--- title: "Earning the Referral: Sean Fitzgerald on Owning a TruBlue" description: TruBlue President Sean Fitzgerald joins Franchise Focus to talk about referral marketing, team culture and building a home service franchise customers recommend. image: https://www.trubluefranchise.com/hubfs/sean%20pod%20pic%20nov%2026.png --- [Skip to content](https://www.trubluefranchise.com/blog/earning-the-referral-sean-fitzgerald-on-owning-a-trublue#main-content) Close - [Our Business Model](https://www.trubluefranchise.com/our-business-model) - [Why TruBlue?](https://www.trubluefranchise.com/why-trublue) - [Investment](https://www.trubluefranchise.com/investment) - Resources - [FAQs](https://www.trubluefranchise.com/faqs) - [In The News](https://www.trubluefranchise.com/in-the-news) - [Video Gallery](https://www.trubluefranchise.com/video-gallery) - [Blog](https://www.trubluefranchise.com/blog) - [Meet the Team](https://www.trubluefranchise.com/meet-the-team) SEARCH [Let's Connect](https://www.trubluefranchise.com/schedule-a-call) [![TruBlue-Logo-061323](https://www.trubluefranchise.com/hs-fs/hubfs/TruBlue-Logo-061323.png?width=220&height=51&name=TruBlue-Logo-061323.png)](https://www.trubluefranchise.com/) [![TruBlue-Logo-061323](https://www.trubluefranchise.com/hs-fs/hubfs/TruBlue-Logo-061323.png?width=220&height=51&name=TruBlue-Logo-061323.png)](https://www.trubluefranchise.com/) - [Our Business Model](https://www.trubluefranchise.com/our-business-model) - [Why TruBlue?](https://www.trubluefranchise.com/why-trublue) - [Investment](https://www.trubluefranchise.com/investment) - Resources - [FAQs](https://www.trubluefranchise.com/faqs) - [In The News](https://www.trubluefranchise.com/in-the-news) - [Video Gallery](https://www.trubluefranchise.com/video-gallery) - [Blog](https://www.trubluefranchise.com/blog) - [Meet the Team](https://www.trubluefranchise.com/meet-the-team) [Let's Connect](https://www.trubluefranchise.com/schedule-a-call) ![](https://www.trubluefranchise.com/hs-fs/hubfs/sean%20pod%20pic%20nov%2026.png?width=520&height=348&name=sean%20pod%20pic%20nov%2026.png) [TruBlue](https://www.trubluefranchise.com/blog/author/trublue) November 5, 2026 # Earning the Referral: Sean Fitzgerald on Owning a TruBlue [Previous Post](https://www.trubluefranchise.com/blog/from-marine-corps-intelligence-to-helping-seniors-age-in-place) A customer who recommends your business to a friend has done something no marketing budget can guarantee: they've put their own reputation behind your work. On a recent episode of [*Franchise Focus* with host Laura Blackmore](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rao8xcBsY4I), TruBlue Home Service Ally President Sean Fitzgerald, CFE, explained how TruBlue owners earn that kind of trust and what it takes to build a home service business customers recommend. 👉 [WATCH THE FULL EPISODE HERE](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rao8xcBsY4I) #### A Holistic Approach to the Home Sean joined TruBlue in 2020 after leading a senior care franchise and after his family lost his father-in-law following a fall at home. Since then, TruBlue has grown to 185 operating locations. That personal loss shaped TruBlue's approach. Most falls aren't caused by a missing grab bar. They come from clutter, deferred maintenance, and seniors taking on jobs they shouldn't. So TruBlue combines senior home safety assessments, safety modifications, and recurring maintenance packages. Owners are Certified Aging-in-Place Specialists (CAPS), and team members are screened, background-checked, and insured, the same standards you'd expect from a caregiver. Those standards appeal to every customer, including the many active adults 55 and older who simply don't want to do repairs themselves anymore. #### Owners lead, technicians do the work Candidates often worry that they don't know home repair. Sean's answer: "Good. That's who we want as operators." Senior care owners aren't doctors or nurses, and TruBlue owners don't need to be tradespeople. They focus on sales, marketing, and building teams, while lead technicians and technicians handle the work. TruBlue's iCare referral program gives owners a detailed playbook for building relationships with the medical and senior communities, where fall prevention is already a priority. The mission helps with hiring too. Technicians have aging parents and grandparents, so the work means something to them. That sense of purpose, along with clear paths to lead technician and general manager roles, helps owners become the employer of choice in their markets. #### From one-time jobs to lifelong relationships Sean wants TruBlue to be "the Jiffy Lube to the home." Maintenance packages turn occasional repairs into scheduled service and give owners a reason to see customers every