A look back at the brand’s 2021 accomplishments, and a look ahead at the new year!

As the year 2021 came to a close, Any Lab Test Now franchising surpassed a major milestone that undoubtedly set the tone for another successful year in 2022, which also happens to be the brand’s 30^th year in business. With the opening of a new location in Panama City, Florida, the brand celebrated its 200^th franchise location in the United States. The Panama City Any Lab Test Now ribbon-cutting brought the total number of new unit openings in 2021 to 11, as the leading retail lab testing franchise expanded into new markets such as Fort Mill, SC, Ashburn, VA, Canton, OH, and Murray, UT. 

CEO Clarissa Bradstock made a jubilant statement to mark the occasion, saying, “It is so exciting to enter the new year at this landmark level of growth. We are elated by our development over the last two years, despite the many ups and downs created by the global pandemic. 2021 was just the tip of the iceberg, as we opened our 201st location in Jacksonville to ring in the New Year, followed by a long list of grand openings planned for 2022, the same year we celebrate our 30^th year in business.”

In 2021, the Any Lab Test Now brand was also singled out for several prestigious awards and honors, including a coveted spot on Entrepreneur’s Franchise 500 list, an enviable achievement. In addition, the brand earned its way onto the Franchise 500 Best of the Best list, the 2021 Inc. 5000 list, and secured the Franchisee Satisfaction Award from Franchise Business Review, along with recognition as the Top Multi-Unit Franchise, Most Profitable Franchise, Top Recession-Proof Franchise, and a truly special win for having the Best Franchise Culture. Lastly, CEO Clarissa Bradstock was honored as a 2021 Woman of Wonder by Franchise Dictionary Magazine in their 50^th anniversary edition of this award and presented with the Crystal Compass Award by the IFA Women’s Franchise Committee.

Terri McCulloch, Any Lab Test Now’s vice-president of business development, stated, “It is, of course, exciting to receive so many recognitions throughout the franchising and business community at large. More importantly, it’s a sign that our system works and that with the hard work of our franchisees across the country, this mission and model has a clear blueprint for long-term success. We’re excited to continue that momentum moving forward to help more people across the nation.”

As the year 2022 dawns, Any Lab Test Now franchising is more excited than ever to see what the future holds. The growing interest in healthcare consumerism, in which consumers are taking more control over their own healthcare preferences and decisions, has become the driving factor in elevating the Any Lab Test Now concept to new heights. With a business model that empowers customers to take charge of their own healthcare choices and decisions, the Any Lab Test Now franchise opportunity has become a win-win proposition for owners and consumers alike.

As we kicked off 2022, Any Lab Test Now franchises were well-positioned to capture an even larger share of retail-based revenue at the expense of major healthcare providers. With a laser focus directed squarely on the customer experience, the brand is becoming well known as the affordable and discreet option for retail-based lab testing. Any Lab Test Now offers consumers up-front pricing, appointments completed in as little as 15 minutes, and results delivered in 24-48 hours.

If you’ve got an entrepreneurial mindset and a desire to partner with the nation’s No. 1 retail lab testing franchise, reach out to the Any Lab Test Now franchise development team about the possibility of owning a location in your area. All you have to do is simply fill out this brief form and our reps will be in touch shortly!

A solo franchise operation is a business, but multi-unit franchising is an empire!

Franchise ownership offers entrepreneurs the opportunity to employ a proven model to achieve operational success. But if I were to ask you how many franchise owners operate more than one business unit, what would you guess? According to statistics compiled by the franchise research company FRANdata, 54% of all franchises in the U.S. are owned by multi-unit operators. Specifically, over 40,000 multi-unit operators control more than 220,000 franchise units in the U.S.

The Ability to Scale Your Business

A multi-unit franchise operation occurs when an owner purchases the rights to own and operate more than a single unit in a specifically assigned territory or geographical area. The expanded network may include two, three or more total locations, however, most instances include two to five additional units. Interest in purchasing the rights to multi-unit franchises has been on the rise for the past decade—primarily because it offers owners the chance to expand territorial operations and boost revenue streams exponentially. It’s a means to create your own “mini-empire.”  

