Top Franchise Development Executives of 2024: Sean Fitzgerald, President, TruBlue Home Service Ally

With a deep history in franchising that started all the way back in college, Sean Fitzgerald — the president of TruBlue Home Service Ally, the senior-focused home services and handyman franchise — has learned a few valuable lessons through his own experiences. A senior level franchise executive with over 20 years of experience working with startup franchise concepts to large developed franchise systems and corporations in need of rebranding, Fitzgerald recently spoke with 1851 Franchise to share insights into his career development, the challenges franchisors face today and how TruBlue is positioned for future growth.

1851 Franchise: Tell us about your brand.

Sean Fitzgerald: TruBlue is a home service brand focused on helping people maintain their homes, particularly seniors who are aging in place. We offer a range of services to help clients keep their homes in top shape as they continue to live independently.

1851: How did you get into franchising?

Fitzgerald: I actually started a company when I was in college and franchised it. The reason I went the franchise route was because I realized, early on, that no one runs a business better than the owner. We expanded, but I noticed the managers didn’t have the same passion because they didn’t own it. That’s when I saw the value in franchising — getting the best of both worlds: proven systems combined with the drive and passion of an owner. That’s how I found my way into franchising.

1851: How did you get from that to development with other franchisors?

Fitzgerald: Well, because I started franchising myself, I made a lot of mistakes and learned the hard way. One of the key things I realized is that franchising is more about recruiting than selling. When you sell a car, once it’s off the lot, you may never see the buyer again. But with franchising, you’re essentially marrying the franchisee. You have to sell them on the business, but you also need to realize that you're entering into a long-term relationship. The franchisees who struggled or didn’t perform well often had false expectations about what it takes to run a business, or they were getting into it for the wrong reasons — like loving cars because we had retail stores, but not necessarily loving business itself.

I got into franchise development because I wanted to help set the right expectations early on. When people understand what’s really involved and they’re doing it for the right reasons, they tend to execute better. Having a background in marketing also helped, as I appreciate the importance of storytelling and setting expectations. That’s why I moved from operations into development. I wanted to help generate excitement in business owners while also being realistic about what a franchisor’s role is versus a franchisee’s role. A franchisor isn’t there to run the business for the franchisee, which is a common misconception. Some franchisees expect the franchisor to fix things when they go wrong, but the franchisor’s role is to support, not to take over.

In my career, I’ve noticed that people who appreciate franchising the most are those who’ve started a business from scratch. They understand the value of support, best practices and shared resources. There’s an assumption that once the franchise is open, the franchisor will keep driving growth, but it takes more than that. It’s about continually leveraging those best practices and resources to reach levels of success that would be much harder to achieve on your own.

1851: Are there any keys to consistent franchise growth?

Fitzgerald: The key is in finding the right franchisees. It’s about recruiting, not selling. You want to ensure that franchisees understand what it takes to run a business and are doing it for the right reasons. If they’re passionate and dedicated, they’ll execute better, which leads to sustainable growth.

1851: What are the biggest hurdles to successful franchise growth right now?

Fitzgerald: One of the biggest challenges is that the job market is still pretty strong, so people are comfortable in their jobs. When people feel secure, they’re less motivated to take the leap into business ownership. It’s when people are dissatisfied with their current situation or fear losing their job that they start looking into franchise opportunities. Right now, that sense of urgency isn’t as widespread as it has been in the past.

1851: Are there any common mistakes you see franchisors making when trying to grow?

Fitzgerald: Yes, one mistake I see is overselling the system. Franchisors sometimes get caught up in growth mode and sell too many territories without the infrastructure to support multi-unit operations. It’s important to grow methodically and ensure you have the systems in place to support both single and multi-unit franchisees. Another issue is setting unrealistic expectations during the recruitment process, which can lead to underperformance or franchisee dissatisfaction later on.

1851: What is your number one goal at the moment?

Fitzgerald: Our main goal is expanding coverage with the right owners. The more coverage we have, the more opportunities open up with national accounts and referral partners. When we have strong market presence, we can offer more services and create larger partnerships that benefit everyone in the system.

Every great franchisee had help buying a franchise. Want to learn more about how 1851 helps franchisees find the right franchise opportunity? Visit www.1851growthclub.com and start your journey.