quarter. They also lift a burden from adult children who are arranging help for aging parents. Over time, owners become each customer's home ally, the first call for anything. They also become trusted connectors who trade referrals with local plumbers, HVAC companies, and other trades. #### A simple model, with time on your side Technicians are TruBlue's cost of goods sold, so growth comes down to keeping enough technicians busy to reach your goals. Most owners start out home-based, and technicians bring their own tools. A detailed two-year roadmap and a dedicated scaling coach guide owners as they grow. Demand keeps rising as people live longer and more of them age in place. In retail, the first month is often the best one. A home service business that delivers a great experience tends to keep growing as referrals build. In Sean's words: "This is one industry where time is on your side." #### Is TruBlue right for you? Sean says the biggest variable is the owner. Owners who succeed are proactive networkers who stay visible in their communities, build strong teams, and treat every customer as a relationship. Do that well, and customers will recommend you to the people they care about. [Watch the full conversation here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rao8xcBsY4I). ![avatar](https://app.hubspot.com/settings/avatar/d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e) #### [TruBlue](https://www.trubluefranchise.com/blog/author/trublue) ##### Subscribe for Updates ## RELATED ARTICLES ### [TruBlue May 14, 2021 TruBlue Recognized as a Top 200 Franchise in 2021 by Franchise Business Review TruBlue Total House Care was recognized as one of Franchise Business Review’s Top 200 Franchises in 2021. Franchise Business ... Start Reading](https://www.trubluefranchise.com/blog/2021/05/14/trublue-recognized-as-a-top-200-franchise-in-2021-by-franchise-business-review) ### [TruBlue August 10, 2025 TruBlue President Sean Fitzgerald Featured on Franchise 101 Podcast TruBlue President Sean Fitzgerald Featured on Franchise 101 Podcast Watch: Start Reading](https://www.trubluefranchise.com/blog/trublue-president-sean-fitzgerald-featured-on-franchise-101-podcast) ### [TruBlue July 7, 2026 New Podcast: TruBlue's President on the Aging-in-Place Boom Fueling 160+ Territories In the latest episode of the Kickstart My Franchise Podcast, host Tim Michaels sits down with Sean Fitzgerald, President of ... Start Reading](https://www.trubluefranchise.com/blog/new-podcast-trublues-president-on-the-aging-in-place-boom-fueling-160-territories) ### [TruBlue September 2, 2026 TruBlue Home Service Ally Featured in Franchise Journal's Health & Wellness Issue TruBlue Home Service Ally has been featured in the September 2026 Health & Wellness issue of Franchise Journal, in a piece ... Start Reading](https://www.trubluefranchise.com/blog/trublue-home-service-ally-featured-in-franchise-journals-health-wellness-issue) [![TruBlue-Logo-Reverse-061323](https://www.trubluefranchise.com/hs-fs/hubfs/TruBlue-Logo-Reverse-061323.png?width=220&height=51&name=TruBlue-Logo-Reverse-061323.png "TruBlue-Logo-Reverse-061323")](https://www.trubluefranchise.com/) ##### SUBSCRIBE TO STAY UP TO DATE #### Quick Links - [Our Business Model](https://www.trubluefranchise.com/our-business-model) - [Why TruBlue?](https://www.trubluefranchise.com/why-trublue) - [Investment](https://www.trubluefranchise.com/investment) - [For Real Estate Pros](https://www.trubluefranchise.com/real-estate-professionals) #### Resources - [FAQs](https://www.trubluefranchise.com/faqs) - [In The News](https://www.trubluefranchise.com/in-the-news) - [Video Gallery](https://www.trubluefranchise.com/video-gallery) - [Blog](https://www.trubluefranchise.com/blog) #### Get In Touch - [Schedule A Call](https://www.trubluefranchise.com/schedule-a-call) - [877 772-0149](tel:877772-0149) #### Legal - [Privacy Policy](https://www.trubluefranchise.com/privacy-policy-and-terms) - [Accessibility](https://www.trubluefranchise.com/accessibility) The franchising information contained in this website is not intended as an offer to sell a franchise or the solicitation of an offer to buy a franchise. 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All rights reserved - [Privacy Policy](https://www.trubluefranchise.com/privacy-policy) - [Website by Nextiny](https://www.nextinymarketing.com/) ```json { "@context" : "http://schema.org", "@type" : "Organization", "address" : { "@type" : "PostalAddress", "addressCountry" : "United States", "addressLocality" : "Cincinnati", "addressRegion" : "Ohio", "postalCode" : "45242", "streetAddress" : "4755 Lake Forest Dr Suite 100" }, "email" : "hello@power.com", "knowsLanguage" : "en", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://24394839.