In the heart of North Idaho, Brian Espinoza, a former hotelier with over two decades of experience in the hospitality industry, has embraced a new role as a TruBlue Home Service Ally franchisee, driven by a personal mission and a passion for service. His journey from overseeing multi-million-dollar hotel portfolios to making homes safer and more comfortable offers a unique perspective on TruBlue’s home maintenance and handyman franchise experience.
After serving over 22 years in the corporate hospitality industry, Espinoza’s transition into the world of TruBlue, the home maintenance and handyman franchise with over 80 units, was inspired by a personal event with his grandmother during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The pandemic revealed to me a need for seniors to age at home longer,” he said. “TruBlue became the avenue to be part of making the home safer in addition to helping bridge the gap of the need for better service and professionalism in the trades industry.”
So, Espinoza started his TruBlue of North Idaho franchise in 2021. Since then, he says every day has looked a little bit different, a testament to the variety and adaptability inherent in a TruBlue franchise.
“Our daily operations can vary from doing small handyman jobs like installing grab bars or completing a ‘honey-do list,’ to attaching ceiling fans and fixing kitchen faucets, all the way to remodeling a shower or building a deck or fence,” said Espinoza. “We have an internal team of tradesmen skilled in many different things that enables us to bring convenience to our clients with multiple projects.”
As a franchisee, Espinoza describes his overall role as a hands-on owner-operator involved in the trades field and sales operations. “I am not doing the physical work of a handyman or contractor, but I am making sure to be available anytime my team of tradesmen and administration need support,” he said. “My primary focus is doing what I do best: staying connected to our employees, making sure they have what they need to succeed, monitoring the happiness levels of our clients, and selling the services TruBlue of North Idaho has to offer.”
Maintaining that team is also a key part of Espinoza’s daily role. “Initial opening will require a GM or the owner to manage, sell and oversee operations,” he said. “A minimum of one skilled tradesperson is necessary. From here sales efforts and reputation will determine demand and lead to being able to scale. This will open the need for more tradesman and admin support. If you can attract the demand in handyman work, the TruBlue model in staffing and clientele growth has a ‘sky's the limit’ potential.”
In terms of his work-life balance, Espinoza says the difference between his life in the hotel industry and his life as a franchisee is night and day.
“I sometimes have early mornings or late nights, but I consider these times an investment to the health of my business,” said Espinoza. “I am able to accomplish a lot in my typical 40-50 hour work week. As the owner of the business, I have flexibility to make my hours. However, I am ‘on-call’ at any moment of each day to support my team and grow the business. My past career in the hotel industry was very demanding in hours and had little work-life balance. With TruBlue, the model is not a 24/7 business like hotels, so my work-life balance in comparison to that is more than I can ask.”
And while Espinoza may be responsible for the overall health of his individual business, as part of an established franchise system, he says he never feels alone.
“TruBlue headquarters has many tools available to the owners and the support teams are quick to help with any questions or challenges I may have,” he said. “I have a lot of comfort knowing the TruBlue executive team is by my side. I’ve had the opportunity to be part of board meetings with the executive team and this alone shows that the CEO wants to hear from the owners and wants us to be part of the brand's growth.”
Additionally, Espinoza says he enjoys the ability to tap into an established network of fellow franchise owners. “If one TruBlue franchise is close to another, owners will collaborate on ideas, sales and at times share their employees,” he said. “Continued training is a constant offering, and a corporate support person will reach out at least once a month.”
Now, fueled by the robust support of the TruBlue network, Espinoza is optimistic about his future growth.
“TruBlue has a 10-step program that they offer to help new owners hit the ground running, and it helps the more established owners to stay on track to reach the vision of scaling the business,” he said. “It takes a lot of discipline for each owner to use all the tools TruBlue has available and not get stuck in the day-to-day. Future plans for my specific location are rolling out preventative maintenance programs for our clients’ homes. I am also looking forward to opening another location.”
TruBlue President Sean Fitzgerald says Espinoza fully exemplifies the ideal TruBlue franchise owner.
“Brian’s approach to daily operations and his focus on team support and client satisfaction are standout qualities that we cherish in our franchise network,” said Fitzgerald. “His ability to balance the hands-on aspects of the business while strategically planning for future growth is commendable. Brian's story is a shining example for current and future franchisees, showing that with the right attitude and dedication, success is not just a goal, but a reality in the TruBlue family."
Now, the TruBlue team is looking for passionate and driven individuals like Espinoza to expand into new markets, including Orlando, Miami, Jacksonville and Naples, Florida, as well as Houston and Dallas, Texas.
To learn more about franchising with TruBlue, please visit https://trubluefranchise.com/.
