Tag Archive for: assisted living

How Gene Guarino Built a Generational REI Business

They say you should never work with family… I disagree.
When you do it right, a family business can be your greatest legacy of all.

I’ve been an entrepreneur my entire life starting very early. When I was 12 or so, I did all the usual “kid stuff” like cutting grass, raking leaves, and shoveling snow. I remember my mother had us “selling things” door to door like apples and pumpkins in the fall, and decorated sugar cubes in the spring, or washing cars in the summer. It was normal for us and it was the start of a legacy of entrepreneurship, opportunity, and teamwork that I have passed down to my kids. At age 16 I had my first official “business”- a music school with a recording studio and a record label. By the age of 18 I bought my first piece of real estate and the entrepreneurial journey hasn’t stopped since.

Time goes fast.

Image by Bruno /Germany from Pixabay

40+ years and 20+ businesses ago, I’m blessed to be able to work with my kids on a daily basis. Our focus is Residential Assisted Living for seniors. We started 7 years ago, and we own, operate, and invest in RAL homes, while training and supporting others doing it too.

Working with my kids has been an incredible opportunity to continue to be a part of their lives as I pass on wisdom, insights and get to help them become the amazing adults they are today. To be part of their lives beyond those first “18 summers” has been the best part of all.

My daughter Isabelle is the COO of the AL Family group of companies.
She’s an absolute Rockstar! That’s what everyone who works with her says, and I whole heartedly agree. Here are her thoughts on working together as a family…

“When Gene started his Residential Assisted Living Academy, I thought it was just another real estate business. I had no idea what the future impact would be from the work he was doing. I never would have imagined we could come this far, this fast.

He once asked me to come visit one of the homes and meet the residents. He explained how his heart had grown and changed since his mom, my grandma, needed care. She had already passed by this time, but his willingness to help other seniors had grown exponentially, and he shared his new passion with us. Seeing that, and all the work he was doing to grow the Residential Assisted Living Academy was inspiring!

Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

He genuinely wanted to create a solution that did not exist and he saw the bigger picture. The Silver Tsunami of Seniors was coming and he knew this was the right time and the right place. Financially it made sense, but more importantly it was about impact investing and how we could feel good about making money AND helping people too.

I immediately started thinking, how I could leave my job as a flight attendant to come work for him? I had skills in event planning and I knew Gene could use my help. I asked him to hire me and that’s where my journey with the family business began. I took over the organization of the live trainings. They started small, but today we provide training for people from around the world that want to learn about this incredible industry. As the COO, my responsibility is to implement Gene’s vision as the AL Family continues to grow.

Over the past 5 years, we have also created the Residential National Convention, an annual event for the RAL industry. We launched the RAL National Association, Family Legacy Homes, the AL Network, and more! We’re launching new businesses each year. I love this industry because it solves so many problems for people that need help caring for their parents and grandparents.

It’s been such a pleasure working with my family and especially my dad, Gene. He is an amazing inspiration and leader. He has inspired us to bring to life his vision of positively impacting 1 million people through Residential Assisted Living. All along the way he’s imparting life lessons and wisdom that he’s learned. We’re all growing together and I couldn’t be happier or more inspired than I am working together as a family.

In the future I plan to incorporate my own family into this. I’m excited to bring my own kids into our Residential Assisted Living homes and show them the impact we’re having on seniors and their families. I hope my children can see the good work we’re doing in the RAL industry and feel inspired to keep the tradition and legacy going. I want to pass on to my kids what my dad passed to me. Giving them a leg-up in the world and feeling good about helping others through RAL!”

Emmanuel, my son, leads the sales division at the AL Family group of companies. He says,

“When I started working with the company it was just my dad and a few other people. I remember asking him what I could do to help. Three months prior to that, my father gave me Robert Kiyosaki’s Rich Dad Poor Dad. I read that book in what felt like 20 minutes. After I read it, I witnessed Robert Kiyosaki asking my dad all about what HE was doing. Robert wanted to learn more about the RAL model. That blew my mind! When I saw that I jumped in.

I remember telling my future wife and telling her about what I did. She jumped right in. My sister Victoria was a schoolteacher and eventually, joined the family business too, shortly followed by her husband. My sister Isabelle was already on board and was moving up in the company. She was the enforcer- doing anything that needed to get done. She quickly became the boss.

Working with family does come with its challenges. In my opinion if you do not have a business coach or an outside source that can oversee what you’re doing, you’re going to struggle. Our business coach works with us every three months. When he’s there, we discuss what we’ve done well and what we can improve. However, the real benefit of having a coach is that they have an unbiased view and that can help tremendously. Many times, it’s hard to evaluate yourself or what your family thinks of you. However, with an unbiased third-party they can see what’s right and what’s wrong. We’ve been blessed and we all work extremely hard and are extremely focused. I think the reason this is possible is because we believe we’re building something much bigger than ourselves and we see this company helping the masses.

