Why I Bought A TruBlue Franchise: Brian Winton Creating a Legacy and Supporting the Community in Chattanooga, Tennessee

After going from serving in the Air Force to working at FedEx for 25 years, Brian Winton was ready to slow down and do something different. As someone who had loved remodeling and helping friends and family with their small home projects, Winton had always thought about entering the home service industry. With his wife Diana's encouragement, he decided to seriously consider pursuing his passion for remodeling by investing in a business of his own. When he discovered TruBlue Total House Care, the 80-plus unit handyman and home maintenance franchise focused on helping busy adults and seniors, it checked all the boxes.

"I was tired of working full-time," Winton said. “But I didn’t want to start a business from scratch — if you do that, 9 times out of 10 you are going to fail. So, I started looking at franchises.” 

Around the same time, Winton was introduced to TruBlue after his elderly mother fell and broke her hip. “I was researching ways to help get her house prepared for her to come home,” he said. “That is how I found TruBlue. It was really a one-stop-shop for everything my mother needed. I thought that was a great idea for a business.”

Additionally, Winton says he was attracted to the TruBlue franchise because of the extensive support it offers its franchisees. "TruBlue helps you with all aspects of the business, marketing, legal, etc. They have vendors set up for you if you want to use them. They can make your life a lot easier," he explained. “The other handyman franchises we looked at just didn’t seem to have that level of support. They wanted you to run your business for them, not for yourself.” 

Since starting his TruBlue franchise in 2018, Winton has found success in the southern market by building a strong reputation and focusing on word-of-mouth referrals. "Down here they don’t just pick up the phone and call,” he said. “They want to call a friend or somebody for a recommendation. So we are building that reputation out there. We stay busy.”

Winton’s TruBlue franchise primarily focuses on remodels, with an emphasis on helping clients plan for accessibility in the future. He's also proud of his five-year plan and is on track to meet his goals. "I am the type of person who builds slowly and builds it right. I am trying to build a clientele that is going to be here for years to come," he said. 

Winton’s long-term goal is to create a strong foundation for his business that can be handed down to his children. “Two of my daughters actually work for me and run our maid side of the business," he said. "I love getting to work with my family on a day-to-day basis. I get to see them growing in the business and learning, and we can put that effort into something together."

Above all, Winton loves the flexibility that comes with owning a TruBlue franchise, as well as the opportunity to help people in his community. "Seeing how appreciative they are when we get a job done is what I enjoy the most,” he said. “The strong relationships we form with clients, who often treat our team like family, makes the work even more rewarding.”

“Brian’s franchise in Chattanooga highlights how the right franchise opportunity, matched with the right franchisee, can not only lead to financial success but also bring personal fulfillment,” said TruBlue President Sean Fitzgerald. “We are thrilled to have him as part of the TruBlue family and we are looking for similarly qualified, passionate and community-driven professionals to help us expand our footprint and establish ourselves as the leading provider of home modification and maintenance services for busy adults and seniors.”

The brand has identified Orlando, Miami, Jacksonville and Naples, Florida, as well as Houston and Dallas, Texas, as key development markets, but trustworthy, reliable, insured and bonded handymen are needed across the country, so all are welcome to connect.

For more information on franchising with TruBlue, visit: https://1851franchise.com/trubluehousecare/info