Buying an existing franchise can give a new owner a valuable head start. There may already be customers, a team, local awareness and operational foundations in place. But a resale also brings responsibility. You inherit more than a business, including its culture, its habits and its reputation.

For Simon and Jo, taking on Caremark Mansfield & Ashfield was never about simply keeping things ticking over. It was a chance to take a home care business with existing foundations and rebuild it with clearer leadership, stronger standards and a culture people could feel proud to be part of.

Before joining Caremark, neither Simon nor Jo had worked in care. What they did have was significant leadership and commercial experience. Simon had worked as an Operations Director in the fire and flood restoration sector, managing large teams across multiple sites. Jo had built a long career in insurance and account management before moving into the same restoration industry.

They were used to pressure, people and problem solving. They were also used to long hours, constant travel and the feeling that their energy was going into building someone else’s future.

The move into franchising came from a desire to build something of their own, but with structure behind them. They were not looking to buy a job. They wanted a serious business with room to grow.

As they explored their options, the resale route stood out because it gave them a platform to build from.

“The value of buying a resale is strong. It gives you the opportunity to springboard growth. We can work in it, work on it, and grow it.”

Home care was not the obvious first choice, but the more they looked at the sector, the more it made sense. Care is regulated, which gave them confidence that quality could be measured and standards could be clearly understood.

“It being regulated gave us comfort. It tells you what good looks like. You know where you're trying to achieve.”

Their previous work had also involved supporting people during difficult moments in their homes. Showing up, bringing structure, reassuring families and helping someone feel safe again is a responsibility that translated naturally into care.

Caremark stood out because it combined a proven franchise model with the support of a wider network. Before moving forward, Simon and Jo carried out detailed due diligence, looked carefully at the existing service and spoke to people already within the Caremark network.

The final decision came down to confidence in the opportunity, confidence in the brand and confidence in themselves.

“We backed ourselves.”

Once they took over the Mansfield & Ashfield office, the need for cultural change was clear. They wanted care professionals to feel respected, supported and part of one team. That shift became the starting point for everything else.

“Purpose is part of our DNA, so seeing how Mansfield was currently run was just motivating to want to take it on and make a change.”

They invested in structure, people and environment. Today, the office team includes people across care management, coordination, recruitment, training, compliance, assessments, field supervision and complex care oversight.

The business now delivers over 2,000 hours of care a week and has built a reputation around consistency, relationships and visibility in the local care system. But for Simon and Jo, those numbers only matter because of the culture underneath them.

“We are all part of one team.”

For Simon and Jo, growth has not come from chasing volume at any cost. It has come from getting the basics right, building trust with local stakeholders and creating a team culture strong enough to support scale.

Mansfield and Ashfield are heavily shaped by local authority funded care, so resilience has also mattered. Rather than becoming dependent on one route to growth, Simon and Jo have looked carefully at how the business can develop for the long term. That includes their move into complex care.

Complex care was not rushed. It required a clear business case, support from Caremark’s Franchise Support Centre and a strong focus on compliance, training and readiness. For Simon and Jo, the same values apply in complex care as in domiciliary care: the right people, the right systems and the right relationships.

That compliance focus has been built into how the business runs.

“We pay for mock audits. We put pressure on our QM to come and see if what we have done is fit for purpose. Our teams always need to be audit-ready.”

Caremark’s support has played an important role throughout their journey. Initial training helped them understand the regulated care sector, while ongoing quality support has helped them keep compliance built into the rhythm of the business.

“With having no care experience, what we got out of the first 2-weeks of training was invaluable.”

The wider franchise network has also been valuable, giving them access to other owners who have already faced similar challenges.

“Someone has done it before so use the strength of the network.”

Their story shows what a Caremark resale can offer the right person. It is not a shortcut, and it is not passive ownership. It takes leadership, due diligence and the willingness to follow a proven system. But for people who want to take an existing business and make it stronger, a resale can provide a powerful platform for growth.

Simon and Jo are clear that franchising works best when owners understand the value of the model.

“The system is there for a reason.”

For Simon and Jo, Caremark has given them more than a business. It has given them the chance to build something with purpose, create a better working culture for their team and reclaim time with their family.

“One of the biggest things our Caremark business has given me is time with my son.”

Their next ambition is to build the same trusted reputation in complex care that they have already developed in home care. With strong foundations, a committed team and the support of Caremark behind them, Mansfield & Ashfield is a clear example of how the right franchise owners can take a resale and turn it into something stronger.