After decades spent helping others — one in real estate, the other in education — Cynthia and   Ronald Cox were ready to do something new. But it couldn’t be just anything. It had to be meaningful, something that aligned with their values and made use of their experience. When a former client sent Cynthia a link to   Caring Transitions , it struck a chord. With Ron on board, they began their next chapter — this time, as business partners serving seniors and families in Braselton,Hoschton,Commerce, and NE Georgia, including Hartwell. Launching in August, their   Caring Transitions franchise combines their shared heart for service with a proven business model designed to make a real difference. 1851 spoke with the couple to learn more about their backgrounds, what drew them to the brand and their plans for the future.  1851 Franchise: Frame your personal story for us. What do you want us to know? Cynthia Cox: I’m a realtor of 29 years. I’ve been in the Atlanta area even longer than that. I really had an interest in Caring Transitions when one of my former clients called me and said, “I saw this ad and it sounded like something you are perfect for.” I investigated it and realized that I couldn’t do it by myself. Only if my husband was on board could we do this. It’s been a great growing experience. I was at a rehab facility today and got a lot of input on the whole feel of what the business is going to be about. I have a real heart for seniors, and that’s really why we went this route. We have two boys and two girls, and we have a total of 12 grandchildren — and a great-grandchild on the way. Ronald Cox: We’ve been married for 21 years. I’m a former teacher and school principal, but I’ve mainly been around educational publishing for a number of years. I grew up in this part of the country and spent most of my adult life in this area. I still run my own little business in that educational publishing world, and I’m also on the board of a small nonprofit here called   My Sister’s Place . 1851: What was your perception of franchising before becoming a franchisee, and what do you want people to know now that you’re in it? Ronald: We’ve both had our own businesses and been on the corporate side, but we realized we liked running our businesses more. Both of our sons are also entrepreneurs — they own businesses of their own. That’s always been there, but we hadn’t had the right opportunity in front of us to motivate us to branch out. Cynthia: I didn’t realize I was an entrepreneur until I raised my son and he got Entrepreneur of the Year — that got my wheels turning and made me think this would be a great challenge to run my own business. 1851: What made you pick this brand? What excites you most about this company? Cynthia: The amount of training was really paramount to our decision. I was just extremely impressed when we went to Cincinnati for the week — the structure of the company and the people. The word “caring” in the name really expresses it very well. Everyone we met, and the owners we’ve already talked to, have been very caring individuals. Being able to follow a model that was already successful really spoke volumes to me. Ronald: When she first approached me about it and started telling me about it, I said, “You already do a lot of that anyway with your real estate clients.” We’ve both been through losing our own parents, and at one point moving one or the other into a senior living community. We know some of what that entails, and so Caring Transitions really spoke to us from that standpoint. The amount of support really sold us. I talked to my son, who owns a different franchise, and I asked him about the level of support he was provided when he started out — he was amazed at everything we were provided. 1851: What do you hope to achieve with your business? What are your plans for growth? Cynthia: We are still establishing the long-term goal, but ideally what we would like to do is be successful in the first year by reaching our business goals. If we do that, there is a second territory that we would consider buying. Within five years, we’d like to sell it. 1851: Is there anything else about your story you want us to know? Ronald: Just that this is something we’ve both been connected to in our own ways. The timing was right and the brand values lined up with who we are. 1851: What advice do you have for other people thinking about becoming franchise owners? Ronald: Read the FDD really closely and talk to other franchise owners to get a grassroots sense of the business. Cynthia: Find out what the state laws are for auctioneers. We found out well into this that Ron had to take an 80-hour class, and Georgia has one of the toughest laws. Even for online auctions, you have to have a license, which requires going through school and testing. For more information about franchising with Caring Transitions, visit:   https://1851franchise.com/caringtransitions/ . ABOUT CARING TRANSITIONS: Caring Transitions provides older adults and their families with the most trusted, respected and comprehensive downsizing, right-sizing, estate sales and online auctions, and move management solutions in the industry. Founded in 2006, the brand is committed to helping people in a compassionate and caring manner during life's many transitions while providing a total and easy solution for clients in their time of need. Through their proprietary online sales platform, CTBIDS, Caring Transitions also prepares clients for the process of liquidating assets through their own online estate sales auction site. With more than 350 locations, Caring Transitions’ compassionate, experienced professionals minimize stress and relieve the burdens of life’s transitions. To learn more visit   https://www.caringtransitions.com/ .