Health Care Professional in the Non-Profit Space Brings TruBlue to North Pittsburgh

After years in corporate health care and nonprofit work, Paula Pasquinelli felt a deep desire to create something impactful in her community. Fueled by this mission, she opened TruBlue of North Pittsburgh, combining her experience in remodeling with her passion for helping seniors stay safe and comfortable at home. TruBlue’s mission of helping seniors age in place resonated with Pasquinelli, offering her the chance to not only run a business but also address the real needs she witnessed in her nonprofit days.

1851 Franchise spoke with Pasquinelli to learn more about her background, her journey to TruBlue and her 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?

Paula Pasquinelli: My background is in health care technology at a startup coming in 2008. There were only 30 of us at that time, and we eventually grew to over 10,000 people. I ran international markets for the business. We eventually sold that startup company to 3M, and I ran that business for a few years. I also flipped houses in the past, so I have experience with remodeling and renovating.

Eventually, I decided that corporate America wasn’t fulfilling for me. I wanted to go into the nonprofit space and shift from the focus on money to helping people in the community and helping seniors in the community. I worked for a PACE program and did marketing and enrollment for that organization. This gave me the opportunity to enter low-income senior homes, and I was really impacted by the fact that so many seniors I met had negative health outcomes because of the environment they were living in — seniors who couldn’t bathe because they couldn’t get into the tub or they didn’t have railing, trip hazards, etc. We were helping them socially at the nonprofit, but we weren’t really helping their environment. Our mission was good, but it didn’t cover taking care of their homes.

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?

Pasquinelli: I leaned more toward starting my own thing because I considered franchising a higher fixed cost. But when you really get into what is necessary to build a business, having that network and infrastructure in place was too attractive to pass up. Having that community that supports you through it and the tools and processes makes it a no-brainer for me. I also bought an existing franchise, so I already had that customer base there as well.

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

Pasquinelli: Earlier this year, I wanted to challenge myself with owning a business, and I was researching. I ran into TruBlue, and it really blew me away — it gives me the opportunity to operate my own business while also helping in the situations that I saw in the past few years. It was a really perfect fit. TruBlue is passionate about giving those seniors the ability to age in place.

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

Pasquinelli: I’m really focused on growth right now. Building up two sides of the business — the typical handyman services and then also having a team doing more general contracting type work. It's all about recruiting the right people who have the passion to make a difference for the elderly community.

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

Pasquinelli: Be open to different opportunities, focus a lot on vision and character of franchise owners. Understand what their vision and passion is, what their long-term goals are. Look at it from a culture perspective, not just a numbers perspective. Ultimately that is what is going to give you the leg up.

The total investment necessary to begin operation of a TruBlue franchise ranges from $65,050 to $91,400. This includes $44,900 that must be paid to the franchisor or an affiliate. For more information, please visit https://1851franchise.com/trubluehousecare/info. 

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.