Sometimes it’s the people who have suffered the most as a family that create the most caring and strongest families.
Alison Green, founder of Bien Chez Soi, chose to switch roles in her own story, leaving the victim behind to become the heroine who allows the elderly to stay in their own homes for as long as possible .
“I had a difficult childhood, I was abused by a member of my family. But from this came a deep desire to help vulnerable people, ”the one who grew up in Saint-Bruno tells me.
I often feel this strong emotion of admiration and empathy when I discover the stories of founders and have heard hundreds of them through my professional work. They are fighters who can turn their wounds into positive force and useful works.
Entrepreneur at 23
Alison Green started her home care business at the age of 23 to support her grandfather (later grandmother) who wanted to continue living at home but needed help. Faced with the lack of services, Alison took matters into her own hands. First customer and two employees: It was a start!
His grandfather was able to live at home with good care until he breathed his last eight years later.
And today, after 15 years in business, thanks to 750 employees in all regions of Quebec except the far north, Alison has built a network of 40 franchises serving 2,500 families. In fact, Alison doesn’t call them employees, she calls them “benevolent ones,” and she considers them members of HER family. There are nannies for the children, carers, housewives, nurses and housekeepers.
“My grandparents have to look down on me every day and help me align everything to give others an end of life like they had,” says the one who was able to live at least chapters through the drama of her childhood fairy tale as she vacationed at her grandparents in Trois-Pistoles. They, loving each other with great love, inspired her to build a life in her image.
Alison was recognized by Evol as an Impact Leader in 2022 and last year won the Quebec Business Woman Award. Alison was a pioneer in the field of home care.
She keeps her employees
The strength of their offering is based on the right pairing between the aged and the benevolent to bring stability to the nurturing and relationship.
The Benevolent almost becomes a member of the client’s family – the average mating lasts four years and sometimes up to fourteen! Bien Chez Soi’s employee retention rate is 86% – a feat.
Today, Alison dreams of working more closely with public services and community organizations to support seniors.
The desire to stay home for as long as possible is almost unanimous in 2022, which the pandemic demands.
So, like Alison, I’m wondering if it makes sense to build million-dollar rooms in retirement homes when you can remodel a retirement home for $40,000. The private sector is not necessarily the devil. For 15 years, Alison has worked to prove this, along with the 39 other franchise owners dedicated to her vision.
Good at home
- Founding year: 2008
- Founder: Alison Green
- place of the headquarters : Longueil
- Field of activity : home care
- number of employees: 750
ALISON GREEN PROFILE
- Work : president
- Age : 36 years
- Education: Physiotherapy for athletes