Leaving a legacy for the future:

It’s amazing to get to do what we do. Many times, my wife and I ask ourselves how we got so lucky to be part of this family and this company. We’re incredibly blessed to do work that really helps people. We get to help the residents and their families, but we also get to help the staff and their families.”

My daughter Victoria is the CFO of the AL Family group of companies. She says,

“I was a teacher working long, underpaid and under-appreciated hours. My dad needed an assistant and help with office work. I was about to have my second child and flexible hours sounded amazing! Some things are just meant to be. Timing in life is critical and the opportunity to work with my own family was challenging, exciting, and fun.

As a family, we all get along surprisingly well. Growing up we were a close family. I think the secret to our current success is that we all have different strengths, and we work within them. Each sibling has unique roles and responsibilities within the company and that gives us enough of a separation from getting in each other’s hair.

My favorite part of family business is that I can be myself. I know that my opinion is valued and these people know what I mean when I speak. They understand me and my perspective. I feel comfortable around them and we can address issues head-on. Residential Assisted Living is a great business model for building a family legacy. We teach people how to work on the business, not in it. Families can successfully work together if there is mutual respect and open communication.

As a child, I would watch my parents and want to be like them when I grew up. I hope I can be that example to my children. I want them to see us as positive influences and have a desire to continue the very valuable work that we do. It’s an honor and a privilege to work with my family in a business that is truly changing lives- Doing Good And Doing Well!”

I have to say that working together as a family has been a huge blessing and the best legacy I could ever provide. I wouldn’t change it for anything in the world. – Gene

To learn more about Gene and the AL Family, check out: www.ALFamily.com

By Gene Guarino

Should I help take care of the elderly?

I know some of you have been inspired to take care of the elderly or you enjoy doing exactly that, and I want to encourage you to continue to do that. There is a real need for caregivers of all types and that is a looming crisis out there that you can help with right now. There is the opportunity to help, to engage, to be a part of something big and something important. We’re all aging and people are lasting and living longer than ever. The question is, are you going to be a part of the solution that is going to help society or part of those who complain about it and sit back?

What if I already have a job?

Some of you right now are thinking that you really do like taking care of people but may be busy at another job. If taking care of the elderly is your passion, that’s what you should do. You see, right now there’s a lot of caregivers that are needed to take care of the elderly population, and that crisis is only getting worse because more people need help for longer, but there are fewer caregivers and family members that are willing to do it or are trained properly to do it. So if you are inspired, and you feel the calling, then I encourage you to do exactly that.

Could I just volunteer at an assisted living home?

You can start by volunteering at a home and see if it’s right for you. Read a book, do a puzzle, play cards, sit and talk, play some music, sing along, whatever it is that you can do to be there and interact. Those care homes can use the extra hand and you don’t need to be the caregiver. If you can just be there providing some company, companionship, or a conversation. That alone would be incredibly helpful to those caregivers, and those seniors need it.

Why is this generation called the silent generation?

One of the saddest things In our society today is that more than half of the people polled feel lonely. I think a lot of that is technology. We look at our phones and all of those things that take us away from talking to each other face to face. There’s a lot of seniors who would just love to have somebody stop by and say hello. It really doesn’t take much. It may not even take a conversation as much as just sitting with them. If you’re sitting in your home watching golf over the weekend, why not go sit with them and watch golf providing companionship and then ask them a question, did you ever play golf? What kind of clubs did you use? Before you know it, you’re going to find out about wooden clubs and how they used to play with just three clubs, and that was it, and they played the whole round with three clubs and 1 ball.

You can do this!

Have those conversations. Take that time. The greatest generation, the silent generation, needs your help and you will truly be a part of the solution by simply being “present”. Volunteering your time is one way. Starting a residential assisted living business with an excellent home with excellent care is another. It’s totally up to you, but you can do both.

You can also subscribe to our iTunes for on the go listening:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/assisted-living-networks-podcast/id1360517721?mt=2

Gene Guarino
Founder/CEO
Residential Assisted Living Academy™

Gene is the President, CEO & Founder of RALAcademy.com. Gene has over 30 years experience in real estate investing and business. Today, Gene is focused on just one thing… investing in the mega-trend of senior assisted housing. He has trained thousands of investors/entrepreneurs throughout the United States how to invest in and operate residential assisted living homes. For over 25 years he has been educating people on the strategies of successful investing, business and self-employment. He now specializes in helping others take advantage of this mega-trend opportunity.

By Gene Guarino

What should a Residential Assisted Living home look and feel like?

When we talk about the look and the feel, it’s a home so it should obviously look like a home. Sometimes people try to take a commercial building and convert it into residential assisted living and it just doesn’t work as well. Mom grew up in a home. It’s got to feel like a home. Part of that is looking like a home. Usually there’s a roof of some kind. There’s a door, there are windows, it looks like a house. There might be landscaping on the outside. It should have driveways where people can pull up and easy to walk on walkways so somebody can get from the car to the front door. When you walk inside, is there a step up? You put a ramp in at that front door so if they have a walker or a wheelchair or just to avoid any trip hazard at all. When you walk in, it’s open, big. That is what a typical RAL home will look and feel like.

