Mark Piatt’s life has always been rooted in service and operations. After a distinguished career in the U.S. Air Force, where he served as a nuclear missile launch officer and later managed complex operations during the Gulf War, Piatt transitioned into a corporate role, managing operations for Emerson Electric for over two decades. But when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Piatt found himself at a crossroads, searching for a new path that aligned with his values and interests.

“When COVID came along, Emerson decided to move everything back overseas,” Piatt said. “I was tired of moving at that point, and we decided to stay in Northeast Arkansas. But, I was a little too young to retire, so I started looking at several options.”

That search led Piatt to Caring Transitions, a senior relocation and estate sale franchise that offers a comprehensive solution for families facing the challenges of downsizing, moving and managing estate sales. Piatt’s interest in antiquing and auctions made the franchise a perfect fit, but it was Caring Transitions’ proprietary online auction platform, CTBids, that sealed the deal.

“We looked at how much it would cost to build something like we wanted, and it was a long timeline and hundreds of thousands of dollars,” Piatt said. “So finding Caring Transitions was great — they already had a well-established online auction site. CTBids was very in line with what I was looking for.”

Piatt’s personal experience with his stepfather’s passing also further solidified his connection to the Caring Transitions mission. “My stepfather had just passed, and my brother-in-law and I had to clean out the garage and move some of his items that were in the way for my mom,” Piatt said. “We both lived eight hours away in different directions. It was tough for the family to take time off to manage that. So when I found that there was a service that did that, I loved the idea.”

Piatt and his wife, Tara, opened Caring Transitions of Jonesboro, Arkansas in 2020, and since then, he hasn’t looked back. Despite his extensive experience running businesses on the corporate side, Piatt found that owning his own business came with new challenges and rewards. Fortunately, he also found that, as a veteran, his military background gave him the skills needed to succeed in franchising. “In the military, you are looking for something where you have standard operating procedures. You want an objective challenge to work through,” Piatt said. “Most guys in the military — that is what they like. You know what the goal is and the objective. It’s not just knowing how to get there but also solving the problem.”

Each job Piatt encounters in his Caring Transitions business is unique, with its own set of challenges. Whether it’s helping a family clean out a home after the loss of a loved one or managing an estate sale, Piatt finds satisfaction in both the problem-solving aspect of the work and the emotional impact it has on the families he serves. 

“Every job is just that way — everyone is different and has their own nuances and challenges,” Piatt said. “That is what appeals to me, as well as the gratitude of working with people who really need this service. That is rewarding in and of itself. Overall, it has been a great experience.”

For more information on franchising with Caring Transitions, visit: https://1851franchise.com/caringtransitions/.