The Winning Franchisee | Career Healthcare Professional Opens TruBlue Total House Care Franchise in Bedford, Pennsylvania

Sharon Reynolds has worked in the healthcare industry for four decades, but she’s starting a new chapter this year. Leveraging her wealth of experience in the field, Reynolds is now one of the newest franchise owners with TruBlue Total House Care, the fast-growing senior care franchise that provides home safety assessments and modifications to help seniors age in place safely and comfortably.

Reynolds says she was inspired to join the TruBlue franchise after losing both her parents last year. We spoke to Reynolds to learn more about her decision to open her own business and her experience with TruBlue.

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

Sharon Reynolds: I have worked in healthcare for 40 years, both as a provider and in IT support. Last year, I lost both my parents within 10 months, and it was an extremely difficult period. Even with all my experience in healthcare, I found I was not prepared for the challenges that come with aging in place and end-of-life care. It was a very challenging transition, and I had very difficult choices to make. When I learned about TruBlue, I saw that the business had been designed to aid in exactly the same challenges I had faced. I don’t want anyone to go through what my parents and I went through. We can do better. So that’s why I joined the franchise.

1851: What was your perception of franchising prior to becoming a franchisee?

Reynolds: For a long time, I had the idea in mind that I’d like to do something to help seniors, but I’d never really considered franchising as a way to do that. Facebook reads your mind, of course, so they put an ad for TruBlue in front of me, and I quickly learned it was exactly what I was looking for.

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

Reynolds: The services I will offer are best-in-class and unique. No one else is offering the range and quality of services we will provide.

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

Reynolds: I had honestly never seen a company doing anything like what TruBlue does. I had thought about starting my own company that provides similar services, but I knew it would take years and more money than I had to spend to get something like that off the ground. Now I’ve got the exact business I was looking for, with a proven brand and the support of a franchise system behind me.

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

Reynolds: I want to provide a superior community service to help seniors age in place. I don’t expect to grow the business too much. I plan to do this for about 10 years and then retire.

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

Reynolds: I have a doctorate in behavioral health and integrated medicine, and part of the whole idea behind behavioral health is providing resources for underserved communities. I believe that seniors are one of the most neglected communities. 

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

Reynolds: Find a brand that you are passionate about. TruBlue is exactly what I was looking for. The company was built by people who experienced many of the same things I had, and as a result, we are all aligned in our goals and values.