When business partners J.D. Nelson and Scott Edwards stumbled upon TruBlue Home Service Ally, a franchise offering subscription-based home maintenance and handyman services for seniors and families, they recognized an opportunity to elevate their business portfolio.
Nelson, a U.S. Air Force veteran with extensive experience in the home services industry, and Edwards, who has a background in health and over a decade in construction, have been business partners since starting a home inspection business in 2012, followed by a microbial and odor sanitization company a year later.
“We’ve done a total of over 20,000 home inspections, and in that time, we noticed a need amongst real estate agents, property managers, and homeowners looking for professional handyman services,” said Nelson. “Once we built up our business, we were trying to figure out how to address that need.”
As an experienced business owner, Nelson emphasized the challenges of starting something from scratch. “When you add up all the costs you spend on the back-end, marketing, and operations to start your own company, you end up spending just as much money, if not more, than you would in royalty costs with a franchise,” he said. “Plus, franchising is a full package deal, with a turn-key business and proven systems in place.”
During their franchise research, the duo came across TruBlue and immediately connected with its mission. “There are a lot of handyman services out there, but not many that address the needs of both seniors and busy families,” said Nelson. “Additionally, most ‘Chuck in a Truck’ handyman providers don’t provide that level of professionalism or take on smaller projects. TruBlue takes on projects of all sizes.”
Edwards emphasized the importance of senior care, drawing from his experience as a nursing assistant. “The most exciting part of TruBlue is the work we will be able to do with the seniors and our ability to help them stay in their homes longer. We definitely want to be a part of that solution for seniors and busy families.”
Nelson and Edwards, after due diligence, met the TruBlue leadership team and officially signed on with the brand in West Des Moines, Iowa. They are now transitioning their home inspection business and rebranding it to TruBlue Home Service Ally.
“We are excited to help buyers and sellers make their homes move-in ready or pre-sale ready, help property managers looking to flip a house or apartment, and help busy families who can’t keep up with maintenance,” said Nelson. “As far as senior citizens trying to age in place, we know this is an underserved market, and we want to help them improve their quality of life. We already have a lot of experience and a respectable reputation throughout our community, and this will allow us to become an even more valuable resource by providing total home maintenance for everyone and anyone.”
