Started by Three Brothers
How helping seniors started a national movement.
Growing up in a small town, I loved living next to my grandparents. What a blessing! We helped them with household tasks, yard work, and tech help, and Grandma would pay us in milk and cookies.
Over time, that same habit of helping extended beyond our home. Seniors from church, neighbors, friends... anyone needing an extra hand, we were there. To us, helping out was just part of normal life.
I never imagined how this would change my life.
Alex, David, and Evan Rodriguez, Founders of Linked Lives.
When I went off to college to study engineering, my senior friends would call from time to time to outline their household needs. "Let me know once you're back for break!" they'd say.
With family far away, we became their “grandsons”.
Most seniors didn't need much, just little tasks. We knew that they cared about their independence. Thirty minutes clearing out an overgrown flower bed. An hour lifting heavy boxes to organize the garage. Five minutes to fix a phone issue. Seeing results quickly always brought joy.
But as we grew up, we visited home less and less, and they called more and more. Why? Suddenly we realized the underlying problem. Where was the next generation of young adults? How had the torch been dropped? Had a rift formed between the generations?
What if we started an intergenerational movement?
And so with a lot of prayer and consideration, we quit our engineering jobs, and went all in to create Linked Lives. Our sole mission? To foster intergenerational relationships through household help.
Word spread quickly. Three brothers helping seniors? Incredible! Our Facebook posts racked up hundreds of likes and comments, service organizations like Rotary and Kiwanis hosted us to speak at luncheons, and local newspapers even reached out to write stories. We found acceptance in our small town, but was it just because we were locals? We had to find out!
Hiring the first helper besides ourselves was a critical point. Our senior members had essentially become our "grandparents". I felt incredibly protective about who we hired. When an application came in from a youth group leader, we knew we had a winner. Athlete, oldest son, humble, kind, hardworking. This started our hiring culture of excellence.
As we expanded, we focused our entire effort on finding the best and brightest young adults. We built a culture of excellence. Showing up on time, working hard, and creating personal connection. When seniors from beyond our county started joining the waitlist, we knew we were on to something big.
We discovered a universal need for human connection.
Hiring incredible helpers led to incredible reviews. Happy seniors told their friends. To meet demand, we hired the friends of our top helpers. This quickly became a dream job for many students. Word got out via varsity sports teams, leadership clubs, and study groups. We continually became even more selective. Our goal? To attract the best.
Hiring exceptional young adults was the key.
It's incredible. The helpers on Linked Lives will become the future leaders, doctors, engineers, business owners, architects, artists. In five years as professionals, they will all cost 10x to hire. We recruit the top 5% of young adults, which you can then book at an affordable rate, because no one else has discovered their true potential.
Seniors say we've restored their faith in the younger generation.
We hear this all the time. Why? Because our focus is people. And what's beautiful? It is a two-way street. Seniors have stories and wisdom that change young adults for life. Young adults bring a vibrancy and energy that only comes from someone who is starting their life journey.
I have directly benefited from intergenerational relationships and I want others to experience the joy... lifelong friends, scholarship opportunities, skills like woodworking and quilting, and even wedding invites.
My senior friends watched me graduate, attended my wedding, and even met my kids. That's a friendship.
Our goal is to bring Linked Lives to every city, every state. We started grassroots from day one, and we will continue to grow that way. Every friend you share with, every young adult you encourage to apply, makes all the difference. Thank you so much!
Building meaningful human connections is my life’s work. I put my heart and soul into Linked Lives, creating a platform for others to enjoy.
I hope you experience the same kind of meaningful relationships.
- Alex Rodriguez, Founder
