Jake Vance TruBlue Franchise: Building Legacy in Hanover County

Before launching his TruBlue franchise, Jake Vance spent a decade building a successful career in craft beverage sales. While he excelled, he hit a hard ceiling: strong performance earned steady bonuses but offered no real opportunity for upward income growth. Seeking higher earning potential and a greater impact, Jake turned toward business ownership. His primary motivation was his family, specifically creating a better future for his wife and two daughters under the age of four.

When Jake discovered TruBlue, he immediately thought back to his parents and how they care for his 100-year-old grandmother. After his grandfather passed away, his parents built an accessible retirement home in the Outer Banks complete with an elevator, private bathroom, and kitchenette. This setup let his grandmother live comfortably with family while keeping her independence. Seeing the profound benefits of aging at home, rather than moving into a senior facility, transformed TruBlue from a simple business opportunity into a career with deep personal purpose.

Looking ahead, Jake is eager to expand his territory to meet the growing demand for senior home services in surrounding counties, while also helping busy families and homeowners needing everyday repairs, maintenance or remodeling. Having worked alongside his grandfather on rental properties since age 16, he brings practical trade skills and operational knowledge that give him a distinct edge in the home services industry. Now, Jake is applying his passion, hands-on experience, and industry knowledge to build a foundation for the next generation by serving the prior one.

VANCE: "I've been in sales in the craft beverage industry for a decade now, and the way the general economy is headed and then more specifically that market... the sales aren't there. It kind of got to the point where I was like, 'All right, no matter how hard I spin my wheels here, I'm going to continue to make the same salary, get the same bonuses...

my pay's not increasing, and I'm not spending less time doing it.' So that was when I had the notion I need to venture out on my own and start working for myself instead of enriching other people... to build a legacy, something that's going to allow me to get to the point where not only am I earning more income, but then I've also got more time on my hands, a little more freedom, a better work-life balance, if you will."

VANCE: "With TruBlue, I recognize that there's a definite need for the services they provide. They emphasize helping seniors age in place... so their mission really resonated with me right out of the gate. In addition, it was low-cost to buy in, and the royalties were super low. They were the lowest out of everyone I looked at... corporate's not trying to bleed their franchisees out so they can make a quick buck. They're in it for the long haul and they're actually trying to accomplish this mission that they have."

VANCE: “So far it is busy... It's like drinking from a fire hose. You got all this information coming at you... But once you work out all the minor details, everything else is standard operating procedure, and the business should flow accordingly. So while it's busy, while you're inundated with millions of things to do on a daily basis, I feel like there is a light at the end of the tunnel.”

VANCE: "On the most basic level, it has made me more determined... I'm determined to make it a success because, again, my reputation is attached to it. While I've done more than proficient work for all my employers over the years, this makes it more meaningful, more impactful really because I'm doing this for myself and my family."

VANCE: “Now my thought is, when's the soonest I can buy another territory or expand the business? And I haven't even really gotten rolling yet. That's how fantastic a job corporate has done to make ownership—again, I'm not going to say easy because it's not easy—but to make it doable and then rewarding at the same time. They give you the freedom to run the business how you see fit; however, they're there to support you on anything and everything that you need.”

VANCE: “It's more fine-tuned things, such as hiring an office administrator in order for me to focus more on building the business rather than conducting the day-to-day operations, not really broader aspects. And even knowing that stuff, I don't think it would have deterred me.”

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.