The Ballot Box or the Toolbox? Craig Lutz Puts the ‘Service’ in TruBlue Home Service Ally

Can you run a home service business if you can't fix a leaky faucet? Craig Lutz openly admits he’s not the handiest guy — his wife might even call him “the least handy person she’s ever met.” However, what he lacks in technical know-how, he makes up for in the kind of steady leadership that has defined every chapter of his life. 

Raised as a military brat, Lutz bounced around a lot before honoring the family tradition to enlist. He served in the Air Force during the Gulf War era, providing the foundation for him to earn two business degrees and forge a career in the private sector. Despite undeniable career success, he felt called to serve his community more directly through local government. In his decade of local politics, including four years as a Hall County Commissioner, Lutz has done far more than hold office; he’s actively built support systems for veterans in need.

Now, he is channeling that drive into TruBlue Home Service Ally, creating a legacy for his family while helping seniors remain independent in their own homes. Lutz opened his location in late 2025 and is already serving Georgia’s Hall, Gwinnett, Barrow and Jackson counties. He proves that successful franchising isn't all about the technical; it’s about identifying a need, building a strong team and executing a vision.

Lutz took the time to chat with 1851 Franchise to discuss all of this and more. Here’s what he had to say:

1851 Franchise: Frame your personal story for us. What do you want us to know?

Craig Lutz: I always say I grew up a military brat, meaning we moved around a lot. I actually went to nine schools in twelve years. The fortunate aspect was that the last high school I went to is where I met my wife, and we have been married for over 36 years. We’ve got two daughters; one is a Navy veteran, and the other is a graduate from Georgia Tech. More personally, I served in the Air Force during the first Gulf War period. Then, after getting business degrees from Mercer and Kennesaw State, I went into private practice. 

I had an opportunity to serve the community through politics as well. I’ve always enjoyed serving the community in some tangible way, either through the military, politics, or most recently, through veteran service organizations. I saw a lot of situations where people were coming back from war, and they didn’t have the services they needed; some of them were getting into trouble with the law. We worked really hard here in Hall County to develop a court system specifically for veterans. Of all the things I was able to do in local politics, that was the thing I’m most proud of.

1851: What did you do before franchising, and how did you decide franchising made sense for you?

Lutz: I’ve worked a lot of different management roles in my time—from being a manager for a large telecommunications provider to several distribution companies. I got to the point in my career where I wanted to do something where I could bring my family along. The business model that we’re running here is family-run; my youngest daughter is currently acting as my office manager, and her fiancé is my field manager. I looked at a bunch of franchising roles, but this one had a great niche that I didn’t see with a lot of others—aging in place. I felt like this lens made the franchise opportunity worthwhile, not only financially, but personally gratifying as well. 

1851: What was your perception of franchising prior to becoming a franchisee, and what do you want people to know about franchising now that you are in it?

Lutz: One of the perceptions I had was, ‘Why would I want to pay somebody to work for them?’ The second thing was, ‘Why would I pay you for something I could probably do myself?’ I had to sit down and think about where I could add value within the structure. After starting this franchise, I don’t think I could have gotten this thing off the ground nearly as fast as I did without the support. Our franchisor does a great job of not necessarily holding your hand, but putting all the checkmarks in front of you so you can plan everything out. I found that it makes sense to follow a franchise model when the model has been laid out for you. I don't mind paying a franchise fee when I can see the impact of the services I’m receiving back.

1851: What made you pick this brand? What excites you most about this company?

Lutz: I was approached by a franchise consultant out of the blue, and whatever he said intrigued me enough to take another call. In talking to my friends and family about the different options, almost all of them perked up when I brought up TruBlue. On our neighborhood sites or Facebook, somebody is always asking around for somebody who can lend a hand or help out—whether it's hanging up a picture or putting up a simple TV mount. A lot of people have a real need for that. So that’s kind of what got us involved with it. I thought, ‘I've got some pretty handy people around my family and friends, and we could certainly put together a business that we think can go out and help the community.

1851: What do you hope to achieve with your business? What are your plans for growth? 

Lutz: First of all, I want to set up a business that can be generational. I’m really looking forward to making the business successful and then handing it off to my kids—in this particular case, one child and her fiancé. As far as growth goes, I believe that the growth needs to be somewhat realistic. If you were to buy up territory and grow your area, then your service is going to diminish based on your resources. Could I go buy another franchise with the franchisor? Absolutely—and it’s probably the smarter way to grow. If I were to pull everything into this franchise, eventually you spend more time driving to locations than you do actually helping people. My intent is to have our guys spend more of their time in customer contact than behind the wheel driving in Atlanta traffic.

1851: What advice do you have for other people thinking about becoming franchise owners?

Lutz: Don’t be afraid of getting into something that you don’t necessarily know. Get excited about the things that you believe will have a personal impact. If you were to have asked my wife a few years ago about me owning a handyman franchise, she would have said I was the least handy person that she’d ever met! A man has to know his limitations, so you’re not going to find me out swinging hammers and climbing ladders. But what I can do is identify great opportunities to engage with the public, put together big teams, and develop them. The fear of not knowing has to be put behind you. You really just need to get excited about what you can do to enhance your own happiness or self-gratification and then move forward from there.

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, home maintenance and senior modification services. Helping you maintain your home both inside and out, TruBlue’s services include handyman projects and to-do list chores, preventative home maintenance programs, kitchen and bath remodels, seasonal work, and senior modification services, all handled by professional, bonded and insured Tru-Pro® Technicians. TruBlue franchise owners are required to complete senior home safety certification programs through the NAHB and Age Safe America. As certified specialists, TruBlue franchisees are able to perform aging in place home safety assessments and can make recommended safety modifications as needed.

All locations are independently owned and operated. Service offerings, certifications, and licenses vary by location.