How to Allocate Risk Across Multiple Units

Franchise owners who make the investment to go the multi-unit route are easily defined by their “go big or go home” business strategy. However, it also allows an owner to spread the risk over several business units, while allowing collective efficiencies to take root over the enterprise operation. While it’s technically true that the stakes are higher, so is the rate of a return on the multi-unit investment. Instead of relying upon a single income stream, multi-unit owners can spread the risk across several locations, creating an optimal operating condition for generating incremental wealth. Multi-unit ownership of several locations can easily lower operational costs, allow for combined efficiencies and shore up revenue streams across the board. And since multi-unit sales are an attractive proposition for franchisors, it’s not uncommon for them to offer discounted or scalable terms during negotiations, including reduced franchise fees and royalty payments. 

A Mutually Beneficial Arrangement

It’s unusual for multi-unit franchise owners to be required to open all locations during the same time frame. In fact, in most cases, the franchisor and multi-unit owner openly collaborate to develop an area development agreement that makes good business sense. In some cases, the direct profits from an initial franchise location can be poured into a second or third operation. Usually, terms are discussed and agreed upon for each individual franchise agreement, spelling out the specific time frame and territorial boundaries for each opening. 

The benefits of multi-unit franchising are mutually beneficial to franchisor and franchisee alike. Bundling multiple franchises into a multi-unit deal drives strong incremental growth and territorial gains for the franchisee and offers stability and great bottom line sales numbers for the franchisor. But what’s really at stake is the opportunity for multi-unit franchise owners to double or even triple their income earning potential, thanks to the multiple revenue streams. Of course, it’s true that multi-unit franchise ownership will require a higher net worth and investment level, but it also comes with the potential to induce a more rapid return on investment. 

Becoming a multi-unit franchise owner requires a strong business acumen and an acute attention to detail. There’s no doubt that this option requires a much bigger commitment of time, resources, and dedication to pull off. Getting in too deep and overextending your resources and cash flow can become a concern, so it’s advisable to conduct a proper amount of due diligence, professional consultation, and research before entering into a multi-unit agreement. But done correctly, a multi-unit franchise owner has the potential to reap exponential rewards on the bottom line of their balance sheet.

If you’d like to see a list of some of the more popular brands for multi-unit franchising, please review this list from Franchise Business Review. Oh, and you better believe Any Lab Test Now made the cut! If you’d like to speak with our franchise development team about the possibility of owning multiple Any Lab Test Now locations, simply fill out this brief form and we’ll be in touch shortly!

The retail healthcare clinic market, upon which the business model of Any Lab Test Now is based, is flourishing, which is great news for the brand’s 190+ locations across the U.S. today. But what’s driving this phenomenon? And how does the predicted growth of retail healthcare play into the hands of Any Lab Test Now’s franchise development program? At its core, retail healthcare is all about consumers taking more control over their own healthcare preferences and decisions. Which proves that marketing your business model using empowerment as a key value proposition is an effective strategy for Any Lab Test Now owners and consumers alike.

Even before the global pandemic accelerated the need and urgency of rapid lab test results, the retail healthcare marketplace was expanding rapidly. Traditional health care models, which previously relied upon paternalistic doctor-patient relationships, were already losing out to retail healthcare options that promised a more collaborative approach to individual care and choices. Acquisitions and new partnerships that touted this approach—including the rising popularity of telehealth—have awakened consumers to a fresh healthcare shopping experience in which their active participation is not just tolerated but solicited. 

What’s currently helping the adoption of retail healthcare to flourish? We’ll illustrate several of the most common examples, but a consumer’s freedom of choice is the centralized theme.

