From tough economic times to personal struggle, franchising helps entrepreneurs weather the storm
By Kym Wolfe
Being resilient in the face of adversity, bouncing back after things take a turn … it’s an important quality to demonstrate, and one that can be difficult to gain. Whether it’s professional or personal, resilience can teach people how to successfully deal with stress, change, and disruption. For franchisee Emory Tsang, the healing process after a deep personal loss eventually led her to purchase her Studio Pilates International franchise—the first Canadian location—in 2024. While for Right at Home franchisee Ash Walani, the disruption caused by the pandemic required his home care business to pivot quickly—and in today’s challenging economic times, that nimble approach remains important to systems’ success.
Right At Home Canada
Since entering the Canadian market in 2012, Right at Home Canada has focused on its mission to improve quality of life for clients who choose in-home care over institutional care. Many of the brand’s franchisees have personal experiences with family members who required care, and that personal connection combined with a passion to help people is often more important than having a health care or business background (though those can be an asset), says Ash Walani. Walani has experience on both the franchisee and franchisor side of the business, as a multi-unit franchisee and a coach/trainer with the Right at Home franchise development team.
“Home health care is considered recession-resistant because [it’s] a necessity, not a luxury. Even in challenging economies, families continue to prioritize care for their loved ones,” he says. As a result, home care businesses remained relatively resilient during the disruptions caused by the global pandemic five years ago—but only those that could adapt to rapidly changing requirements and restrictions. Right At Home was able to source Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and other supplies quickly, shift staffing models to guarantee full-time work for staff who were restricted from being employed in multiple workplaces, and had robust systems, policies, and tools in place that enabled the franchisees to respond effectively to client needs. “We thrived during COVID,” says Walani.
Since then the company has continued to adapt, he adds. The brand will be surveyed by CARF (the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities) for network-wide accreditation of their 61 offices in early 2026. This accreditation assures clients that the company meets a series of rigorous and internationally recognized standards. “We’re seeing strong growth in demand due to the aging population, and an increased focus on aging in place. More families are asking about specialized care—dementia, chronic illness support—and socially, families want more transparency and culturally sensitive care. Right at Home gives us updated training and tools so my caregivers are prepared.”
“Technology is playing a bigger role as our brand invests in digital tools, and AI is a big aspect of our latest strategic conversations,” Walani explains. “We’ve created streamlined hiring and continuous caregiver training systems, online health and caregiver scheduling tools, and taken our in-person home care services to another level with the help of Sensi: ‘always-on’ 24/7 virtual care assessment technology. Sensi uses a series of small devices to provide a client’s Care Team with intelligent insights, and alerts our team members to take action[able] steps.” Walani emphasizes that technology and AI tools augment—but don‘t replace—the human component to home health care.
As a franchisee, Walani was often talking to potential franchisees about Right at Home and mentoring new franchisees, so it was a natural progression for him to step into a more formal role with the franchise development team. His own franchise locations are in the Greater Toronto Area and Nova Scotia. He says Right at Home is focused on expanding into the east coast provinces, and there are also opportunities for new franchisees in Manitoba and Saskatchewan.
Walani’s experience has been that franchisees “get the best of both worlds: the independence of owning a local business and the strength of a nationally recognized brand. We provide comprehensive training, operational support, marketing resources, and access to a network of fellow owners who share best practices. Our franchisor-provided 24/7 scheduling and administration services means that Right at Home owners can enjoy the benefits of a 24/7 business with protected time for themselves and their family.”
Still, he advises anyone who is interested to “do your due diligence. Talk to existing franchisees, understand the caregiver labor market in your area, and make sure you’re passionate about both business growth and helping people. Importantly, also speak to other franchise brands. Right at Home needs to feel just right.”
Studio Pilates International
An Australian brand with more than 120 locations worldwide, Studio Pilates International is fairly new to the Canadian market. The company was founded in 2002 by husband and wife team Jade (a former Olympic swimmer) and Tanya (trained in physical therapy) Winter, who describe their approach as a blend of cutting-edge audiovisual technology with scientifically backed programming. “On-screen visuals guide each class, freeing up instructors to ensure safety and correct form for every client, so clients receive consistent, world-class instruction,” says Jade.
“I was impressed by this teaching methodology when I first experienced it myself,” says franchise owner Emory Tsang. “Clients can visually follow exercises on the TV while also receiving personalized hands-on guidance from instructors who adjust and modify, based on individual needs. The combination of visual demonstration with instructor support makes our classes effective and accessible.”
Offering Pilates classes that are accessible to people in the community is important to Tsang. She discovered Pilates at a crucial time in her life, after the death of her spouse. “After I lost my husband there were days I could barely get out of bed. I was working as a coach to people with special needs, but I lost my job,” she says. “Pilates became a crucial part of my healing journey, supporting me both physically and mentally.”
She adds, “My son was four when his father died. I wanted to be there for him, and I also wanted to continue my work supporting others, but I knew it had to be in a different way. I figured the only way was for me to be my own boss, so it was time to put on my ‘big girl pants’ and find a way to move forward.”
Tsang was passionate about Pilates, and through her own experience she felt there was a gap in the local market. “There were a lot of private classes, but not many group class options which were less expensive, and the groups were often full and hard to get into,” she says. So, she researched and found Studio Pilates International online. “When I reached out they were so welcoming, within a few months I was in Australia.” In partnership with her sister, she would go on to open a 13-reformer studio in Willoughby, British Colombia, in November 2024.
Studio Pilates International provides a turn-key operation, comprehensive training, a technology-enabled platform, ongoing business coaching and operational support, marketing resources, and fosters a collaborative community where franchisees can share best practices and learn from one another, aspects that were invaluable to Tsang, who had no prior business experience.
Her son is seven now, and Tsang is happy with the path she’s chosen. “It took a lot of courage to do this,” she says. “Studio Pilates and their team walk with you every step of the way, teaching you everything you need to know about the business and how to navigate it. A consistent and humble person will succeed as a franchisee in this system—willing to work hard and also eager to learn.”
It was a good choice for Tsang, and it may be for others, says Jade. “Pilates is timeless—it’s not a fad or a passing fitness craze. It’s a modality rooted in science, focused on strength, flexibility, overall well-being, and suits all ages and fitness levels. In times of economic or social uncertainty, people consistently turn to health and wellness as a way to manage stress and maintain balance, which makes Pilates—and our model in particular—remarkably resilient.”
