
Ongoing engagement to capture feedback and ideas

This consistent, visible leadership helped build trust across both territories while ensuring that decisions were informed by those delivering and receiving care.

Driving performance in established territories

With strong foundations in place, Marian and Cristin focused on unlocking growth opportunities within their territories. Their approach combined operational discipline with targeted investment:

Reinvesting early in new technology and AI tools to reduce administrative workload
Introducing paid marketing to support client acquisition
Streamlining processes to improve efficiency and free up time for care delivery

Crucially, these efficiencies have not come at the expense of care quality. Instead, reducing admin time has enabled greater focus on clients and Care Professionals, reinforcing Home Instead’s relationship-led model.

Find out if an established territory is right for you.

Building a culture that supports long-term success

Beyond financial performance, Marian and Cristin placed strong emphasis on culture. They recognised early on that mindset and attitude would be key to unlocking the full potential of their territories. By bringing a positive, ambitious and solutions-focused approach, they have helped energise their teams and create a shared sense of purpose. This cultural shift has contributed to several notable achievements:

A first-ever 100% response rate from Care Professionals across both territories
5* WorkBuzz Employer Awards for both businesses, achieved for the first time in years
Stronger engagement and alignment across teams

While performance metrics are important, for Marian and Cristin it’s clear that some of the most valuable progress cannot be easily measured, particularly the development of a more positive, motivated and forward-thinking team culture.

What established territories really offer franchise owners

Marian and Cristin’s experience highlights the key advantages of taking on an established Home Instead territory:

Immediate revenue and operational infrastructure
Existing teams and client relationships
Clear opportunities for growth and optimisation
The ability to make a rapid impact though leadership and investment

At the same time, it requires a thoughtful approach. Success is not about starting from scratch, but understanding what already works, identifying opportunities and bringing people with you on the journey.

For franchise owners willing to listen, invest and lead from the front, established territories after a powerful platform for both commercial success and meaningful impact.

As Marian and Cristin reflect on their journey so far, they said, “Taking on an established territory gave us a strong starting point, but the real opportunity came from listening to our clients, our Care Professionals and our wider team. That allowed us to truly understand where we could make improvements, what was already working well and how we could grow the business together in the right way.

From the beginning, we focused on being visible, building relationships and creating a positive, ambitious culture that people wanted to be part of. With the support of the network, guidance from National Office and a willingness to invest in the right areas, we’ve been able to drive meaningful growth while improving the experience for both our clients and our team.

For us, it’s not just about performance metrics, it’s about building a business that people are proud of. When you combine that mindset with the strength of an established territory, the potential really is huge.”

Marian and Cristin also represent a new generation of franchise owners, demonstrating that success in home care isn’t defined by age or prior experience in the sector, but by mindset, values and a willingness to learn. By combining fresh perspective with a commitment to quality and a structured, proven model, they have been able to unlock the full potential of their territories in a relatively short space of time. Their journey highlights that for those ready to embrace the framework, invest in their teams and lead with purpose, home care offers a compelling and accessible business opportunity.

Join Home Instead’s Growing Franchise Network Today

If you’re ready to take on a new challenge and build a successful, purpose-led business like Marian and Cristin, explore our available territories and start your Home Instead franchise journey today.

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