Today’s Healthcare Shoppers

Think about buying a car, a computer, jewelry, or even a new lawnmower. When consumers shop for any major purchase, what are the determining factors that lead to a decision? Let’s start with affordability, which 72% of healthcare consumers claim they consider first. Following the cost factor, healthcare consumers want discretion (privacy), value and, increasingly—convenience. The traditional healthcare model hasn’t exactly done itself any favors. Their complicated plans, internal and external provider networks, referral procedures, and a bloated, outdated, and often inaccurate billing system, have all combined to leave the door wide open for a better way of doing business. As such, today’s healthcare shoppers have become their own entrepreneurial advocates.

Retail Healthcare Options

Telehealth appointments, digitized wearable devices, and retail lab testing are three prime examples of the growing retail healthcare marketplace. Each provides a beneficial, streamlined experience delivered in a collaborative environment. It’s fast becoming a pro-choice retail environment, where consumers are increasingly free to search and shop for the best options for care—especially as it pertains to lower costs, the best value, and—most of all, the highest level of convenience.

This changing marketplace dynamic is quickly becoming fertile ground for the Any Lab Test Now franchise opportunity, among the many independent small businesses well positioned to capture a larger share of retail-based revenue at the expense of major healthcare providers. Any Lab Test Now meets the very definition of retail healthcare, as our focus is squarely on the customer experience. We’re the affordable and discreet option, with up-front pricing, appointments completed in as little as 15 minutes, and results delivered in 24-48 hours. In the American Hospital Association’s (AHA) “Top-10 Emerging Trends in Health Care for 2021”, the second highest ranked item is a phenomenon they refer to as “cooperative competition” or “coopetition”. Taken directly from the report:

“Cooperative competition, or coopetition, is a key trend in health care. While some providers view big-box stores, nationwide pharmaceutical chains and other new entrants as threats, other organizations see opportunity. Their strategy is to leverage the capabilities of these power players to lower the cost of care, increase downstream market capture and focus on core specialty services while remaining highly connected to the patient.”

That’s a business model that sounds very familiar to our Any Lab Test Now franchise owners. Is it any wonder that the retail health care’s $99 million annualized marketplace was originally predicted to triple in the five-year span between 2017 and 2022? If you’d like to be a part of this outlook, reach out to Any Lab Test Now’s franchise development team to get started on your own entrepreneurial journey.

When it comes to financing the purchase of a franchise, many candidates don’t have a complete picture of the financial and lending options available to them. What are the best options? Best practices? To get you up to speed, Any Lab Test Now and a couple of our lending partners collaborated to bring you the basics of financing a franchise. Below, we take a look at franchise financing from the top down…

The Franchise Registry

As far as lenders are concerned, for any franchise concept to establish legitimacy and be eligible to finance, it must appear in the Franchise Registry, a searchable database that helps financial institutions evaluate the creditworthiness of franchise brands. You can view the Any Lab Test Now’s verified status here.

How Much Capital Will I Need?

The requested loan amount is very important, as most banks prefer to write loans for a minimum of $200K. Although there are other options, there are fewer and fewer banks willing to underwrite loans under this amount. To reiterate, the minimum financial qualifications needed to franchise with Any Lab Test Now, we require $90K in liquid capital and a total net worth of $300K.

Costs to Consider

All franchises require a franchise fee, royalties, and startup costs necessary to establish operations. After an Any Lab Test Now franchise opens for business, additional operating capital is required to sustain operations prior to the breakeven point.   

Franchise fees: also referred to as the initial franchise fee, this one time payment covers upfront costs for the brand’s trademarks, products, systems, and intellectual property involved in getting an Any Lab Test Now business up and running. The franchise fee is disclosed in the FDD, and payment signifies the execution of the franchise agreement

Royalties: these are recurring fees required to uphold the franchise agreement and are set according to a percentage of gross profits or a flat monthly fee

Startup costs: the startup costs associated with Any Lab Test Now include site selection, lease, build-out, office supplies, and initial inventory

Financing Options

It’s common for Any Lab Test Now franchising candidates to require financial assistance to close the deal. There are numerous options and lending avenues to investigate—including some alternatives you may not have considered. Loans processed for Any Lab Test Now tend to be SBA and Rollovers as Business Startups (ROBS), as conventional financing is not available for single unit franchisees. The average loan term is 10 years, with an average interest rate of 5.25% (Wall Street Journal prime rate + 2%). It’s highly recommended that candidates do the proper amount of due diligence to locate the ideal funding route, but here are the most common options:

