When Doug Conquest, along with his wife Paola, arrived in the States from England, the couple was intrigued by the freedom and opportunity that existed in the U.S. medical system. Unlike the nationalized health care system in the U.K., they could see specialists if they wanted and get lab tests done without seeing a doctor first. Still, Doug’s first experience with health care in America wasn’t a good one. He went for a lab test and found himself in a run-down building, where the blood draw was painful, and the $400 bill that arrived later was a total shock.
“It was a terrible experience, and I refused to go back,” Doug said.
Then he discovered Any Lab Test Now — a direct access lab company. He walked into a clean and inviting office, had his blood drawn quickly and painlessly and paid his (reasonably-priced) bill before he left. Doug was so impressed with his experience he went home and started looking through the Any Lab Test Now website. Unsolicited, he sent in a request for more information about the franchise opportunity and immediately got a response; there were locations close to him available.
“It was opportunity-driven,” explains Doug of his road to franchise ownership. Although he had discovered the clinic by chance, the more he learned about the business model of the nation’s fastest-growing medical lab testing franchise, the more drawn he was to own one himself.
The Perfect Franchise Fit
Doug and his wife were looking for a high-growth business opportunity that wouldn’t require them to give up their day jobs as engineers in the Texas oil industry. He manages 65-thousand barrels of oil production a day and works long hours. The Conquests love their jobs but were also interested in building something of their own. They want the best of both worlds and saw owning a franchise as the best way to do that.
“We are busy and were looking for something with a proven track record and support systems in place that make it easier to start and offer a higher probability for success,” said Doug.
The small retail footprint, low start-up costs, minimal staffing and equipment needs, and support from every level of the home office — including marketing and training — make an Any Lab Test Now franchise a great fit for the Conquests’ lifestyle. The transparency and integrity of the business model that Doug had experienced firsthand as a customer cinched the deal.
“That gave us a lot of confidence to move forward,” said Doug. “Of all the franchise models we looked at — and there were quite a few — we didn’t see anything else that would be such a good fit.”
Doug and Paola built their first location, with the support of the home office, in February of 2017, south of Houston in Sugar Land. Then an opportunity to buy a second existing location in the Houston area presented itself four months later, and a third location four months after that. The Conquests are not ones to pass up an opportunity, and the franchise had proven itself to be a good fit. Becoming multi-unit owners was an easy decision.
The Conquests make it a priority to surround themselves with good people. They have hired a general manager, plus medical assistants, to run the day-to-day operations of all three locations and they meet for monthly business meetings to make sure goals and service standards are on track. This team approach allows Doug and Paola to focus on business development and continued growth of the franchise, while keeping their day jobs. Their plan is to ultimately own up to 10 Any Lab Test Now franchise locations.
Improving the American Health Care System
Now that these small-business owners have become accustomed to the access to medical services Americans enjoy, they are doing their part to make sure consumers know they have options when it comes to getting lab tests done, and that their Any Lab Test Now clinics provide the best option. The feedback they get from clients confirms they are offering a best-in-class patient experience for a direct lab testing service (including thousands of clinical, DNA and toxicology tests) that is needed and appreciated.
“I chat with customers and they are so grateful. I was surprised at how good that makes me feel,” Doug admits. “I think we make the American health care system better because we put more control into patients’ hands.”
That feeling of achievement provides an unexpected return on investment — and more opportunity.
When health-related issues arise, it is important to communicate how our retail lab testing services may be a part of a solution. In turn, it fulfills our purpose of helping people know there are potential answers that they have access to on their own. Consumer empowerment is many times key to financial, emotional and physical health; therefore, sharing our expertise is an important part of that process