Questions to ask a home care startup consultant
By Scott McKenzie, founder of Home Care Agency Blueprint · Updated
The best questions force specifics: who does the work, what you receive in writing, what it costs in total, and what happens if you stop. Here are twelve, grouped by topic, with why each matters and what a clear answer sounds like. Ask them of every consultant, including us.
Experience and who does the work
Start with the person, not the package. You want to know whether the consultant has run an agency, who will actually do your work, and whether they can talk honestly about how new agencies struggle. These three questions reveal judgment faster than any brochure.
1Have you personally owned or run a home care agency, and for how long?
Why it matters: Experience shapes judgment about staffing, cash flow and compliance.
A clear answer sounds like: Years, the kind of agency, and an honest account of something that went wrong.
11Who will actually do the work: you, or someone else?
Why it matters: Sometimes the senior person sells and someone else delivers.
A clear answer sounds like: The name and experience of the person who will do your work.
9What are the most common reasons you have seen new agencies struggle?
Why it matters: A candid consultant can name real risks, not just success stories.
A clear answer sounds like: Specific problems they have seen, and what they would watch for in your case.
Scope, ownership and support
Next, pin down what you are buying. A consultant who is confident in their work can list every deliverable, tell you who owns it afterward, and describe what help continues once you open. Vague answers here are where most disputes start.
2What exactly will I receive, and what is not included?
Why it matters: Vague scope is where disputes start.
A clear answer sounds like: A written list of deliverables, plus a written list of exclusions.
7Who owns the policies, forms, and templates you create for me?
Why it matters: You should be able to keep and edit what you paid for.
A clear answer sounds like: “You do,” written into the contract.
8What support continues after launch, and does it cost extra?
Why it matters: Opening is not the end of the questions.
A clear answer sounds like: How long support lasts, in what format, and whether it costs extra.
Fees, exit terms and conflicts
Then make the money visible. Ask for one total, the payment schedule, what could add to it, what happens if you stop early, and whether the consultant earns anything from vendors they recommend. Each answer should be easy to put in writing.
3What is the total fee, when is it due, and what could add to it?
Why it matters: Surprise costs are expensive when cash is tight.
A clear answer sounds like: One total, a payment schedule, and the specific situations that would add cost.
6What happens if I want to stop partway through?
Why it matters: Plans change, and you need a way out.
A clear answer sounds like: Notice period, refund terms, and what you keep if you leave.
10Do you earn money from any vendor, insurer, or software you recommend?
Why it matters: Referral fees are common in many industries, and they shape advice.
A clear answer sounds like: A plain yes or no, with any arrangement disclosed before you decide.
Checking claims yourself
Finally, test whether the consultant helps you stand on your own feet. A fair consultant sends you to official sources, connects you with past clients, and is honest about which parts of the work you could do without paying anyone.
4Where can I confirm my state’s requirements myself?
Why it matters: Requirements come from your state agency, and they change.
A clear answer sounds like: A link to the agency’s own page or document, not “trust me.”
5Can I speak with former clients, including one who did not open?
Why it matters: Former clients show what the work is really like.
A clear answer sounds like: A name and a way to reach them, not only testimonials.
12What could I do myself with free official sources, and what is worth paying for?
Why it matters: A fair consultant helps you see what you can handle yourself.
A clear answer sounds like: A specific split between tasks you could do and tasks worth paying for.
Put these on the printable interview checklist and record answers as you go. Ask for the important ones in writing afterward.
What to do next
Frequently asked questions
How many questions should I ask?
Ask them all if you can. If time is short, start with scope, total fee, exit terms, and who does the work.
What if a consultant will not answer?
Note it. Declining to answer in writing is itself information, and the scorecard lets you rate it.
Want to talk with an advisor?
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