Bank/Credit Union Loans: if you’ve done business with your personal bank or credit union long enough, you should at least investigate the amount and terms they’re willing to offer

SBA Loans: a popular route is a loan guaranteed through the Small Business Administration. Just like the Franchise Registry, the SBA does not arrange financing for concepts that do not appear on the SBA Franchise Directory. Any Lab Test Now is a verified entry (S0121). Keep in mind that the SBA doesn’t make the loan, but rather secures it on your behalf through a network of financial institution partners. The two most popular SBA loans for the franchising industry are SBA 7(a) Loans, and SBA 504/CDC Loans.

Retirement Funds: 401Ks can be an inviting way to finance your own business, commonly known as Rollovers as Business Startups (ROBS). Essentially, you can access your retirement funds for franchise investment without incurring penalties, fees, or taxes. However, proceed with caution when going this route and enlist the help of a professional tax and accounting advisor to avoid the associated risks.

Portfolio Loans: this is a security-backed loan which leverages the amount against your own portfolio as collateral. 

VetFran: Any Lab Test Now is an accredited member of the VetFran program, which provides a 10% discount on the franchise fee for any U.S. military veteran.

Applying for Funding

When you begin the process to secure the funds necessary to purchase an Any Lab Test Now franchise, make sure you have the following documentation available: 1) your credit score/history, 2) personal financial records, and 3) your business plan (pro-forma).

According to DeAngelou Stevenson, VP of Franchise Lending/SBA Franchise Banker at Atlantic Capital Bank, development of the business plan is a key element in the loan process. “I have worked on a few Any Lab Test Now franchise start-up deals and the most crucial piece of the deals were the business plans. You want to make sure you’re as thorough and as detailed as possible. You’ll want your projections to be both realistic and attainable based on your specific market territory.”

Kenny Peterson and Business Partner Team Up With ANY LAB TEST NOW®

ANY LAB TEST NOW®, is proud to announce the newest addition to their family of franchisees.  Retired NFL player and successful entrepreneur with strong ties to the region, Kenny Peterson and his business partner, Nicole Flores, have been awarded three territories in Northeast Ohio. Kenny and Nicole are planning to open the first of three ANY LAB TEST NOW locations later this year in their hometown of Canton, Ohio.

“We are excited to start this new journey with ANY LAB TEST NOW,” explains Peterson. “Nicole and I both have years of experience in the healthcare industry and franchising, and we are looking forward to helping our neighbors take control of their health by providing them direct access to affordable lab testing.”

The ANY LAB TEST NOW concept dates back nearly 30 years. The company was the first to offer consumers walk-in access to lab tests at its flagship location in Atlanta. Today, there are more than 190 locations across the nation and each one, including the future locations in Northeast Ohio, provides thousands of tests without an appointment.

“Our future ANY LAB TEST NOW franchises will fill a huge void in this part of the state,” says Flores, a veteran business leader with a master’s degree in healthcare finance. “Our customers will be able to stop by at their convenience and learn about affordable lab testing. No matter if it is a test to help someone manage a chronic condition like diabetes or a drug test needed for a job applicant at a local business, every test comes with a transparent price, so there are no surprise bills at the end of the process.”

Peterson and Flores are planning to open their first ANY LAB TEST NOW by early November 2021. The second and third locations will follow with grand openings in the Akron area next year.

“We are ecstatic to have Kenny and Nicole join our team, and we look forward to helping them expand their business portfolio in Northeast Ohio,” says Terri McCulloch, Vice President of Business Development of ANY LAB TEST NOW. “The combination of their entrepreneurial track record and ANY LAB TEST NOW’s proven business model is a perfect match.”

Ranked #1 in Laboratory Services, ANY LAB TEST NOW Is Recognized By Entrepreneur With Its 2021 Best Of the Best Franchises Award.

