When longtime friends Kristi Crowson and Jill Homeyer found themselves at a crossroads professionally — they started taking early morning walks to figure out what was next. Both had decades of experience in health care and both had recently become empty nesters. What they wanted was something with meaning. What they found was Caring Transitions. Now, the duo is preparing to launch their franchise in Brenham, Texas and the surrounding cities this September, offering downsizing, estate sales and relocation services to seniors in the area. With firsthand experience navigating these transitions in their own families, Crowson and Homeyer are bringing empathy, energy and much-needed support to seniors in their community.
1851 spoke with the duo to learn more about their backgrounds, what drew them to the Caring Transitions franchise and their plans for the future.
1851 Franchise: Frame your personal story for us. What do you want us to know?
Kristi Crowson: As graduates of Texas A&M, my husband and I have called Bryan/College Station home for the majority of our married life. We have a daughter who is currently in college. I’ve worked in healthcare as a nurse for over 25 years. Jill and I became friends years ago when our girls were in elementary school together. She actually grew up across the street from my husband in Brenham. We both love the Lord and want to serve Him through this business.
Jill Homeyer: We both became empty nesters about a year ago. My kids are in college. I did 14 years in health and medical sales, then 13 years in property management. I just decided to go a different route. I wanted a job with purpose. And in the rural area we’re in, there’s such a need for what we’re offering.
1851: What did you do before franchising, and how did you decide franchising made sense for you?
Crowson: I worked as an orthopaedic nurse for over 15 years and prior to this in cardiac care. I had been looking for something different and even considered hospice. Jill shared her friend’s Caring Transitions franchise story with me, and it just really hit home. I had just come off a three-year period where I helped take care of my mother-in-law toward the end of her life. It was hard, but it was one of the most rewarding things I’ve ever done. So when Jill told me about Caring Transitions, I took a leap of faith. Honestly, it felt like a calling. The more we looked into it, the more it felt like this is what we were supposed to do.
Homeyer: Sales and marketing was something I always enjoyed. The initial thought of franchising all actually started on an early morning walk. We had both been praying about what to do next in life since our children were all on to the next stage. Kristi made a call to inquire about a franchise with Caring Transitions, and before I knew it we were on-boarding. And once we started learning more, everything just clicked. Our husbands and children have been so supportive and excited for us, which means a lot.
1851: What made you pick this brand? What excites you most about this company?
Homeyer: I watched my husband move his mom into a senior living facility. It was a really emotional process. There’s such a huge need out there, and it’s not being met in many areas. What Caring Transitions offers is the full package.It’s one of the hardest things seniors and their families go through, and if we can make that easier, that means everything. When my mother-in-law moved, her apartment took six weeks to get set up. But Caring Transitions talks about Day One Living — and I just think about how much joy that would have brought her if everything had been ready when she walked in.
Crowson: The CTBids online auction platform truly sets this franchise apart — but it was definitely the service side that sold us. Helping people at such a critical time in their lives — something we have both experienced first hand — that’s what we want to do.
1851: What do you hope to achieve with your business? What are your plans for growth?
Homeyer: We’re planning to serve the senior population in all the ZIP codes of our territory. We want to be a resource for families in our community.
Crowson: Long-term, we want to build something we can eventually pass down to our kids if they’re interested. But for now, we’re focused on growing a strong, trust-worthy business.
1851: Is there anything else about your story you want us to know?
Homeyer: Kristi lives in Bryan, Texas, and I’m in South College Station. We actually expanded our territory to be a little larger than usual. Brenham sits at the heart of our territory which is where I was born and raised. With our kids in college, it feels like the right time for this new chapter.
Crowson: We’re in the heart of some well-established Caring Transitions territories, and that’s going to be a big benefit. We’re really excited to build relationships with the other owners nearby — it will only make us stronger, better business owners.
1851: What advice do you have for other people thinking about becoming franchise owners?
Crowson: Do your homework and ask a lot of questions. We’ve been extremely impressed with how much information they give you and the level of training. We’re getting everything we need to be successful.
Homeyer: They really do a great job educating us. We talked to someone else who had gone through a different franchise, and they didn’t have anything close to what Caring Transitions provides. It’s a full package, and they’re setting us up to succeed.
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/. CTBids is a platform used for online auctions that has over 850,000 registered bidders. https://ctbids.com/
Caring Transitions
Empty nesters Kristi Crowson and Jill Homeyer are launching a Caring Transitions franchise in rural Texas to serve their community and find new purpose in their next chapter.
