Starting a business that combines purpose with profitability is the goal of many aspiring entrepreneurs, and TruBlue Home Service Ally offers just that. The 80-plus-unit home maintenance and handyman franchise provides essential services to help seniors age safely in place and gives busy families peace of mind knowing their homes are well-maintained.
Whether you’re a first-time business owner or a seasoned entrepreneur, the TruBlue franchise model offers a low-overhead, scalable business that can make a meaningful impact on the lives of others. Here’s what you need to know about getting started.
What is the TruBlue Home Service Ally business model?
TruBlue is a true ally for its clients, offering reliable, long-term handyman and home maintenance services.
“Our focus is on the home and making sure the home environment is well-maintained and safe,” TruBlue Brand President Sean Fitzgerald said. “One of our key client populations is seniors because they need help either getting their homes set up to age in place or help around the home from a maintenance standpoint to keep aging in place safe. However, we’re also a great fit for busy families, single parents and anyone else who just wants to have these household tasks taken care of so they can reclaim their time.”
What certifications or licenses will I need?
“Every state is different in that each state has their own requirements for operating a business, handyman or contractors license, but we require our owners to have two certifications,” Fitzgerald said. “One is a Senior Home Safety Assessment certification so they’re certified to do those safety assessments, and the other is a CAPS certification, which is a Certified Aging in Place Specialist. That takes it another notch above the assessment so our owners can contribute to a more holistic approach to aging in place.”
What skills or experience do I need to become a TruBlue Home Service Ally franchisee?
No industry-specific experience is required. Because TruBlue has specific training and certification requirements, franchisees receive all the education and scaffolding they need to launch and run a successful business.
“Most senior care franchise owners aren’t nurses or doctors; they’re businesspeople who employ specialists and manage and grow teams,” Fitzgerald said. “We’re very similar. Our owners have to like people and be able to connect and tell the TruBlue story. That’s a big part of what we do here because the awareness of our services is still growing. You have to get out, connect and educate the community on what we do.”
How will TruBlue Home Service Ally support me?
“Oh, a ton! We have a very extensive training and support system,” Fitzgerald said. “We actually have a roadmap for your first two years — what you need to achieve and how to get there from both revenue and scaling the team. We have an onboarding team that’s going to help you get things up and going, and you graduate into a more traditional support structure after that.”
While TruBlue provides ongoing support for its owners, Fitzgerald emphasizes that it’s just that — support.
“If you need help refining things, we’ll do that. We really help with teaching our owners how to be great business owners and giving them the tools to do that, but they have to do it,” he said. “We can’t run or operate the business for them. It’s going to require that they’re involved, and a big part of that involvement is being visible in the community. That starts with them.”
What will I be doing on a daily basis?
TruBlue owners do not do the day-to-day handyman and home maintenance work. Rather, they focus on building and managing teams and promoting the business.
“We have different roles and responsibilities for the organization, and the owner’s responsibility is to ensure that all those things are being properly executed,” Fitzgerald said. “That doesn’t mean we want them doing it. It means someone needs to be doing it, and the owner needs to be out doing the work to become the local authority on healing and aging in place.”
How big of a team will I need?
According to Fitzgerald, TruBlue is much more efficient than the traditional senior care model.
“We can generate a similar amount of revenue with far fewer employees,” he said. The complexity is way lower, and the business is super scalable.”
How will I find quality employees?
“This is a business with a purpose, and that’s the case for both our owners and their employees,” Fitzgerald said. “It’s very rewarding to help someone age in place safely or to help a single parent fix their home.”
Fitzgerald explains that owners who get out into their communities and raise awareness about the business and its work are able to attract high-quality employees who truly find pride in their work.
“A lot of handymen work independently. They don’t have a lot of stability, but they also don’t always have a clear career trajectory or sense of team,” he said. “When our owners tell the story the right way, it’s not a hard job to sell. These techs get to become a part of an organization and team they’re proud of, and they can say that they’re not ‘just a handyman’ anymore. When you have something that people want and get gratification from, it’s not hard to build a great team.”
What are the costs associated with starting a TruBlue Home Service Ally?
The full breakdown of the estimated initial investment can be found in the brand’s Franchise Disclosure Document, but the estimated initial investment is between $70,050 and $96,400. Because of the business model, TruBlue has a relatively low initial investment, but this is not at all indicative of the growth potential franchisees have once they open up.
“Often, people see something with a low investment and low overhead, and they assume that it yields very little,” Fitzgerald said. “With TruBlue, you can potentially generate really strong revenue on an investment under $100,000. Franchisees are allowed to start out as a home-based business, and we don’t have any major equipment. I feel that this business is the best bang for your buck.”
Will I need an office? How much space will I need?
TruBlue franchisees need a small space to take care of business-related tasks, but it is perfectly acceptable to launch the franchise as a home-based business. So, for many owners, there is no additional real estate investment required to get started.
“With brick-and-mortar, retail-type businesses, you’re confined to those four walls,” Fitzgerald said. “That’s the beauty of TruBlue. Our business isn’t about drawing people to your location; it’s about scaling teams.”
Are there any financing options available through TruBlue Home Service Ally?
“We don’t offer any financing directly, but there are third-party options,” Fitzgerald said. “And, because we’re low-investment, a lot of people can use their home equity or a 401(k) rollover, without even taking everything out of their 401(k). The access to capital is not a big issue for most of our new owners. We also have the opportunity for franchisees to earn their franchise fee back through the Winner’s Circle.”
TruBlue Home Service Ally combines a high-demand essential service with a proven franchise model that empowers owners to make a difference in their communities. With support from a trusted brand and a manageable start-up cost, franchisees can achieve both financial success and personal fulfillment while making a much-needed impact in their community.
To find out more information on costs to buy this franchise, please visit https://1851franchise.com/trubluehomeserviceally/info.