Season 2 Episode 4 of Franchising with Purpose

The Fun Extras- Conference and Foundation

Welcome to the 4th and Final Episode of our Season 2 Series

Our Participants today are:

Amanda LePore, CSA, Griswold Home Care, VP of Learning and Development

Sarah Latini, Project Manager, Griswold Home Care, ED Jean Griswold Foundation

Michael Slupecki, CEO, Griswold Home Care

Our focus today will be on the fun extras, our Griswold Home Care conference, and the Jean Griswold Foundation. We are happy to be joined by our CEO, Michael Slupecki, and Sarah Lantini, our project manager and Executive Director of the Jean Griswold Foundation.

Mike started off today’s program by talking about our national conference in Nashville, Tennessee by answering the question:

Aside from having fun, what do you think is the most important thing franchisees are looking for at the conference?

When polling owners, the most common answer is the opportunity to have conversations with other franchisee owners. Owners are not in competition with one another, so they can freely share ideas and strategies that help them be successful owners.

Secondly, we would like to give our franchisees the opportunity to take a break from their daily routine. We like to provide a little R&R and fun while offering education and networking opportunities as well.

Sarah is closest to the agenda of the conference, so she talks about the conference goals for this year.

Our goals for this year are to give franchisees the opportunity to work ON their business while OUT of their business. We like to think we provide an opportunity to recharge and re-invigorate at every conference.

This one is special because we are celebrating our 40th Anniversary at Griswold. We are taking a look back at where we’ve come from and where we’ve been while looking forward to where we are going and what we plan for the future.

Mike, tell us about the Gala Awards Ceremony.

The Awards Ceremony is to celebrate success. The owners on that stage are celebrated for the operation of their successful businesses and for doing all the things they need to do to accomplish their goals.

New owners can meet seasoned franchisees who have built successful businesses. They get the opportunity to talk with these owners and ask questions about the ins and outs of the Griswold Home Care business and how things really work from an owner’s perspective.

The conference provides another unique opportunity that doesn’t usually happen outside of conference. Owners get the opportunity to meet and network with our vendor partners and discuss the products they provide and how other owners are using those products in their businesses.

Changing gears, let’s talk about the Jean Griswold Foundation. What is it, and what do we do?

The Jean Griswold Foundation has shifted over the last few years and now focuses solely on caregivers across the country. We concentrate on fundraising for caregivers so we can provide scholarships and support to them and the important work they do.

We reward those who show outstanding compassion, professionalism, and knowledge by assisting them in advancing their careers. We help them with certifications they may not have under their belt and with the pursuit of advanced degrees so they can better serve the patients who need the exceptional care they provide.

In the year 2022 it’s almost expected of companies to give back. In our partnership with the Jean Griswold Foundation, we can give back to the caregivers who are the backbone of our business.

The Foundation gives us the opportunity to help change the caregiver’s economic circumstance through education and the subsequent advancement of their careers.

The conference is the primary opportunity for the Jean Griswold Foundation fundraising. We have a campaign goal of $140,000 this year, which we feel is very achievable. We have opened ourselves up as a public non-profit and would like to provide people with the opportunity to contribute to this worthy cause.

We have been able to provide 6 caregivers with scholarships so far this year and we are set up to provide 5 more.

You can go to the website to see the reactions of the recipients when they received their surprise scholarships. Their reaction was touching and impactful. We are delighted to help these dedicated people reach their goals by providing them with the financial assistance that can change their lives.

If you would like to donate or watch the scholarship recipient presentation, you can go to the Jean Griswold Foundation website.

We hope this inspires everyone to be a part of our national conference each year.

Until Next Time… Thank-You!