Families Bring Collective Experience, Long-Time Friendship to Caring Transitions of Kirkwood
Kirkwood, MO (PRWEB) May 08, 2014 -- After more than a decade of working together and becoming family friends, the Nichols and Hirschfeld families are looking forward to serving the Southwest St. Louis area with their new joint business – Caring Transitions of Kirkwood.
Caring Transitions is America’s largest resource specializing in managing senior relocations, downsizing and estate liquidations. In addition to the organizing, packing and move oversight, Caring Transitions can handle on-site or online estate sales, liquidations, and preparing homes for market. Caring Transitions of Kirkwood serves Kirkwood, Webster Groves, Crestwood, Sunset Hills, Town and Country, Ladue, Creve Coeur, and the surrounding areas.
The business is locally owned and operated by the two families: Melissa and Chris Nichols and John and Michelle Hirschfeld. Melissa, Chris and John are excited about what the trio will be able to bring to the business individually and collectively. Melissa and John are both social workers with MBAs and experience working with seniors and families facing crisis. Chris, a Navy veteran, is an experienced business owner.
“We have three very complementary skill sets that just made for a great fit and Caring Transitions is the kind of business we wanted to own and operate. We all enjoy working with families and helping them through what may be a very difficult time in their lives,” Melissa said.
The idea to go with Caring Transitions began a few years back when Chris’s grandmother hired a company to help her downsize and then rehired the same company to handle her estate when she passed.
“His grandmother loved that this company was able to help her make choices independently and it kept her from feeling like her estate would be a burden. It gave her that certain piece of mind and it did help us work through her passing when she was gone,” Melissa said. “That experience got the wheels turning, so when we decided to open a business working with seniors, it seemed like a great fit.”
John and Michelle came on board because of John’s experience working with Melissa and the friendship between the families. John also has a bachelor’s in psychology, a master’s in divinity and a master’s in counseling.
“I’ve followed Melissa to three jobs over the last 13 years and we’ve just found that we work very well together and this is an opportunity to have a business that helps seniors and their families as they face a truly critical time. By working with Caring Transitions, those seniors can move to and live in their new homes with all the dignity, hope and enjoyment they deserve. Downsizing doesn’t mean you’re giving up anything – it just means you’re moving into a new, more comfortable lifestyle,” John said.
In addition to their individual qualifications, each Caring Transitions franchisee is a Certified Relocation and Transition Specialist, a designation bestowed by an independent organization that evaluates providers of senior relocation services. They are trained, bonded and insured. This new franchise will bring several new jobs to the area as the business grows.
“We are committed to serving our clients in and around St. Louis city and county, where we have been a part of the community for more than 40 years. In fact, we have spent most of our professional lives working with St. Louis families struggling through life’s most difficult and overwhelming times. Having been in this situation ourselves with our own family members, we are painfully aware of how stressful this can be to your family and, with our collective backgrounds in social work, counseling, project management, real estate sales and crisis intervention and management, we are ready and able to help you through this difficult transition,” Melissa said.
Founded in 2006, Caring Transitions has been a trusted and highly respected national company leading the way in senior relocation, household liquidations and estate sale management in more than 130 locations across the United States. Caring Transitions is part of the International Franchise Association, the Small Business Association’s Franchise Registry, VetFran and Minority Fran.
For information on how Caring Transitions of Kirkwood can serve you and your family, call 314-267-0688, email mnichols(at)caringtransitions(dot)net or visit http://www.caringtransitionskirkwood.com.
About Caring Transitions
Caring Transitions, founded in 2006, is the first national franchising concept specializing in Senior Relocation and Transition Services. With locations throughout North America, Caring Transitions provides clients with expert advice plus a well-executed transition plan beginning with the initial sorting of personal belongings through packing, shipping and selling of items to the final clearing and cleaning of the property. For more information, visit http://www.caringtransitions.com.
Angie Shafer, Caring Transitions, http://caringtransitions.com, +1 (513) 563-0570 Ext: 119, [email protected]
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