Mechanicsburg entrepreneur proves perseverance can provide success

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Carolyn Doerr knows all about perseverance.

The owner of a Caring Transitions serving Mechanicsburg, Doerr has overcome enormous obstacles in her professional and personal lives. The entrepreneur and her team of 22 employees recently earned entrance to the franchise’s Million Dollar Elite Club, signifying the success of a business that began following the untimely passing of her husband 13 years ago at age 46 and layoffs at previous positions. 

On top of that, Doerr has been dealing with a rare cancer called leiomyosarcoma that grows in the smooth muscles in the hollow organs of the body – the intestines, stomach, bladder, blood vessels, and in females, the uterus. 

““It’s an ongoing battle but perseverance gets you through,” said Doerr. “I was going through chemo, and it turned out was chemo I never needed, it was never going to work for what I actually had. I was re-diagnosed a couple of times and then in November 21 I had a tumor removal surgery and I’ll have another one this year.” 

The latter is scheduled for July 1, and Doerr’s team at Caring Transitions will be there to support her, as they’ve done since 2018 when she first began feeling ill. 

“Fortunately, I have a very strong team that was able to jump in when I couldn’t,” said Doerr. “My brother and his wife are now working with me as well, kind of as a backup for when needed.” 

Doerr and her team reached a major milestone recently with their being named to the Million Dollar Elite Club, which she said has been a goal for them since last year. 

“It was our goal last year to hit a million and we did,” said Doerr. “That was a big milestone for us. We finally did it. That’s definitely an honor for us to be part of that group. 

“That’s an overall record of our overall sales, and our sales come through senior relocations, downsizing, online estate sales or auctions as some people call them. So that’s pretty much where our revenue comes from.” 

It is one of a trio of major awards Doerr and her team won recently. In addition to the Million Dollar Elite Club award and her franchise being one of just 10 offices to reach $1 million in sales, Doerr and her team earned an award for Top 10 in sales after finishing 2023 as the ninth highest office in sales. They also claimed the Comeback Award for the Northeast Central Region for succeeding through controversy, in this case primarily related to Doerr’s health struggles. 

Doerr gives her team all the credit for the success of their franchise.

“They are dedicated and caring individuals who enjoy what they do, and love serving the seniors in our area,” she said. “They work extremely hard, and I am very blessed to have the wonderful group that I do. They are the ones who keep things running smoothly when I have to step away for a bit.”

Doerr and Co. have been a successful combination from the start, earning the “Shooting Star Award” as one of the top 25 of the 215 Caring Transition offices in their first year of operations. 

Founded in 2006, Caring Transitions provides older adults and their families downsizing, right-sizing, estate sales and online auctions. The company does have competition as there are other local auctioneer companies and senior relocation specialists. Doerr stated that what sets Caring Transitions apart from the competition is its auction site. 

“The fact that we can do the move management AND the liquidation of what they can’t take with them, we become a one stop shop for these seniors, minimizing their stress while also providing day one living that allows them to be all settled in their new home the same day they move,” she said. 

Doerr found the Cincinnati-based franchise to be a good fit at a time when she had become familiar with downsizing and working with seniors. 

“My husband died at a fairly early age; he was only 46 when he passed 13 years ago,” Doerr said. “So, I had an early downsizing experience. I had been working in senior services and was laid off from my job.  Because I had lived through that transition and having the experience in the senior market and having moved multiple times, I started looking for something that was a good fit for me. 

“Every time I moved my family jumped in and helped but not everyone has that support. So (Caring Transitions) it seemed like a really good fit for me.” 

Laid off from her job, Doerr moved to Mechanicsburg and took another job. 

“I was not happy with it,” she said. “My daughter and I said we should do something on our own and not be dependent on somebody else’s hiring and firing, kind of put my own destiny in my own hands. 

“I googled some low start-up cost franchises and when I saw Caring Transitions I felt like I had the senior background and downsizing. it felt like a really good fit.” 

Still, Doerr was unsure of what to do. Being on her own, she said. was a “very scary” transition. 

Doerr said she counteracted fear with faith. 

“The truth was, I’m a woman of faith and I was praying about it and didn’t know what to do” said Doerr. “I said, ‘Lord, you know what I’m thinking, and you need to tell me what to do.’ I went in to work that day and got laid off again and there was my answer. From there I didn‘t look back.” 

Doerr’s advice to others considering entrepreneurship is to be prepared to work hard and put their heart and soul into it. 

“Owning a business is definitely not easy,” she said. “You have to really be dedicated to it. When I started, failure was not an option. That was my tagline. I knew that because this was going to be my only income and I was going to be doing it myself it was going to be a lot of work, and it still is. 

“I do love it; I love having control over different things. I like the feeling of knowing that people have a job because of what we do. 

“Be prepared to put your heart and soul into it. If it isn’t (a passion), it’s probably not the right fit.”