When Erin Swoboda purchased Caring Transitions of Chippewa Valley in July 2024, she brought with her two decades of experience in human resources. “I’ve always been a big part of people’s transitions,” she said. “Even in the workforce, that includes everything from hiring and onboarding to helping people shift into new roles or out when the workforce changes. I’ve always had a handle on the shifts people experience in their lives.”
So, when the opportunity arose to help families through physical transitions — downsizing, relocating and estate sales — Swoboda saw it as a natural extension of her life’s work. What began as an act of kindness for a neighbor soon turned into a new career and a thriving business.
Swoboda’s introduction to Caring Transitions started close to home. “We had a neighbor a couple of doors up who had a major medical emergency,” she said. “We started helping her when she was getting pressure from her insurance company to get things out of the house. She wasn’t able to return, and her son and daughter-in-law were trying to get the house ready for sale.”
Her husband, a licensed REALTOR®, brought in the local Caring Transitions team to manage the process. “They came in, got it all prepped, held an estate sale and then sold the house,” she said. “After seeing that, my husband asked the owner, Roger [Liddell], if he’d ever need a partner. Around that same time, my position at work was being eliminated, so it felt like the right time for a change.”
Soon, Swoboda found herself shadowing Liddell to learn the ropes, attending training in Ohio and preparing to take over the business full-time. “We came in already having seen what client consultations looked like, which helped a lot,” she said.
Rather than starting a new franchise from scratch, Swoboda purchased an existing Caring Transitions location — a decision that came with several advantages. “The benefits of buying an existing location were that we already had some understanding of what a client consultation would look like,” she said. “We were taking on something that was already running and in existence. We already had a team in place that knew how the inner workings worked.”
That existing foundation provided a level of comfort and continuity. “While we spent the first year understanding what it meant to do a cleanout or run an estate sale, we worked closely in the business to get a true understanding of what it takes,” she said. “Having an existing team made it less intimidating because they already knew how everything worked.”
This gave Swoboda the chance to focus on building relationships, refining systems and expanding the business. “The previous owners were transitioning into retirement, so they weren’t necessarily promoting it,” she said. “We’re now taking it to the next level by really enhancing our move services and doing more with the business than they envisioned.”
Of course, inheriting a business isn’t without challenges. “One challenge of taking over an existing franchise is that you can assume the previous owner was following the rules,” Swoboda said. “It’s important to recognize and realize the differences.”
Her advice to other aspiring owners is simple but essential: “Read the playbook that’s provided,” she said. “If you aren’t paying attention to what the training brings in and what the previous owner did, you could develop bad habits and things that aren’t going to work well. Make sure that you’re paying attention to what the expectations are for the franchise, that’s key.”
By following the system and applying her own leadership, Swoboda has turned an established business into a growing, modernized operation. “Overall, the past year has been very strong,” she said. “What we’ve done has been great.”
For entrepreneurs considering a franchise like Caring Transitions, Swoboda’s story shows the value of buying an existing territory — especially one with a solid foundation and strong community ties. “We came in with a running start,” she said. “Having a trained team and an established client base gave us the confidence to build from there.”
Now, as she continues to expand and evolve her business, Swoboda sees her work as a natural continuation of her lifelong mission. “I’ve always helped people through transitions,” she said. “Caring Transitions lets me keep doing that — just in a different way.”
To learn more about franchise opportunities with Caring Transitions, visit 1851franchise.com/caringtransitions.
Caring Transitions
SPONSORED
Franchisee Erin Swoboda found a head start by purchasing an established Caring Transitions franchise and leveraging existing teams and client bases for a faster path to growth.
When Erin Swoboda purchased Caring Transitions of Chippewa Valley in July 2024, she brought with her two decades of experience in human resources. “I’ve always been a big part of people’s transitions,” she said. “Even in the workforce, that includes everything from hiring and onboarding to helping people shift into new roles or out when the workforce changes. I’ve always had a handle on the shifts people experience in their lives.”
So, when the opportunity arose to help families through physical transitions — downsizing, relocating and estate sales — Swoboda saw it as a natural extension of her life’s work. What began as an act of kindness for a neighbor soon turned into a new career and a thriving business.
Swoboda’s introduction to Caring Transitions started close to home. “We had a neighbor a couple of doors up who had a major medical emergency,” she said. “We started helping her when she was getting pressure from her insurance company to get things out of the house. She wasn’t able to return, and her son and daughter-in-law were trying to get the house ready for sale.”
Her husband, a licensed REALTOR®, brought in the local Caring Transitions team to manage the process. “They came in, got it all prepped, held an estate sale and then sold the house,” she said. “After seeing that, my husband asked the owner, Roger [Liddell], if he’d ever need a partner. Around that same time, my position at work was being eliminated, so it felt like the right time for a change.”
Soon, Swoboda found herself shadowing Liddell to learn the ropes, attending training in Ohio and preparing to take over the business full-time. “We came in already having seen what client consultations looked like, which helped a lot,” she said.
Rather than starting a new franchise from scratch, Swoboda purchased an existing Caring Transitions location — a decision that came with several advantages. “The benefits of buying an existing location were that we already had some understanding of what a client consultation would look like,” she said. “We were taking on something that was already running and in existence. We already had a team in place that knew how the inner workings worked.”
That existing foundation provided a level of comfort and continuity. “While we spent the first year understanding what it meant to do a cleanout or run an estate sale, we worked closely in the business to get a true understanding of what it takes,” she said. “Having an existing team made it less intimidating because they already knew how everything worked.”
This gave Swoboda the chance to focus on building relationships, refining systems and expanding the business. “The previous owners were transitioning into retirement, so they weren’t necessarily promoting it,” she said. “We’re now taking it to the next level by really enhancing our move services and doing more with the business than they envisioned.”
Of course, inheriting a business isn’t without challenges. “One challenge of taking over an existing franchise is that you can assume the previous owner was following the rules,” Swoboda said. “It’s important to recognize and realize the differences.”
Her advice to other aspiring owners is simple but essential: “Read the playbook that’s provided,” she said. “If you aren’t paying attention to what the training brings in and what the previous owner did, you could develop bad habits and things that aren’t going to work well. Make sure that you’re paying attention to what the expectations are for the franchise, that’s key.”
By following the system and applying her own leadership, Swoboda has turned an established business into a growing, modernized operation. “Overall, the past year has been very strong,” she said. “What we’ve done has been great.”
For entrepreneurs considering a franchise like Caring Transitions, Swoboda’s story shows the value of buying an existing territory — especially one with a solid foundation and strong community ties. “We came in with a running start,” she said. “Having a trained team and an established client base gave us the confidence to build from there.”
Now, as she continues to expand and evolve her business, Swoboda sees her work as a natural continuation of her lifelong mission. “I’ve always helped people through transitions,” she said. “Caring Transitions lets me keep doing that — just in a different way.”
To learn more about franchise opportunities with Caring Transitions, visit 1851franchise.com/caringtransitions.
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