Deborah De Santos never imagined running a home care business. She spent years in human resources before her husband — a CPA — introduced her to the idea. "My husband came to me and said 'Hey, do you want to keep working for ADP or do you want to do something for yourself? I have a client who might be interested in selling their business,'" De Santos said. "At that point, I knew nothing about the home care business."
That leap of faith changed everything. In January 2022, she and her husband bought their first Comfort Keepers® location in El Paso, Texas. Within months, she was not only learning the ropes of franchising but also discovering a new sense of purpose.
With an aging population, increasing demand for in-home support, and a trusted brand like Comfort Keepers offering proven systems and national recognition, franchise owners like De Santos are well-positioned to build rewarding, scalable businesses that meet a critical need in their communities.
Before long, a new opportunity appeared — one that would take De Santos far from Texas. Through Comfort Keepers’ corporate resale program, she came across a company-owned territory in Centereach, New York. “I wanted to do something different, and I love New York,” De Santos said. “My son works with us and was also completing a degree in New York. It just seemed like an interesting fit.”
She submitted a bid for the territory and won. Her son began managing the New York office while finishing his degree at Columbia University, allowing the family to establish a second base for their growing business.
Even with success in New York, Texas was never far from De Santos’s mind. When she began looking for new ways to grow, once again, family played a role in what came next.
“I invested in Round Rock for continued growth while leveraging our Texas license and to remain close to family who can offer support when needed,” De Santos said. That idea turned into action and, before long, the family opened a new Comfort Keepers location in Round Rock, expanding their Texas footprint and creating another base for growth.
Family has been part of the business from the beginning. What started as a single purchase in El Paso has grown into a multistate operation run by relatives who share the same vision. De Santos’s son runs operations in New York, her brother supports Round Rock, and her stepsons are already thinking about where to grow next.
“My older stepson dropped by [the office] to say hi, and he loved the whole setup and what it looked like,” De Santos said. “So then he started looking for locations in D.C. and in the Maryland area.”
For De Santos, the business has become more than a career — it’s a shared family mission that bridges generations and geography.
Leaving her corporate career wasn’t about chasing numbers or building an empire. “It was always about doing something that was purposeful,” De Santos said. “The ability to give back, to do something with purpose and to impact people’s lives positively.”
That mindset guides how she leads her team. Drawing on her HR background, De Santos focuses on creating a supportive culture for caregivers — one where compassion, communication and trust are core values.
Running multiple Comfort Keepers locations has taught De Santos that growth comes from leaning on every resource and never losing sight of why the work matters. She urges other owners to tap into the brand’s systems and community of support, knowing that success is never a solo effort.
“I always say go for it,” De Santos said. “But go for it in a very strategic way, and leverage all of the support that you have within Comfort Keepers, because there is someone who will walk you through the numbers, the systems and the processes.”
With her family by her side and new opportunities always on the horizon, De Santos is proving that franchising with purpose not only builds strong businesses — it changes lives.
To find out more information on costs to buy this franchise, please visit https://1851franchise.com/comfort-keepers.
Comfort Keepers
SPONSORED
With successful locations in El Paso, Texas, and Centereach, New York, Deborah De Santos is bringing her passion for care - and the Comfort Keepers brand - to Round Rock, Texas.
Deborah De Santos never imagined running a home care business. She spent years in human resources before her husband — a CPA — introduced her to the idea. "My husband came to me and said 'Hey, do you want to keep working for ADP or do you want to do something for yourself? I have a client who might be interested in selling their business,'" De Santos said. "At that point, I knew nothing about the home care business."
That leap of faith changed everything. In January 2022, she and her husband bought their first Comfort Keepers® location in El Paso, Texas. Within months, she was not only learning the ropes of franchising but also discovering a new sense of purpose.
With an aging population, increasing demand for in-home support, and a trusted brand like Comfort Keepers offering proven systems and national recognition, franchise owners like De Santos are well-positioned to build rewarding, scalable businesses that meet a critical need in their communities.
Before long, a new opportunity appeared — one that would take De Santos far from Texas. Through Comfort Keepers’ corporate resale program, she came across a company-owned territory in Centereach, New York. “I wanted to do something different, and I love New York,” De Santos said. “My son works with us and was also completing a degree in New York. It just seemed like an interesting fit.”
She submitted a bid for the territory and won. Her son began managing the New York office while finishing his degree at Columbia University, allowing the family to establish a second base for their growing business.
Even with success in New York, Texas was never far from De Santos’s mind. When she began looking for new ways to grow, once again, family played a role in what came next.
“I invested in Round Rock for continued growth while leveraging our Texas license and to remain close to family who can offer support when needed,” De Santos said. That idea turned into action and, before long, the family opened a new Comfort Keepers location in Round Rock, expanding their Texas footprint and creating another base for growth.
Family has been part of the business from the beginning. What started as a single purchase in El Paso has grown into a multistate operation run by relatives who share the same vision. De Santos’s son runs operations in New York, her brother supports Round Rock, and her stepsons are already thinking about where to grow next.
“My older stepson dropped by [the office] to say hi, and he loved the whole setup and what it looked like,” De Santos said. “So then he started looking for locations in D.C. and in the Maryland area.”
For De Santos, the business has become more than a career — it’s a shared family mission that bridges generations and geography.
Leaving her corporate career wasn’t about chasing numbers or building an empire. “It was always about doing something that was purposeful,” De Santos said. “The ability to give back, to do something with purpose and to impact people’s lives positively.”
That mindset guides how she leads her team. Drawing on her HR background, De Santos focuses on creating a supportive culture for caregivers — one where compassion, communication and trust are core values.
Running multiple Comfort Keepers locations has taught De Santos that growth comes from leaning on every resource and never losing sight of why the work matters. She urges other owners to tap into the brand’s systems and community of support, knowing that success is never a solo effort.
“I always say go for it,” De Santos said. “But go for it in a very strategic way, and leverage all of the support that you have within Comfort Keepers, because there is someone who will walk you through the numbers, the systems and the processes.”
With her family by her side and new opportunities always on the horizon, De Santos is proving that franchising with purpose not only builds strong businesses — it changes lives.
To find out more information on costs to buy this franchise, please visit https://1851franchise.com/comfort-keepers.
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