After losing nearly everything in a devastating fire in 2022, husband-and-wife Dee and Stu Senter experienced firsthand what it feels like to be surrounded by support in the wake of disaster. “When you’re in that place of personal crisis and people come to help you, it makes you want to do the same for others,” Dee said. “We want to pay that forward.”

That desire to give back is what led them to Caring Transitions, the senior relocation, downsizing and estate sales franchise. Launching in September in Hendersonville, North Carolina, their business is built on compassion, community and the power of service — and they’re bringing their whole family along for the journey.

1851 spoke with the couple to learn more about their backgrounds, what drew them to Caring Transitions and their plans for the future. 

1851 Franchise: Frame your personal story for us. What do you want us to know?

Stu Senter: I worked for the Department of Defense for 26 years. I was a research psychologist and instructor in the area of polygraphs, and I spent the last several years as a supervisor.

Dee Senter: My career has taken me all over — from special events planner to owning a couple of toy stores. We also had a family business running guided ATV tours. I’ve been an entrepreneur since 2007. We’ve been married for 30 years, and we have four children — we all plan to be a part of the business, so it’ll really be a family operation. We’re also both Appalachian State graduates!

1851: What was your perception of franchising prior to becoming a franchisee, and what do you want people to know now that you’re in it?

Dee: We really wanted to have a business with a purpose — something that helped people. That’s always been our mission. The franchise systems were already in place, and for us, that meant we could focus on helping others. With the established presence Caring Transitions has in the auction world, that really filled a need. They have bidders from all over the U.S. — that was a huge plus. Why reinvent the wheel?

1851: What made you pick this brand? What excites you most about the company?

Dee: I was looking into opportunities tied to organization — having my own home decluttered and organized brings me peace. That’s how I first came across Caring Transitions. We really loved the idea of helping others, and this is really two businesses in one. We can generate income for our clients to help them pay for the services. It’s a win-win for everybody.

Stu: We’ve both had jobs where the sense of purpose wasn’t always there. With Caring Transitions, the heart of the brand is service. You’re helping people through a difficult time, often a crisis. And being in a position to ease that stress — that’s meaningful. That’s where the passion comes from.

1851: What do you hope to achieve with your business? What are your plans for growth?

Dee: We want to be a source for the community — to provide a great service and also give back. That’s our goal.

1851: Is there anything else about your story you want us to know?

Dee: We lost our ATV business because of a fire in 2022. Our home was above our business garage, and when that fire happened, we lost about 98% of our possessions. We were still pretty new to the area, but this community just wrapped us in love. People we didn’t even know were donating clothes and supplies — we had donations coming in by the SUV load. Six different fire departments responded. When you’re in that place of personal crisis and people come to help you, it makes you want to do the same for others. You learn humility fast — we didn’t go to the store to pick out a toothbrush; someone brought it to us. We want to pay that forward. We also just experienced the floods here. That community spirit of helping each other — that’s what we want our business to represent. Our faith in God has carried us through, and we’ve seen the good in people.

Stu: One of the big incentives for us was also the Caring Transitions network — everyone is willing to help each other. That desire to serve doesn’t stop at the client level — it carries over into the way the franchisees support each other. They’re open about what worked and what didn’t. It really is a community.

1851: What advice do you have for other people thinking about becoming franchise owners?

Dee: Trust your gut. Do your due diligence. Find something that brings you peace inside — that’s what led us here.

Stu: Ask yourself: Do you love people? A big part of this is going out and building relationships with referral partners, realtors and assisted living communities. You also need to connect with clients. So you have to love people, and you have to believe in your employees, too. You can’t do every job. Your team will carry that message forward, so the care has to start from the top. If you truly care about people’s well-being, that’s going to be the foundation for everything.

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/.