When Alyson Horton officially stepped into the role of president and chief operating officer of her family's ServiceMaster Restore franchise, it marked the continuation of a legacy — and the beginning of a new chapter. A second-generation franchisee based in Seattle, Washington, Horton has embraced her father’s vision while adding her own community-centered leadership style to the business, including a deep commitment to supporting veterans.
“I am a second-generation owner — my father Mike is partially retired. We are six years in on our 10-year transition plan,” Horton said. “I was raised around the business and I worked in the business a little bit as a teenager. After that, I never thought this was going to be my thing.”
Horton’s path originally led her elsewhere. She studied pre-law at Washington State University and built a career in escrow, even passing the real estate portion of the bar exam. But the corporate life wasn’t a fit.
“My husband encouraged me to pursue other options,” she said. “So I went back to my dad, who had always been asking me to join the ServiceMaster team. Eventually, we ripped the Band-Aid off and joined the brand in 2019, then wrangled my husband to join me. We’ve been in ever since.”
Today, Horton oversees four locations and manages the full-service operation across the Pacific Northwest.
When it comes to why she continues to expand with the franchise, Horton says that the company’s core values remain a powerful draw.
“ServiceMaster’s core principles are really the backbone of why this is such a great organization,” she said. “The fundamental values you can still see today, and you see them across all families across the generations owning this business. It really speaks to the type of life franchisees can live.”
At the heart of the ServiceMaster Restore mission is a commitment to community. When disaster strikes, the brand’s franchisees are often the first to respond, helping families get back on their feet and businesses reopen their doors. Supported by an industry-leading training platform, robust national account relationships and a powerful Quality Restoration Vendor (QRV) network, ServiceMaster Restore franchisees are prepared to provide essential services with unmatched quality and care.
“We are helping people during the most challenging times of their lives,” Horton said. “Being displaced from your home can be very difficult, so thinking about the stress and the trauma and understanding what we do is really meaningful and important.”
While the legacy of her father’s leadership still guides the business, Horton has brought her own approach to the role. “Mike was already known as quite the bulldog and people tell me they appreciate my slightly softer approach,” she said with a smile.
Horton says the flexibility of the business has been transformative for her family life. “This is a family business, which has been one of the things that I will look back on fondly — all of the extra time I get to spend with the family because of starting this business,” she said. “I know in the future that will be irreplaceable. Overall, the experience has been incredibly positive. The flexibility to own this business has been amazing for our family, and it’d be amazing to pass this on to the third generation one day.”
As ServiceMaster Restore continues to grow, Horton points to the brand’s evolving infrastructure and strong franchise community as a key differentiator.
“Overall, the corporate support from ServiceMaster Brands is better than it's ever been before,” she said. “There are a lot of resources for training and they have a lot of carrier relationships. It's really a benefit of being part of a franchise because you are joining a trusted name. But the greatest aspect of all of it is the other owners who you have the privilege of getting to know and spending time with.”
The strength of the brand also supports client trust. “ServiceMaster has always been known for our technical knowledge. Having that name can bring extra confidence,” Horton said. “They really have good people on the team and really dig into setting people apart. They have such a strong foundation and I was blessed to have all these tools.”
For Horton and her husband, a veteran, ServiceMaster Restore’s partnership with Hire Heroes USA holds special meaning.
“Years ago we were at the meeting where the Hire Heroes partnership was first announced, and the fact they work with veterans for job placements — that was huge for us,” Horton said. “The military doesn’t do much to help veterans adjust to going back to the real world. So having an organization that focuses on their strengths — placing them in jobs that suit their skill sets — is something there should be more of.”
That commitment turned into action. “When corporations pushed the fundraising via a golf tournament, we loved the idea,” she said. “We raised the most money last year out of all the franchisees, around $50,000. We are very proud of that achievement.”
For Horton, supporting veterans is a family value — and a national responsibility. “Not only was my husband a veteran, but there are a lot of people in my family who have served and we believe it is something that every citizen should be contributing in some form of fashion,” she said. “We need to do more as a country to honor that servitude.”
She sees ServiceMaster Restore’s values reflected in the cause. “This brand is all about serving people, so these types of community campaigns serve back to that core principle.”
As disasters become more frequent and homeowners need trusted, responsive service, Horton believes the opportunity in restoration will only grow — and she’s excited to keep building.
“This brand has given our family so much,” she said. “Now, it’s about growing it further, supporting our community, and continuing to make a difference for the people who count on us in the toughest moments of their lives.”
With strong family roots, a service mindset and a commitment to helping others — especially veterans — Horton exemplifies the very best of what it means to be a ServiceMaster Restore franchisee.
For more information on franchising with ServiceMaster Restore, visit: https://franchise.servicemasterrestore.com/.
