A couple from a banking background are Home Instead Senior Care’s latest franchise owners. Suki Dehal, a banking executive specialising in the franchise sector, and his wife Sonia, also from a banking background, have purchased the Walsall territory.

Suki will remain at Lloyds Bank as Sonia launches the Home Instead brand in Walsall.

The couple’s first contact with Home Instead Senior Care was two years ago, when Suki visited the UK national office in his role as a manager for Lloyds Bank. This role sees him helping potential franchisees secure funding and led him to develop a thorough understanding of the opportunities available in franchising.

“From my first contact with Home Instead I could sense the passion for caring that was shared by everyone in the business,” said Suki “I could also see that the company filled a huge gap in the care market and I really wanted to get involved but the timing wasn’t quite right for us.”

Both 28-years-old, Suki and Sonia Dehal have the ideal blend of skills, experience and motivation to make a success of a Home Instead franchise. Sonia, who qualified in Health Studies before going on to work in banking as a business manager, has personal experience of seeing family members struggle to care for elderly relatives.

“My mum cared for my grandad and grandma at home, while also bringing up four children and working. I could see the strain it placed on her. We didn’t realise at that time that support was available. This service would have allowed my grandparents to remain independent and benefits the whole family.”

Commenting on their decision to go into business together, Suki commented “In 2018 we decided that the time was right to buy a care franchise.

“The Home Instead model is built on solid foundations and has a caring ethos that runs through the whole business. We spoke with a number of Home Instead owners and it was obvious that they were in care for the right reasons and really put people first.

“I already knew from working in the industry that Home Instead delivers amazing growth with sound financial success. The brand offered the best fit for Sonia and I. We are proud to have joined the Home Instead family.”

Commenting on the Dehal’s decision to join Home Instead, Ruth Brown, Head of Franchise Development said, “Like so many of our franchisees, Sonia has seen the impact caring for a loved one has on a family. That experience, paired with Suki’s knowledge of franchising brought them to Home Instead and we are delighted to have them on board.”