TruBlue Home Service Ally
SPONSORED
Tired of the corporate grind, Brian Espinoza was eager to take control of his work-life balance and build a successful business with the senior modification, home maintenance and handyman franchise.
In the heart of North Idaho, Brian Espinoza, a former hotelier with over two decades of experience in the hospitality industry, has embraced a new role as a TruBlue Home Service Ally franchisee, driven by a personal mission and a passion for service. His journey from overseeing multi-million-dollar hotel portfolios to making homes safer and more comfortable offers a unique perspective on TruBlue’s home maintenance and handyman franchise experience.
After serving over 22 years in the corporate hospitality industry, Espinoza’s transition into the world of TruBlue, the home maintenance and handyman franchise with over 80 units, was inspired by a personal event with his grandmother during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The pandemic revealed to me a need for seniors to age at home longer,” he said. “TruBlue became the avenue to be part of making the home safer in addition to helping bridge the gap of the need for better service and professionalism in the trades industry.”
So, Espinoza started his TruBlue of North Idaho franchise in 2021. Since then, he says every day has looked a little bit different, a testament to the variety and adaptability inherent in a TruBlue franchise.
“Our daily operations can vary from doing small handyman jobs like installing grab bars or completing a ‘honey-do list,’ to attaching ceiling fans and fixing kitchen faucets, all the way to remodeling a shower or building a deck or fence,” said Espinoza. “We have an internal team of tradesmen skilled in many different things that enables us to bring convenience to our clients with multiple projects.”
As a franchisee, Espinoza describes his overall role as a hands-on owner-operator involved in the trades field and sales operations. “I am not doing the physical work of a handyman or contractor, but I am making sure to be available anytime my team of tradesmen and administration need support,” he said. “My primary focus is doing what I do best: staying connected to our employees, making sure they have what they need to succeed, monitoring the happiness levels of our clients, and selling the services TruBlue of North Idaho has to offer.”
Maintaining that team is also a key part of Espinoza’s daily role. “Initial opening will require a GM or the owner to manage, sell and oversee operations,” he said. “A minimum of one skilled tradesperson is necessary. From here sales efforts and reputation will determine demand and lead to being able to scale. This will open the need for more tradesman and admin support. If you can attract the demand in handyman work, the TruBlue model in staffing and clientele growth has a ‘sky's the limit’ potential.”
In terms of his work-life balance, Espinoza says the difference between his life in the hotel industry and his life as a franchisee is night and day.
“I sometimes have early mornings or late nights, but I consider these times an investment to the health of my business,” said Espinoza. “I am able to accomplish a lot in my typical 40-50 hour work week. As the owner of the business, I have flexibility to make my hours. However, I am ‘on-call’ at any moment of each day to support my team and grow the business. My past career in the hotel industry was very demanding in hours and had little work-life balance. With TruBlue, the model is not a 24/7 business like hotels, so my work-life balance in comparison to that is more than I can ask.”
And while Espinoza may be responsible for the overall health of his individual business, as part of an established franchise system, he says he never feels alone.
“TruBlue headquarters has many tools available to the owners and the support teams are quick to help with any questions or challenges I may have,” he said. “I have a lot of comfort knowing the TruBlue executive team is by my side. I’ve had the opportunity to be part of board meetings with the executive team and this alone shows that the CEO wants to hear from the owners and wants us to be part of the brand's growth.”
Additionally, Espinoza says he enjoys the ability to tap into an established network of fellow franchise owners. “If one TruBlue franchise is close to another, owners will collaborate on ideas, sales and at times share their employees,” he said. “Continued training is a constant offering, and a corporate support person will reach out at least once a month.”
Now, fueled by the robust support of the TruBlue network, Espinoza is optimistic about his future growth.
“TruBlue has a 10-step program that they offer to help new owners hit the ground running, and it helps the more established owners to stay on track to reach the vision of scaling the business,” he said. “It takes a lot of discipline for each owner to use all the tools TruBlue has available and not get stuck in the day-to-day. Future plans for my specific location are rolling out preventative maintenance programs for our clients’ homes. I am also looking forward to opening another location.”
TruBlue President Sean Fitzgerald says Espinoza fully exemplifies the ideal TruBlue franchise owner.
“Brian’s approach to daily operations and his focus on team support and client satisfaction are standout qualities that we cherish in our franchise network,” said Fitzgerald. “His ability to balance the hands-on aspects of the business while strategically planning for future growth is commendable. Brian's story is a shining example for current and future franchisees, showing that with the right attitude and dedication, success is not just a goal, but a reality in the TruBlue family."
Now, the TruBlue team is looking for passionate and driven individuals like Espinoza to expand into new markets, including Orlando, Miami, Jacksonville and Naples, Florida, as well as Houston and Dallas, Texas.
To learn more about franchising with TruBlue, please visit https://trubluefranchise.com/.
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