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.”

Learn more about a business model that encourages customers to take charge of their health. Visit Any Lab Test Now for more information today.

Kelli Hammack’s hard work, dedication and persistence has enabled her Any Lab Test Now location in Lubbock, Texas, to reshape healthcare in the college town and generate record-breaking sales.

Hammack started her career at Any Lab Test Now, one of the fastest growing healthcare franchises in the nation, as Manager in 2011.  Initially, she worked as the store’s sole employee Monday thru Saturday.  Although the long hours and heavy workload took a toll on Hammack, she jumped at the chance to buy the franchise when the unit’s owner opted to sell in 2015. “I loved my work at Any Lab Test Now, even though I was there from the time the store opened to when it closed every day. I thrive on that kind of work — that’s just how I roll,” Hammack said. “Owning my own store was terrifying, but I love dealing with people and helping people, so I went for it.”

Successful Marketing Drives Business

Working as a manager at the Lubbock location for four years gave her the skills and expertise to keep the business afloat, but Hammack is not a person to accept the status quo. She wanted her store to maintain its existing clientele and generate new business. “To grow my customer base, I hit the pavement,” Hammack said.

Unhappy with television advertising, Hammack implemented a marketing campaign with sweet treats as the star. She took small bags of candy with her card attached to area businesses. She visited doctor’s offices, car dealerships, lawyers and local restaurants, among other places. Shortly after hitting the pavement, Hammack’s business tripled. “My marketing approach offers no stress, no pressure. I’m not the type of person who gets in people’s faces,” Hammack said. “If you want to sit in the office and let people come to you, that’s fine, but if you want to make a successful business, you have to put yourself out there.”

Contrary to popular belief, it is common for doctor’s offices, when they learn about Hammack’s business, to send cash-pay patients to Any Lab Test Now for blood work. “You’d be surprised how many doctors will send cash-pay patients. If a doctor cares about their cash-pay patients, they tell them about our services because their regular labs can’t offer tests at our low prices.”

Hammack also took advantage of the unit’s location in a college town. She was able to make a key contact in Texas Tech University’s athletic department, resulting in the school sending all of its athletes to her location for required sports medical tests, like sickle-cell anemia. College students respond to Any Lab Test Now’s business model because it offers easy, no appointment required testing without a doctor’s prescription. “STD testing is an essential offering in any college town,” Hammack said. “College students value privacy and affordable pricing. If necessary, they can take their results to a doctor.”

Hiring Strategy Ensures Employee Satisfaction

 Working from open to close was in Hammack’s wheelhouse, but she knew she would be unable to open future locations if she didn’t find a workable hiring solution. To find reliable employees, Hammack relies on an internship strategy started by the former owner of her location. Hammack’s storefront offers five-week internships to local students who attend Vista College. Rules for the interns are strict, and they require supervision. But, when each student’s five-week tenure ends, Hammack can be certain she’s offering a capable and reliable person a job. “I don’t hire from the street. I train the interns myself for five weeks. If I like them, I’ll hire them on the spot when their internship ends,” Hammack said.

Growth Mindset Fuels Success

 Having a reliable hiring strategy allowed Hammack and her co-owner and husband, Scott Hammack, to aim for expansion. Recognizing the value of a location in a college town, the pair made the decision to add a new location in the home of Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas. Their College Station unit is slated to open in March 2020. Hammack and her husband also purchased the Kingwood, Texas, territory for expansion. Hammack’s reliable staff enabled the pair to relocate to 11 acres in Buna, Texas. “I’m nine hours from Lubbock, three hours from College Station and three hours from Kingwood,” Hammack said. “Having confidence in my staff has allowed me to live on the farm I never knew I wanted.”

Family Fuels Growth

Having help from her husband propelled Hammack’s daughter to join the Any Lab Test Now staff. Hammack’s daughter, Amber Lawson, is currently training at the Lubbock store and will work full time at the new College Station unit when it opens. To give her daughter the opportunity to build a solid career at Any Lab Test Now required Hammack to take over full-time care of her two grandchildren, ages 5 and 7. Many grandmothers might balk at the responsibility, but Hammack thrives in the busy atmosphere. “I’m the busiest I’ve ever been my entire life,” Hammack said. “I’m taking care of my grandchildren and my husband while managing the business. But I can work from home and I love it.”

