Lisa and Jeff Vander Ploeg Find Purpose and Community Through Seniors Helping Seniors® Franchise in Kalamazoo, Michigan

Lisa and Jeff Vander Ploeg’s path to franchising with Seniors Helping Seniors® started with a desire to trade corporate life and school schedules for something more personal. Jeff had spent 26 years in leadership roles at medtech giant Stryker, while Lisa worked as a stay-at-home mom before becoming a paraprofessional at their children’s school. When the couple began considering their next chapter, they wanted something that allowed them to stay rooted in their Kalamazoo community while making a difference. “It was a way to see our immediate impact and be committed from the beginning to the end of the process,” Jeff said.

Jeff’s father passed away not long ago, and Lisa’s 95-year-old grandmother is in a care facility. They also recently helped move Jeff’s mother into senior housing. These experiences underscored just how important it is to offer support that eases the burden on families. “We’re helping older adults stay in their homes and live as independently as possible by providing caregivers,” Lisa said. Their early interviews with prospective caregivers confirmed the brand’s unique peer-to-peer model, where seniors provide care to fellow seniors, building connections over shared experiences like old movies, crochet or fishing.

For Jeff and Lisa, franchising wasn’t about fast food or retail — it was about purpose and community. They see their business as a chance to “help Kalamazoo,” grow a caregiver team that feels supported and create flexibility for their own family. With Seniors Helping Seniors®, they say the support system — from training to coaching — makes the leap into business ownership less overwhelming and more rewarding.

1851 Franchise sat down with the Vander Ploegs to discuss their passion for senior care and their franchising journey with Seniors Helping Seniors®. Here’s what they had to say:

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

Jeff Vander Ploeg: I was at Stryker, a medtech company, for 26 years in a variety of leadership roles, mostly in supply chain. I was looking for something new, a chance to help others, work for ourselves and support the community. For me it was something different from big corporate. It was a way to see our immediate impact and be committed from the beginning to the end of the process.

Lisa Vander Ploeg: I was a stay-at-home mom for several years, and then the past four years I worked at our kids’ elementary school as a paraprofessional. It was hard work, but I loved being there with my kids. I enjoyed the teachers, made good friendships and loved making a difference in the kids’ lives.

When Jeff wanted to do something different, we started exploring avenues. We wanted to stay local and not move — our friends are all here. Jeff connected with a franchise coach on LinkedIn who gave us ideas, and when she brought up Seniors Helping Seniors® it clicked. We liked the idea of making a difference in the community. It’s not helping kids anymore, but it’s helping their grandparents or someone’s mom. We’re also able to hire people and help them make a living while filling a need.

After we talked to Emily Anderson, the coach, we jumped on board. It felt like a good stepping stone and a fun new adventure to work together.

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?

Jeff: I thought franchising was just BIGGBY COFFEE* or McDonald’s. I didn’t realize there are franchises you see every day and don’t even realize. We looked at a flooring place and a sign place, but I wouldn’t have thought those were franchises. I had fast food stuck in my head.

Now that we’re in it, I’d say we’re running our business from beginning to end. We control the different aspects, make sure things are done right and produce a high-quality service. You can work for yourself and be on your own. It’s a little scary — it’s a big jump — but I’d thought about going into business for a while. You’ve got to try it sometime.

Lisa: Just like Jeff, I thought franchising was McDonald’s or BIGGBY. I knew there were other types, like Sylvan Learning, but I didn’t think of it for myself. When we reached out to the coach and she gave us other options, we realized there was more to it.

Jeff: Starting a business is overwhelming, but we have the support system. Seniors Helping Seniors® gave us orientation, paperwork, and a step-by-step guide. We have a coach. We’re not left on our own. If we have a question, we know who to turn to. That’s very helpful. If we were on our own, the process would have taken a lot longer.

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

Lisa: For me, it’s that we’re able to make a difference in people’s lives. We’re helping older adults stay in their homes and live as independently as possible by providing caregivers.

Jeff: From a business standpoint, it’s scalable—and with the aging population continuing to grow, there’s a genuine and increasing need. My dad recently passed away, Lias’s grandmother is 95 and living in a care home, and we just moved my mom into a senior apartment, so this topic really hits close to home. Seeing the stress families face when trying to commit their time has shown me how much something like this can help. It allows people to truly spend time with their loved ones, rather than cleaning the house during their visits.

Lisa: When we started interviewing caregivers, the first woman we spoke with said she loved the idea. She had worked in a care facility and was elderly herself. She said she liked Seniors Helping Seniors® because it meant someone closer to her age could come in instead of someone who was 22. That makes a huge difference for someone who is elderly. They can connect in different ways—old movies, crochet, fishing. It would be nice to connect over those mutual things and build more of a friendship.

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

Jeff: Our goal is to concentrate on our current territory and grow it as much as we can. If growth slows down, we may take an adjacent territory, but that’s down the road. Our focus is on growing the company and helping as many people as possible. We’ll eventually take on support staff to handle scheduling and allow us to focus on clients.

Lisa: I want to see our caregivers grow in number and be happy. If they’re not happy, I want to make sure we can change that. I also want our client base to grow so they can live more independently in their homes. Overall, I want to help Kalamazoo.

1851: Is there anything else about your story you want us to know?

Jeff: We both grew up in West Michigan. We love the area. We’re excited to get going and be more ingrained in the community.

Lisa: I like the idea of having more flexibility—being able to take family vacations without someone telling us we can’t. Family time is important to us. Having our own business means we’re responsible for our own success, and I hope we do it.

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

Lisa: If you can, find someone like Emily Anderson. Coaches like her are very knowledgeable and can answer questions. Do your own research. Make sure you enjoy the area you’re getting into and the product or service you’re selling.

Jeff: Also, ask to talk to current franchisees—at least three. You’ll get a sense of the culture of the company. One brand I looked at gave me three references, but none of them got back to me. That was a red flag. With Seniors Helping Seniors®, people got back to us immediately. They took time out of their busy schedules to talk with us. That said a lot to me.

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/.