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/24394839/Logos/TruBlue-Logo-091622.png" }, "name" : "TruBlue Franchise", "telephone" : "+49 (0) 89 123 456", "url" : "https://www.trubluefranchise.com/blog/earning-the-referral-sean-fitzgerald-on-owning-a-trublue" } ``` ```json { "@context" : "http://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "abstract" : "TruBlue President Sean Fitzgerald joins Franchise Focus to talk about referral marketing, team culture and building a home service franchise customers recommend.", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "TruBlue" }, "dateModified" : "November 5, 2026 8 PM", "datePublished" : "November 5, 2026 8 PM", "headline" : "Earning the Referral: Sean Fitzgerald on Owning a TruBlue", "image" : "https://24394839.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/24394839/sean%20pod%20pic%20nov%2026.png", "inLanguage" : "en", "keywords" : "[TruBlue In The News]", "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@type" : "WebPage" }, "name" : "Earning the Referral: Sean Fitzgerald on Owning a TruBlue", "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://24394839.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/24394839/Logos/TruBlue-Logo-091622.png" }, "name" : "TruBlue Franchise" }, "text" : "A customer who recommends your business to a friend has done something no marketing budget can guarantee: they've put their own reputation behind your work. On a recent episode of Franchise Focus with host Laura Blackmore, TruBlue Home Service Ally President Sean Fitzgerald, CFE, explained how TruBlue owners earn that kind of trust and what it takes to build a home service business customers recommend. 👉 WATCH THE FULL EPISODE HERE A Holistic Approach to the Home Sean joined TruBlue in 2020 after leading a senior care franchise and after his family lost his father-in-law following a fall at home. Since then, TruBlue has grown to 185 operating locations. That personal loss shaped TruBlue's approach. Most falls aren't caused by a missing grab bar. They come from clutter, deferred maintenance, and seniors taking on jobs they shouldn't. So TruBlue combines senior home safety assessments, safety modifications, and recurring maintenance packages. Owners are Certified Aging-in-Place Specialists (CAPS), and team members are screened, background-checked, and insured, the same standards you'd expect from a caregiver. Those standards appeal to every customer, including the many active adults 55 and older who simply don't want to do repairs themselves anymore. Owners lead, technicians do the work Candidates often worry that they don't know home repair. Sean's answer: \"Good. That's who we want as operators.\" Senior care owners aren't doctors or nurses, and TruBlue owners don't need to be tradespeople. They focus on sales, marketing, and building teams, while lead technicians and technicians handle the work. TruBlue's iCare referral program gives owners a detailed playbook for building relationships with the medical and senior communities, where fall prevention is already a priority. The mission helps with hiring too. Technicians have aging parents and grandparents, so the work means something to them. That sense of purpose, along with clear paths to lead technician and general manager roles, helps owners become the employer of choice in their markets. From one-time jobs to lifelong relationships Sean wants TruBlue to be \"the Jiffy Lube to the home.\" Maintenance packages turn occasional repairs into scheduled service and give owners a reason to see customers every quarter. They also lift a burden from adult children who are arranging help for aging parents. Over time, owners become each customer's home ally, the first call for anything. They also become trusted connectors who trade referrals with local plumbers, HVAC companies, and other trades. A simple model, with time on your side Technicians are TruBlue's cost of goods sold, so growth comes down to keeping enough technicians busy to reach your goals. Most owners start out home-based, and technicians bring their own tools. A detailed two-year roadmap and a dedicated scaling coach guide owners as they grow. Demand keeps rising as people live longer and more of them age in place. In retail, the first month is often the best one. A home service business that delivers a great experience tends to keep growing as referrals build. In Sean's words: \"This is one industry where time is on your side.\" Is TruBlue right for you? Sean says the biggest variable is the owner. Owners who succeed are proactive networkers who stay visible in their communities, build strong teams, and treat every customer as a relationship. Do that well, and customers will recommend you to the people they care about. 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