When Tracy Toomer-Couvson was laid off from her position as VP of Operations for the largest fitness franchisee in the United States in 2020, she decided enough was enough. Tracy previously made four successful corporate moves, but her career success came at a cost. With elderly parents at home, Tracy could choose to make another corporate move and disrupt the family again or do something different. She chose the latter and has felt blessed every day since.

Tracy’s priorities include being present as a daughter, girlfriend, sister, friend, and most of all being present for herself. She began thinking about business ownership as a way to feel valued and appreciated while controlling her own time.  In November of 2020, Tracy became the owner of CarePatrol Collin County Central. CarePatrol is the nation’s largest and most trusted senior living placement organization, with over 150 Certified Senior Advisors throughout the country. It was founded to take the stress out of finding the best and safest senior care choices for families and their loved ones.

 Tracy admits that owning a business is not all sunshine and roses, especially when you have a pandemic to contend with but feels so much appreciation for the life she’s creating for herself and her loved ones through the meaningful work she’s doing as a CarePatrol owner. “It’s about finding ways to do what I love in service to others. I love supporting families while they are going through an emotional crisis and helping them make some of the biggest decisions in their lives. Being able to answer questions like, where will their loved one be cared for and treated with the utmost respect and dignity they deserve? That’s what I am blessed to do every day”.  

 Tracy worked with Seth Lederman, Franchise Advisor and Frannexus CEO, to determine the right business opportunity.

“The greatest value Seth and the Frannexus team offered throughout the process was in providing answers and insights around the important considerations like which financial business model is right for me. Should I look at a brick-and-mortar or an at-home business? How much and when will I break even? All of the answers to these great questions helped determine that franchising was right for me at this time in my life.”

– Tracy Toomer-Couvson, Owner of CarePatrol Collin County Central

 At the end of the day, Tracy feels good about her decision to invest in a franchise. “I absolutely love this business, and I know I am in the right place, at the right time to be of service to a population that truly needs it! Here’s to 2022!!”

Tracy’s Tips for Would-Be Franchise Owners

#1 Do your research! “The first piece of advice I would offer is that you can never do enough research.” 

#2 Talk to Franchisees. “Make sure you speak with Franchisees that have left recently. Why did they leave? How much were they earning by the end of their contract with the franchisor?”

#3 Dive into the Franchisor/Franchisee relationship. “It is like a marriage. Ask if they’re happy with the franchisor and how their experience is different from what they expected?”

#4 Find out what positions are essential to hire. “If it is a business where you can work from home, ask other franchisees what positions were critical at the opening to the success of the business? Should you budget for an assistant?”