The Great Franchisee | Local Reaches 15-Year Goal of Bringing Senior Care Business to Vermont

Steven Thompson has had many different leadership positions in his life that have prepared him for his goal of owning a business after retirement that would serve seniors. After preparing for 15 years, the former business leader signed to open Seniors Helping Seniors, the franchise that prioritizes hiring active seniors to provide care services to their less-active counterparts, in central and southern Vermont.

Thompson is excited to open his Seniors Helping Seniors location in late 2022. He wants to help seniors age in homes that they know and love, all while providing great jobs for seniors in the community who are more active. He already has plans to expand to at least two more locations so he can help even more people.

1851 Franchise spoke with Thompson to learn more about his franchising journey with Seniors Helping Seniors.

1851 Franchise: Frame your personal story for us. What did you do before franchising, and how did you decide franchising made sense for you?

Steven Thompson: I started out as a farmer in high school, which framed my work ethic. I became a master electrician for about 10 years, and then I went on to run a number of plants across the country. Each plant that I managed had about 150 employees, so I gained a lot of experience in leadership positions. Throughout my career, I moved across the country, but I’ve spent most of my time in Vermont.

Now that I’m retired, I wanted to go into the senior care industry. It’s been a goal of mine for about 15 years now. I do not have a background in the industry, which is why I wanted to go into franchising. Buying a franchise would provide a proven system to help me be successful.

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?

Thompson: I always thought franchising would have good and bad aspects. I thought that franchising would be rigid and I would have to follow a strict set of rules that wouldn’t allow me to have any creative freedom with the business. But I’ve found that isn’t necessarily true. A franchise does provide a guide and system that is proven to work, but it is ultimately your business.

1851: What makes you stand out as business owners in your local community?

Thompson: I’m a genuine person, and I am a people person. I bring those qualities as well as honor. I think that the people who know me know that I deliver on what I say I will.

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

Thompson: Seniors Helping Seniors was the best fit for me. I wanted to help seniors stay in their homes but not be on the medical side of the industry. Seniors Helping Seniors is about personal care and helping them stay in their homes. I know what it feels like to have elderly parents who want to stay in their home, so I want to bring a brand to the area that I would trust with my own parents.

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

Thompson: I want to help seniors. That’s my main goal. I want to reach 1,000 clients eventually. I want to have my Seniors Helping Seniors running on its own, basically. I would love to get established across Vermont, and I’m targeting to acquire at least two more territories in the future so I can employ as many people as possible.

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

Thompson: It comes down to the fact that I genuinely care about my clients, and I say what I mean. Anyone in business today can make promises, but you have to deliver on them as well.

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

Thompson: Do your homework. You have to get your head wrapped around the fact that you aren’t working for someone else anymore. You should also make effort to know how a brand works and communicates before signing.