Starting a Seniors Helping Seniors® franchise has been a labor of love and purpose for franchisees Travis Hudson, a CPA with over two decades in the corporate world, and Dina DiFranceco, a seasoned nurse with a background in senior care. After a personal journey in caring for loved ones and seeing the potential for seniors to help each other, they decided to build a business that gives back to their Pittsburgh community. 

1851 spoke with the duo to learn more about their backgrounds, what drew them to Seniors Helping Seniors and their 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?

Dina DiFranceco: I’ve been a nurse by trade for over 25 years. I started out in long-term care working with seniors. I came full circle, went on to a variety of different specialties within nursing, but always found myself gravitating back towards senior care. I currently work for a long-term care pharmacy as senior director of customer success. It always comes back to that love for that particular demographic and population of people. I had a grandmother I was very close to, and when she passed away in 2019, it left a hole. That relationship helped me appreciate everything that seniors have to offer.

Travis Hudson: I am a CPA by trade. I’ve been in the corporate world for over 20 years at this point. Thought it might be a good opportunity for Dina and me to work together on something more meaningful and give back.

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?

DiFranceco: We were looking at plans for the future and what that could look like. People say, “Do what you love, and you’ll never work a day in your life,” and as we were getting older, we wanted to find something that would give us more fulfillment and something that would do something on top of that.

Hudson: I’ve been thinking about retirement, and it felt like if we had a small business of our own, it would give us something to work on together whenever retirement happens. We are working at our own pace with a team that we can assemble and work with.

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

DiFranceco: It was a very long time coming. We looked at a variety of different franchises and one thing that started to come up slowly was joining a home care brand. When Seniors Helping Seniors was presented as an option, it was a no-brainer. We both knew very quickly that this was something that fit with what we had in mind. It was something we could bring value to and help to build in terms of the brand. 

Their model — with seniors actually helping seniors — really set them apart from other brands that were out there. They were really walking the walk in terms of not just lip service. It’s about putting your money where your mouth is. There are plenty of seniors who need our help and plenty of seniors who still want to give.

Hudson: Seniors can tend to isolate more than they should, so having fellow seniors as the main workforce made sense. We thought it was an important distinguishing factor versus other franchise opportunities.

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

DiFranceco: There is so much need out there, so my long-term goal is to service as many seniors in need as possible and find additional resources and ways we can help support the mission. We want to grow the business, but in a way that is meaningful to the seniors we do service.

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

DiFranceco: Travis and I are the parents of four boys, two of whom have special needs. One of those two is very dependent on care, so we are keenly aware of the needs for services in general. We recognize that there are families out there who may be in similar situations, whether it’s parents aging or anything else. That is what brings us a different perspective.

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

DiFranceco: It's important to do the work, but if you find yourself drawn to the senior care industry in general, this brand really sets themselves apart. That made it a clear choice for us. Seniors Helping Seniors has been phenomenal in terms of taking us step by step. If you have any sort of calling towards this industry, this brand provides a really special service that is too-often overlooked.

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.