Former CTO Provides Baby Boomers with Meaningful Relationships in their Older Age; Opens Seniors Helping Seniors® Franchise

Cameron Schipul spent three decades leading technology teams and shaping the future at top financial institutions like National General and SWBC. But after the challenges brought by COVID-19 and a personal journey seeking care for his aging mother, Schipul discovered a new calling: senior care. Inspired by his family's experience and driven by a passion to make a difference, he chose to invest in Seniors Helping Seniors®, the leading in-home care provider that matches seniors who need help with seniors who want to help. 

Now, Schipul is dedicated to providing high-quality, empathetic care to seniors in his community, helping them stay in their homes longer while offering meaningful work opportunities for retirees. With a focus on growth and expanding services, Schipul is determined to build a business that reflects the care he wishes he could have provided for his own mother.

“Baby Boomers are retiring, and this is a generation that was very active in their careers and communities — they heard Martin Luther King, Jr. talk, they went to Woodstock. They don’t want to just sit in a Lazy-Boy and retire — they want to make a difference,” said Schipul. “Being a caregiver allows them to have a one-on-one impact on people’s lives and feel valued. Seniors Helping Seniors® ensures that both the giver and the receiver benefit. That’s what made this franchise stand out. The way care is given is a big differentiator. Half the battle of running a business is finding employees who are passionate about what they do, and Seniors Helping Seniors® provides a way to make that a reality." 

1851 Franchise spoke with Schipul to learn more about his background, his journey to franchising with Seniors Helping Seniors® and his plans for the future. 

1851 Franchise: Frame your personal story for us. What did you do before franchising, and how did you decide franchising made sense for you?

Cameron Schipul: I spent 30 years in the insurance and financial institution space, working with National General, Southwest Bank, and leading technology teams in roles like VP, SVP and CTO. After COVID, the lack of travel led us to move to Arizona. I was traveling every week and missing time with my family. After a layoff, we started exploring business ownership and different franchises offering in-home services for seniors. When we were looking for care for my mom, my heart opened up to senior care and its challenges. As dementia set in, we wanted her to stay home as long as possible, but we faced challenges with her retirement facility. Seniors Helping Seniors® stood out because it ensures caregivers have empathy for aging, offering trust and low turnover rates.

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?

Schipul: I was comfortable with the customer service aspect, and I knew I could start my own company and lead teams. But starting your business can have a high failure rate. I’ve never run payroll, managed back-office tasks, etc. The benefit of a franchise is the proven model and the back-office support to set things up. You have a lot of support and guidance, allowing us to focus on growing the business and leveraging the experience of other organizations. From onboarding and staffing to marketing and operations, we have support and a blueprint to follow. Once we decided to open our business, we knew franchising was the way to go.

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

Schipul: Baby Boomers are retiring, and this is a generation that was very active in their careers and communities — they heard Martin Luther King, Jr. talk, they went to Woodstock. They don’t want to just sit in a Lazy-Boy and retire — they want to make a difference. Being a caregiver allows them to have a one-on-one impact on people’s lives and feel valued. Seniors Helping Seniors® ensures that both the giver and the receiver benefit. That’s what made this franchise stand out. The way care is given is a big differentiator. Half the battle of running a business is finding employees who are passionate about what they do, and Seniors Helping Seniors® makes that easy.

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

Schipul: Our goal right now is to focus on this area and expand over the next year into other communities within our territory. There is a huge percentage of retirees in our area, especially with the snowbird population that comes down here for five or six months of winter.

1851: What is the one thing about your story you want us to know?

Schipul: My sisters and I felt great guilt not being able to be there enough for our mom when she was struggling because we had our own families to raise. Many places we called were filled with empty promises. We wanted to build an organization that we would trust to care for our own mother. I’m passionate about this business because I know how hard it is not to be there at all times. My mom wasn’t receptive to people coming into her home, so having a connection with someone in the same age group is huge. We want to ensure no one has to go through what we did and help parents stay in their homes as long as possible.

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

Schipul: Do your homework and research the brand thoroughly. We worked with The Entrepreneur’s Source and attended Discovery Day. Doing something you’re passionate about with an organization that will stand beside you is important. Ensure the leadership is passionate about the franchise as well. When you tie yourself to a franchise, the success goes both ways. Also, you don’t need to find a business you’re already experienced in; it’s more important to be passionate about it. Another piece of advice: do a one-year budget. You don’t want to get desperate for funds.

For more information, visit: https://1851franchise.com/seniorshelpingseniors/.

ABOUT SENIORS HELPING SENIORS:

Seniors Helping Seniors® franchise system was founded by husband-and-wife duo Kiran and Philip Yocom. Kiran, who grew up in India, later worked to advance humanitarian efforts alongside Mother Teresa. After Kiran moved to the U.S. in 1995 and married her husband Philip, the Yocoms felt called to provide loving care to seniors and to cultivate an exchange of gifts at every generational level. Together, the Yocoms founded Seniors Helping Seniors® in-home services in 1998, opening the brand up to franchising in 2006. With a mission to be the most respected and rewarding homecare provider in the U.S., Seniors Helping Seniors® locations stand apart from competitors as the only company that prioritizes hiring active seniors to provide care services to their less-active counterparts. Seniors Helping Seniors® service aligns caregivers and care recipients based on the abilities and needs of both by offering a wide range of care services. Seniors Helping Seniors® network has grown to 200-plus locations, 125 franchise partners in 30-plus states and international markets. For more information on Seniors Helping Seniors® in-home care, visit seniorshelpingseniors.com.