When longtime friends Kristi Crowson and Jill Homeyer found themselves at a crossroads professionally — they started taking early morning walks to figure out what was next. Both had decades of experience in health care and both had recently become empty nesters. What they wanted was something with meaning. What they found was Caring Transitions. Now, the duo is preparing to launch their franchise in Brenham, Texas and the surrounding cities this September, offering downsizing, estate sales and relocation services to seniors in the area. With firsthand experience navigating these transitions in their own families, Crowson and Homeyer are bringing empathy, energy and much-needed support to seniors in their community.
1851 spoke with the duo to learn more about their backgrounds, what drew them to the Caring Transitions franchise and their plans for the future.
1851 Franchise: Frame your personal story for us. What do you want us to know?
Kristi Crowson: As graduates of Texas A&M, my husband and I have called Bryan/College Station home for the majority of our married life. We have a daughter who is currently in college. I’ve worked in healthcare as a nurse for over 25 years. Jill and I became friends years ago when our girls were in elementary school together. She actually grew up across the street from my husband in Brenham. We both love the Lord and want to serve Him through this business.
Jill Homeyer: We both became empty nesters about a year ago. My kids are in college. I did 14 years in health and medical sales, then 13 years in property management. I just decided to go a different route. I wanted a job with purpose. And in the rural area we’re in, there’s such a need for what we’re offering.
1851: What did you do before franchising, and how did you decide franchising made sense for you?
Crowson: I worked as an orthopaedic nurse for over 15 years and prior to this in cardiac care. I had been looking for something different and even considered hospice. Jill shared her friend’s Caring Transitions franchise story with me, and it just really hit home. I had just come off a three-year period where I helped take care of my mother-in-law toward the end of her life. It was hard, but it was one of the most rewarding things I’ve ever done. So when Jill told me about Caring Transitions, I took a leap of faith. Honestly, it felt like a calling. The more we looked into it, the more it felt like this is what we were supposed to do.
Homeyer: Sales and marketing was something I always enjoyed. The initial thought of franchising all actually started on an early morning walk. We had both been praying about what to do next in life since our children were all on to the next stage. Kristi made a call to inquire about a franchise with Caring Transitions, and before I knew it we were on-boarding. And once we started learning more, everything just clicked. Our husbands and children have been so supportive and excited for us, which means a lot.
1851: What made you pick this brand? What excites you most about this company?
Homeyer: I watched my husband move his mom into a senior living facility. It was a really emotional process. There’s such a huge need out there, and it’s not being met in many areas. What Caring Transitions offers is the full package.It’s one of the hardest things seniors and their families go through, and if we can make that easier, that means everything. When my mother-in-law moved, her apartment took six weeks to get set up. But Caring Transitions talks about Day One Living — and I just think about how much joy that would have brought her if everything had been ready when she walked in.
Crowson: The CTBids online auction platform truly sets this franchise apart — but it was definitely the service side that sold us. Helping people at such a critical time in their lives — something we have both experienced first hand — that’s what we want to do.
1851: What do you hope to achieve with your business? What are your plans for growth?
Homeyer: We’re planning to serve the senior population in all the ZIP codes of our territory. We want to be a resource for families in our community.
Crowson: Long-term, we want to build something we can eventually pass down to our kids if they’re interested. But for now, we’re focused on growing a strong, trust-worthy business.
1851: Is there anything else about your story you want us to know?
Homeyer: Kristi lives in Bryan, Texas, and I’m in South College Station. We actually expanded our territory to be a little larger than usual. Brenham sits at the heart of our territory which is where I was born and raised. With our kids in college, it feels like the right time for this new chapter.
Crowson: We’re in the heart of some well-established Caring Transitions territories, and that’s going to be a big benefit. We’re really excited to build relationships with the other owners nearby — it will only make us stronger, better business owners.
1851: What advice do you have for other people thinking about becoming franchise owners?
Crowson: Do your homework and ask a lot of questions. We’ve been extremely impressed with how much information they give you and the level of training. We’re getting everything we need to be successful.
Homeyer: They really do a great job educating us. We talked to someone else who had gone through a different franchise, and they didn’t have anything close to what Caring Transitions provides. It’s a full package, and they’re setting us up to succeed.
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/. CTBids is a platform used for online auctions that has over 850,000 registered bidders. https://ctbids.com/
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