ServiceMaster Restore
SPONSORED
Alyson Horton transitioned from a career in escrow to leading ServiceMaster Restore, bringing a mission-driven approach to disaster recovery across the Pacific Northwest.
When Alyson Horton officially stepped into the role of president and chief operating officer of her family's ServiceMaster Restore franchise, it marked the continuation of a legacy — and the beginning of a new chapter. A second-generation franchisee based in Seattle, Washington, Horton has embraced her father’s vision while adding her own community-centered leadership style to the business, including a deep commitment to supporting veterans.
“I am a second-generation owner — my father Mike is partially retired. We are six years in on our 10-year transition plan,” Horton said. “I was raised around the business and I worked in the business a little bit as a teenager. After that, I never thought this was going to be my thing.”
Horton’s path originally led her elsewhere. She studied pre-law at Washington State University and built a career in escrow, even passing the real estate portion of the bar exam. But the corporate life wasn’t a fit.
“My husband encouraged me to pursue other options,” she said. “So I went back to my dad, who had always been asking me to join the ServiceMaster team. Eventually, we ripped the Band-Aid off and joined the brand in 2019, then wrangled my husband to join me. We’ve been in ever since.”
Today, Horton oversees four locations and manages the full-service operation across the Pacific Northwest.
When it comes to why she continues to expand with the franchise, Horton says that the company’s core values remain a powerful draw.
“ServiceMaster’s core principles are really the backbone of why this is such a great organization,” she said. “The fundamental values you can still see today, and you see them across all families across the generations owning this business. It really speaks to the type of life franchisees can live.”
At the heart of the ServiceMaster Restore mission is a commitment to community. When disaster strikes, the brand’s franchisees are often the first to respond, helping families get back on their feet and businesses reopen their doors. Supported by an industry-leading training platform, robust national account relationships and a powerful Quality Restoration Vendor (QRV) network, ServiceMaster Restore franchisees are prepared to provide essential services with unmatched quality and care.
“We are helping people during the most challenging times of their lives,” Horton said. “Being displaced from your home can be very difficult, so thinking about the stress and the trauma and understanding what we do is really meaningful and important.”
While the legacy of her father’s leadership still guides the business, Horton has brought her own approach to the role. “Mike was already known as quite the bulldog and people tell me they appreciate my slightly softer approach,” she said with a smile.
Horton says the flexibility of the business has been transformative for her family life. “This is a family business, which has been one of the things that I will look back on fondly — all of the extra time I get to spend with the family because of starting this business,” she said. “I know in the future that will be irreplaceable. Overall, the experience has been incredibly positive. The flexibility to own this business has been amazing for our family, and it’d be amazing to pass this on to the third generation one day.”
As ServiceMaster Restore continues to grow, Horton points to the brand’s evolving infrastructure and strong franchise community as a key differentiator.
“Overall, the corporate support from ServiceMaster Brands is better than it's ever been before,” she said. “There are a lot of resources for training and they have a lot of carrier relationships. It's really a benefit of being part of a franchise because you are joining a trusted name. But the greatest aspect of all of it is the other owners who you have the privilege of getting to know and spending time with.”
The strength of the brand also supports client trust. “ServiceMaster has always been known for our technical knowledge. Having that name can bring extra confidence,” Horton said. “They really have good people on the team and really dig into setting people apart. They have such a strong foundation and I was blessed to have all these tools.”
For Horton and her husband, a veteran, ServiceMaster Restore’s partnership with Hire Heroes USA holds special meaning.
“Years ago we were at the meeting where the Hire Heroes partnership was first announced, and the fact they work with veterans for job placements — that was huge for us,” Horton said. “The military doesn’t do much to help veterans adjust to going back to the real world. So having an organization that focuses on their strengths — placing them in jobs that suit their skill sets — is something there should be more of.”
That commitment turned into action. “When corporations pushed the fundraising via a golf tournament, we loved the idea,” she said. “We raised the most money last year out of all the franchisees, around $50,000. We are very proud of that achievement.”
For Horton, supporting veterans is a family value — and a national responsibility. “Not only was my husband a veteran, but there are a lot of people in my family who have served and we believe it is something that every citizen should be contributing in some form of fashion,” she said. “We need to do more as a country to honor that servitude.”
She sees ServiceMaster Restore’s values reflected in the cause. “This brand is all about serving people, so these types of community campaigns serve back to that core principle.”
As disasters become more frequent and homeowners need trusted, responsive service, Horton believes the opportunity in restoration will only grow — and she’s excited to keep building.
“This brand has given our family so much,” she said. “Now, it’s about growing it further, supporting our community, and continuing to make a difference for the people who count on us in the toughest moments of their lives.”
With strong family roots, a service mindset and a commitment to helping others — especially veterans — Horton exemplifies the very best of what it means to be a ServiceMaster Restore franchisee.
For more information on franchising with ServiceMaster Restore, visit: https://franchise.servicemasterrestore.com/.
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