How This Marine Veteran Went From Military Service to Senior Care and Found His Purpose in Franchising

For years, Dan Ellestad felt disconnected from the work he was doing. After serving eight years in the Marine Corps and building a career in state government and private insurance, he reached a point where he needed more. 

“I wasn’t enjoying what I was doing anymore,” Ellestad said. “I worked for a private insurance company, and I didn’t like it. I wasn’t making a difference in anybody’s life. I was spending all day long making more money for a billion-dollar company, and that just wasn’t fulfilling. I wanted to do something that brings value back to people’s lives again.”

Inspired by his own family’s experience caring for his grandmother, Ellestad wanted to help seniors maintain their independence and dignity. Now, through his Seniors Helping Seniors® franchise, he’s doing just that — bringing much-needed support to older adults in Greater Madison, Wisconsin, while building a business rooted in empathy and community.

1851 spoke with Ellestad to learn more about his background, what led him to Seniors Helping Seniors® and his plans for the future. 

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

Dan Ellestad: I’m one of seven kids, born and raised in Wisconsin. I spent eight years on active duty in the Marine Corps and deployed three times. I’ve got an 18-year-old heading to college this fall. After the Marines, I got my degree in sociology and worked for the state for about 10 years doing social security disability and workers' comp.

I got to a point where I was just ready to do something different. I wasn’t enjoying what I was doing anymore. I worked for a private insurance company, and I didn’t like it. I wasn’t making a difference in anybody’s life. I was spending all day long making more money for a billion-dollar company, and that just wasn’t fulfilling. I wanted to do something that brings value back to people’s lives again.

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

Ellestad: I never thought I’d start my own business or open a franchise, but I knew I didn’t like what I was doing. I was so unfulfilled. I started going to job fairs and got connected with Vetrepreneur, which helps veterans find franchise opportunities. I got paired up with a franchise coach — she was also a veteran — and we looked at a bunch of different options together.

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

Ellestad: Being able to help people stay in their homes and maintain independence is really what I want to do. Senior care just really spoke to me. You don’t have to dig too deep to see the value it brings. My grandma is 97 and just moved into a nursing home a year ago. For the 20 years before that, we took care of her. It got to the point where it was four or five hours a day — she couldn’t drive, couldn’t take care of the house — and it really highlighted the need. She didn’t want to go to a nursing home. Understandably.

What I liked about SHS is that you’re helping people stay independent and get the help they need. I also liked the idea that older adults are helping other older adults. They can relate. Even if they’re not 65 or older, they’ve already been through some of the same things. It’s just easier to build that relationship, and that’s what really appealed to me about SHS.

I got to talk to a lot of franchise owners, and the common theme was that they all saw the need and wanted to help. Any time you can surround yourself with like-minded people who are on the same mission — that’s what I want.

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

Ellestad: We want to be a place that helps seniors stay where they want to be for as long as they can. Our goal is to really build connections in the community and be a resource.

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

Ellestad: Do what you want to do. I left what I was doing because I was spending all day long answering emails and on the phone, and I wasn’t getting any satisfaction out of it. I wasn’t having any fun.

If you don’t enjoy what you’re doing and it’s not bringing you value, find something else. This is something that’s going to bring value to my life, but also value to others. If I’m going to spend 10 hours a day doing something, it might as well be something I’m proud of.

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 moving to the U.S. in 1995 and marrying 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 home care 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 400 territories nationwide and over 200 franchise partners in 37 states. For more information on Seniors Helping Seniors® in-home care, visit https://seniorshelpingseniors.com/.