For more than 15 years,  Heather Martin and  Mark Warthen have been business partners — but their newest venture is different. Inspired by personal experiences caring for aging parents and drawn to a mission-driven brand, the longtime business partners and friends are launching a  Caring Transitions franchise to serve families in Frederick, Maryland, and the surrounding areas. Warthen, a Navy veteran, and Martin, a seasoned tech professional, say the decision to become franchisees was a leap toward service and purpose — a mission that will soon extend to their own family members as they join the business.  “Mark’s mom is older, and he and his siblings take turns caring for her,” Martin said. “For me, I’ve also spent a lot of time caring for my parents. My mom survived cancer and is managing some ongoing effects from treatment, and my father passed away ten years ago. I have also been at the bedside multiple times for family members that passed away. I know firsthand how hard it is to navigate those situations. Being able to provide insights and support through those kinds of transitions really drew me to  Caring Transitions .” With plans to open in the fall and grow to three territories within the year, the duo is ready to bring compassion and clarity to families navigating downsizing, relocation, estate sales and more. 1851 spoke with Martin and Warthen to learn more about their backgrounds, what drew them to the brand and their plans for the future. Here’s what they had to say.  1851 Franchise: Frame your personal story for us. What do you want us to know? Heather Martin: Mark and I have been business partners for over 15 years. He’s a military veteran — he served in the Navy and also did a stint in the reserves. We both come from corporate backgrounds in Information Technology. We have had franchise experience before except from the corporate side — we supported franchisees for their IT needs. Mark’s mom is older, and he and his siblings take turns caring for her. For me, I’ve also spent a lot of time caring for my parents. My mom survived cancer and is managing some ongoing effects from treatment, and my father passed away ten years ago. I have also been at the bedside multiple times for family members that passed away. I know firsthand how hard it is to navigate those situations. Being able to provide insights and support through those kinds of transitions really drew me to Caring Transitions. 1851: What was your perception of franchising prior to becoming a franchisee, and what do you want people to know about franchising now that you’re in it? Martin: Honestly, the uneasiness and instability of the corporate world pushed us toward this. There have been eight rounds of layoffs — thankfully, Mark and I have been OK so far. But we knew we wanted to take our careers into our own hands. We found Caring Transitions through estate sales, and once we researched it, we really connected with the mission and the purpose. We’re in our second act of our lives, and we wanted to do something meaningful. Working in IT is great, but it doesn’t give you a lot of purpose. Mark Warthen: We really just wanted to do something with purpose. 1851: What made you pick this brand? What excites you most about this company? Martin: We didn’t look at any other brands. The support has been incredibly hands-on, and we’ve felt like we have the full backing of the corporate team. You really feel like they want you to be successful. Warthen: The cooperative nature of the Caring Transitions network is what drew us in. No matter what’s going on, someone from the team is there to help. There’s no withholding of information — everyone is willing to share what they’ve learned to help others improve. That kind of culture is rare. 1851: What do you hope to achieve with your business? What are your plans for growth? Martin: We’re hoping to expand to three territories within the next year. 1851: Is there anything else about your story you want us to know? Warthen: We fell in love with the brand right away — we didn’t question it at all. Martin: We’re also bringing some of our family members into the business. My son is going to work for us, and my sister will as well as Mark’s nephew. This will be a family-run business, and we’re excited about that. 1851: What advice do you have for other people thinking about becoming franchise owners? Warthen: You’ve just got to go full throttle. Keep your head down and keep moving forward. Martin: You’ve got to work the process. At first, you don’t know what you don’t know. But once we attended all the training, everything really started to come together. That was the moment it all clicked. 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/ .