As a franchise focusing not only traditional handyman services, but also home maintenance and senior modification services both in and outside the home, TruBlue offers entrepreneurs a rare opportunity to capitalize on the in-demand senior industry.
TAMPA, Fla., July 6, 2023 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- TruBlue Home Service Ally, the franchise that provides handyman, home maintenance and senior modification services for busy adults and seniors, has announced the opening of a new location in North Tampa. With an understanding that aging in place starts in the home, TruBlue is emerging as a leader in the booming handyman and senior home modification services industries. Entrepreneurs are increasingly recognizing the strength of the brand's innovative business model, low startup costs and simplified operations.
One of those entrepreneurs is Stephen Schester — the franchise owner and local resident behind this upcoming TruBlue location in Florida.
After losing his 67-year-old mother in 2020, Stephen Schester, an Air Force veteran of 23 years, realized that life was too short and he needed to make a change. So, he decided to retire from the Air Force, hoping to start a new chapter in his life. He was soon faced with terrible news: now it was his grandmother who was diagnosed with cancer and terminally ill, ten months after the date of the passing of his mother, from the exact same illness. Schester went back to his hometown in Michigan to help his family take care of her. When she passed away shortly after, he had lost the two most important people who raised him, less than a year apart. Schester wondered about his next step. He moved to Tampa and applied for jobs, and although he was qualified, he wasn't finding the right fit. At that point, Schester came to the realization that he truly wanted to start his own business.
"I had always been told what to do in the Air Force, and now, I realized, I wanted to be my own boss," said Schester. "I had doubts and wasn't sure if I could do it. I had been researching different business opportunities when I came across TruBlue. I reached out to the original owner of a location here in North Tampa, who was ready to sell because she didn't have enough time on her hands to run the business. I didn't know anything about handyman work and was never interested in doing it either. I preferred to pay people who were experts."
Now, Schester is turning to his personal experience with his family loss and his curiosity of one day being a business owner to take over previous ownership of TruBlue Total House Care in North Tampa, helping residents in the community who needed a hand around the house.
"We couldn't be more excited to bring TruBlue to North Tampa, and we couldn't have found a better partner to help us do it than Stephen," said TruBlue President Sean Fitzgerald. "As a country, we are experiencing a major shift in the senior demographic market. . However, almost no one is looking after this growing segment and offering home assessment, modifications and maintenance programs for seniors, despite staggering demand. We're virtually alone in this segment, and we've seen tremendous growth as a result."
An April 2022 report by the University of Michigan Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation found that 88% of adults aged 50–80 "felt it is important to remain in their homes for as long as possible." TruBlue offers support both inside and outside of the home to help those seniors stay in their home longer. From adding grab bars and replacing door handles, to renovating tubs for easy access, the list of possible senior home modifications for safety and ease of use is vast.
Along with its focus on senior safety, TruBlue is one of the first franchises to offer subscription- based home maintenance packages. Just like it's important to maintain your car, it is equally as important to maintain your home, typically a customer's most valuable asset. For busy adults and seniors, it can be hard to keep up with the demands of their homes. With various customizable, subscription-based services, customers can select a TruBlue home maintenance service package that fits the specific needs of their home and family, so they can enjoy hassle-free living.
One of the most popular TruBlue offerings is their Home Ally VIP subscription service, which ensures each customer receives time with a TruBlue handyman each month to account for home maintenance services such as changing filters, shutting down hose lines and to-do list items such as putting patio furniture in storage, changing batteries and lightbulbs, patching a hole in the wall or fixing a leaky faucet. TruBlue's mission is to keep seniors off of ladders and away from doing maintenance items that could cause them harm.
For the low startup costs ranging from $65,000 to $91,000, TruBlue franchise owners can leverage a streamlined operational model to provide three in-demand services — traditional handyman services, new home maintenance and VIP service packages, and essential aging-in-place home assessments and senior modification services — to their community. This also makes the business a popular add-on concept for complimentary franchise owners and entrepreneurs who are already operating in the home services or senior services space.
Now, as awareness around aging in place continues to increase and TruBlue makes waves in the industry, Fitzgerald says the team is excited to continue welcoming new franchise owners like Schester into their system.
"The senior population is increasingly in need of our trustworthy, bonded and insured technicians performing home services, which is why TruBlue has been expanding rapidly over the past few years," said Fitzgerald. "Now, we intend to keep that momentum going as we make major gains toward our goal of over 200 units by 2025. We are looking for qualified, passionate and community-driven professionals to help us expand our footprint and establish ourselves as the leading provider of home modification and maintenance services for busy adults and seniors."
About TruBlue Home Service Ally:
TruBlue Home Service Ally® provides a unique and affordable approach to helping busy adults and seniors live a worry-free life by offering trustworthy handyman and home maintenance services. Helping you maintain your home both inside and out, TruBlue's services include: handyman projects and to-do list chores, preventative home maintenance, seasonal work, and senior modification services, all handled by a professional, bonded and insured TruBlue Home Service Allyo Technician. TruBlue franchise owners are required to complete the Certified Aging In Place program through CAPS and the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB). As certified specialists, TruBlue franchisees are able to perform Certified Aging in Place Home Safety Assessments and can make recommended safety modifications as needed.
Media Contact
Jasmine Lee, Mainland, 312-526-3996, [email protected]
SOURCE TruBlue Home Service Ally
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