I’m Diana Trondsen, FranNet’s Market President for Houston and the Gulf Coast Region.
This Mother’s Day, I’m putting the focus on a couple of my clients who embody the “Mompreneur” lifestyle. Stormie Caldwell is a mother, grandmother, and the franchise owner of Oasis Senior Advisors North Houston. Her testimonial is below, sharing what it means to be a daughter, granddaughter, mother, and grandmother herself. Happy Mother’s Day, Stormie!
Stormie Caldwell and her husband, Chad, own and operate Oasis Senior Advisors North Houston. As a successful franchise owner and “Mompreneur,” she shares her story of finding inspiration from the women in her life – especially her entrepreneurial grandmother, pictured below. Now, in her own words, here’s Stormie’s story…
How it Started
“Before we became franchise owners with Oasis Senior Advisors North Houston, Chad spent more than 15 years as a U.S. petroleum lab manager/scientist for an oilfield service company, while I held various jobs ranging from management to self-employment and everything in between. After a job transfer for my husband, we moved from Colorado to Texas. We had discussed what owning a business would mean for our family, and I had some previous entrepreneurial experience with a small-town dry-cleaning operation and in the residential property appraisal business. I’m no stranger to putting in the time, having worked my way into management roles in both dental and optical offices. We currently have three children, three granddaughters, and one bonus granddaughter. We also just celebrated our 20th wedding anniversary. As a mom and an entrepreneur, I’m pleased with what’s in store for us and each day I’m trying to live up to the standards of the strong women in my life to become a role model for our family.”
How it’s Going
“It feels like we’re finally caught up and where we’re supposed to be with the business right now. We launched Oasis Senior Advisors North Houston out the outset of the pandemic, which led to a fairly chaotic first few months. There was an 11-month period in which Chad had to return to full-time work, and I ran the business on my own. Between the both of us, there were lots of late nights and early mornings – just trying to keep up our momentum. We’re in a much better place now and the business is really starting to pick up. We’ve got a 75-square mile territory that keeps us on our toes, but we get an incredible amount of support from the brand. Our passion for helping others is not only setting an example for our children and grandchildren, but it’s been the steady beacon lighting our path forward.”
How Did the Women in Your Family Influence You?
“My mother gave me a loving heart. She was very nurturing and passed that gift along to me. As for my entrepreneurial disposition, my grandmother was such a big influence. She was a woman of many talents. Before World War II broke out, she studied classical piano at Augustana College in South Dakota. She ended up becoming one of the iconic “Rosie the Riveters,” welding on American battleships. During this time, she still managed to run two successful businesses, simultaneously. She was the owner of a motel and a stucco siding company. She ran the motel until she was 78 – still involved in the day-to-day duties.
She was such a mentor for me, because she pushed for me to be the best person. She showed me the value of hard work and work ethic. I remember she used to say, ‘Pretty is as pretty does. If you’re ugly on the inside, you’ll be ugly on the outside.’ For our family, she was our constant supporter and made a huge impact on all our lives.
As a ‘Mompreneur,’ What Lessons are You Passing Down to Your Children?
“Life continues to get busier and busier, but I’m hoping to show them how to be present, in the moment, and celebrate their milestones. I can only hope I’m passing down useful knowledge and serving as a good role model, finding beauty in the little things. I want to show them how to find a balance between love and hard work. Because that’s exactly what I got from my grandmother.”
For more information, please visit Chad & Stormie Caldwell’s Oasis Senior Advisors North Houston site.