Why I Bought: How Mark and Julie Odell Have Found Success with TruBlue Total House Care

Mark and Julie Odell have a passion for supporting the elderly, as well as one for home remodeling and entrepreneurship. So when Mark saw a Facebook ad about franchising with TruBlue Total House Care, the 60 plus-unit home maintenance franchise with a particular focus on senior services, he was immediately intrigued. Now, the Colorado-based couple owns two TruBlue locations in the Aurora area and, as new owners, the two broke the brand’s first month sales record in February 2021. Compelled by the desire to honor their lost loved ones in the work they do, Mark and Julie have dedicated themselves to raising the bar for the services a maintenance company should provide, both inside and outside of the home.

“We lost both of Julie’s parents to cancer. They left too early, and I felt we had an obligation to give back to our community and help other people who may be going through what we went through,” said Mark. “There’s such a huge need for these services and the demand is only continuing to grow. There's no other franchise that is set up to do what TruBlue does while fulfilling the need for a reputable company with a growing presence around the country.”

After their initial phone call, the Odells were blown away by the amount of support from TruBlue corporate. “When it came time to decide if we wanted to move forward with TruBlue, the true value of the company for us was the people. Sean Fitzgerald, president of TruBlue, is one of the most amazing men I've ever come across in my career,” said Mark. “His vision for the future of TruBlue is crystal clear. He really leans on us as owners and recognizes we’re big players in the growing family of TruBlue. For us, having direct access to all of those knowledgeable people made us feel like we weren’t alone as we navigated the process of kickstarting our business.”

Most importantly, the Odells were drawn to the kind of impact they could have on their communities by franchising with TruBlue. While senior services are a large focus of the brand, it also fulfills the needs of busy families who want to spend less time tackling housework and more time making memories with their loved ones.

“We quickly realized there is no limit to who could benefit from a service like this, from stay-at-home moms to hectic families and seniors,” said Julie. “As we started to peel away at the layers, we realized our target market is everyone, and we have the opportunity to help our friends, our friend’s parents — literally everybody.”

“We truly can be that all-in-one total house care solution,” Mark added.

TruBlue currently has a goal to reach more than 200 franchise locations across the country over the next few years, and the Odells believe the brand will grow dramatically, especially as more seniors want to age in place. 

“People aging in place at home tend to be forgotten. We believe that needs to be changed,” said Mark. “The assisted living communities got destroyed due to COVID and older generations are scared. They don’t want to leave their homes but their children are terrified something terrible is going to happen if they remain home alone. We have the opportunity to ensure that seniors’ homes are as safe as they can be.” 

“There’s such a huge market for what we’re doing, and I don’t think I would’ve known that without digging into it,” added Julie. “There’s incredible room for growth in this industry; this is just the tip of the iceberg.”

Ultimately, the couple strives to set an example of hard work for their children. “I get to be business partners with my life partner. We’re never going to let each other down,” said Mark. “We’re doing this work to help others while also creating a legacy for our family. Our kids are watching us build something and have a passion for the work that we are doing.”

The total investment estimate for a TruBlue Total House Care franchise ranges from $65,050-$91,400. To learn more about franchising with TruBlue, please visit https://trubluefranchise.com/.