Senior Service Expert and Son Expand Caring Transitions in Arkansas

Krista Hughes, a seasoned veteran in senior services with 30 years of experience under her belt, ventured into the world of franchising with the Caring Transitions of Little Rock Metro in 2016. The venture with Caring Transitions began as a sole proprietorship. Her son, Andy Hughes, joined her in 2021 (in the midst of the pandemic). Through hard work and passion for their mission, their company experienced substantial growth. Andy’s vision and energy are setting a larger vision for the future of the company, so they are expanding their territory to include Conway to Cabot, Arkansas.

Andy Hughes, is eager for the challenge of growing the brand into new areas.  “The growth into a 2nd territory will strengthen the infrastructure to further support our existing clientele. We are are investing in our community by putting people to work in more towns in Central Arkansas.”

Andy views the growth as a true collaboration.  “My mom is phenomenal at marketing and getting our name out there. She is already so well-known in the senior community here. She holds herself to a very high standard and that is why we all take such pride in treating every single client like they are a member of our family.  I am going to be behind-the-scenes — helping with the onboarding process, maintaining the business operations, creating our online presence, etc.”

Andy and Krista both feel this “franchise” business model is great. “Everyday is a challenge to help satisfy clients and their unique needs. We are up to the challenge and that keeps it exciting. We get to learn so much. If one client has a love for baseball cards, for example, you end up becoming an expert as you help them liquidate. You have to be an expert across various fields. It is a very interesting industry to be in, and you get to help people at the same time. “

1851 Franchise: Frame your personal story for us. What did you do before franchising, and how did you decide franchising made sense for you?

Krista Hughes: I spent 30 years in the senior services industry, spanning everything — clinical roles, managing assisted living facilities and regulating long-term care services. Those were all executive management roles. I was never a business owner. My son had a franchise called College Hunks Hauling & Junk, and he learned about Caring Transitions at a franchise conference. He introduced it to me, and I ended up joining it in 2016.

Andy Hughes: My mother was an administrator for several senior care facilities when I was growing up. So, I was always around senior clientele, helping my mom with various tasks around the facility. That is how I was introduced to the senior care network. When I was 24, I moved to California and became an activity director for a skilled nursing facility for three years. I went on to start my own business and changed paths a bit, but I’ve always been influenced by my mom’s passion for senior care. When I moved back to Arkansas two years ago, I decided to join her and the Caring Transitions business. 

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 are in it?

Krista Hughes: I was really at a loss for what to do. I had already spent 30 years in the corporate world, and I was ready for a change. But I didn’t expect it to be this. When I heard the mission statement of Caring Transitions, it really aligned with the purpose I already had. It just meshed well. I was not necessarily looking, but I knew I wanted to go with a franchise because they would have that support I need since I don't have experience in business. 

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

Krista Hughes: I felt very passionate about the importance of offering senior relocation service in general — the idea of helping to create an environment for our seniors to thrive. I had run assisted-living facilities for a decade, and it never really went into the realm of helping people deal with what they have to do to get there in the first place. I love working with senior adults, so helping them transition to a supportive environment really appealed to me. We can give them the best opportunity to thrive in a new environment. I can make a real difference with the business.  

Andy Hughes: The appeal has always been based around our shared passion to help people — I could see myself working in this business and enjoying it. Additionally, the business model is great. Everyday is a challenge to help satisfy clients and their unique needs. We are up to the challenge and that keeps it exciting. We get to learn so much. If one client has a love for baseball cards, for example, you end up becoming an expert as you help them liquidate. You have to be an expert across various fields. It is a very interesting industry to be in, and you get to help people at the same time. 

1851: What are your plans for growth? 

Krista Hughes: It was a lot of work in the beginning. I was working as the sole proprietor, and it can be a very hard business. My son, Andy Huges, joined me two years ago, and he really brought a new energy into the business. We’ve been able to work together, and we compliment each other very well. With that added skill set, we were able to do more and push our business farther. We accomplished a whole lot more. This year, we decided that we had saturated the Little Rock Metro area. We were getting calls from potential clients in surrounding cities, so we decided to expand. My son will be taking over a more prominent role in the new territory. Overall, it has been very satisfying to offer this service to our community. When we hear those comments and see feedback from clients, it is a great feeling. 

Andy Hughes: We are basically building the infrastructure to further support our existing clientele. We really want to serve Central Arkansas well, so committing to a second territory is about holding ourselves accountable to hiring managers, building referral partners and bringing on employees to do work in more markets. It is about servicing that area better and allocating more resources. My mom is phenomenal at marketing and getting our name out there. She is already so well-known in the senior community here. I am going to be behind-the-scenes — helping with the onboarding process, maintaining the business operations, organizing overhead costs, creating our online presence, etc. 

1851: What is the one thing about your story you want us to know?

Krista Hughes: We have about 20 employees working for us, and I feel like we have a really strong brand reputation in our existing community. It was really a collective effort, and we couldn’t have done it without our team. 

Andy Hughes: The vision of Caring Transitions of Central Arkansas is based around the process my mother went through with her parents. She can empathize with clients in a way that other people can’t. She has a true passion for helping others and an immense amount of character and integrity and it shows in every single review that we have. It all starts with her. She holds herself to a very high standard and that is why we take pride in treating every single client like they are a member of the family. 

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

Krista Hughes: Life is short, so if you want to do something, you should jump on it. People have asked me, “Why did you need to pay the money for a franchise? Why didn't you just start something on your own?” The answer is I didn’t think that I could do it on my own. I needed that support. It isn’t just the support of a business coach. You have fellow peers you reach out to. I have been able to be a big sister to other franchisees who have started in nearby areas. That has been a great part of joining this franchise. 

Startup costs range from $58,912–$84,612. To learn more 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 over 300 locations, Caring Transitions’ compassionate, experienced professionals minimize stress and relieve the burdens of life’s transitions. To learn more, visit caringtransitions.com.