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Meet the Founder
Renae Olafson, CEO & Founder
Touching Hearts, Inc.
Renae Olafson is an entrepreneur, and as such she exhibits all the characteristics generally found in a successful businessperson—one can see she is honorable, intelligent, perceptive, dedicated, and energetic; but above all, what is striking about Renae is that she is kind, and her kindness is evident in all her actions. It is her natural compassion that drove her to create her Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN-based company Touching Hearts at Home, a non-medical homecare company that has become a forerunner in an industry devoted to helping meet the needs of an aging society. Now in its 11th year, Touching Hearts at Home allows Renae to bring safety, friendship and kindness to the lives of clients, a privilege that provides her with great personal rewards.
Renae has been a business owner for the past 25 years. After finishing her degree in Education, she began working as a staffing coordinator in a large corporate human resources department in Minneapolis. She bought her first business, a Merry Maids franchise, at the young age of 25. Over the ensuing nine years, she owned two Merry Maids franchises that ranked among the top performing offices in the nation. After selling these, Renae opened an art gallery that she operated lucratively for six years, during which time she even expanded into a second location.
In 1996, Renae began working as a consultant to help develop a non-medical homecare service for seniors called ServiceMaster Caring Companions. She quickly rose to Director of Operations for the branch, and within a year owned the company. After ten years of ownership, Renae began to visualize a new aspiration: to establish a vast availability for an enriching, at-home lifestyle for seniors. It is not always possible for friends or family to care for and monitor their loved ones, forcing them to move from their homes, and Renae wanted to be able to grant as many of such families peace of mind as possible. It was clear to Renae that the needs for her services extended throughout the country and that this need would only continue to grow as more of the nation's baby boomer population begins reaching retirement age. In the fall of 2006 she trademarked the company's new name, Touching Hearts at Home, and began selling franchises in January of 2007.
Touching Hearts at Home's mission is to help individuals live independently for as long as possible. Centered on Renae's core philosophy of empathy and the belief in the dignity present in human life, each Touching Hearts location shares her belief that helping people is a gift to respectfully receive and give back with integrity. Renae attributes the achievements and reputation of her company to her determination to surround herself with kind and caring people. "This is a business built around empathy, caring for others and sharing kindness with those in need," she says. She focuses on fostering business relationships with those who share in her philosophy and are passionate about being part of a company devoted to compassion. Each Touching Hearts office is based on the same values of integrity, empathy and kindness.
Caregiving became Renae's passion and profession due to the strong example of love and care that her mother, now 92-years-old, set for her when she was growing. Renae helped care for her father prior to his death and now helps care for her mother with the same love and respect that she has based her business upon. "My company is built on the values that my mother instilled in me, and her example of human kindness and care is the foundation," Renae confirms. "Touching Hearts at Home is rooted in a commitment to valuing the people we serve and those who serve alongside us. It's not what we do. It's who we are."
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