Combining Franchising and Farming to Maintain Balance

Hammack lives on her farm in Buna with her husband and granddaughters. When she is not making calls to manage her Any Lab Test Now business, Hammack is outside running her farm. The busy family’s farm boasts 26 chickens, 14 rabbits, three dogs and an impressive garden. “We garden and tinker and love it,” Hammack said. “I’m originally from New York and when my husband moved me down here, I didn’t think it was for me. But I love it.”

Learn more about finding a unique business model that promotes innovation. Visit Any Lab Test Now to find out more information today.

Tom and Carrie Powers – Tulsa, Oklahoma

Customer service has always been Carrie Powers’ calling card. In fact, it was the handwritten thank you notes she sent as manager of a Coach retail store that resulted in a customer becoming her husband! Now going on 20 years of marriage, Carrie and Tom are setting the standard for Any Lab Test Now franchisees by serving as a training site to help others achieve the success they have in just two short years as franchise owners.  

“We get busier every day; our numbers are really good. We give really good customer service and a great experience,” says Carrie, who takes special pride in their growing bank of 5-star reviews (178 and counting).

But she admits that, initially, Tom had to convince her to jump on board. After a long career in medical sales for large corporations, Tom was ready to trade in mergers, acquisitions, and weekly business trips for nightly dinners with his wife and three kids and a business to call his own. From the beginning, he knew he wanted a lab business because he saw the need in the healthcare industry. But Carrie was an HGTV girl and was more interested in house flipping. That is, until she took the time to learn more about what Any Lab Test Now provides and the way insurance works. The clincher was when they visited a store in Dallas and saw firsthand what the day-to-day looked like.

“I thought, ‘Oh, we can totally do this. And we can do it really well and make it a great customer experience.’ I’m in,” she declared. And now their Tulsa store is a training site for other franchisees.

In addition to creating a great atmosphere with furniture, color, and signage, Carrie handles operations and focuses on what she does best — provide great customer service, and Tom focuses on what he does best — sales and marketing. Together, they work to offer a welcoming, non-judgmental experience for their clients, even if it means coming in after hours.

Now the Powers, named Tennis Family of the Year for Oklahoma by the US Tennis Association, have more time to play tennis together.

Best Advice: Stay in your lane. Pick your battles. Give each other time to do your own thing so you don’t get resentful. You both need time for yourself.

Mark and Julie Frost – Springfield, Missouri   

Their hometown of Springfield, Missouri, may not be big (pop. 167,376) but that hasn’t stopped Mark and Julie Frost from building one of the Top 5 performing stores in the Any Lab Test Now family. When you treat people like family, you can count on 70 percent of your customers being repeat business.

When the Frost’s cashed out a 401K more than 10 years ago to invest as the 10th franchisee of Any Lab Test Now, some might have called it risky. But after 30 years traveling all 50 states as part of the pharmaceutical industry, Mark had grown weary of corporate America, had plenty of contacts with hospitals and doctors, and could see the appeal for direct access lab tests, exclaiming to Julie, “We have to do this!”

In the last 10 years, the market has created an even greater demand for direct access lab services, and the Frosts haven’t looked back. Three years ago, Julie left her teaching job to run the front desk while Mark works in the back, often seeing 50–60 customers a day. They have chosen to run the store completely on their own, although all four of their children have spent time helping, making it a true family business.

The Frost’s run a tight ship, right down to Mark being able to rattle off their overhead price per minute daily ($1.18). But that goal-oriented nature keeps them on track for success with an eye toward the future when they plan to enjoy more time off.

“The most rewarding thing is to see how far we have come in building this, that we can compete in sales with stores in big cities, and that we are considered family by our customers,” said Mark. “Success is our mindset.”

Best Advice: Set daily goals together. Look for the good and find a way to keep it fun. Whatever you choose in life, it has to be fun or it’s not worth doing.

