Local Franchise Expert with 15 Years of Experience Brings Handyman Franchise to Modesto to Create a One-Stop Service for Seniors

Vince Maffeo started his franchising journey almost 15 years ago when he left his sales and marketing career in Florida to help his father run his multiple Comfort Keepers franchises in 2008. Maffeo has since expanded and now owns 10 Comfort Keepers throughout California. When the brand announced a partnership with the handyman franchise that focuses on seniors, TruBlue Total House Care, Maffeo knew it was the perfect opportunity to create a one-stop service for his current customers.

Maffeo recently signed with TruBlue to open one location in Modesto. But he doesn’t plan on stopping there. He can see the many benefits for aging adults to have access to services that provide an individualized approach to not only their health but their homes as well, and he wants to continue to grow with TruBlue in the future. Maffeo is looking forward to combining the marketing and business approaches of both brands so he can reach more and more aging adults.

1851 Franchise: Frame your personal story for us. What did you do before franchising, and how did you decide franchising made sense for you?

Franchising journey

Vince Maffeo: I joined the Comfort Keepers franchise in 2008. My father started franchising with the brand in 2002, and I wanted the opportunity to work with him as well as live closer to my parents. So I left my sales and marketing career with Comcast and my family, and I moved from Sarasota, Florida, to the Sacramento area. After almost 15 years with Comfort Keepers, I own 10 locations.

About four or five months ago, Comfort Keepers announced a marketing partnership with TruBlue Total House Care. I knew that it would be more beneficial to own a TruBlue location and more convenient for our clients. Buying a TruBlue means that my Comfort Keepers locations won’t have to refer out the handyman and home services as we’ve done in the past. It’s now a one-stop shop. Comfort Keepers provides care for the individual, and TruBlue provides maintenance to the home.

Maffeo: It’s important to take advantage of the relationships that a franchisor can offer you. Look at the playbook they provide and execute that in your local market. I’ve learned that different franchise brands have different playbooks, so you need to choose one that will work for not only you but your market.

Senior market growth

Maffeo: I’m excited about the transition into the senior market. It’s an important age group to reach because we have so many seniors that are aging. My average Comfort Keepers client is between the ages of 80 and 83. There are over 10,000 people a day turning 65 in this country. That age group, the baby boomers, aren’t even our clients yet. If you think we are busy now just wait until that age group begins to need our services. They will need professionals to provide individualized care and home repairs and care in the future.

Maffeo: Expansion is always the plan. My main goal is to take advantage of the marketing plan that is tried and true with the brand and apply them successfully to the client base I already have. I want to take a dual marketing approach by applying the TruBlue tactics but adding a twist from my existing company.

Maffeo: I’m all about executing and being able to understand how to provide the best service. Whatever that means for the client. At Comfort Keepers, we tailor our caregiving approach to the individual client and then execute it. I want to keep that same mindset going into owning TruBlue. We’re going to assess the needs of our clients’ homes, make a plan and then execute it properly.

Maffeo: You have to have a certain mindset to understand that with a franchise you don’t have to reinvent the wheel. Put on your operations hat and execute the brand model the way it has been developed. The faster you are able to do that and get up to speed on the franchise’s system, the better off you will be.

TruBlue Total House Care provides a helping hand around the house — inside and out. TruBlue’s services include to-do list chores, handyman services, house cleaning, maintenance, yard work, emergency repairs, seasonal work and preventative maintenance, all handled by a personal House Care Manager. TruBlue strives to provide affordable, worry-free living for seniors and hassle-free living for busy adults by providing full-service, trustworthy house care services.

TruBlue franchise owners are required to complete the Senior Home Safety Certification program through Age Safe® America. As specialists, TruBlue franchisees will be able to perform Senior Home Safety Assessments and can make those recommended safety modifications if needed.