en·tre·pre·neur änn-trə-p(r)ə-'nər\noun
1. One who manages and assumes the risks of a business 2. An entrepreneurial journey with purpose
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by Jill Abrahamsen
eter Ross spent some 20 years in corporate America before realizing
he was an entrepreneur at heart. Ross had a little push from longtime friend Tony Bonacuse, whom he describes as an “entrepreneur from birth.” Bonacuse convinced Ross to partner with him on a business, although he wasn’t quite clear on what exactly that business would be. The pair brainstormed and took some time to develop a concept. They wanted to provide a service that was in demand, had recurring revenue streams, and had a growing demographic. They also wanted the business to make a difference and provide an important service. Looking at many industries, one kept coming up that satisfied all of their criteria: senior care. “It became clear to us that there were huge opportunities,” Ross says. The pair launched Senior Helpers in 2002 and grew the business to more than 300 locations today. The company offers in-home companion care and personal care as well as Alzheimer’s and dementia care. “Our growth and success is due to our passionate franchisees. This is a mission-driven business, so we are very selective about who joins our family,” Ross says. THE NEXT STEP With this huge success, you might think that Ross’s entrepreneurial aspirations were fulfilled, but he was actually just getting started. Ross was presented with a unique opportunity in January, 2018. The Glenner Foundation (www.glenner.org) introduced 50
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Ross to its innovative adult day care, which is set up to look like a town square. Using reminiscence therapy as its foundation, the goal is to trigger memories for people with dementia. The centers contain a number of vignettes that offer interactive activities for seniors, including a full-service ’50s diner and a movie theater that plays classic films. These prompts help elicit long-term memories, reduce anxiety, and improve mood and sleep quality in those with dementia. Ross fell in love with the concept and realized that it could be a perfect complement to Senior Helpers. So he put his entrepreneurial cap back on and created Senior Helpers Town Square. “The businesses are perfect complements to each other,” Ross says. “A Senior Helpers location can fully staff the Town