What should it smell like?

It should smell like a home. Some people’s homes don’t smell that great, but for a care home, it’s critically important that we make sure that it smells great all the time. We have special air purifying systems inside the home to make sure the air is circulating all the time. The only extra smell I want there is the smell of home cooked food, something that smells good when you walk in.

What should the inside look like?

The colors might be lighter, neutral colors. There should be shades, or curtains on the window to give it a homey feel. The front room has nicer furniture, maybe moldings around the room, so it’s a more upscale look. There’s artwork on the wall, so when you walk in, you feel good.

We want the person in the family that makes decisions to walk through the front door to look and say, “wow, this feels great, I could live here.” Because if she’s thinking that, she’s also thinking, “my mom would be comfortable here and I would be proud to have my mom here.” When they walk through the front door, it’s got to be clean, and smelling good because frankly, if you’re not taking care of the walls and the doors and the floors, they’re expecting you not to be taking care of their mom and dad.

What other little touches should you have?

As you walk around the home it should be convenient and make sense. The floors are smooth, easy to clean. When you walk into a bathroom there are grab bars by the toilets and the showers, so it’s safe for mom. You’ll want some artwork hanging on the wall, the license for the home, the manager, the code of ethics, and the numbers for them to call in an emergency. They should be hearing either music or maybe even books on tape, music from their generation. Music is such a powerful thing that really just jogs the memory. It brings them right back and all of a sudden their body takes on a remembrance of where they were and what they could do. So it is a home, not home like. It’s an assisted living in a home setting. If you put all of that together, you’ll have a winning combination for a very successful Residential Assisted Living home.

Be sure to subscribe to our iTunes podcast to listen on the go! [CLICK HERE]

Gene Guarino
Founder/CEO
Residential Assisted Living Academy™

Gene is the President, CEO & Founder of RALAcademy.com. Gene has over 30 years experience in real estate investing and business. Today, Gene is focused on just one thing… investing in the mega-trend of senior assisted housing. He has trained thousands of investors/entrepreneurs throughout the United States how to invest in and operate residential assisted living homes. For over 25 years he has been educating people on the strategies of successful investing, business and self-employment. He now specializes in helping others take advantage of this mega-trend opportunity.

By Gene Guarino

How much does it cost to feed residents?

The cost of food is not very much at all. The national average per day per person in assisted living is $5 to $7 a day per person. If we’re to take a 12-ounce piece of Filet Mignon, and bring it to the seniors, that would easily feed four of them. Buying that filet at the store might cost $15 a pound. So if you bought $15 a pound and you bring that into the home, that’s about $4 per person for that filet. If you had filet once a week, you’re head and shoulders above every other assisted living home out there.

What do the residents want to eat?

I always ask the residents when they come in, what’s your favorite? What do you love to have? What haven’t you had in a while? What’s your favorite cake and pie and the rest of it? If they say, I love seafood, shrimp, fish and so on. You can get jumbo shrimp the size of your finger that costs you very, very little and if they ate one, two or three of them, that’s all they need. For them, the high-quality foods served on a special occasion is a real special treat.

Can you hire a chef? What are my options?

Now, if you really want to go for it and be special, if you really want to have a home that people will wait in line to get into, have a chef, a dedicated person who is culinary trained. Maybe even having a menu on the table. Do cook to order breakfast. How much extra did it cost you? Not much at all. The reality is most of those seniors are going to eat the same exact meal every single day and there’s probably not going to be that wide of a variety, but if there were five things they can choose from. How special would that be? Lunch could be a set lunch, or maybe two choices. You have one simple that’s a staple. It’s soup and sandwiches, and another one to choose from. Maybe it’s chicken salad or it’s some other meal that’s available that you have, and that’s the one meal that’s made. In between breakfast and lunch, they’re making a wonderful meal for dinner. With wonderful smells throughout the house, the seniors are looking forward to it all day long and then that food will be served by the caregivers when it’s dinner time. You could charge a thousand dollars a month more because you have a chef. The chef is a feather in your cap, it’s what will bring people in and they’ll stay with you for it.

Be sure to subscribe to our iTunes podcast to listen on the go! [CLICK HERE]

Gene Guarino
Founder/CEO
Residential Assisted Living Academy™

Gene is the President, CEO & Founder of RALAcademy.com. Gene has over 30 years experience in real estate investing and business. Today, Gene is focused on just one thing… investing in the mega-trend of senior assisted housing. He has trained thousands of investors/entrepreneurs throughout the United States how to invest in and operate residential assisted living homes. For over 25 years he has been educating people on the strategies of successful investing, business and self-employment. He now specializes in helping others take advantage of this mega-trend opportunity.