Donna Sherer is the South Carolina-based owner and operator of Caring Transitions, a franchise that 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. Like many of the clients she now serves, Sherer was first introduced to the Caring Transitions brand after she experienced the loss of an elderly parent. 

“When my father passed away, I had the responsibility of taking care of all of his belongings because I am an only child,” Sherer said. “He was 91, and he held on to everything — he was a Depression baby. When we were in the process of clearing out his house, I said there should really be someone who can come in and help with this overwhelming situation. My husband told me that there was already somebody who did that: Caring Transitions.”

Caring Transitions helps seniors relocate by spending time at their homes, helping them pack and organize their belongings, then moving those belongings to the new home and setting them up in a way that feels comfortable and familiar. Then, the team returns to the original location to arrange and host an in-person or online estate sale through its proprietary platform, CTBIDS. These equate to multiple profit centers and customizable client solutions that allow franchisees to scale their business and increase profitability.

When Sherer did some more research into Caring Transitions, she discovered that the franchisees behind her local operation were actually getting ready to retire and sell the business. “My husband and I have always wanted to work together, and franchising was always on the table but we could never find the right fit,” she said. “We have shopped for over 15 years but never found a concept that stood out at us. When we realized we had the chance to invest in Caring Transitions, we jumped at the opportunity. Once we sold my dad's estate, we invested in the business.”

Before franchising, Sherer says she had a litany of other jobs, but most recently spent eight years as a realtor. “We felt like that would go hand-in-hand with Caring Transitions,” she said. “We can help people get their homes cleared out, and if they don’t have a realtor they are working with, I can offer our services and take them from the very conception of downsizing all the way to selling their home.”

Sherer says another one of the big draws of Caring Transitions was the opportunity to help seniors, especially those with memory issues. “My stepfather passed away 10 years ago with Alzheimer's, so we saw firsthand how difficult that can be for the family,” she said. “With Caring Transitions, we can work with memory care patients and take that pressure off the family.”

Since officially launching the business in August 2019, Sherer says growth has been strong, and she has continued to adapt to the senior care landscape. “We had just started working towards getting into some senior living facilities that were immediately shut down when the COVID-19 pandemic hit,” she said. “But, since we already had the team in place to do liquidations, we were able to hone our skills on that end and tap into that revenue stream. Also, relocation and moving were considered an essential service, so we were able to stay open. Overall, the business itself has been fantastic, and we have probably doubled where we were last year in terms of sales.”

And Sherer says the relocation service is more needed than ever, especially in her community of South Carolina. “Greenville is in the top 10 retirement communities in the country, so that really works to our advantage,” she said. “We don’t formally advertise — we are growing organically just by word-of-mouth. We also get a lot of realtor referrals, they are really good about getting our name out there.”

Caring Transitions has worked hard to perfect a low-cost, referral-based marketing system that helps franchisees like Sherer produce an endless stream of referrals and clients. 

Looking ahead, Sherer says her three-year plan is to continue expanding the business and eventually invest in an office space or warehouse space where clients can drop off their items ready to liquidate. 

Now, VP of Franchising Development James Stapleton says the Caring Transitions brand is looking for qualified and compassionate entrepreneurs like Sherer to help expand the footprint.

“It is not hard to find great franchisee owners for this business,” Stapleton explains. “Savvy entrepreneurs are looking for a way into the senior care market, especially after COVID-19, and we offer a lucrative pathway that requires no medical experience and little overhead. This is a senior service that isn’t necessarily top-of-mind until it is needed, which is why there are so few competitors. But we are satisfying a problem that comes at a very stressful time for families. We can come in and reduce that stress. That is why a Caring Transitions franchise is a perfect opportunity to impact people’s lives, while also building a successful business.”

Start-up costs range from $58,912-$82,712, and franchisees have the opportunity to earn back their $44,900 franchise fee through its Winner’s Circle program by hitting a variety of key benchmarks.