What Tasia Drayton saw in the healthcare industry after becoming a CNA, inspired her to start her own home care agency in 2017. She named her business exactly what was needed: Compassionate Connections.

The agency provides client-centered homemaker, companion, and personal care services in Lake, Sumter, Marion, and surrounding counties. 

A fifth generation Floridian, Tasia launched the company in her hometown of Eustis, but from the start, she had bigger goals in mind.

“I want to be the Chick-fil-A of homecare,” she says.  “I want to show that you can grow and be a big company and keep your integrity.”

Her plan was always to franchise her company. She officially awarded her first Compassionate Connections franchise in Charlotte, North Carolina, on September 3, 2026. The franchisee plans to open by February 2027.

“I’ve been branding the business from the beginning to set us apart,” says Tasia. “I’ve talked to many people who want a franchise, but I’m treating it like I do choosing caregivers. This is my baby, and I want each franchisee to be in it for the right reasons and feel the same way I do about the caregiving business.”  

Matching clients with the right caregivers is one of the secrets to her success. 

“We’re picky when hiring caregivers. Everyone who joins our care team has Level 2 background checks, but it’s not just about passing a background check,” says Tasia, who has her own background company on site.

“We really pride ourselves on choosing people with empathy,” she says. “The way we vet people is that we look deeper than just a background check and how long someone has been a CNA. We pay attention to the ‘why’ someone is doing this work, because it’s not just a shift.”

Full-time care coordinator, Miriam Silva plays a big role in matching caregivers with clients.

A common complaint about the home health care industry is lack of caregiver training, so the next project on Tasia’s agenda is opening a CNA school.

“We thoroughly train our caregivers, including bedside manner and emphasizing compassion, but we want to make it so CNAs get the training they need even if they’re not working for us,” she says.

When Tasia launched Compassionate Connections in 2017, she was a one-woman show. She now employs over 80 caregivers, not counting office staff. She and her husband Marvin have two daughters: Majesty, 9, and Royalty, 3.