Any Lab Test Now is honored to be named to Entrepreneur’s 2021 Best Of The Best Franchises award.  To receive this prestigious recognition, the franchise must be listed on Entrepreneur’s Franchise 500 list and be first in their industry category.

Since 2007, Any Lab Test Now has partnered with major, high-quality laboratories throughout the U.S. to provide affordable and comprehensive lab testing services directly to the public. These lab testing services are offered in a diverse variety of categories that most commonly include clinical, DNA, and drug & alcohol testing. With over 190+ locations, Any Lab Test Now is the largest lab testing franchise in the U.S. and operates as a retail storefront, offering consumers an empowering value proposition — the ability to take control of their health and wellness choices.

“This is a proud moment for our entire team and family of franchisees to be ranked #1 in our industry category, Laboratory Services,” says Clarissa Bradstock, CEO of Any Lab Test Now. “Our franchisees continue to empower and support local communities nationwide with direct access to lab services and maintained our role as an essential business throughout 2020.  This award validates the strength of our business model as a successful business opportunity in the retail healthcare field.”

Any Lab Test Now initially ranked in the highly competitive Franchise 500 list this year, which evaluated franchises on more than 150 data points in the areas of costs and fees, size and growth, franchisee support, brand strength, and financial strength and stability.

Terri McCulloch, VP of Business Development, shares “We find it exhilarating to be at the center of healthcare consumerism, providing direct access to lab testing services where we offer significant value to local communities, individual consumers, and businesses. This esteemed award is a very special recognition and shines a light on the challenging work our franchisees committed themselves to in making lab testing easily accessible throughout the pandemic. We’re excited to share this accomplishment with our franchisees who are a much-needed health care resource to their local consumer base.”

The Best of the Best 2021 award means Any Lab Test Now is honored with being #1 in their industry category and further validates their successful direct-to-consumer lab testing business model.

ANY LAB TEST NOW® is honored to be listed by Franchise Business Review (FBR) as one of the best franchises to buy in 2021. Every year, FBR compiles a list of top franchises based on a confidential survey of thousands of franchisees. This year, ANY LAB TEST NOW is ranked 104th on FBR’s highly-regarded annual rankings report, as well as among the top 10 franchises providing health and personal services.

“We are so excited to hear about our impressive rankings in Franchise Business Review’s new annual survey,” says Terri McCulloch, Vice President of Business Development of ANY LAB TEST NOW. “2020 was a year filled with unprecedented challenges, and our franchisees stood strong and worked tirelessly to provide critical lab testing in a safe and clean environment to customers across the country. Their success during the pandemic is a testament to the ANY LAB TEST NOW model, especially when it comes to providing franchisees with critical tools and support needed to withstand an economic crisis.”

The FBR Top 200 Franchises Ranking is the most comprehensive list of the nation’s top franchise opportunities based on actual reviews of more than 28,000 franchisees across more than 300 of the nation’s leading franchise companies. The franchisees are asked nearly three dozen benchmark questions about their experience and satisfaction regarding critical areas of their franchise systems, like training and support, operations, franchisor/franchisee relations and financial opportunity.

Here are the FBR survey rankings for ANY LAB TEST NOW:

• 104th on Top Franchises of 2021 list
• 7th in Health and Personal Services category
• 27th in large-business class

You can see the complete list of the 2021 Top Franchises at FranchiseBusinessReview.com. The entire publication showcasing all rankings will be released the week of January 25, 2021.

About Franchise Business Review

Franchise Business Review (FBR) is a leading market research firm serving the franchise sector. FBR measures the satisfaction and engagement of franchisees and publishes various guides and reports for entrepreneurs considering an investment in a franchise business. Since 2005, FBR has surveyed hundreds of thousands of franchise owners and over 1,100 leading franchise companies. FBR publishes free and unbiased franchisee satisfaction research reports throughout the year online at www.FranchiseBusinessReview.com. To read our publications, visit  www.franchisebusinessreview.com/page/publications/.

