Eleonora Tatashadzee realized the great need that existed for homecare services in her community while she was working at St. Francis Hospital in Hartford, CT. She saw a lot of patients who could live independently but needed some help around the home as they were recovering. Many patients, for example, had to take taxis home after surgery because their relatives were working or did not live close by. To respond to this need, Eleonora created Eleonora’s Homemaker Companion LLC, which provides non-medical care to elderly or home-bound adults to encourage an independent lifestyle and promote health and happiness in the greater Hartford area. Her business provides a range of services such as grocery shopping, trips to the doctor, meal planning and preparation, light housekeeping, companionship, errands, and more.

Eleonora is a self-made woman, having arrived to the United States 10 years ago as a refugee from Russia with her husband and three small children. Eleonora faced many struggles adjusting to a new country with no connections and no English language skills. Despite these challenges, she set out to accomplish her business dream and build a better life for herself and her family.

Eleonora first worked providing homecare services informally, but she was barely making minimum wage, traveling many miles each day to see clients, and spending too much time away from her young family. During the early years of her venture, Eleonora did everything she could to learn the homecare business. She took English classes, enrolled in accounting courses at the local community college and began seeking financing options. After being turned down for loans from two commercial banks, Eleonora was approved for a loan with Ascendus.

Thanks to a partnership between Ascendus and The Hartford, Eleonora received a loan to help get her business off the ground and pay for licensing and training for her employees, who are also her 18-year-old and 19-year-old daughters. The Hartford supports small business owners like Eleonora who are having a positive impact in their community.

Eleonora feels a strong connection to her community and the clients she serves and takes great pride in the quality of care she provides. Her vision is to create an environment of support and a more independent lifestyle for her clients in the comfort of their own homes by carefully assessing and understanding their needs.

Beyond starting her own business while continuing to work full-time at the hospital, Eleonora sees her greatest accomplishments as recently purchasing a home and sending her two oldest daughters to college at nearby Trinity College in Hartford, CT and the University of Connecticut in Storrs, CT. Her future goal is to be able to grow her business so she is able to work on it full-time and help serve more clients in the greater Hartford area. One day, she hopes to see her name on a Top 10 Women in Business list!