TruBlue Home Service Ally Gains A New Franchise Owner With a Passion For Providing Aging-at-Home Accommodations

Anthony Preston worked in the corporate world of real estate finance before running a small consulting business. Recently, he found himself searching for his next career opportunity and unexpectedly found motivation from his personal experience with aging family members. He and his significant other realized the importance of the modifications and accommodations that can be put in place for seniors to age in their own home, as they witnessed their own family members develop this need.

“On a personal level, we've dealt with aging at home and feel it is a very important part of our society today; it's hit home with us because we've had to deal with that in our own families,” said Preston. “We're a little bit more sensitive to those that need accommodations to age at home and we can meet those special requirements with TruBlue’s services.”

He is now a franchise owner with TruBlue Home Service Ally and looks forward to assisting other families with similar accommodations and other handyman services throughout Wesley Chapel, Land O’Lakes and Trinity, Florida.

1851 Franchise spoke with Preston about his journey into franchising and his plans for the future. 

FEATURE QUESTIONS

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

Preston: I was in the corporate world for real estate finance, specifically in construction and such, but I had been semi-retired for the last five years and running a small consulting business during that time. I was looking for my next career move. I’ve worked with new home builders on finance and such previously, so I've always had an affinity for DIY and architecture. TruBlue just felt like a good fit for my transition.

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?

Preston: I always had a favorable perception of franchising. I like the systems already being in place; you are given a play book that allows you to move forward quickly without reinventing the wheel.

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

Preston: TruBlue hit the mark for everything we were looking for. I am taking on this project with my significant other, Bobbie Upcroft. On a personal level, we've dealt with aging at home and feel it is a very important part of our society today; it's hit home with us because we've had to deal with that in our own families. We're a little bit more sensitive to those that need accommodations to age at home and we can meet those special requirements with TruBlue’s services.

Of course, living in Florida we have a lot of people who live here seasonally, and we like the fact that we offer the Home Watch system that allows for us to help take care of the owners’ properties while they're away; we can be a one-stop shop for them.

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

Preston: We're looking to grow into two more territories in the next 12 months, so we have a very aggressive growth plan. We want to cover Pasco County as a whole.

We want to build something not only for our future, but also for the aging-in-place marketplace and bring awareness to the needs of those that are looking to age in place. We'd also like to build something for our future and for our kids’ future; we have four kids.

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

Preston: It’s a prebuilt system for you. The business plan is there and you just have to execute it. If you follow that system, I think you can be successful.

About TruBlue Home Service Ally:

TruBlue Home Service Ally® provides a unique and affordable approach to helping busy adults and seniors live a worry-free life by offering trustworthy handyman, home maintenance and senior modification services. Helping you maintain your home both inside and out, TruBlue’s services include handyman projects and to-do list chores, preventative home maintenance programs, kitchen and bath remodels, seasonal work, and senior modification services, all handled by professional, bonded and insured Tru-Pro® Technicians. TruBlue franchise owners are required to complete senior home safety certification programs through the NAHB and Age Safe America. As certified specialists, TruBlue franchisees are able to perform aging in place home safety assessments and can make recommended safety modifications as needed.

All locations are independently owned and operated. Service offerings, certifications, and licenses vary by location.