Direct Access Lab Testing Company Proves to be a COVID Resistant Business Model

For the fourth consecutive year, ANY LAB TEST NOW® has landed a spot on the Franchise Times Top 200+ list, one of the world’s most admired franchise system rankings. ANY LAB TEST NOW is ranked #409 on this year’s distinguished list. Recognized by entrepreneurs and franchisors as a top competitive tool of measurement, the Franchise Times Top 200+ list recognizes ANY LAB TEST NOW for the exceptional performance in systemwide sales and growth.

“Our highest-ever ranking in Franchise Times’ Top 200+ is something worth celebrating amid an unprecedented year in so many ways. It’s an outstanding achievement, and we are proud of the hard work all of our staff and franchisees have put in this year,” says Clarissa Bradstock, CEO of ANY LAB TEST NOW. “After the initial hit that all businesses experienced when COVID arrived, we bounced back quickly, and have continued to experience growth, proving that ANY LAB TEST NOW is what you could term a “COVID-resistant” business model,” Bradstock adds.

ANY LAB TEST NOW currently has 188 locations across the country, and the direct access lab testing company is a consistent leader in the retail healthcare industry. “The ANY LAB TEST NOW business model stands out this year to entrepreneurs because it is has shown to be a model that will grow and thrive in the ever-changing world, with a well-developed product and a continued success rate even during a pandemic,” says Terri McCulloch, Vice President of Business Development of ANY LAB TEST NOW. “We are finding our COVID-resistant model to be extremely appealing for an array of reasons, including future viability, low startup costs and the long-term strategies mapped out to maintain the continued success we’ve been seeing,” McCulloch explains. “ANY LAB TEST NOW offers franchisees multiple diverse sales opportunities, from direct-to-consumer to businesses and even government entities. We provide consumers the power to take control of their own health, which more important today than it ever has been with the emergence of the pandemic this year and the established healthcare trends like higher out-of-pocket expenses associated with high-deductible insurance.”

The Franchise Times Top 200+ is an annual ranking of the 500 largest franchise systems in the United States by global systemwide sales. In a five-month research process, and building upon a database that began in 1999, companies are evaluated using a combination of voluntary reports and publicly available data. ANY LAB TEST NOW’s position on the ranking is a testament to its strength as a franchise opportunity.

About ANY LAB TEST NOW®

Founded in 1992, ANY LAB TEST NOW is a franchise direct access lab testing company that provides thousands of standard lab tests to consumers and businesses in a professional, convenient and cost-effective, transparent manner with almost 190 franchises around the U.S., ANY LAB TEST NOW offers a variety of affordable and confidential lab tests to consumers and businesses including general health and wellness panels, pregnancy, HIV/STD, drug, paternity and many more tests. To learn more about ANY LAB TEST NOW, visit www.anylabtestnow.com or like us on Facebook, www.facebook.com/anylabtestnowcorp.

Does working for a parent sound like the ticket to success, or a punishment? Any Lab Test Now’s mother and daughter duo in Arizona prove working together to run two retail lab testing locations is a great way to achieve financial success, career satisfaction and family harmony.

Jeri Frandsen started her career with Any Lab Test Now, one of the fastest-growing healthcare franchises in the nation, when she opened her first location in Scottsdale, Arizona, in 2008 with several partners. Following the successful launch of the first unit, the group opened a second storefront in Glendale, Arizona, in 2010. Record sales enabled Frandsen to buy her partners out and add her daughter, Angela Garrett, to her team.

Bringing her daughter onboard was a family tradition and a practical choice. Frandsen began her own career as a real estate broker at her father’s firm. More than 60 percent of businesses are family-owned, according to Family Enterprises USA, a family business advocate in Washington, D.C. In fact, 78 percent of new jobs in the United States are created from family-owned firms, and family businesses have higher employee retention rates than their counterparts.

“Angie started working for me as an intern. Today she is my business partner and manager of the Scottsdale location,” Frandsen said. “She is motivated. I know she is here for the long term.”

