The Royal Treatment, LLC

At age 6, Jeffrey Rudge sold Hallmark cards. At 7, he sold pens. Then, he moved on to pinstripe suits. As an adult, he sold computers, copiers, electronics and advertising. Rudge is a lifelong salesman, but also a lifelong caregiver. In his teens, he drove elderly neighbors to doctor appointments. Since his late 20s, he has cared for his father. So, in 2004, Rudge decided to merge the two roles and earn his certified nursing assistant’s (CNA) license.

“I decided to do something really good for people for the second half of my life,” Rudge said.

He started out doing private-duty, home-healthcare work. During that time, he heard the same question over and over from clients: “Is there anybody else out there like you?”

Rudge tried to fill the role of a dependable family member. And when he founded The Royal Treatment LLC in 2007, he wanted to create a network of caregivers that could forge similar relationships with their clients.

Today, Rudge has six CNAs on staff who are licensed contractors, as well as a database of 20 people he can call. He does a full background check on all contractors and requires that they hold a CNA license. He personally assesses new clients before matching them with a caregiver.

“I want them to be able to be like family,” Rudge said.