All of our power couples agree one of the best things about owning an Any Lab Test Now with their spouse, is that together they are doing important work that is making a real difference in their customers’ lives.

As Posted on PR Web January 14, 2020

For the fifth consecutive year, ANY LAB TEST NOW® has landed a spot on Entrepreneur magazine’s Franchise 500® list, one of the world’s most admired business rankings. ANY LAB TEST NOW is ranked #465 on this year’s new distinguished list. Recognized by entrepreneurs and franchisors as a top competitive tool of measurement, the Franchise 500 ranking recognizes ANY LAB TEST NOW for its exceptional performance in areas including financial strength and stability as well as growth rate and brand power. 

“Five consecutive years on Entrepreneur’s Franchise 500 is an outstanding achievement, and we are very excited to celebrate this milestone,” says Clarissa Bradstock, CEO of ANY LAB TEST NOW. “Our brand’s consistent success is the result of our hard-working franchisees who provide thousands of standard lab tests to consumers and businesses around the nation,” Bradstock adds.

ANY LAB TEST NOW currently has 181 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 to entrepreneurs because it is a well-organized system with a proven success rate,” says Terri McCulloch, Vice President of Business Development of ANY LAB TEST NOW. “Investors find our model extremely appealing for a wealth of reasons including low startup costs and the long-term strategies mapped out to maintain a profitable growing business,” 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 is so important today given healthcare trends like higher out-of-pocket expenses associated with high-deductible insurance.”

Over the last 41 years, the Franchise 500 has become both a dominant competitive measure for franchisors and a primary research tool for potential franchisees. ANY LAB TEST NOW’s position on the ranking is a testament to its strength as a franchise opportunity.

ANY LAB TEST NOW® is a franchise with purpose.  Our business model began in 1992, paving the way for today’s growing trend of healthcare consumerism. Any Lab Test Now is the first retail lab testing provider.  Consumers and businesses know us for our affordable lab tests; price transparency; front-to-back experience; and diversity of lab testing options.  Our franchise system continues to grow across the U.S. as out-of-pocket medical costs continue to rise and individuals want to take control of their health.

Clarissa Bradstock, CEO, and Terri McCulloch, Vice President Business Development, were recently interviewed by Eric Stites with Franchise Business Review on  their “Franchise Viewpoints” podcast, available below.

For the fourth consecutive year, ANY LAB TEST NOW®  has earned a spot on Entrepreneur magazine’s Franchise 500® list, one of the world’s most admired business rankings. This year, ANY LAB TEST NOW is ranked #423 on 2019’s distinguished list. Recognized by entrepreneurs and franchisors as a top competitive tool of measurement, the Franchise 500 ranking recognizes ANY LAB TEST NOW for its exceptional performance in areas including financial strength and stability as well as growth rate and brand power.

“We are thrilled to have secured another spot on Entrepreneur magazine’s annual Franchise 500 list,” says Clarissa Bradstock, CEO of ANY LAB TEST NOW. “Our continued recognition is rooted in the quality of our brand and the passion of our hard-working franchisees who provide thousands of standard lab tests to consumers and businesses across the country,” Bradstock adds.

ANY LAB TEST NOW currently has 171 locations nationwide, and the direct access lab testing company is a consistent leader in the retail health care industry. “The ANY LAB TEST NOW business model is a proven winner for entrepreneurs who are seeking a structured system with a solid success rate,” says Terri McCulloch, Vice President of Business Development of ANY LAB TEST NOW. “Our model is attractive to many investors because it requires low start-up costs and offers multiple, diverse sales opportunities, from direct to consumer. to businesses and even government entities.  We have been empowering consumers for years, which is even more important today given healthcare trends and higher out-of-pocket expenses associated with high-deductible insurance.” says McCulloch.

Over its 40-year existence, the Franchise 500 has become both a dominant competitive measure for franchisors and a primary research tool for potential franchisees. ANY LAB TEST NOW’s position on the ranking is a testament to its strength as a franchise opportunity.