Garrett knew she wanted a career in the medical field from a young age. When she was planning her career path, Garrett discussed her options with her mother. Frandsen promised Garrett a position with Any Lab Test Now if she completed her phlebotomy license. “I grew up with my mom and grandpa working together. Working with my mom was a natural fit,” Garrett added.

Frandsen worked at her father’s real estate business for a number of years before taking a job at an occupational health clinic. Working at the clinic sparked her passion for medicine and fueled her knowledge of lab testing. Searching for warmer temperatures, Frandsen and her parents moved to Arizona, and Frandsen returned to real estate until the economy tanked in 2008. Knowing she was at a crossroads, Frandsen decided to give entrepreneurship a chance. “I always wanted to own my own business. There are high margins in lab testing, and I was familiar with the concept from my time working as a manager at the medical clinic,” Frandsen said.

New Location Fuels Sales, Cuts Costs

Despite recording high sales at the Scottsdale storefront, Frandsen decided to move the location of her business to lower her monthly rent bill. The old storefront was in a strip mall, anchored by a grocery store. The new location is in a quieter shopping plaza across the street, where it is easier for her customers to park, and rent is low. “Our new location saves approximately $2,500 in rent each month. It’s easier for our customers to find and easier to access. The first month at the new location, we had record sales,” Frandsen said.

The mother and daughter are ramping up their presence on social media to help boost sales. Consistent posting on Facebook and LinkedIn is helping generate results. Garrett said they recently started collecting email addresses from customers and plan to distribute an email newsletter to drive repeat business.

Sparkling Service Drives Repeat Business

 Excelling in customer service generates repeat business and high ratings from satisfied customers. Both of the pair’s units focus on customer satisfaction. They pride themselves on being knowledgeable about all of the tests they offer. They make sure to answer every phone call and provide customers with a clean, professional atmosphere. “Our customers want answers fast. Giving them the opportunity to come in and order their own lab work without a doctor’s prescription is a good thing,” Garrett said. “We treat our customers like family.”

Recently, a young mother came in for lab tests to help understand why her child was suffering from nausea, digestive issues and irritability. Frandsen and Garrett recommended a Food Sensitivity and Intolerance Test. To soothe the grouchy baby, the mother was feeding it comfort foods, like almond milk, blue Gatorade and French fries. Results from the test revealed the child was intolerant to almonds, blue dye and potatoes. The mother made changes to the child’s comfort foods and saw immediate improvements, Frandsen said.

Reliable Staff Fosters Work-Life Balance

 One perk of entrepreneurship Garrett did not anticipate was flexibility. Garrett has two children, ages 2 and 10. She is able to coordinate her schedule with her coworker to make sure they can attend school functions and cover sick days. Offering work-life balance is important for employee retention and training. Frandsen makes new staff wait nearly a month before they answer phones to ensure they are able to answer customer questions professionally. To limit turnover, Frandsen strives to keep her employees motivated and pay a competitive wage. “Our products and services are so vast, there’s a huge learning curve for a new employee,” Frandsen said. “Hiring long-term employees helps make our business successful.”

Learn more about finding a rewarding and flexible career in direct access lab testing. Visit Any Lab Test Now to find out more information today.

Allison Kapalka’s optimism, knowledge and perspective has allowed her Any Lab Test Now location in Lititz, Pennsylvania, to flourish in the heart of the Amish community.

While working as a franchise broker for Choice Biz Solutions, Kapalka made the decision to test out her entrepreneurial skills in 2008 and open an Any Lab Test Now unit in Lititz, Pennsylvania. “While I was working as an outside sales representative for Any Lab Test Now, I sold myself on the concept,” Kapalka said. “I love the retail lab-testing concept. I’ve had issues getting physicians to agree on tests I need. If I was having difficulty getting adequate healthcare, I knew other people must have similar problems.”

