Family Crisis Inspires New Business in West County

For 17 years, Matt Haddox worked in the corporate world as an accountant, managing teams in manufacturing and furniture industries. However, sitting in an office left him feeling unfulfilled and he wanted to do something that actually helped his community. When his grandfather fell, forcing his grandparents to move out of their lifelong home and into assisted living, he witnessed the emotional strain this transition placed on his family firsthand.

Through his relationships with older neighbors in the community, he realized that many of them desperately want to remain in their homes. Now, as the owner of TruBlue Home Service Ally of West County in Missouri, he is able to provide the safety modifications and handyman services seniors need to age in place comfortably.

Matt Haddox: I grew up in a somewhat small town — Washington, Missouri. From there, I went to college and I actually studied psychology for three years. I did a complete 180 and decided to go into accounting. I graduated with a bachelor's degree in accounting and jumped right into the corporate world, where I’ve been for the past 17 years. I’ve always been interested in business ownership and I decided now was finally time to pursue that.

Haddox: I worked for a company that manufactured electrical transformers for five years. Then I went to another company that does ready-to-assemble furniture. I did that for the past 11 or 12 years. I realized I knew how to run those teams, but to try to run my own company, I'd be very out on an island. The franchise system provides support and helps jump-start the process. If I was doing my own thing right now, I'm sure I'd probably still be in the first stage. That support system is what I was looking for.

Haddox: Franchising is something that’s been on my mind for a long time. The first few months have been very busy. As a franchisee, you wear a lot of hats like HR, marketing and operations. When you’re navigating this as an owner, it’s so helpful to call someone else for support who’s been through the process.

Haddox: I wanted to do something with purpose that would help the community. I wanted to provide services that people would actually need. My grandparents had to move into a home because of my grandpa's fall and I saw the strain that it put on my parents. It aligned with my desire to help seniors stay in their homes. A lot of seniors don't want to move out of their homes as they age. When I heard about the brand’s emphasis on serving seniors, I knew it was the right brand.

Haddox: My goal is to be the one-stop shop for anything people need in their homes. I want them to know that we're the ones that can help them out. The senior focus is what I'm really passionate about because I want to support seniors aging in place. I think that's where I really see the potential and the growth for this business. I have noticed that there's a lot of people out there that just want someone to help, so I think this business is something that I can naturally grow in this area.

Haddox: My wife and I actually looked into opening a small grocery store 16 years ago, but ultimately decided to stick with the jobs we had at the time. I’ve been considering business ownership again recently and when I found TruBlue, it felt like a great opportunity.

Haddox: It's probably going to feel overwhelming, but once you get into it and you start seeing things come together, it's very fun and fulfilling. For people who are considering a franchise, you're probably going to second-guess things, but you have to pursue it. Make sure it's something you're passionate about. That's probably the number one thing. When I saw the senior modification aspect of the business, I knew it was something that I could care about long term.

TruBlue Home Service Ally® provides a unique and affordable approach to helping busy adults and seniors live a worry-free life by offering trustworthy handyman, home maintenance and senior modification services. Helping you maintain your home both inside and out, TruBlue’s services include handyman projects and to-do list chores, preventative home maintenance programs, kitchen and bath remodels, seasonal work, and senior modification services, all handled by professional, bonded and insured Tru-Pro® Technicians. TruBlue franchise owners are required to complete senior home safety certification programs through the NAHB and Age Safe America.

As certified specialists, TruBlue franchisees are able to perform aging in place home safety assessments and can make recommended safety modifications as needed.