Amish Traditions and Values Boost Sales

Any Lab Test Now allows customers to take charge of their health, appealing to the numerous members of the Amish in the Lancaster County area. The Amish immigrated to Lancaster County in the early 1700s to escape persecution in Europe. The close-knit, conservative Christian religion focuses on family, work and humility, reflected in their plain clothes and prohibition of personal photography. Most Amish communities believe it is important to avoid influences from the modern world and are reluctant to adopt a variety of conveniences, including electricity and cars.

The Amish are particularly concerned about living a healthy lifestyle, including consuming less salt and eating primarily homegrown foods. Tobacco and alcohol consumption are low and most Amish community members practice natural healing methods, relying on medical doctors only when serious ailments arise. The Amish also lack health insurance, which makes the cost of visiting a doctor prohibitive.

“Members of the Amish community know it’s a lot less expensive to prevent an illness than to treat someone who is sick,” Kapalka said. “They employ a lot of treatment techniques outside of mainstream medicine, including chiropractors and naturopaths. It’s normal for the Amish to reserve pharmaceuticals for more serious situations, rather than just to treat a cold or diabetes.”

When Kapalka opened her doors in 2008, the Amish community represented 75 percent of her Any Lab Test Now location’s customers. High-deductible insurance is forcing more Americans to educate themselves on healthy lifestyle options and pick and choose the tests they receive to cut costs. Outside of general lab tests, the Lititz unit’s top tests are for Lyme disease, nutrient testing and allergy testing.

Most of Kapalka’s Amish clientele learn about her storefront via word of mouth. However, she has had articles from satisfied customers written about her business in a local newspaper published by the Amish community. “The newspaper is kind of like their version of Facebook. Members of the community can write articles telling people about helpful services.”

One of Kapalka’s customers from the Amish community turned to Any Lab Test Now to find answers to ongoing muscle aches, pain and memory issues. Neighbors referred him to Any Lab Test Now for its superior reputation, after his first test for Lyme disease came back negative. Kapalka ordered a new Lyme disease test for this customer and his results came back positive. She referred him to a local Lyme disease specialist where he received the help he needed.

Another customer from the Amish community came in complaining of hair loss. She wanted to get her zinc levels tested to see if this was the source of the problem. Kapalka’s team was able to educate her on Any Lab Test Now’s test offerings. She opted to take the Cellular Nutritional Health test, which measures your body’s ability to absorb 32 vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and other essential nutrients. Her results indicated she had 12 nutrient deficiencies and Kapalka recommended she visit a local doctor to receive care.

Employee Knowledge and Workplace Satisfaction Enables Sales Growth

One of the keys to the success of her Any Lab Test Now unit is her employees. Kapalka’s two-person staff is highly informed about the storefront’s inventory of tests. Her team can advise customers who are coming in for one specific test on other options that may be useful to add to their lineup. “Any Lab Test Now doesn’t give medical advice, but being knowledgeable about our inventory and being able to discuss test options with customers is a great tool for generating repeat business,” Kapalka said.

Kapalka credits treating her employees well with their long tenure at her location. One of her loyal staff is preparing to retire, and Kapalka is beginning the difficult search for a new team member. “The initial hiring pool was disappointing. There are a lot of young people who have a hard time being trainable,” Kapalka said.

Amish Lifestyle Helps Kapalka’s Family Succeed

When her daughter, Mia, was diagnosed with autism, Kapalka decided she needed to make some changes on the homefront. She made the decision to homeschool her daughter and implement a nutrient-dense diet to help her family conquer the diagnosis. Healthful living and natural remedies always sparked Kapalka’s interest. At one point she was a vegan and practiced bodybuilding with her husband, Jim Reiff. Her daughter’s diagnosis prompted Kapalka to conduct extensive research to find a diet that suited her family’s needs. The Amish farmers in Lancaster County made the family’s transition to a nutrient-dense, organic, diet easy. Relying on simple, all-natural foods from her Amish neighbors has helped improve her family’s health.

Bolstered by the impact nutrition had on the health of her family prompted Kapalka to pursue her passion by getting certified as a health coach, and she is working to become a licensed naturopath. “Seeing Mia’s health improve tremendously from dietary changes encouraged me and inspired me to pursue integrative health.”

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